1943 Kettenkrad Totally Restored – the WW2 Motorcycle With Tracks

Back in World War II, NSU developed a very fascinating little tracked vehicle for the German army to be used to move small loads in mountainous terrain, the official designation was “kleines Kettenkraftrad SdKfz. 2”, or as it was more commonly called the “Kettenkrad.” The interesting part of the vehicle was the motorcycle wheel and handlebars mounted in the front. One of these unique vehicles is now for sale and offers an excellent opportunity for the military vehicle collector or investor to acquire one in completely restored and fully operational condition.

The front wheel is used for extra stability when driving on the highway and when taking wide turns. When turning sharply, the brakes are engaged on one of the tracks. The front wheel assembly can be removed for extremely rough terrain or in very muddy conditions.

This particular unit, chassis number K02404, was purchased by the current owner in Vienna in 2003, and in the next couple of years underwent a total, ground up restoration in the U.K. The body and running gear are largely original, though the front wheel and track rubbers have been replaced. David Reay was in charge of overseeing the restoration work. It was on display in Duxford and it has been to several of the Beltring War and Peace Show rallies, which is a massive display of military equipment, held in England each year. The Kettenkrad is now located in Bitburg, Germany.

Over the past year the electrical system has been rebuilt and everything works beautifully. The photos below indicate the comprehensive nature of the restoration process.

The owner, Gerard Prime, says it also comes with a reproduction Lehar trailer, which I believe is one of the small two wheel trailers towed behind the Kettenkrad and used by the military to carry equipment. Overall, this unit works perfectly and is a lot of fun to drive.

It is currently for sale and priced at 120,000 Euros. Any interested party may contact the owner directly for full details and to arrange for inspection at gerard@netvigator.com.