The Rarest Motorcycle in the world was found in a Secret Room
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This is the story of the Traub, a 1 of a kind handbuilt motorcycle dating to about 1916. Its origins are still a mystery but more has been discovered over the past 10 years shedding light on this incredible piece of American motorcycle history
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Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
I do NOT own some or all of the video materials used in this video. In the case of copyright issues, please contact me at bartcyclebusiness@gmail.com for any further action.
I love that Traub is asking questions in a newspaper like it’s a modern day web forum.
It was!
my cat loves u too! 🐱♥️♥️♥️
@@fidelcatsro6948 på
What a great starter bike. Just like that teenager kid in Japan, Honda was a superstar!
not a newspaper, but a special interest publication, and that's one thing we did.
Richard Traub would be proud to know that his motorcycle ended up in such a wonderful place as Wheels Through Time.
It’s just too bad he had to die before knowing how much people would marvel at is creation in the future.
Mr. Traub remind me of myself, my work will be appropriated once I am gone.
🇳🇿❤
its there because these machines must endure,some one has to shine and fire them up and change the oils,its the way of it,WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS LET A MACHINE SET WITHOUT RUNNING IT,THEY OIL RUNNING
Old world machine simple..don't try confusing it
It was decades ago I stood next to this motorcycle and talked to the late, great Dale. He told me what he knew at the time, that it was found behind a wall. I actually touched the motor. Matt, Dale's son, is doing a great job with the museum, and his dad's legacy. Great content, love vintage bikes.
I too was there and Dale told this story --- what a wonderful place. All should go to maggie valley
Any man worth his salt will love a motorcycle and want to create a museum for them. The rest who aren't interested are simply feminine.
I didn't know he passed
@Spiders From mars well you'll get no argument from me. I only own Japanese bikes.
Did it move
How poignant that Mr. Traub went off to war and returned, but never got to receive the fruits of his labors on this wonderful motorcycle. He was obviously a unique individual whose genius is lost to history, and we are sadder for that.
At least he lived, think of all the genius that was lost in the wars. Seen a video the other day of people bulldozing bodies into Mass Graves after WW2 and that's all I could think. One of those people could have been the person who cured cancer. At least Taubs legacy came to fruition
@@easley421 I've already wept for them, the same as I did for those whose names adorn the Vietnam memorial.
one has to wonder why he never pulled it out again. he lived through the war, but maybe he was one of those poor souls you see in old shell shock footage from military hospitals that can't even walk straight and needed years of rehabilitation. maybe he had the misfortune of stepping on a mine and lost a leg, or took shapnel to the head and had a brain trauma condition. maybe he had personal issues, family illness/death that needed tending, or starting family of his own that took his time and attention elsewhere. either way, man built a stylish bike, i would have bought it if i saw it out in front of his shop in 1918. "Pardon me, but is that an Indian you're riding?" "Heavens! No, my Dear Fellow. it's a Traub, and it eats Indians for breakfast."
@@gourdguru PTSD has certainly played a role in my own failure to get on with my projects.
Not even a motorcycle guy, but I love stories where lost treasure are discovered, like an undiscovered master's painting that is behind another. Good job in the video.
I went in WTT about 10yrs ago during the week and Dale took time to tell me the story behind this bike and a few others. Then rode the Crocker around the shop. He was a hell of a nice guy. Wheels Through Time should be on every two wheelers bucket list.
It is for sure. And the museum in animosa again
Thanks for this video. In 2019 my brother and I set out on our bikes from Chicago area to the east coast. We had no real plan, just make the coast somewhere south and head north to around NY and then head back to Chicago. Well, we made it to Maggie Valley and spent a week and a half there, visited the museum, rode Tail of the Dragon, Cherohala, Blue Ridge Parkway, etc, etc. and headed back home. We didn't want to leave, it was pure awesome. I took a bunch of pictures of the Traub and read a few things and here you are putting it all together in one nice story. Cheers!
Sounds like good memories!
I'm very happy that this particular motorcycle has been found by the right people. This story seems to have no end in sight.
