In June 2016 the Imme Freundeskreis (Circle of Imme-friends) organized its biennial meeting (in Germen: Treffen) in Immenstadt im Allgäu (Germany), the town where the Imme motorcycles have been built. Off course I wanted to join this meeting, with my Imme!
I finished my Imme and had it registered about 2 months before the meeting. But unfortunately the (overhauled) engine was not running well. Because this could not be solved on time, Heinrich and Werner from the Freundeskreis were so friendly to make that I could join the meeting, by building one of their spare engines in my motorcycle. A good example of friendship.
End of May I put the Imme on the trailer and drove to Immenstadt - 850 km from my hometown in the northern part of the Netherlands. Due to the long trip we had decided to combine the meeting with an early summer holiday, but the wheather was not really summer-like. We arrived in pouring rain at our hotel in Immenstadt. Fortunately we were allowed to put the Imme and the trailer safely in the hotels garage.
The evidence, we have been there
The next day we explored Immenstadt. We discovered that there is even a (small) road called after our beloved motorcycle:
"Imme" motorcycle produced in Immenstadt
Off course I had to get a picture of myself on this road:
The Imme road is opposite to the place where the Imme works were located, as the aerial picture shows:
the big red rectangle indicates where the Imme factory was located
Unfortunately not much has been left of the Imme factory. Only one factory building, now in use by the "Beulendoktor Allgäu" (dent-doctor Allgäu, a car damage repair center), has survived.
On the front part of the the factory ground, which is now in use by the company Hauf, the original wraught iron gate of the Imme factory has been rebuilt by the Imme Freundeskreis (in the blue rectangle on the picture). Next to it is a commemorative column with a plaquette and a picture of the designer of the Imme, Norbert Riedel:
Unfortunately the factory gate does not match with expansion plans of Hauf, and therefore it will be removed in the near future.
On Friday the Imme meeting started. The meeting was held at the historical ground of the Imme factory, possible due to the friendly co-operation of the firm Hauf. Due to the rain only a few enthusiasts came with their Imme, but it was a good occassion to meet and start our discussions about Imme, Imme and Imme.....
With joined forces the first Immes arriving were unloaded
Within an hour some Imme enthusiasts started to work on one of the motorcycles....
and they did not rest before the complete engine was removed from the bike
On Saturday the main event was held, fortunately with good wheather. More than 20 Immes gathered at the Hauf premises, in all original colors. Off course most in the first available colour, oxide red:
But also several in black:
And a few in green:
Although 2-cilinder Immes are very rare, not less than 3 were at the meeting:
There was a lot of public at the Imme meeting. Off course the club members, but also ex-employees of the factory, people living in the neighbourhood who had an Imme in the past and people who just passed-by and who's attention was drawn by all these strange motorcycles.
A lot of interested public
A tired club member, resting before the start of the main event
Around 11:00 the main event of the meeting started: a ride together. Off course we took the opportunity to ride for the last time through the factory gate.
Smoking allowed! Start of the ride
The Immes swarming off through the original factory gate
Halfway the ride we had a lunchbreak in restaurant Gasthof Rössle in Ottacker.
The Imme riders arriving at the restaurant
The Immes parked before the restaurant
The restaurant had even a special Imme menu card!
Short before we reached the restaurant another interesting motorcycle joined: a Patria with Imme engine. Patria WKC was originally a bicycle manufacturer in Solingen. In the period 1925-1927 they built motorcycles with Roconova 250 and 350 cc 4-stroke engines. After that they only produced bicycles and mopeds, but from 1949-1952 they resumed building light motorcycles, this time with the 125 cc JLO and the 98 cc Imme engine.
In contrary to the Imme R100, the frame was of conventional construction. To mount the Imme motor a special cast aluminum engine carrier was used, that was mounted on the lower frame tubes.
The Patria with Imme engine
The Patria had a conventional exhaust system
The Imme engine mounting in the Patria frame
The cast aluminum engine carrier
After the lunch we drove a few kilometers further to the Burgruine Sulzberg, the remains of an old castle. We were allowed to park the Immes at the foot of the castle, a privilege that other visitors don't have. Also the participants of the Imme meeting that followed by car had to park at the parking, and walk up the hill were the castle is located.
The Burgruine Sulzberg
Immes arriving at the castle - a tough ride over the gravel road
The Immes parked at the foot of the castle
In the ruins we got an extensive tour with nice stories from our tour guide. After that there was coffee and tea with cake.
Unfortunately the weather had changed and it had started to rain when we visited the castle. Therefore the ride back to Immenstadt was through the rain. But all Immes bravely survived and reached Immenstadt riding.
In the evening there was a pleasant evening in Gasthof Engel, off course with a lot of talking about motorcycles, especially the Immes.
One of the club members made a nice video of the ride (total length around 12 minutes):
Obviously the Imme Freundeskreis meeting had also drawn the attention of the local press. In the "Allgäur Anzeigeblatt", located in Immenstadt, a short article about the meeting was published:
Later in our holiday we visited the local museum in Immenstadt. And off course you can find something about the Imme there!
As advertisement stunt the factory let a few of its works-riders ride up the highest mountain near Immenstadt, the 1738 m high Grünten. This is nicely represented in the museum, with an exhibition of 2 Immes driving up a hill over a gravel road:
Some explanation about the Imme history,
the middle picture shows an Imme arriving at the top of the Grünten
