When Brad Pitt isn’t falling in and out of love with German (Polish, actually) lookalikes of Angelina Jolie, he falls in love with German motorcycles, like BMW. Especially the ones that come with a piece of history, bloodied as it may be.
What are we talking about? The Nazi sidecar motorcycle that was actually used by German troops to ride through the mountains of Europe whilst trying to pummel the world into submission.
The motorcycle was a restored model, bought by Pitt, probably because he starred in one-two many Nazi-themed movies. Of course, he did spend a mini fortune on it, but then again, he’s Brad Pitt. And when he bought it, he was still married to Jolie and was more or less on top of the world.
So let’s talk about the WWII movies, Pitt, and that stunning piece of automotive history that rests in his garage; the WWII motorcycle once truly ridden by the German troops.
Did The Movies Spark The Interest?
Brad Pitt did two Nazi movies back-to-back, one being Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. In it, Pitt plays an American lieutenant with a ragtag team of anti-Nazi troops, including Jews, who enjoy killing the German troops in innovative and bloody ways. Later, he also played First Sergeant Don "Wardaddy" Collier, a tank commander who pushes into the German territory as the final part of the Allied advance, in the movie Fury.
Both the movies, one by Tarantino and the other by David Ayer, featured authentic WWII uniforms and even vehicles, so perhaps Pitt got entranced by this ghastly time period of human history during production, especially when Fury used an authentic military tank from WWII.
This is why he spent almost $400,000 on this authentic German military motorcycle, replete with a sidecar. It may sound like a fortune, but to Pitt, and do excuse the pun, it's a pittance.
More About The Motorcycle
The Mirror reported the transaction in 2015, and at the time, Pitt had spent more than $387,000 on it. But then again, reportedly, this motorcycle was one very rare find and dated back to 1942. Its history says it was used in the Nazi operations in the Greek island of Crete in 1943 and then sold in a military surplus auction sometime in 1945 after the withdrawal of Germany from Greece, and its eventual fall. Only a few motorcycles from the time are still in existence, and apparently, an Athenian gentleman named Yannis got the motorcycle and restored it with many manhours and a pretty steep expense.
According to Yannis, less than 500 motorcycles from this era are still around, and its this scarcity as well as their importance to world history that makes them this dear. The spare parts don’t come cheap for them, and part of a metal piece that went into restoring this motorcycle costs more than $2,000!
But which motorcycle is it, is the main question? Sadly, we need the experts on this to narrow it down, though we do know it is one of these two…
Is It A Zündapp KS750 Or A BMW R75?
Historically speaking, the BMW R75 was the most famous sidecar motorcycle to come out of WWII, and obviously, at the time, it was made for the German military. Production started in 1940 and ceased in 1944, with over 16,000 units produced. A 750cc boxer engine went into the motorcycle, which was pretty compact although it could carry soldiers and equipment with ease. This motorcycle was so versatile, even Harley-Davidson allegedly copied the design with similar aspects put into the WLA.
To others, the Zündapp KS750 was the more pertinent one in WWII. To add to the identity confusion, both the motorcycle manufacturers were ordered by the OKH, the German army chief of the time to make motorcycles worthy for the Nazi troops in 1937. Both complied although it is said that after many test rides, the Zündapp KS750 was found to be superior. The story goes that BMW was asked to make the Zündapp KS750 but they refused so then they were asked to adopt the superior characteristics of the motorcycle, and so they did in the R75. According to various media outlets, more than 18,000 Zündapp KS750 motorcycles were made, so Pitt’s motorcycle could be either or especially as the Nazis ordered that components of both the motorcycles had to be interchangeable.
Fuel capacity was capped at 220 miles, with a maximum speed of 60mph, while carrying a rather hefty load of 1,100 pounds. The motorcycles were made to Nazi perfectionist standards with an engine that could handle just about the lowest grade of fuel thrown at it.
The bikes also sported a reverse gear for easy maneuverability, and it had gears specific for smoother roads and rougher trails or off-road as well. The saddlebag wears a paratrooper emblem and the number plate bears WH, which stands for the German army, known as the Wehrmacht that translates simply and literally to armed force.
Either way, we are pretty sure Brad Pitt enjoys his WWII classic and treats it like the important piece of history it is.
Sources: TheDailyMirror, autoevolution, MotorcycleClassics