Have you ever ridden a 2WD motorcycle before? If you’re used to riding a standard, RWD motorcycle, it’s certainly an interesting time and feeling. Do you feel a little more invincible than you usually do when climbing up? I mean, I can’t speak for anyone else but myself, but as far as I’m concerned? Yes, maybe just a little. You are still very aware of your mortality, the way you can die just by riding a motorcycle on public roads; But because your machine seems a little stronger and invincible, a little of that attitude is bound to rub off on you.
However, I’ve never ridden a bike like this particular AWD machine before; The one I rode, the UBCO 2×2, was very small and low to the ground. This fact makes a lot of sense for those of us with smaller inseams, but isn’t exactly ideal for tasks that require more ground clearance. Everything is a compromise, I guess?
But on the actual bike in hand; Well, the bike is in the hands of a bearded mechanic anyway. It’s a Christy AWD military rig he picked up somewhere, and he’s invited a new assistant named Max to help him break it down and get it running again. From below, as you start to look closer at this machine, you can see both similarities and differences to more traditional motorbikes. But as always, it’s the details that really set this thing apart and make it stand out.
For starters, that little compartment with the handle that’s under the seat on the left side of the bike? I was half expecting it to be a nice little place to stash your tool roll for roadside repairs, but no; This is where the air filter goes! A simple hinged door makes it easy to get in and clean the thing as needed, which seems like a really smart move for riders who will need to clean the thing frequently.
The real magic happens when Craig pulls back the curtain on the 2WD system and figures out how it works. You got a little glimpse of this before, when the drive shaft going to the steering neck was exposed for the first time, and they got a good look at the position of the spark plugs. After removing the cover from the AWD system, which is also on the left side of the bike, you get to see a funky little chain drive system that connects the engine to the Too Send power to the drive shaft which then travels down through a second (longer) drive shaft and what Craig says is a limited-slip system, all the way to the front wheel.
keep this in mind except for A more standard transmission and chain drive system going from the engine to the rear wheel that you’ve already seen on most bikes. The thorough mechanical explanation given by Craig is worth your time, as is the rest of the video. Go check it out if you don’t have time right now, or add it to your watch later list! Treat it like a little treat after you’ve done some hard work this week. As you know, they work on a few other bikes in this video, but this one is bookended by the Cristiani AWD segment.
So make sure you watch to the end, otherwise you won’t get the pleasure of watching (and listening to) it both start and go!
