10. The Kettenkrad
The Kettenkrad, or “tracked motorcycle” was a gunnery tractor developed in Germany from 1939-1948, used during WWII. With handlebars, the driver would steer while the intricate and overlapped layers of wheels would turn within the tracks. Essentially, it was a small tank-bike.
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The front wheel could be removed in harsh terrain when the tractor would run in a slow trudging gear – for example, through Soviet Russia’s muddy fields – but it could also get up to speeds of about 44 mph (or 70km/h).
A popular choice nowadays for hobby restoratives and rebuilders, the Kettenkrad was mostly used in its heyday to shuttle cargo and troops but was small enough to fit in an aircraft’s hold. Despite its practical use and potential, the track-wheel-on-a-bike idea hasn’t stuck around.
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