This Man Turned a Car Into a Motorbike to Escape the Desert

- [Man] Imagine you're driving through the hot, Moroccan desert. Your car breaks down (metal crunches) and the nearest village is 20 miles away. Would you panic? Would you give up? Or would you convert your car into a motorbike in a lengthy process that might get you killed? Meet Emile Leray, the mechanical magician who did just that. Close to a small town in France, there is a man that loves cars. - Bonjour. - [Man] Specifically, the French Citroën 2CV. Like those. ("Can-Can Music" by Offenbach) (tires screech) (whimsical music) And he's got this funny-looking motorbike with an extraordinary story behind it. - (speaking foreign language) - [Man] Obviously, like any other stranded desert traveler, Emile decided to turn the still-working parts of that car into this motorbike. First, he removed the car's frame. - (speaking foreign language) - [Man] Then, he shortened it to make a better chassis, fixed the axles, and put the wheels on the bike. Simple, right? - No. - [Man] Oh, yeah, he also added suspension, and, well, an engine, an ignition, and a comfortable seat. After 12 days and 11 nights in the desert, he was ready to go back to civilization. - (speaking foreign language) - [Man] Finally, to his delight, he came upon the police who greeted him with a hefty fine. - (speaking foreign language) - [Man] Back in France, the motorcycle ended up alongside Emile's other Citroën creations. Like this boat, this rugby ball, a table saw, and even glasses made out of rubber from the seat. This guy really loves his Citroëns. Makes you wonder what's next. - (speaking foreign language) (big band music)

Channel: Great Big Story

Views: 9,405,303

Rating: 4.8504972 out of 5

Keywords: great big story, gbs, lag, documentary, docs, Motorcycle, Desert, Machine, Sports & Action, Travel & Adventure, Tan-Tan, Morocco, France, Citroën 2CV, Cars, Biography & Profile, Emile Leray, Mechanic, Frontiers, DIY, citroen, biography & profile, weird & fun knowledge, tech & science, escape, emile leray, doctor of african mechanics, car, ride, car parts, moto, auto, automobile

Id: hFMWgSgB4sg

Length: 3min 0sec (180 seconds)

Published: Mon Jul 17 2017

Reddit Comments

[u/Call_me_John]

Mythbusters did it to see if it can be done. It can, but it's highly unlikely, and the contraption behaved like shit, it was nearly impossible to go in a straight line, incredibly difficult to steer at all..

[u/Vic_Rattlehead]

He was only 20 miles away, why not just walk? You can do 20 miles in 1 day (or night) at a decent pace.

[u/merlot2K1]

Meh - Tony Stark built Ironman.

[u/Hedonistic-]

No, he didn't. He's an artist who made an art piece and gave it a really awesome story.

He did not make a car into a motorcycle in the desert using nothing but hand tools. If you're an adult who believes this story, you are a gullible idiot.

[u/islipaway]

So this was the chance to prove this really happened and we don't get to see him ride the bike, just close framed shots of it? I want to believe this happened but it really feels like nonsense, the story has been going around for ages but really this video gives it less credibility than ever.

[u/G0merPyle]

My life fades. The vision dims. All that remains are memories. I remember a time of chaos... ruined dreams... this wasted land. But most of all, I remember The Citroen Warrior.

[u/MysticRiderPrateek]

Only for 20 miles...but grt art piece nevertheless !!!

[u/[deleted]]

The deux chevaux is my favorite car of all time. Love that damn thing. Even if it won't get up to highway speeds.

[u/qneville]

While I don't buy the story one bit, it's a pretty awesome work of engineering.