This World War II Tank Motorcycle Is The Perfect Bike For Off-Roading

This former army vehicle once reaped devastation on British troops in the field.

Updated: Tuesday, March 14, 2017, 10:27 [IST]

The Kettenkrad was designed and manufactured for the German Wehrmacht during WW2. This old army vehicle once reaped devastation on British troops in the field.

Word War German Tank Motorcycle Kettenkrad Is A Perfect Off-Road Vehicle

Named 'SdKfz 2' by the German Army, the Kettenkrad was an intelligent half motorcycle, half-tracked vehicle, therefore its name - 'ketten' meaning tracks, 'krad' meaning Krafttrad or motorcycle.

Bonhams a privately owned British auction house and one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques is offering this unique German World War 2 military vehicle. The tank motorcycle is reconditioned to original specifications between 2011-2015.

The Kettenkrad was built for the German airborne forces as a light multi-terrain towing vehicle which was able to both pull a big gun and be small enough to fit inside a Junkers Ju 52 aircraft.

The gearbox is acquired from the car world, combining a 3-speed gearbox and a foot-operated clutch. The gearbox offers high and low ranges for different types of terrain, while the motor is a 1,478cc water-cooled unit from the Opel Olympia.

The Kettenkrad can reach a top speed of 80 km/h on road, earning the title of the fastest tracked vehicle of the war.

The Kettenkrad was employed on almost every front, but, opposed to the Allies' Jeep, it was manufactured in a small series of a little over 8,000 units. As with most other German machines, very few survived as most of them were destroyed at the end of the war.

The tank motorcycle will go under the hammer at Bonhams, and its selling price is expected to be around €70.000-€90.000 (about Rs 49 lakh to Rs 64 lakh). The motorcycle will be at the Goodwood Members' Meeting auction on March 19, 2017.