World's Strangest Motorcycles

"QUANTUM SHOT" #852
Link - article by Avi Abrams

The Ultimate Unusual Bike Collection

We covered many exotic and very strange bikes in our popular articles Magnificent Motorcycles, Part 1 and Part 2. Today we continue our extensive collection of fantastic motorcycle and bike-like machines - send us tips about other examples of extreme bike design, we will include them in the next part of this series.

(very cool animal-themed motorcycle ideas: "Jaguar Leaper Bike" via; and "Red Bull Bikes" via)

Alternative power sources

This cool-looking solar-powered bike is made by the Spanish company SunRed: it uses a clamshell panel structure, which extends when the bike is parked, and stores up solar energy for future rides. The ride itself, though, is not very exhilarating: it can go 13 miles at the (pretty underwhelming) speed of 30 mph.

(images via 1, 2)

This bike is solar-powered AND fast (maximum speed of 75 mph), created by Marcelo da Luz from Toronto in 1999. Since that time, the "Power of One" team is using this vehicle in its goal to achieve the world's distance record for solar cars. One problem, though: this vehicle is so slick that it was repeatedly pulled over by Canadian and Alaskan police and even once mistaken for an U.F.O. - info:

(images via 1, 2)

And then, there was a truly bizarre 1880 invention: the Cynosphere dog-powered bicycle (for those who prefer to trust their dog more than the fickle solar power). See a lot more dog-power engines and ideas here:

(images via)

Coolest Bike / ATV hybrids

The STi-ATV is admittedly the best improvement on Subaru Impreza that we've ever seen. Made in New Zealand by Ken Brough, this quad-bike is allegedly much safer than some of the V8-engined motorcycles, even though this "fire-breathing beastie" is not slacker: it packs turbocharged 230 horsepower engine and weighs only 530 kilogram - more info:

(images via)

This also seems to be good tricycle concoction: a new MP3 line of scooters from famous Italian manufacturer Piaggio. They offer the full range of models (from 125c to Gilera Fuoco 500), starting at just $7200 and currently very popular among San Francisco hip crowds:

(images via 1, 2)

The following is perhaps one of the strangest vehicles we've seen, and it is apparently street-legal! This is "Kehler Quad", or the Kehler Quad Street-legal 4-wheeler Hayabusa, designed and built by Steve Kehler, the owner of TOCC (Tricked Out Custom Cycles) in Hatboro, PA - more info:

(images via 1, 2)

The Biggest and the Most Powerful

Something similar to the legendary Road Dog - 5 meter long motorcycle, built by William "Wild Bill" Gelbke in 1965:

(images via)

The World's Biggest Bike, powered by Detroit Diesel, weighing 13 tons:

(image credit: Detroit Diesel)

The Rapom V8 is the most powerful motorcycle in Britain, and it runs on pure alcohol. "Runs on pure alcohol?" What a great selling line for an uber-macho-cool machine like this one (packing 1,000 - 1,200 bhp)! We're sold. The Rapom engine is a massive 8.2 litre supercharged V8 monster truck powerhouse with as much power as a Bugatti Veyron... Bike creator Nick Argyle made sure that it is also street-legal:

(image via)

Dodge Tomahawk... must be The Ultimate Crotch Rocket! Tomahawk is the Uber-Macho 2003 concept from Daimler Chrysler. Its monstrous 500-horsepower Viper V-10 engine propels this beast to a maximum speed of 656 km/h.

(images credit: Fast Cars)

Update: "Dodge's extraordinary claims of a top speed of 420 mph (680 km/h) were derided by experts in land speed records, and the Tomahawk never demonstrated a speed above 100 mph (160 km/h)" (source)

"The Dolmette" German (Chainsaw) Bike: a bike powered by 24 chainsaws from "Dolmar" company? Yes.

(images via)

The man sitting on the bike, is the famous German cartoonist "Broesel". Apparently a total of 24 chainsaws will generate a lot of power... which is STILL not enough! We hear that the second model "New Dolmette" got even more power, with bigger chainsaw engines - to which we say, why not, why stop there?

Another original creation by Broesel - the "Red Porsche Killer", with four(!) original Horex-Engines in a row:

(image credit: Frederic Plambeck)

Yes, this bike is BIG, and so it certainly requires training wheels:

(original unknown)

Strangest Racing Bikes (and bike-like vehicles)

This is perhaps the weirdest bike drag-racing vehicle we encountered: the Unimotorcycle Drag Racing! -

(image via)

Volvo's Extreme Gravity Car got no engine, but plenty of delicious curves: this concept was designed for "The Extreme Gravity Competition", an annual downhill car race for charity. Charity does not begin to describe it... and yes, it won the competition; more info:

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This beautiful vintage machine is the Drag Waye, built by Clive Waye and raced by Dave Lecocq in England:

(image via)

The Weirdest Bikes Potpurri

One of the best-looking modern unique bikes is the "Wraith B120" & "Hellcat 2" from Confederate Motor Company (available for just $55,000):

(images via)

Left image below: Grim Reaper's Custom Chopper? This is actually the "Omega Chopper" from Finland, more info:

(images via)

On the right is the ridiculous-looking Chinese moto-tricycle (more info) built by hand by Li Lianzhi:

(right image via; left: original unknown)

Speaking of totally hand-built bikes, this wooden bike looks like a "rough draft only":

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And then there is this fully-functioning wooden motorcycle (more info):

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Are you comfortable yet? These are the Fiero Trike 3-seaters:

(images via)

Take your BBQ with you: on the left is the actual custom bike built by Orange County Choppers (of the Discovery Channel fame); and on the right is the muscle-car engine BBQ setup: