The "Riquimbili" home madeCuban Motor Bikes

Watched a show a couple of years ago about the old cars and cruising in Cuba. 99% of the "old iron" has been completely re-fabricated and mostly by hand. Nothing has the original engine. They highlighted on a 55 Chevy convertible, every panel, piece of chrome and the bumpers were replaced and it ran off a 4 cylinder fork lift engine connected to a Russian military truck transmission.

Cubans pretty much had to do this because they weren't getting much in the way of cars and trucks so they just kept what they had going and going and going.

Best one was the guy with the 50 something Caddy that he was using as a taxi, it had some weird 3 cylinder industrial engine in it, would only go about 30 and constantly overheated. lol

I also watched a show like the one you are referring to. Perhaps the same one. Necessity is the mother of invention. Cubans seem to be extremely clever, and extraordinarily resouceful.

My friends and I call them ALMO's. (Auxiliary Lightweight Motorised Outfits= ultralight motorised cycles that you can transport easily in conventional automotive vehicles)

UncleKudzu said:

wow! that top photo on Street Use is a very cool design! thanks for links.

i wonder what "riquimbili" means? would the bikes we're building be riquimbili? (i think motorized bicycles need a name is why i ask.)

Click to expand...

Why do the Cubans like the Tiller type steering? (reversed stems) This seems to be the sure opposite of stability esp at "60mph" speeds.

Cubans are sure creative, just like the Russians they idolized. But it is shocking to me that so many of them still cling to communism even after Russia changed and the US has embargoed them to ****.