Fascinating Mystery of the Traub Motorcycle

If you are a motorcycle enthusiast and also love mystery, the story behind the Traub motorcycle will be a fascinating one. The Traub motorcycle is considered the world’s rarest in the history of motorcycles. It is estimated to have been in existence since 1916.

The mystery begins in a space behind a wall, dusty and forgotten. It was noticed by a plumber who had been called to repair a house in a Chicago suburb, in 1967. In an effort to fix the issue he was called to, he ended up in the basement and had to take down part of its wall at the front of the house. This is when he found the mysterious motorcycle in the untouched place, where it had been walled up and abandoned since 1916.

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There are many classic motorcycles in the world today, but what makes the Traub model so special is that it is the only existing one of its kind. The brilliant engineering applied in the making of this bike also gives it credit. Its construction was surely ahead of its time.

You might probably be asking who the creator of this mechanical marvel was. Well, no one knows for sure. But, let’s trace back for more information.

The Discovery

As mentioned above, the Traub motorcycle was discovered in 1967. After its discovery, the previous owners of the home where it was found were tracked down. When found, the former owners of the home said that their son had stolen the bike in 1916, presumably from the original owner and creator. When the father learned about his son’s crime, he wanted the bike returned and the son to enlist in the U.S Army. It is told that the son hid the bike under the porch behind the wall, with the intention of retrieving it after the First World War. Unfortunately, the young man lost his life in Europe, leaving the bike abandoned.

That was how the bike remained hidden and untouched for nearly 50 years. Even though we have a clue of why the bike ended up hidden in the wall, it is still untold how such a bike with extraordinary features of its time remained unknown to the motorcycle industry of that time.

Who was Traub?

The Traub motorcycle was still in good condition by the time it was found in 1967. In fact, it still works even today. After staying abandoned for that long, the tires only needed to be aired up and have some wiping. The engine still looked virtually new and the paint had no spot of rust.

The Traub motorcycle is surely a masterpiece, but whose? The identity of the Traub motorcycle has been troubling historians for quite some time. The name of the creator has likely been found; Gottlieb Richard Traub. However, it is impossible to tell whether it is a definitive answer. This is where the story becomes more interesting, unfolding the identity of the man behind the rare bike.