My husband and I went thru,Maggie Valley and stopped at the museum. There wasn't anyone there but us. Dale was kind enough to give us a tour and showed us this bike and told us what he knew about it at the time. Very nice man a walking book of knowledge. Enjoyed your video. This story would make an awesome movie.
What a story! This video drew me in and I'm a first time viewer. Your narration, pictures and video are incredibly well put together. Just awesome all the way around. The comments connecting the story with the machine being also really connected with me. Any time I hear a story connected with an old machine its like the machine is telling the person's story...thank you again. I'm clicking subscribe.
Wow thanks! That comment made my day
@@bartmotorcycle I meant it.
@@bartmotorcycle Many conflicting theories of this bike, nevertheless it’s a truly amazing story.
I love these stories of brilliant inventors and innovators who went unknown for most of their lives, it’s always fascinating to discover what could have been if things had gone just a little bit differently. My great grandfather was such a person, he was once told that he should become an engineer, and his response was “I don’t want to drive trains!” 🤦♂️ So nobody outside our family and friends remembers what he created. He never tried to get rich off of what he made, he just noticed things that people needed and built it for them. He created a whole new farming implement years before such a thing was commercially available, simply to save time doing his chores. He made wireless microphones for the church before you could buy them. He also used surplus bomber parts to build retractable blinds for the church so they could watch things with a projector, and built the pews and wood paneling which sadly were torn out recently to make it look more modern. The only thing he created that I have is a wooden clock he made by hand, which has become warped after 60 years of moving from state to state and going through heat and humidity changes. I’m trying to fix it, but have only gotten it to run for a minute or so before it gets stuck.
I would guess he may have hidden it from the WW2 scrap drives. Here in Kemmerer, there is the town's first fire engine, which was hidden for decades in a barn, after some of the firefighters decided to donate it for scrap, and some of them decided not to. It now occupies a little enclosure at the front of the firehouse, and there is also a Playboy automobile that was saved in somewhat the same fashion.
I imagine it was hidden because it was so innovative and if found could be copied and his efforts just making someone else wealthy while he was in a foxhole.
@@danielbuckner2167 Probably not. Industrial technology was primitive and mass-production techniques were very limiting, which is why a kid could make something better than production bikes. It was great for the day, but that kind of performance could only be found in hand-built motorcycles up until the 1930s
@Charles C. Yes, but thats my point, why let someone else build your design and make money while you're off at war? Hiding it presses pause.
What a great "Find" of an incredible Bike! So cool that it now "Lives" at The Wheels in Time Museum. Good job, Matt and Crew for presenting this incredible story. I hope your Dad, Dale, was able to enjoy this extremely rare "one of a kind motorcycle" during his lifetime. I met your father about 15 or so years ago before your museum had its "makeover." I revisited it last October of 2023, and was very gratified to witness all of the improvements and of course the great Sculpture Tribute to your father at The Museum's entrance. Bravo, Matt!! Ted Schempp, Nashville (I was a former owner of a 1963 BMW R-27 250 cc single cylinder vertical engine bike, with the ugly "Earl's Fork" up front! It was a great smooth riding bike, and weighed about 450 lbs, and even was fitted with a side car mount! I bought it for $400around 1972 at the BMW of Cambridge, MA Dealership, which at the time, was located literally only a few feet from Harvard Yard! The dealership has since moved further west I believe, on Massachusetts Ave. A great group of mechanics located there...:). Ted Schempp, Nashville
This was an absolutely fascinating video. I love stories like this, but I never knew about the museum let alone the bike. Definitely making plans to go visit it in the near future. Well done!
@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ You're delusional and your kind are holding the human race back as a species with your nonsense.
Great video. I knew Dale, and met Matt, a number of times. I supplied many prints for their store. The Traub print was always a best seller. Dale was a one of a kind guy. Genuine and passionate about his bikes and the museum. Wheels Through Time should be on everyone's bucket list.
Wheels through time is one of the museums I would love to see one day. Full of some of the most incredible vintage motorcycles ever built and them having everyone still run is beyond what any other museum would do.
It was also a dream of mine.. I got to go this summer and it was DEFINITELY worth the trip. And NC was absolutely gorgeous.
