Van Veen (motorcycle)
Van Veen or Van Veen Kreid is a former motorcycle manufacturer. It was founded in Amsterdam by Henk van Veen, the Dutch importer of Kreidler motorcycles.[1]
 Van Veen OCR 1000 1977 using a re-purposed engine originally intended for the Citroën GS, exhibited at Autostadt, in Wolfsburg, Germany | |
| Manufacturer | Henk van Veen |
|---|---|
| Engine | 996 cc (60.8 cu in) |
| Top speed | 135 mph (claimed)[1] |
| Power | 75 kW (100 hp)@ 6,500 rpm (rear wheel)[1][2] |
| Transmission | 4-speed shaft drive |
| Suspension | Front 42 mm telescopic fork Rear twin shocks w/adjustable preload and damping |
| Tires | Front:110/90 x 18in Rear:130/80 x 18in |
| Wheelbase | 1,500 mm (61 in) |
| Seat height | 850 mm (33.5 in) |
| Weight | 291 kg (642 lb)[2] (dry) 294 kilograms (648 lb) (2011)[1] (wet) |
| Fuel capacity | 24 L; 5.2 imp gal (6.3 US gal) |
| Fuel consumption | 9.8 L/100 km; 29 mpg‑imp (24 mpg‑US) (est.) |
Van Veen completed its first prototype in 1974 using a 1000 cc Comotor 624 twin-rotor Wankel engine, and in November 1974 it was exhibited at the Cologne motorcycle show with front and rear cast wheels and triple Brembo disc brakes.[3]
Limited production of the OCR 1000 model began in 1978 and ceased in 1981, after poor press reviews and complications with Comotor engine production.[1] As well as problems with the Comotor engine, weight (700 lbs/320 kg) and price ($US15,000) also contributed to lack of sales.[4] 38 examples were built.[4]
By 2011, the leftover OCR 1000 parts had been purchased by Andries Wielinga, who built 10 complete motorcycles for sale.[1]
References
- Koopman, Hans (September–October 2011). "2011 Van Veen OCR 1000 Rotary Engine Motorcycle". Motorcycle Classics. 7 (1). Retrieved 7 March 2013.
- Cathcart, Alan (January–February 2018). "Rotary Revival: Van Veen OCR 1000". Motorcycle Classics. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
- Motorcycle Mechanics, December 1974, pp.34-36. Koln Show. "Only the ingenuity of Honda and their flat-four Gold Wing 1,000 cc special stopped the Wankel-powered machines taking the Koln (Cologne) Motor Cycle Exhibition by storm!". Accessed 16 September 2015
- Cormier, Jason. "Van Veen OCR 1000 - Dutch Wankel Powered Superbike". www.odd-bike.com. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
- "Van Veen Group", brochure about the history of the Van Veen Group. About 1980.