Unconventional Motorcycles

When it comes to custom motorcycles, some are crazy and some really really crazy. From the alligator bike to the Motorcycle Tank, a few strange vehicles around the world are mentioned below.

The world’s biggest motorcycle

Almost thirty feet (9 metres) long, ten feet (3 metres) high and weighing as much as a school bus, the name emblazoned along the side of this menacing two-wheeled beast says it all – it’s the “Monster Motorbike from Hell”. Designed and built in Perth, Australia, by stunt driver Ray Baumann where it’s been wowing fans with its car and caravan crushing capabilities, the Monster Motorbike is powered by a DetroitDiesel truck engine and six-speed Allison automatic and uses a two-speed Eaton differential from a road train to drive a massive chain on each side of the one-metre wide rear wheel.

Taken from a Caterpillar 80 tonne front end loader, the wheels and tyres alone are almost 10 feet (3 metres) high.

Weighing in at 13.6 tonnes (picture 10 family cars or a school bus), the Monster Motorbike is heading to Australia’s east coast where it’s sure to be a star attraction at the Melbourne Motor Show beginning in late February.

The Motorcycle Tank

The Kettenkraftrad, type HK 101 is one of the most unique vehicles developed during the Second World War. The “tracked motorcycle” concept was conceived and patented by a German inventor, Heinrich Ernst Kniepkamp, in June of 1939. This was in response to a request for a fast, tracked vehicle capable of moving small loads in mountainous terrain.

The sources say there were about 8400 Kettenkrads produced during the war and over 500 afterwards. Some collectors keep them going

Specs say they could get up to 45-50mph with the 4 cylinder, 1478cc gasoline engine sourced from Opel, while the vehicle itself was made by NSU.

Man attaches full-sized car to his motorcycle

There are motorcycle sidecars, and then there are motorcycle sidecars. This particular mash-up is dubbed the “Snaefell” and is the work of Francois Knorreck. It took him a whopping 10 years and over $20,000 to complete. The motorcycle is a Laverda, and the car itself is actually cannibalized from several different vehicles.

Alligator Motorcycle

Jim Jablon used the skin of a dead alligator to create one of the strangest bikes ever seen on the roads of Florida.

Ironically enough, Jim Jablon’s ‘Gator Bike‘ was created using the skin of an alligator killed by authorities, but it’s now used to raise funds for a wildlife foundation. Alligator are constantly culled, in order to keep their numbers under control, and most of the skins end up pinned up in people’s yards. So Jim thought to put one to good use and get some exposure for his Wildlife Rehabilitation of Hernando (WROH) foundation. That’s basically how the Gator Bike was born.

The Gator Bike took Swedish leather expert Benny Ohrman a full year to complete. The skin and tail come of the bike, but the alligator head is fixed in place and has the speedometer and the rest of the gauges in the back of the head.

It’s worth mentioning the Gator Bike comes with a powerful Ultima engine, and over $86,000 to make.

It’s Not a Motorcycle, Baby. It’s a Mobile Barbecue Pit.

When Andrew Fishel, the owner of New York restaurant RUB, wanted “the sickest, baddest thing in the world,” he commissioned Orange County Chopper (of the American Chopper TV show fame) to create a mobile BBQ pit.

Was it really that good of an idea to have what amounts to a giant wood oven inches from a gas tank? But the RUB guys have already cooked ribs, brisket, and pork butt on it, and they aren’t dead yet. When asked if it was dangerous, Fischel replied breezily, “I don’t know. No one’s ever built one of these before.” Let’s hope we don’t find out the hard way.

The VW Motorcycle Sidecar

This VW sidecar was built by Jason Dyer of Resto-Tec out of the UK, which makes sense since the side car is on the left side of the Lambretta scooter. It was featured in July 2007 issue of Scootering magazine.

Motorcycle Motorhome

Everyone knows the biggest problem with motorcycles is that they lack a trunk, which makes it hard to take them very far since you have no place to put your stuff. Well, that’s no longer a problem with this crazy motorcycle motorhome which has the front end of a chopper and the back end of an RV. Of course the RV part has flames on the side so you can maintain your street cred with the biker set.

World’s fastest Bike

The Dodge Tomahawk, powered by a Dodge Viper V10 engine that produces 500bhp / 525 lb-ft torque, is claimed to be the world’s fastest motorcycle, rocketing from 0-60mph in just 2.5-seconds. It has an estimated top speed of 300mph. To maintain traction, the bike has two custom made Dunlop P120/60R-20 tires up front and two P150/50R-20 in the rear.