I would live to see it also. But I live about 60 miles from the Barbers motorcycle museum and haven’t even made it to that one yet. I have been having a lot of health issues as has the wife, and can’t get the chance to go from having so many Drs appointments.
I'm glad I watched this to the end because I wanted to say exactly what you said: "The value is in the story." I believe that all successful artists, painters, sculptors, know that the story they tell to the little old rich ladies visiting the show room is what determines the price. I've been offered over $8000 for a metal sculpture I made while learning to weld. I told a great BS story at an exhibit, and a few sweet little old ladies just had to have it. I didn't sell, and the piece still hangs in my own museum. It is the story...and this amazing old bike certainly offers many opportunities for a fascinating tale that the billionaires can entertain one another with. That's what counts to them. To those of use who can actually appreciate the genius that's there...well, most of us will never own a legend.
I once saw an amazing bicycle/motorcycle at a park in Orange County Calif. It was so beautiful, all painted like new. It was a leather belt drive from a single cyclinder motor, like an aftermarket design. What I'll never forget, and this was 40 years ago, was the man who found the bike got a rusted frame and two crates of scrape yet he saw this bike in that junk. Restoring that bike had to be a labor of love.
Nothing like an old rusty bike and the owner wants to just keep it that way because it's more ' valuable ' that way. There was a guy in my area that had ancient Harley all beat up and rusty , dirty. He wanted to keep it looking like a pile of junk. It didn't even look like a Harley, just a pile of junk.
It really is a beautiful motorcycle. You can see the love he put into the building and design. Very high end for the time.
Really cool story and glad the museum was so willing to work with you!
Probably left it there so it would be where it is now !
Seen that Traub several times in the museum...loving it!! That museum is the place to see!! We all miss ya Dale!!!
Fantastic video , & a great story ! The archived materials that lend credence to an already intriguing tale of a man ahead of his time , flow with the story line . This is a well done piece , on an unknown motorcycle builder . I'm glad that we have finally heard , the rest of his story . Thank you !
Stumbled across this video today. Glad I watched it. Superbly done presentation and great history. I love the fact that the motorcycle is still a rider. It certainly has a good home! Thank you for a wonderful video!!
Very awesome story and video dude! I find it somewhat heart wrenching about the story behind this bike. For someone to put so much effort, time, thought , and pride, that is a true labor of love. It is so sad that when he returned from the war, if maybe he suffered some type of severe head/brain injury or maybe some type of concussion, which made him completely ignore or forget, about his own passionate creation.
Your comment regarding the "value" of something material...in this case a hand-built motorcycle....is right on the spot. It's the story, the energy, the thought, the circumstance, the mystery, and....of course.....the absolute human integrity that is infused in this project. Thank you for sharing.
It always amazes me how major advances can come from the mind on one person. If only there were not so many others doing their damnedest to hold everything back.
Incredible machining/casting for such an early era. Blows me away how someone working themselves, no factory to count on, could produce such a professional looking machine... Incredible.
Thank god there is finally answers to this story. It has driven crazy for years. Great video and great museum. That place is over the top.
Been to Wheels Through Time........it is worth the trip. The staff is very helpful and willing to answer questions. Wonder where Traub would be today had he continued?
I love walking through motorcycle museums. Some incredible machines created.
This was a great video! I love that story, sad that he never even saw his beautiful work of art again though, glad it's in good hands
Thoroughly enjoyed the story of this motorcycle and the man who created it along with the man who preserved it. I recently visited the museum and although I stopped to admire and photograph this beauty, I did not go any further. So many stories behind the amazing collection known as Wheels Through Time. Very nicely created/presented. Thanks for in the depth dive into the history of the Traub.
Thanks for taking the time to introduce this story to the world.
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing the history of the Traub.
Thank you guys for helping my man out
Awesome, well told story. The kind of story that, at age 79, makes me want to live forever to find out more. The unending marvel of life.
F 😮
you have to love history and those guys were on the cutting edge of history building cars, aircraft and motorcycles So nice to see those little gems come back to life along with the history of the builder
All I can say is, "THANK YOU"! An incredible story for an amazing bike. And to see it still work is another amazing feat. Thanks for all the info and the video!
