Core77

Combining 30 years of Industrial Design and Machining experience and a passion for Vintage Motorcycle Racing, Chuck Kraeuter spent 166 consecutive days (approx. 2-3 hours a day) building this jaw-dropping 1/2-Scale RC166 from scratch. While it was built for his 3 year old daughter Anna to bring to the Portland Vintage Races (a 3 year old is 1/2 the height they will be as an adult), it can be pushed to tech inspection. It doesn't run but does have a 1st gear so that the clutch spins like it would if bump starting.

Comprised of over 625 separate parts, not including screws, bolts and nuts, the model was first drawn completely in Solidworks. Cast parts were patterned from laser sintered nylon, while silicon molds were used to create rigid and flexible urethane parts. Chuck did all the machining himself, both manually, "a surprising amount of manual lathe time," and with CNC.

The bike is obsessively true to scale—the spokes are bicycle spokes cut short and rethreaded and even the safety wires for the Chassis bolts are 1/2 scale.

Finishing touches were applied by spray can and colored chalk for toner. Dawn, Chuck's wife sewed the seat cover which was padded with Scotch-Brite pads.

Chuck is currently building 10 more that he will sell through his website Innomotor. He's also planning another half size replica: a 1967 Suzuki RK67.

Chuck Kraeuter is a trained industrial designer with nearly 30 years experience. He has previously worked for Bally Design, Adidas International, i-generator and Yakima.

He lives in Portland with his wife, Dawn, daughter Anna, and two Westies, Otis and Millie.

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