After you’ve seen a contemporary Honda Goldwing with its massive flat six, or even the Triumph Rocket III with a 2.3-liter triple, a 1200cc inline four seems kind of pedestrian. But in the 1970s, the Munch Mammut, with its 1200cc overhead cam inline four-cylinder was a revelation. Find this one here on eBay in Westport, Ontario, Canada with a Buy It Now price of $100,000.
Friedl Munch built versions of these amazing, brutally styled motorcycles between 1970 and 1980, beginning with a 966cc engine in the early days, and finishing up with a 1278cc roadster in 1980. The final version churned out 104hp. Your average full-size dual-sport bike can turn numbers like that with a twin today, but for a long time, a hundred horsepower was unheard of in the realm of motorcycling.
This bike was a part of the late David Manthey’s collection, one of at least ten auctioned by the now-defunct Kruse International. According to the seller, this particular bike went to the Legend of the Motorcycle Concours in Half Moon Bay, California, but there’s no information on which year it appeared there.
The seller is said to be the third owner of the bike, and it comes along with an owner’s book and a number of spares. He notes that the bike runs and rides with great oil pressure, and that crating and transportation to the shipping terminal in Toronto are part of the package.
The condition from the excellent photos appears to be exquisite, and the price reflects that. A Munch on today’s market is an instant museum piece, and buying one will set you back about as much as a motorcycle can cost.
Related Stories
I’ll be curious to see if the owner can reach $100k; no Munch has done so since the Manthey auction…as he had so many, and they were released all at once, it sort of killed the Munch market! Anyone who wanted one badly at the time, had the opportunity, and prices have dropped to ~$85-90k since.
They’re impressive bikes, and like the latest BMW 6-cylinder, feel far lighter on the road than they do at rest!
Here’s my road test…
http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/06/bavarian-road-test-5-munch-mammut.html
Very cool bike. $100k may not be chump change but I’ve seen tired Munchs do $70k. BTW d’Orleans, love your roadtest.
Check the front brake. They can crack (magnesium) due to the high loads of stopping such an animal.
A gentleman I know in Germany collects these and produces parts including an aluminum replica of the brake.
@Slim Chance – can you post info about or a link to the gentleman in Germany who is producing the brake? I’ve always wanted to build a cafe racer with that beast up front. Now I’ll just have to dream up the rest of the bike….
Wow Paul, your Munch page got 2M hits!
Interesting stuff, thanks for the link
What I don’t get a hat tip?
I submitted that!
These things are amazing. I agree though that the price might be a bit rich; but it still has the Manthey provenance, which doesn’t go away, even if it’s been through other hands.
I saw this post on kneeslider from David Manthey’s son… rather depressing:
Posted by Clayton Manthey August 5, 2011 at 5:08 am
Hello my name is Clayton Manthey David Manthey’s son I was wondering if anyone could help me with something I’m writing on this forum because I’ve still have not been paid from the auction back in 2009 I’m not asking for financial help I’m just letting people know about what has happened with the auction. Kruse is still claiming he hasn’t been paid for the vehicles and he doesnt have money and if you know anyone to contact or even just spread the word my wife and I are barely getting by due to lawyer fees and just everyday living and I’m just not sure who to contact. Like I said I’m not asking for financial help I’m just asking if you know anyone that I could talk to or get a hold of for some advice on this matter. Your response is very much appreciated.
Thanks for you’re time.
Clayton Manthey
Email
Claytonmanthey@gmail.com
Cellphone #
608-921-5520
Is that really a Weber DCOE side draft carb I see on there?
Swift, 2 DCOEs were normal fitment. Smooth, the guy in Germany is Mike Krahn (sp?), search under Classic Bike Mike. He makes the whole motorcycle but they can’t be road registered over there due to new build rules. I could put one on the road here but the ante would result in much marital discord. I know and have done business with the seller of this bike and he’s a straight shooter. I’ve heard it run and watched it ridden (he offered a test drive but it was uninsured on a private road so I declined, not wanting to possibly buy a Munch that day).
Wow, I just realized where this bike is located. My family used to vacation on Wolfe Lake, just outside Westport, Ontario. I’m having a hard time imagining a bike like this up there, although I guess that there have always been some folks with money who lived and/or vacationed there as well. Wonderful place, and nice people.
Thanks KGB for confirming about the Webers.
Back in the day, knew two guys who lived in near poverty after purchasing a couple of these bikes. They didn’t eat well but they rode above the crowd on these exotic bikes. And this was in West Texas! Never did know where they managed to find two o f these new.
check this out…http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Oct/111012mammuth.htm
@Bill; Kruse auctions is defunct for non-payment issues… I hope Manthey’s son got his money, but a lot of people didn’t. Kruse was robbing Peter to pay Paul, and ended up getting busted.
Bill, at a certain point people really should abandon futile legal efforts and chip in with their fellow screwees to purchase a sound thrashing for certain people. From a very professional thrasher preferably. Because most likely that’s about the only way any amount of satisfaction will ever be had.
You’d have the titles for any of my vehicles when I was counting the coin and not before, auction or no.
Is it just me or does the top most pic look this thing’s been milled out a solid block of billet aluminum? What an absolute tank!
I’m not here to dispense legal advice; but Manthey may have a genuine case for repossessing that bike, since the transaction was fraudulent. He needs a good lawyer and a sympathetic sheriff.
Varjak, if the titles were signed by the proper person, it’ll be an uphill battle all the way. As far as bikes that left the country, good luck. The money required to incite a lawyer (a good one will advise you to not bother) to pursue them internationally will likely exceed the motorcycle’s value. A sorry situation indeed.
I’m not so sure. First, with a bike of this value, pursuing it makes more sense than chasing a $5,000 sale gone bad. Second, the title, by definition, was not ‘signed by the proper person’ if the original sale was a fraudulent conveyance (and I’d argue that it was). Seller never got his money, thus a sale never took place. Kruse was his agent; but probably did not have right to transfer title.
Varjak, I did say “if”. At any rate, pure speculation by us.
Nevertheless, vehicles that have left the USA would be a hell of a job to recover.
You won’t believe this but USA laws and regulations pretty much cease to mean anything at all a millimetre or so beyond the international limit. Unless you really piss off the whole country of course. Then some serious fellows might drop in for a late visit to your swinging pad in Pakistan.
Mr. Kruse screwed quite a crowd of people by all accounts. How about it, is anyone reading who has had to give a car or bike back? Other than out of the goodness of their heart?
Interesting reading:
http://in.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20100913_0000836.NIN.htm/qx
Thats what I love about this site, always something new I never heard of before. Keep up the good work