I'm a v12 exotics guy but this bike I find so fascinating. What a build, find, and story. Great job with this piece. 👏
Good job on the video. Great guys up there to work with you on this beautiful story. Excellent piece of history to have learned about this morning.
These kinds of stories are gems. Thanks for that.
your knowledge of Motorcycles or your passion to research motorcycle is amazing. This is my favorite Vid, thank you so much buddy. Cheers Karl.
Probably the coolest video I have seen in 3 years! Thanks Bart! I collected and knew bikes from prewar till the early 50's.. I had maybe 200 total as a buy sell trade before the INTERNET came along. Sold all my stuff right around then. This video brings back the passion. thank you very much. 💪 DMAX BTW.. I'm heading up to NC to visit with my elderly parents. I WILL be going to the museum. Didn't know about it till now .
The story of the bike and its master builder is as magical as the bike itself. Brilliant video and an incredible machine.
Nicely put together synopsis of this unique icon with the mysterious past. I've seen several stories on the Traub, including WTT's version with the latest photos and story from a living relative. Your story strings things together nicely (minus the most recent findings) and is a joy to watch.
what a fantastic video! there is a place in my heart for these early style motorcycles, and anything handmade, so this is really special.
Hands down the coolest thing ive heard about in years! Thanks for bringing this out for the people
George Phillips ( my uncle ) the man was a natural mechanical wizard . George did work on big industrial machines in Sand Springs , Oklahoma . Had a Triumph , BSA and 400 Cushman Eagle in his living room . He hand built an airplane ( which he flew ) , a boat and a shed full of model airplanes ..He also made a push mower which he decided was too dangerous and later the first riding mower that was about half the size of an International Cub tractor . I remember seeing it in his front yard on Hwy 75 . George Phillips was a genius mechanic and the nicest person I ever met...God bless him . When he found out I was racing motocross he was telling me how I should be shifting my bike and it should sound like you couldn't hear when I shifting the gears. He said keep the power on and he was right . He was no motocrosser . But an engine to him was second nature . I really miss him . PK
Thank you for this wonderful piece of history. Well done!!!
The amazing genius of Richard Traub was astounding, thank goodness for the serendipity that he put it in the wall to be discovered later...
I mean, the name Traub was casted into the engine casing. If anything, he knew how to sign his work.
I just began watching a few of your videos today. As you got to the point in this story that revealed the Traub was designed and built by a single individual, and moreover, that it was technologically advanced for its time, I instantly thought of John Britten and his remarkable creation. I am glad to see that you acknowledged his brilliance. Their stories, Richard Traub's and John Britten's, strike me as inspiring and tragic at the same time. Were it not for their overlapping lifetimes, I might be tempted to adopt a belief in reincarnation. Both were remarkable people who created remarkable machines!
This was fascinating! Thank you for taking the time to do this.
Incredible motorcycle, incredible story. Thank you for bringing this to life for the masses!
What an amazing story! Happy it's in the right hands!
Wheels Through Time is the best motorcycle collection for riders to view in the world. Almost everyone in there is a rider but it’s never too crowded to enjoy bike in there.
Love this. I am very familiar with the Britten (saw the bike at the Art of the Motorcycle exhibit also along with owning a copy of One Man's Dream on VHS) and knew about the C1 back when it was in the 15° V-4 phase (the move to electric was unknown to me until watching your video about it!). I've never heard of the Traub before. Fantastic video and a great story. Definitely interested in getting to the museum one of these days! Very grateful to have these videos. Thank you very much 🙏
To do what Traub did in 1916 using the available technology and tools, and building everything including the engine, tranny, et cetra is absolutely amazing. Man is a legend!
Great story, thanks for putting the pieces together.
What a great story really well put together . American ingenuity & know how still running !
Absolutely fascinating. Planning a trip to the museum immediately. Excellent storyboarding, editing, and narration.
