In reaction to my post about the English Yamaha powered four wheel motorcycle, Keith Smith, Co-Owner and General Manager USA/Canada/Mexico Distribution & Sales of GG Quad North America sent me the following email (pics of the GG-Quad built for Basket Ball Star and motorcycle enthusiast Michael Jordan)
“Cyril, I can tell you years of tails about NHTSA – DOT and their ideas – regulations related to motorcycles, passenger cars, and quadracycles – quadricycles or four wheeled motorcycles. We have been importing the GG Quad and GG Quadster in unassembled form for the past three years. If the customer completes the construction by adding the BMW powerplant, similar to many homebuilt –custom motorcycles of cars like Cobra, then the resulting vehicle may be registered with the owners state, depending on the local regulations. As a side note, the Feds would say that no new Cobra should be allowed on the road since it is a current build that doesn’t comply with current NHTSA requirements. A custom bike with a blinker that doesn’t comply with NHTSA lighting requirements also would not be allowed. But in the real world, many things are possible.
Take a motorcross bike, spoon on some street tires and a light kit and you can get a title and license in many states. Street legal? NO. But it passes local inspection, has insurance, a title, license, so all is good. Same thing for the GG. Pass inspection and get a license and enjoy.
Our product is a production vehicle with part numbers, replacement parts, service and maintenance manuals, and a long-term company behind the product. In Europe, the Quad is licensed as a moto, and the operator and passenger must wear a helmet, but the operator can drive on a car license, no need for the moto license. In the US, we recommend a motorcycle endorsement, full motorcycle specific personal protective equipment (helmet, jacket, gloves, riding pants, & boots) but local laws may allow more leeway.
The GG is built from aircraft quality billet aluminum finished on the CNC machine. It is truly mechanical art. It is built in small volume, about 150 units per year, in Switzerland with old world attention and modern manufacturing processes. It is rare, exotic, possesses unbelievable handling, braking, and each unit is finished to customer specifications.
So with today’s post about the English Yamaha powered four wheel motorcycle, I thought you should know and blog about the GG Quad” Keith Smith. GG Quad North America
Can we stop calling these things motorcycles? If you add a wheel to a motorcycle you have a trike, not a motorcycle. Adding one more wheel doesn’t turn it back into a motorcycle. It’s a quad. Most quads are made to go off-road. Now they’re making street-only quads. I’ll keep my motorcycle.
Put a Big Block Chevy and a Powerglide in it and I will be impressed … until then ?????
Over & Out,
Jeff
gimmie a break, it’s not a motorcycle, can’t get rgiestered as one, and is just an attempt to get around automobile safety laws & EPA that the REAL car companies have to deal with. All that will result is more laws going on the books to re-clarify the obvious, and there will end up being collateral damage that will hurt others. Let’s face it, it’s not a bike. It’s a cool little vehicle with no place to go. ‘member when you were a kid and wanted a go-kart or mini bike, but didn’t know anyplace you could legally drive it? History repeats itself. I should’ve just put a sign saying “motorcycle” on my go kart, then I could’ve driven it up and down the street 😉
Thats not a motorcycle, its called a quadrunner, you know, like the four wheeled offroad bikes, quads.
Jeff,
How is Bourget doing with that idea?
http://www.cyrilhuzeblog.com/2007/12/17/roger-bourget-introduces-the-shredder-f-80-quadracycle/
I have no clue ?????? I havn’t talked to Roger in some time now.
Over & Out,
Jeff
Not a motorcycle at all. Just a motorcycle seat on a car/rail buggy.
He forgot the spinners……
Endorsed by Willie G?
Has anyone noticed that the “motorcycle” Willie G is so proudly standing by is powered by a BMW engine!!!!
David
I’ve ridden the quad… and until you’ve ridden it, i wouldn’t knock it.. This thing can take corner at high speeds and won’t even seem like it will flip over at all. Truely a work of art with complete attention to detail. I even had 2 cops pull me over (thought they were going to tell me it was illigal to be driving it) and all they wanted to do was to see it and check it out. They even talked about using it on the task force. On the road everyone gaves me the thumbs up nodding their heads in approval while in their car. Expensive? yes… Worth it? absolutely… Doesn’t matter if it has 2, 3 or 4 wheels.. fact of the matter is, The quad is pure stability on the road… Hey Kieth! Why don’t you bring one to our big Show in august 15th to have people demo ride one!! Then they’ll all know what i’m talkin about!
Nobody’s saying it doesn’t rock, just that it’s not a bike and if can’t be licensed to drive as a car what the hell are we supposed to do with it?
Maybe someone should point out to Mr. Smith the difference between “tails” and tales.
David
May 24th, 2009 at 12:22 am
Has anyone noticed that the “motorcycle” Willie G is so proudly standing by is powered by a BMW engine!!!!
