Throw traditional out the window. Get rid of common, too. Clear your mind of all preconceived thoughts of normal. Now strap on a helmet and throw your leg over the 2007 GG Motorrad Technik "quad." Don't mind the fact that you've never ridden a street bike, just fire up the BMW twin-cylinder boxer engine, let out the clutch, and set out for adventure.
For years, Walter Gruter has been building, selling, and riding his Swiss-made, TV-approved, street-legal quad in Europe. And now it's headed for America. As of this writing the quad is under the persnickety eye of DOT officials in Washington, D.C. If approved for roadworthiness, U.S. importer Keith Smith will be taking orders before year's end.
So what exactly is the Motorrad Technik? It's part motorcycle (engine, handlebars, gauges, electrics), part car (four OZ 17-inch "car" wheels, four-wheel independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes), and part engineering masterpiece (much of the suspension, frame, and Quaiffe LSD rearend housing are CNC-machined from billet aluminum). Add to the mix aerodynamic body panels, headlights, turn signals, luggage compartments, room for a passenger, and you've got the recipe for a seriously fun commuter.
Despite extensive use of billet aluminum, the Motorrad weighs in at a few ticks less than 900 pounds, about double the weight of a normal sport bike. Propulsion comes from a fuel-injected, computer-controlled 1130cc two-cylinder flat-four engine from a BMW R1150RT motorcycle. The engine is bone stock (read reliable and fuel-efficient) and even makes use of the R1150RT's stock exhaust system-thus, it's quiet.
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