Maker Ritsert Mans embarked on a nature-inspired motorbike building adventure that would result in a wood-framed beach racer fueled by microalgae oil supplied by Peter Mooij. The powerhouse comes in the shape of a 500cc single cylinder fuel engine, which gets its "microalgae oil" from a 0.4 liter (0.1 US gal) tank and drives a belt to the rear wheel.

The bike's frame and seat are made from steam-bent birch with hemp fiber reinforced mountings for the two point headset, glued together using plain old wood glue. There's a single-sided swingarm to the front made from birch and oak, with an oiled cork/oak damper an a cork insert to provide a compression zone in the spring. Attached to this is a spoked (non-wood) 23-inch wheel with drum brake.

The rear single-sided swingarm is made from solid oak, with some cork between the arm and the frame to allow for some travel. This holds a 21-inch wheel with "mechanical drum brake." Hemp fiber and birch were shaped and shaved to form the handlebars,but a rough working version that "does the trick." Development continues.

Sources: Ritsert Mans, Peter Mooij

#Moto #Bike #Custom