The Sachs Beast was a concept motorcycle shown by Sachs Bikes in 2000, built around a 1000 cc V-twin from the engine maker Folan. It was being prepared for production when the Nuremberg company went into insolvency in 2006, and the idea behind it was carried into the B-805.
Sachs Beast at a glance
| Maker | Sachs Bikes, Nuremberg |
|---|---|
| Type | concept motorcycle |
| Shown | 2000 |
| Engine | 1000 cc V-twin made by Folan |
| Status | in development for production at the 2006 insolvency |
| Design influence | the B-805 was inspired by the Beast 1000 |
| Related concept | Madass 500 of 2004 with a Royal Enfield 500 cc twin |
| Company | Sachs Bikes, insolvent June 2006 |
The Beast has no Wikipedia page of its own; it is described in the company articles as a concept of 2000 that was in development at the insolvency.
History of the Sachs Beast
A concept with a bought-in engine
The Beast 1000 was Sachs Bikes’ showcase machine of 2000: a 1000 cc V-twin concept from the Nuremberg factory, with the engine supplied by Folan. For a company that had built its reputation on its own small two-strokes, the Beast was a statement that Sachs could again offer a large motorcycle.
The trouble with engines
Getting engines for larger models was the difficulty of those years. Sachs, traditionally an engine supplier, struggled to secure units from other companies: the Honda VTR1000 was planned for a subsequent model, and the Suzuki TL1000 engine went instead to Cagiva for the Raptor and Navigator. Sachs even asked the widow of John Britten for the Britten engine moulds and tooling and was refused. The Beast was still in development for production when the company became insolvent in June 2006.
What survived
The Beast did not reach the showrooms, but its style did. The B-805, the derivative of the Roadster 800, was inspired by the Beast 1000 concept, and in 2004 the company built another concept, the Madass 500, with a Royal Enfield 500 cc parallel twin. After the insolvency and the management buyout of 1 January 2007 Sachs turned to small scooters and to the MadAss, and the large-capacity programme came to an end.
Design and features
- Folan V-twin: a 1000 cc engine bought in for the concept.
- Show machine: the company’s statement piece of 2000.
- Unfinished: still being developed for production at the insolvency.
- Influence: the B-805 was inspired by the Beast 1000.
Sachs Beast versions
- Sachs Beast 1000 (2000): the concept motorcycle.
- Sachs B-805: production derivative of the Roadster 800 inspired by the Beast.
- Sachs Madass 500 (2004): second concept, with a Royal Enfield twin.
- Planned Honda-engined model: never built; the VTR1000 was to power a later model.
The production roadsters that shared the Beast idea are described in Sachs 400, and the mokick that kept the company going is Sachs MadAss. More machines are in the Sachs collection.
Video: Sachs Beast 250, Motor Test
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Sachs Motorcycles, English Wikipedia: Beast 1000, Folan engine, engine supply problems
- Sachs Bikes, German Wikipedia: model list, B-805, insolvency
