Two wheels good: Giant motorbikes are a lifeline in remote Cameroon.

Luther12

Luther12

Elder Lister
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Laden with eight people,the vehicle heads down the dirt road, turning the heads of everyone it passes.
Eight up is hardly a big number for a truck or even a car in western Cameroon -- but this is no ordinary form of transport.

The head-turner is a giant motorcycle -- an outrageously-customised leviathan more than three metres (10 feet) long that has been specially adapted to meet a gap in Cameroon's transport market.


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The beasts are used to take farmers and crops to market and bring goods back to outlying villages.
Farmers in Baye say the giant bikes are a lifesaver for getting to market in Bafoussam, about 15 kilometres (nine miles) away, on roads that are no more than tracks.
"These bikes help us a lot. The cars don't go out to the countryside. It's only the benskineurs (motorcycle taxi drivers) who come out for us," said Elisabeth Ninkam, a farmer.
"If we didn't have them, our plantains, our taro roots, the corn or the beans would rot in the fields. Where we live, cars can't get through because of the state of the roads. It's only motorbikes like these which can get our crops to market," said another grower, Makam Rose.



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A "benskineur" with a super-sized rig can make a good living -- two or three times more than an ordinary motorcycle taxi, which typically brings in about 5,000 CFA francs ($9 / 7 euros) per day.
In Bafoussam, two mechanics, Emmanuel Wembe and Kuate Bachile, work in an earth-floor workshop to put the mega-bikes together.
The motorbikes are essentially tailor-made -- the mechanics weld together a new chassis for a powerful motorbike and upgrade the suspension.
"We make it according to the order -- from four-seaters to 10-seaters," said Wembe.



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The converted bikes may be useful, although the ride is hardly comfortable and road safety is rather a roll of the dice.
"There are many risks, especially when it comes to managing the balance," said Ngaleu Michel, a teacher in automotive engineering at Bafoussam's technical college, pointing to the danger from punctures or a passenger falling off.




The capitalist in me sees an unexploited and ready market for tuktuks and even for a refined version of our BJ50.
 
Luther12 said:
View attachment 34439

Laden with eight people,the vehicle heads down the dirt road, turning the heads of everyone it passes.
Eight up is hardly a big number for a truck or even a car in western Cameroon -- but this is no ordinary form of transport.

The head-turner is a giant motorcycle -- an outrageously-customised leviathan more than three metres (10 feet) long that has been specially adapted to meet a gap in Cameroon's transport market.


View attachment 34440


The beasts are used to take farmers and crops to market and bring goods back to outlying villages.
Farmers in Baye say the giant bikes are a lifesaver for getting to market in Bafoussam, about 15 kilometres (nine miles) away, on roads that are no more than tracks.
"These bikes help us a lot. The cars don't go out to the countryside. It's only the benskineurs (motorcycle taxi drivers) who come out for us," said Elisabeth Ninkam, a farmer.
"If we didn't have them, our plantains, our taro roots, the corn or the beans would rot in the fields. Where we live, cars can't get through because of the state of the roads. It's only motorbikes like these which can get our crops to market," said another grower, Makam Rose.



View attachment 34441


A "benskineur" with a super-sized rig can make a good living -- two or three times more than an ordinary motorcycle taxi, which typically brings in about 5,000 CFA francs ($9 / 7 euros) per day.
In Bafoussam, two mechanics, Emmanuel Wembe and Kuate Bachile, work in an earth-floor workshop to put the mega-bikes together.
The motorbikes are essentially tailor-made -- the mechanics weld together a new chassis for a powerful motorbike and upgrade the suspension.
"We make it according to the order -- from four-seaters to 10-seaters," said Wembe.



View attachment 34442

The converted bikes may be useful, although the ride is hardly comfortable and road safety is rather a roll of the dice.
"There are many risks, especially when it comes to managing the balance," said Ngaleu Michel, a teacher in automotive engineering at Bafoussam's technical college, pointing to the danger from punctures or a passenger falling off.




The capitalist in me sees an unexploited and ready market for tuktuks and even for a refined version of our BJ50.
Click to expand...
Ama tuexport kile @kimtu huko
 
Luther12 said:
The capitalist in me sees an unexploited and ready market for tuktuks and even for a refined version of our BJ50.
Click to expand...
They could do with a rugged three-wheeler able to function on poor roads. The issue with tuktuks is the small wheels, small size (for cargo), low power, and lack of hardiness. The long bike would also be safer if the passengers and cargo could be positioned lower for increased stability.
Peasants in Brazil have been mating motorcycles to car gearboxes to produce three-wheelers they call triciclo agrícola, which have more torque than an old Land Rover. When fitted with tractor wheels, they will maneuver where no car can with up to 700kg of cargo.

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upepo said:
They could do with a rugged three-wheeler able to function on poor roads. The issue with tuktuks is the small wheels, small size (for cargo), low power, and lack of hardiness. The long bike would also be safer if the passengers and cargo could be positioned lower for increased stability.
Peasants in Brazil have been mating motorcycles to car gearboxes to produce three-wheelers they call triciclo agrícola, which have more torque than an old Land Rover. When fitted with tractor wheels, they will maneuver where no car can with up to 700kg of cargo.

View attachment 34455
View attachment 34456
Click to expand...


Impressive!!
 
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