Mercier - a unique motorcycle with a front drive track (8 photos)

A small digression into the history of mechanical engineering. Meet - very unusual French motorcycle "Mercier". Transport done front-wheel drive and installed a caterpillar for maximum cross-country ability instead of a wheel.





The name comes from the name of the inventor who created this apparatus. Adrian Mercier, he was originally from Switzerland. But of course you more interested in the technical part of this motorcycle.

Mercier is powered by a single-cylinder four-stroke carburetor engine with a volume of 350 cm3. Its power is about 10 hp. The system of forced cooling of the cylinder is curiously made - from fan cold air went through a curved pipe to the fins of the cylinder. The second pipe is the exhaust. There is no muffler. I imagine what a rumble stood when the engine was running.

The gearbox is three-speed, this device could accelerate up to 52 km/ h. The drive of the leading sprocket was chain.

The idea of this motorcycle was for the French army. Military even became interested in this device, carried out tests, made their own proposals, in particular - to increase engine power.

Handling was not for the faint of heart, because turning a caterpillar was required along with a power unit. No amplifiers of course it wasn't.

Mercier did not go into mass production, but prototypes were lost during World War II. Only one has survived to this day. amazing caterpillar front-wheel drive motorcycle.