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German Imme Motorcycle

Published by Cyril Huze January 25th, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.

In the 1930’s, German engineer Norbert Riedel worked as a technical designer for Victoria and Triumph. During WW2 on Luftwaffe jet fighters engines. Then he developed his first motorcycle production of Imme Riedel R 100 in the city of Immenstadt (Imme means Bee in German, and became the name and logo.) At that time the Imme was considered an extremely futuristic motorcycle with its 150 cc engine providing a maximum speed of 100 km/h, its single side suspension system and light weight of 57 kg, Priced at 775 DM the machine was selling well but the company ran into financial problems and Imme AG went bankrupt in 1951. A total of about 1000 units are said to have been produced. Norbert Riedel died in in an avalanche accident in 1963.

25 Comments

25 Responses to “German Imme Motorcycle”

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  1. 1 robert andry Jan 25th, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    wow, very nice

  2. 2 Harold Jan 25th, 2011 at 12:07 pm

    Fantastic. Beautiful lines.

  3. 3 Attila Jan 25th, 2011 at 12:08 pm

    The Imme was technically far ahead of its time and stylistically gorgeous. (Even more incredible to behold in person.) Values have skyrocketed in the last decade.

  4. 4 colemanfu Jan 25th, 2011 at 12:10 pm

    Nice timeless design – still hold water today. Cool.

  5. 5 2Low Jan 25th, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    My only critic is the seat. Except this detail the Bee is amazing of beauty.

  6. 6 Keith Stone Jan 25th, 2011 at 1:47 pm

    Very nice, the front friction damper is too cool…..

  7. 7 RogerG Jan 25th, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    Wonderful design… single side fork , exhaust routed through single sided swingarm if i remember correctly… nice work.

  8. 8 Warrior Poet Jan 25th, 2011 at 4:47 pm

    Anyone know where the other 999 are? I’d buy one in a New York second.

  9. 9 Jeff Nicklus Jan 25th, 2011 at 6:10 pm

    WOW! Beautiful!

    Over & Out,

    Jeff

  10. 10 Dr Robert Harms Jan 25th, 2011 at 6:23 pm

    I believe there is one @ Blue Moon in Norcross (Atl.) GA

  11. 11 LENNY Jan 25th, 2011 at 8:49 pm

    WOW Just a great classic design. Beautiful motorcycle.

  12. 12 1550tc Jan 25th, 2011 at 11:16 pm

    this guy was wayway ahead of his time ………….steve mcqueen should ridden this bike 🙂

    Always makes me wonder if WW2 didn’t happen how much further German ingenuity would have progressed in the 30& 40’s

    Jeff

    Dallas and that stadium should put on one heck of show for the super bowl

  13. 13 Woody Jan 26th, 2011 at 12:08 am

    Oh man, that thing is so sweet! 🙂

  14. 14 BERTRAND Jan 26th, 2011 at 5:53 am

    There is one in my town ( same color ) ! ! ! !

  15. 15 CHOPMONSTER66 Jan 26th, 2011 at 6:36 am

    Very nice ,the Germans have always built nice things.

  16. 16 Harrie Kubben Jan 26th, 2011 at 8:27 am

    The bike was nicknamed: Das Ei von Imme, meaning, Imme’s egg, because of the shape of the cilinder.

  17. 17 Wiz Jan 26th, 2011 at 8:46 am

    That thing is amazing! Way ahead of it’s time with the single fork ‘an swingarm. Not to mention he got 100 mph out of such a little engine. The lines are beautiful ‘an stylish. My hat’s definatly off to him. Wiz

  18. 18 Bigalyts@aol.com Jan 26th, 2011 at 11:13 am

    Looks about 20 X’s better then those 500 cc, Sluggs know as Royal Enfields!

  19. 19 Whenu Jan 26th, 2011 at 3:06 pm

    Nice bike

    @Wiz, try 100 kmh
    Cheers

  20. 20 nuno maroco Jan 26th, 2011 at 3:51 pm

    Simple incredible very nice lines and extreme inovative for that time.

  21. 21 1550tc Jan 26th, 2011 at 4:38 pm

    the more i look at this bike the more i keep thinking how much nicer Rodger Goldammer could make it………this to me as a production is right up there with Rodgers green and red bikes

    Rodger if your reading this, please find a bike like this and bring it to sturgis or just build one from scratch and give it your siganture look

  22. 22 martin Twofeather Jan 26th, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    Thanks for sharing Cyril that was beautiful and years ahead of it’s time…

  23. 23 trent Jan 28th, 2011 at 11:18 am

    i love odd old euro motorbikes. going to have to research this brand a bit more. thanks, cyril!

  24. 24 jatinder pal Jan 31st, 2011 at 5:19 am

    Nice….piece of history.

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