Guy creates a motorcycle out of parts from his wrecked car.

uyotg

uyotg

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Sep 5, 2010
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A coworker gave me this link today and I thought I'd share it here:
http://gizmodo.com/5912640/real+lif...wn-car-into-a-motorcycle-to-escape-the-desert

Quick summary: Guy crashes his car in a desert in Africa; transforms it into a motorcycle to get out.

Pretty cool story, though I wish there were more details or a better translation (original, in French). I don't know if this is a real story or how much of a survival/emergency situation it really was, as it seems kind of contrived and a little over-documented at the original link. But my point is that I get so caught up in the idea that I have to hone my primitive living skills, working with a knife, wood, dirt, whatever is out there in nature. I always forget how knowledge of machinery can mean a lot in emergencies of today's age, too, and I'm personally guilty of knowing nothing about cars. There's a lot that cannot only be repurposed with some improvisation, but also repaired with the right knowledge.

The urban apocalypse team always needs a mechanic or electrician, right? :p
 
Cool story. Thanks for posting this. Still can't figure out how he did this without welding!
 
WOW, hats off to him for pulling that off.

Obviously a very capable and resoursefull guy and he had some tools in his car for "just in case". That's a good story.
 
I drive a VW Syncro van and I have been three times already to the Morocco desert. I never travel alone and we all carry lots of tooling... Even 12v drills, grinders, assortments of bolts, spare parts, and whatnot... but by no means I would be able to put together something like that. Hell, we even carry a bunch of stick welding rods to glue some metal together with the batteries! Hats off for this guy.

Mikel
 
That's amazing. Also reminds me of Flight of the Phoenix, only he did it all by himself.
 
Seems more similar to "reality tv" than a real world situation. Still, it's an interesting solution regardless of the authenticity of the problem.

I had to put the wheels back on my bike this week after having tires installed. And I could barely re-assemble a motorcycle from motorcycle parts. :D
 
Thats awesome. I want to put him in a post apocalyptic amusement park and have him make me a Mecha.
 
hmmm......yeah I'm just not buying all of this story.

Too many things that just don't add up or make sense IMO.
 
My guess is that there is part of the story being lost in translation. I read somewhere that he off-roaded passed a closed boarder checkpoint. Maybe some kind of french top-gear type stunt? pretty cool none the less. that said, from a "could it be done?" stand point, I'd say its totally doable. besides walking out of the desert is not a great plan, being able to cover the distance quicker, and carry your water and stuff seems like a better plan, he must have been well stocked to have two weeks spare water!
 
What drives the rear wheel? I don't see a belt or anything? This looks like some artist's sculpture, not buying it.
 
crom said:
What drives the rear wheel? I don't see a belt or anything? This looks like some artist's sculpture, not buying it.
Click to expand...

If you look at the comments further down the page, someone translated:

Transmission by friction: the break drum is above the rear wheel, the rotation direction necesitats to drive in reverse, at a maximum of 20 kph (about 12.5 mph).

Still, the story's showing high readings on the B.S.ometer and is off the scale on the stupidograph.
 
I like that he included a kick stand in his contraption. Definitely wasn't in too much of a hurry to include that luxury.
 
Also notice how there isnt any up close pics of the bike to see how it was all rigged up.

They are all from a few feet away.
 
It would've been easier for him to just repair the swing arm, rather than to build a whole new vehicle practically from scratch.
 
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