Interesting read on Amazonas Motorcycles

[Tom]

I posted the link on another thread but it needs a thread of it's own.  900 lbs and "It looks like the bastard child of a Honda Gold Wing and a Boss Hoss, held together with the sort of shade-tree engineering and blind hope" (not all of the quote from the website)

http://www.odd-bike.com/2012/12/amazonas-1600-beetle-powered-brazilian.html

[Tom]

"It may have been ugly, but at least it was crude." 

[Arizona Wayne]

Yeah, I'm old enough to remember seeing the Amazona in a bike mag.  At the time I thought...WTF !?    This is what happens when you live in a communistic country. 

[nc43bsa]

"In the early 90s the original 1600 was getting a bit long in the tooth (actually, it was stone cold dead in the market) . . . "   

I also remember reading (probably in Cycle World) about the Amazonas.  Other than the VW engine, I knew very little about it.

For example, I didn't know before today that it had chain final drive with the VW Bug transmission.

[Lannis]

I remember when they came out.   The magazines tried to put the best possible face on them, not knowing what we know now.

Imagine a MONSTROUS, GIGANTIC 1600cc motorcycle!   Why, it put the Munch Mammoth FAR into the shade.   A huge, pavement-rippling leviathan.

The modern marketeers would have it be a sort of mid-size bike today, and with 60 HP, maybe even a beginner's bike ....

Lannis

[Tom]

 :1: on your observations. 

[fotoguzzi]

[Tom]

 

[kenvil1]

A Porsche Sunbeam is the way to go.

[Kiwi_Roy]

The Sunbeam rear end is a very weak gear and worm, a friend has one.


Sent from my shoe phone!

[ken farr]

The Sunbeam rear end is a very weak gear and worm, a friend has one.


Sent from my shoe phone!

Well, at least the marginal brakes,.....oh, never mind.


kjf

[JayDee24ca]

I remember those.
I was pretty keen on one at the time, back in the early 80's I think. I even went so far as to send for their full colour multi-page sales brochure, which duly arrived in the frozen north some weeks later, all in Spanish, of which fine language I speak not a word. As I recall, importing one to Canada was going to be problematic. Added to the problem was the fact I really didn't have that kind of free cash lying about. And of course SWIMBO would have had to be appeased somehow. So all in all, and in light of it's terrible reviews, things worked out pretty well for me, I'd say.

I do still have the brochure and its original brown paper mailing envelope.

Jphn D.

[Lannis]

I remember those.
I was pretty keen on one at the time, back in the early 80's I think. I even went so far as to send for their full colour multi-page sales brochure, which duly arrived in the frozen north some weeks later, all in Spanish, of which fine language I speak not a word. As I recall, importing one to Canada was going to be problematic. Added to the problem was the fact I really didn't have that kind of free cash lying about. And of course SWIMBO would have had to be appeased somehow. So all in all, and in light of it's terrible reviews, things worked out pretty well for me, I'd say.

I do still have the brochure and its original brown paper mailing envelope.

Jphn D.

Sure it was Spanish?   They speak Portuguese down yonder in Brazil, the Amazonas natural home.

The deal here in the USA was that you would buy your Amazonas in three $1500 packages (frame, suspension, bodywork/electric) and then get a VW engine from your local junkyard, thus making it a "homebuilt" kit bike with an already approved engine.

And after you went through ALL that, you would have .... an Amazonas!   

Lannis

[Arizona Wayne]

Boy Lannis, I wish I had your memory.    Noticed those Amazonas had car tires of which are now called 'dark side' tires on MCs.   

[Lannis]

Boy Lannis, I wish I had your memory.    Noticed those Amazonas had car tires of which are now called 'dark side' tires on MCs. 

I was actually thinking about doing it at one point, and researched them pretty thoroughly, before I came to my senses.   Well, sort of came to my senses - I bought a new shovelhead Electraglide instead so "senses" was relative ..... !

Lannis

[Arizona Wayne]

I was actually thinking about doing it at one point, and researched them pretty thoroughly, before I came to my senses.   Well, sort of came to my senses - I bought a new shovelhead Electraglide instead so "senses" was relative ..... !

Lannis

Hey, I put car tires on both my MP3 scooters (250,400) and adapted to them quick as far as handling.  But thousands of miles later I found out unlike a MC the MP3s have a lot different location for the right axle wheel bearing...........a nd it isn't conducive with a car tire on it. 

I see a lot of heavy cruiser bikes that look like they are OK with rear car tires as are `17 or older Honda Gold Wings if the tire is close to the original tire size.  Of course if you can't handle thinking outside the box, don't go there. 

[Tom]

 :1:

[bigbikerrick]

Very interesting read, I think the only thing I like about the Amazonas is the taillight cover, because it reminds me of a Convert!
Rick.

[guzzisteve]

I had heard about them w/they came out available, then I saw one in person. Maybe it was the builder/owner but what a piece of crap. They looked better in pics than in the real. This may have to do with the guy putting the bike together, the welds were not pretty. I thought it made the Russian stuff look good.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The Amazonas' Italian and French "cousins":
http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Classic/moto_shifty_900.htm
http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Classic/bfg.htm

[guzzisteve]

Very interesting read, I think the only thing I like about the Amazonas is the taillight cover, because it reminds me of a Convert!
Rick.

A gentleman I knew from the antique club in IL owned a Convert w/VW engine in it and was very nicely built. He rode it to the IL breakfast and drew a crowd every time.