In the UK in 1920/21 there was a bike manufacturer called Wilkin in Sheffield. It's estimated only 24 or 25 were built. A 499cc complete one is in Kelham Island Museum, but another 499cc 80% complete one was found in a barn in Leicestershire a few years ago that had been converted to run crude farming machinery which a mate of mine purchased and is now nearly completely restored. Word has been circulating about a possible 3rd survivor, one of the lightweight 269cc Villiers powered versions. Even if only 2 have survived, that's still an amazing survival rate.
Wow. What a great story. Well constructed, thorough and informative documentary also.
The inginuity of a single person of any time frame, with curiosity,the will power to think,imagine,who seemed to be self taught,making do with bare minimum creating, redoing,asking questions like traub did is just amazing, hard to fathom in today's world, where youngsters spend time in a fantasy world traubs kind of world was another time makes one wonder if traub had info available like today. Traub was a geniuse.
Great collaboration of information and video footage! Love to see these old American machines. Simply put, they're freakin cool!
About that removing scars thing, my grandfather actually restaurated a old Zündapp but when he gave it it's new finish he didn't close up what the rust had eaten away so the scars are in fact still very much noticeable
Excellent video, thank you. I've seen this bike in person and watched it start a few times. Very neat piece of American history
Thank you so much for this, really made my day. There are two great parts of the story. One is that which we never will know, how a creator went to war and didnt continue a project that may have made him a major american force. The other is actually comical, that this lone fellow is writing in for advice and the person who may answer him had no idea Traub was building one of the most significant motorcycles ever.
Fascinating! Excellent work Bart! Another fab video! 👍🏻
I wonder if Taub had a head injury during the war. I was the passenger in a auto wreck and had a head injury. For years I was plagued with the feeling that I had forgotten something. I did have some amnesia, but this was a feeling that I had parked my car someplace and couldn't remember where. If Mr. Taub had amnesia about where he left his prized bike it would be so ironic that it was just behind that brick wall. Great video!
Great story. It looks like more of piece of art deco. Has a look of beauty and being more advanced then the rest of era.
He could have revolutionised the whole bike world ! What a fantastic man and vid, from SCOTLAND thankyou.
I flew from Australia and visited WTT. Dale was an interesting guy and it was brilliant that all those bikes run!
Richard Traub is a real American hero in more ways than one!
That is a fascinating story, and very well told too. Thank you for converting cubic inches into ccs for me by the way, I was about to google convert when you said it on the video. Cheers from Over The Pond in England :-)
Great to hear you mention John Britten, because I guess he's somewhat Traub but of a later time and different land. You make a valid point re; restoration v preservation. The latter is the position the Edwin Fox society took when they decided to save this fascinating ship that now has its own dry dock and museum in Picton, Aotearoa-New Zealand. The dedicated individuals are preserving the ship and fixings for the world to enjoy and the museum tells the Edwin Fox's story including the transport of convicts and she remains the only remaining convict ship to survive from that era. If anyone is interested, there's plenty of information on line.
It is wonderful that this thing was not lost!
Beautiful bike. My claim to fame is i drove "34 Harley 3 speed on the tank with a foot clutch. I was 16, skinny and about 120 pounds. The bike weighted a ton but I got it down the street, thru 3 gears, turned it around and drove it back. A ton of fun.
Has any one checked whether he came back physically injured. Could be it was because he could not physically ride or even move the machine.
WW1 was vicious horror to the men and women who fought it and patched up the wounded. Over 8 million horses and other draft animals died too. EIGHT MILLION!!! WW1 also led to the deaths of every son in a family...Yes, Traub was a brilliant engineer in his time. But, never forget about all those who sacrificed everything in that awful war.
@@faerieSAALE Thank you for your compassion Lindsey. Marine veteran...
I believe that is a probable assumption. So many soldiers were gassed/poisoned, shell shocked . Being wounded with no antibiotic could equal long painful hospital stays, and years of after care issues. Personally.. My core skillset is machining / fabrication, thankfully learned through a Tool and Die apprenticeship. I also grew up near a auto scrapyard, worked part time for bits and pieces and it grew into a passion. My point is , I cannot see the bikes creator losing his passion, even after all of the war pain etc... i believe he lost the physical ability to perform his passion...and remembered that bike till the day he died, Magna Opus....