David
look real close there may be something up Willys sleeve in the future if it all works out. Three or four wheels with the Beemer engine. SO DON’T BE SHOCKED !
Believe Fuji has a point here as HD has a patented three wheel design set up, they may just be covering the bases or patents if you will at this point.
They HD did make a BMW clone during WW2 for the military that didn’t pan out called an “XA”, and like wise Indian with their “841” version both were two wheel air cooled opposed twins.
Probably another point of merit in the design if engine is air cooled to use a opposed twin like BMW design to let air cool the fins outside that front fairing as they did as pictured. Neat ride what ever you call it.
Grayhawk
To whom it may concern:
I first started riding motorcycles at 16 and did not have the funds to buy an American motorcycle. I had a 81 Honda CB900. I road with MCM at our annual poker runs and felt out of place with all the Harley drivers. I wear my heart on my sleeve and while talking an MCM Harley rider he told me “Joe it does not matter what you ride. You are part of the motorcycle family. It is about the experience of the open road not the bike and who has what. You love what we love. Just enjoy the ride.”
My best,
Joe Skonecki
Brimstone Cycles LLC
Toledo,Ohio
I would like to share with you all… my quadracycle. The Brimstone (Brimstone Cycles LLC) . It has a V-8 (Dart 455 SB) 750 Hp. Top speed with body covers, front, and rear spoiler 212 mph @ 6000rpm. 4 spd 700R4 transmission 8.8 308 diff. 0-60mph 2.7 seconds. 0-120 mph 6 sec. Willwood drilled and slotted disc brakes. Titanium: handlebars, grill, frame, and suspension. Carbon-fiber: gauges, dash cover, fenders, and hood. Casted aluminum or magnesium gas tank. 900 lbs. Alligatorbob Stingray leather seat is 20″ off ground. CG is equal through the vertical and horizontal plains. This is a true Hot Rod Motorcycle. I will be updating the web site soon.
Motor: Something, such as a machine or an engine, that produces or imparts motion.
Bi: two
Tri: three
Quad: four
Cycle: An interval of time during which a characteristic, often regularly repeated event or sequence of events occurs. Sing (the wheels on the bike goes round and round).
If you have a 2 wheeled motorcycle then you have a motor-bi-cycle.
We all have motorcycles. Please understand that your personal definition of (Motorcycle) is from years of conditioning and attaching the word to one specific vehicle. Your acting like a bunch of old ladies that would rather associate a swim suite to one-piece-leggings instead of realizing that a bikini is a swim suite too. My best, Joe Skonecki Brimstone Cycles LLC
Takes a bit to goa me but calling folks who don’t line up for Kool-aide “old ladies” is a good start. Thanks for defining what a motorcycle is-NOT. Gimmie a break, “your personal definition of (Motorcycle) is from years of conditioning ” Yeah and my not calling a duck a chicken is from years of knowing what a damn duck is.
Why does it bother me? ’cause I don’t appreciate the sneaky shit. The only reason folks keep hammering on calling these things motorcycles is to try and find a way to sneak onto the roads somehow by being able to register them as a type of motorcycle. That’s why the Can-Am “trike” doesn’t have two rear wheels even though it’d be better if it did. All that will happen is there will be a backlash eventually and new laws will get passed messing things up for real trikes, too. That’s the way it works, surgury by axe instead of scalpel.
“If you have a 2 wheeled motorcycle then you have a motor-bi-cycle.” No, I’ve got a fuggn motorcycle…….and you don’t. I’d rather look like an old lady than smell like a sneaky liar. You’ve got a neat quad you’d like to sell for road use, oh well. At least be honest about it.
“Yeah and my not calling a duck a chicken is from years of knowing what a damn duck is.”
A duck and a chicken are both (Birds) just like a bike and a quad is a cycle.
We all want the same thing and we all need to band together for Freedom. If the fed can violate or right to build a motorcycle then they will start violating yours. We all have bigger numbers if we band together..
“All that will happen is there will be a backlash eventually and new laws will get passed messing things up for real trikes, too. That’s the way it works, surgury by axe instead of scalpel. ”
So as long as Uncle Bigbrother does not come after your freedom it is ok if he takes ours? You should be on our side and standing up for freedom! We have to stand together and be stronger in numbers. I did not serve my country over seas for 4 years to come home and see freedom pissed away like the Cubans, Germans, Russians etc. did in the past.
“” “” I’ll just hide in my corner and never do anything as long as BROTHER leaves me alone.”” “”
Unless we stand now they will just scalpel you for a few years till there is nothing left.
Quit rationalizing. You have a motor-bi-cycle! We have a Motor-quad-cyle. Hence Quadracycle!
Guess we’ll have to agree to disagree, I’m not going to argue semantics.
You do have a VERY cool car, (with handlebars) and I wish you all the best.
Thanks Woody!