Volkswagen Question

[Radiation]

This might seem like a stupid question, but here goes; does Volkswagen make a motorcycle? I was driving through Corvallis, Or. yesterday and a sport cruiser pulled up behind me and it had a vw emblem on the front fairing above the headlight. When it went around me it also had the same emblem on the tank. It was maybe a year old and very sharp looking. If it wasn't a vw then they went to a lot of effort to remove the old badges and replace them with these. I didn't recognize the model, so I wasnt sure.

[Crazcnuk]

Never heard of a Volswagen motorcycle, but there was/is a motorcycle made in Brazil that used the VW flat 4 engine called an 'Amazonas'.

[The Lorax]

I remember that, if I remember, wasn't it supposed to be the largest motorcycle in the world? overall size wise. I read an article on it years ago, it was huge.

[Crazcnuk]

It was a monster, with a 1600cc dual port VW beetle engine, so I imagine it was large.

Now you have several bikes that are bigger, Triumph with a 2300cc, Boss Hoss's, 1800cc Shadows, etc

[fredintoon]

A rose by any other name - - -

Hi Bill,
there's been several installations of VW aircooled flat 4s into Goldwings, BMWs & Urals plus, as mentioned, there's the Amazonas.
I'd agree with you that most likely someone has gone to some trouble to "customize" his ride. I've never seen a bike with a VW badge but I have seen a Toyota 1/4ton that had a very professional looking panelbeating job done on the tailgate to morph Toyota into Tonka.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[Crazcnuk]

Amazonas have been built since 1971. For many years they were a monster, cc wise, at 1600cc.

However, they are only 65hp, and 800lbs. Today, they are pretty much outshadowed by almost everything. Any japanese bike over 750cc meets it or beats it for hp/weight ratio.

If you see a picutre of one, it looks very much like a gold wing with the valve covers sticking out the side. Makes one wonder if Honda engineers saw an Amazonas!