Had to be an absolute genius. outclassed all bikes of the time, solo. Amazing story
i dont even do motorcycles and yet this video was Fascinating. Damm good job Bart. also huge props to the museum for sharing the bike and the story.
One wonderful thing about American in this period of history is the tremendous outpouring of pure technical talent which produced such genius examples as this. As such, I have no doubt that there must be more than one other great holy grail hidden away, and many others perhaps lost, sadly.
Thank you for the detailed history and story on this bike. What is really amazing other than this bike was 30 years ahead of it times or so but being hand built in that day and age building custom one off parts wasn't easy to do. It is really a beautiful bike and a piece of art .
Definitely put enough creative juice into this project (as any artist has used) to qualify this as a piece of art and you can ride it to the store if you will. Having been a precision grinder and machinist in the 1960s I can say it wouldn't have been easy then or even now.
I would love to visit the museum and see the history, it will definitely be on my list of places to visit!!
Beautiful presentation, and a great observation about ‘value’. That observation is surely true about anything that Man does. What gives grandpa value is his scars as much as his Beaty spots!
One of the most enjoyable videos I’ve seen in a long time, well done and thanks.
I like how the old frames arent tubes welded at the ends into each other but instead have like a union welder together first where the tubes are slid into it and the weld isnt at the end of the tubes but at the point where the two parts first meet. So even if the weld failed, the tube will still be supported by the union.
I got to touch this bike also when I went to the museum in 2016.....definitely the best 10.00 I ever spent to see the coolest number of bikes in one place.....
The mini Ducati tipping over made my morning 😂😂😂😂 reminds me of my first week owning my first 1000. 16 zx10r. Did the same thing🤌🏼🫡
Great story .... There are still are amazing stories to be learned
Fantastic video. Learned a lot. That is an amazing story and motorcycle.
I so envy those with the amazing minds and abilities of Britten and Traub.
I'm not even a motorcycle enthusiast, but your story is terrific here . Great video.
I don't know squat about motorcycles, but I worked on the PC of a lady at her home in the countryside of Dodge City, who's hubby was famous in the early days. Raced on Harley's first team, but I was thinking he said he rode an Indian, which after watching this, wasn't a Harley bike, so I dunno. He had the largest Harley dealership for around 20 years, & it was in LA. He was very old when I worked on his wife's PC in Y2K. Spent all his time buying & selling antique slot machines at online auctions by this stage in his life. He had over 250 old autos sitting out in a field collecting rust. Even had an old WW1 army tank sittin out there. He also had many complete sets of collectable Harleys stored in a warehouse, disassembled & in crates so he wouldn't have to pay taxes on them. He also had one of only 3 special corvettes ever made in his garage, claiming it was worth a million. The guy was amazing, telling lots of stories I can no longer remember. Though I do remember him saying he worked with both Harley & Davidson early on & always had to get between them to prevent fighting, cos they didn't get along worth shit, claiming they acted like they hated each other. Sorry, don't remember his name...
Thanks again Bart, amazing story.
Fascinating! Beautiful machine; it couldn’t be in a better place. Great video.
Wheels Through Time is an outstanding museum, it on my bucket list to visit
What a great find. Glad they didn't demolish the house along with this amazing bike. Thanks for the video.
I was camping in the Smoky Mountains 10 years ago and took a drive from my campsite on the North Carolina side and I'm pretty sure I ran into this Museum. It was late in the evening it was closed but I took multiple pictures and it was mind-blowing. I'll have to look back at my pictures and see if I can match it up. One thing I remember is it had hand-carved giant wooden statues in the front, Indian related, also beautiful and time consuming to carve. Either way I ran into some incredible artwork and precious motorcycles
Been subscribed to WTT for quite some time now and I'm familiar with the Traub bike. Saw this and thought "What can this channel say that I haven't already heard?" But this is why I subscribe to BART. You always deliver a great video, well narrated and edited. This was no exception. Good job 👏. I will share and likely watch again.
Wow thanks! Yeah I'm a big fan of them if you can't tell already.
I have been to the wheels through time museum many times. Love that place.