The Worlds Rarest Motorcycle

[Skybarney]

Found this this morning did a search for Traub so hopefully I won't be making a derby here.  At the bottom is a video of this sweet little twin running.

In 1967, a plumber doing renovations of an apartment building outside Chicago tore down a brick wall and found what would prove to be a baffling mystery to vintage motorcycle enthusiasts - a one-of-a-kind motorcycle bearing 1917 plates and the name "Traub". The building’s elderly owner admitted that his son had stolen the bike before going off to WWI, never to return. But where the bike came from and who made it remains a unknown to this day
Currently residing in the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, the Traub is considered by many to not only be the rarest motorcycle in their collection, but in the world.







The Traub was sold to Torillo Tacchi, a bicycle shop owner in Chicago after its discovery who later sold it to Bud Ekins - famous as Steve McQueen’s stuntman - while Ekins was on set of the Blues Brothers movie in the late 1970s. The Traub was later sold to collector and restorer, Richard Morris, who then sold it to Wheels Through Time Museum curator, Dale Walksler, in 1990. It has been on permanent display in the museum collection ever since.

Don't think this unique motorcycle is merely a museum piece though. Walksler rides the Traub fairly regularly. When asked about the engine components, he enthusiastically replied, “Everything inside the engine is just magnificent. The pistons are handmade, and have gap-less cast iron rings, the engineering and machining being simply years ahead of their time.”

"When comparing other top motorcycle makes and models of the era, the Traub has no equal. Comprised of a sand-cast, hand-built, 80 cubic-inch "side valve" engine, the machine has the ability to reach speeds in excess of 85 mph with ease," says Walksler.

Aside from its few off-the-shelf components, the Traub has many unique handmade features. The three-speed transmission is thought to be one of the first of its kind and the rear brake, a dual-acting system that employs a single cam that is responsible for pushing an internal set of shoes, while pulling an external set, has never been seen on any other American motorcycle.

"For a machine to have such advanced features, unparalleled by other motorcycles of the same era, is truly outstanding," said Walksler. "It's my opinion that The Traub was an attempt at a new breed of motorcycle. But how on earth could a machine have been produced in such great form, with capabilities that far exceed that of any comparable machine, without the knowledge of the rest of the motorcycle industry during that time."

The hunt for the Traub's elusive origin hasn't stopped. "While we may never know why the machine was placed behind that wall, we do hope to one day find out more about its history and the genius that created it," said Walksler.

TRAUB THE WORLD'S RAREST MOTORCYCLE?

[MadDuck]

WOW!

[justinrhenry]

it looks very uncomfortable.   

[Monsterlover]

[Ducatamount]

My first instinct was that the Traub Motorcycle (Company?) was started by a brewery owner. I don't know why but that was the first thing I thought of when I saw the logo. Kind of looks like an old time beer logo. Just a guess.

[ChrisK]

Very cool story

[caperix]

I remember seeing something about this bike on Velocitys show "Whats in the barn". If you every get a chance to visit the wheels through time musium do it.  Plenty of cool old american bikes there in adition to this one.

[OT]

My first instinct was that the Traub Motorcycle (Company?) was started by a brewery owner. I don't know why but that was the first thing I thought of when I saw the logo. Kind of looks like an old time beer logo. Just a guess.

The late Marvin Traub once ran Bloomingdales…but I could never picture him on a MC  

[the_Journeyman]

I remember seeing something about this bike on Velocitys show "Whats in the barn". If you every get a chance to visit the wheels through time musium do it.  Plenty of cool old american bikes there in adition to this one.

What's in the barn is Wheels Through Time's owners show.

JM

[sgollapalle]

Good old days of having to tip the bike over to get the fuel going before fuel pumps existed... Brings back old memories with this guy!

[Rameses]

Very interesting.

Looks like some internet detectives might've figured out where it came from...


http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1kubqb/