All Entries Tagged With: "cool motorcycles"
Unrestored 1895 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller, One Of The World’s Earliest Motorcycles, Going Up For Auction
The 1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller is officially credited as the first two-wheeled vehicle to be called a “motorcycle.” Now, one of the machines produced during its 1895 production run can be yours in an auction scheduled for April 25.
Officially billed as the “ultimate barn find,” the 1895 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller is totally unrestored and is probably as good as junk. Heck, it looks like it belongs in a trash heap. Regardless, its status as one of the earliest examples of a motorized crotch rocket makes it a veritable treasure in whatever form.
Manufactured in Munich, Germany, the powered two-wheeler features a 1488cc twin-cylinder, water-cooled, four-stroke engine, capable of putting out a measly 2.5bhp at 240rpm. It ran at speeds of up to 30mph during its heyday, which should have you leaving…errrr…wheelchairs and baby strollers in the dust. There’s no exact figure on how many such motorrads were produced, but estimates peg [...]
Honda Toughens Up Its Cruiser Line With The 2010 Shadow Phantom
It’s official. Honda is looking to give its cruiser bikes a tougher image. No proof is better-suited to reinforce that than the new 2010 Honda Shadow Phantom.
Looking like direct competition to Harley-Davidson’s similarly blacked-out Sportster, the Shadow Phantom offers an entirely new look for Honda’s motorcycle line. With a shorter front fender, beefed up fork and thicker front tires, it’s a burly bike with a very manly, retro feel.
Sporting a low-slung saddle (about 25.7-inches in height), all-black finish with silver accents and an overall custom aesthetic, the Phantom takes the long-running Shadow line into the next level. It’s the first motorcycle in the range with a fuel-injected 745cc V-Twin engine, all blacked-out to blend in with the bike’s overall theme, mated to a five-speed transmission that sends power to the rear via shaft drive. Other bike details include a 64.5-inch wheelbase, forward-mounted foot controls, improved suspension (41mm fork front, five-position [...]
Millyard Viper V10: A New 500hp Death Trap
How do you want to die today? The slogan “Live Fast, Die Young” has never been more appropriate than for anyone who dares take the road with the Millyard Viper V10, a beastly motorcycle drawing its power from a 500hp car engine.
That’s right, someone actually had the audacity to outfit a two-wheeler with an eight-liter V10 Viper engine. As in, one which came from a full-fledged Dodge Viper. Death wish? Probably. Insanity? Most likely. Make sure to check out the video below where the rider stays on a straight path without making a single turn. Yep, that’s probably how you should use this thing. Or if you’re going to turn, do it very, very slowly.
Created by Allen Millyard, the Frankensteined (not a real word) Viper V10 features one of the longest wheelbases I’ve seen in a motorcycle (there are ten giant cylinders, after all). It’s supposedly street-legal (with the ‘09 [...]
EniCycle Makes The Unicycle Easier To Ride, Your Clown Dreams Might Still Come True
Ever wanted to be a circus clown but failed because you can’t ride a unicycle? There’s hope for you yet with the EniCycle, a goofy-looking, self-balancing, one-wheeled motorcycle.
Created by Slovenian inventor Aleksander Polutnik, the EniCycle is a single-seater vehicle that runs on one wheel. Instead of having your clumsy ass try to keep balance while moving, though, the bike does all the work for you, fostering a learning curve of no more than thirty minutes. All you have to do is sit on the stool and lean where you want it to turn (and honk your nose, of course, if you’re riding it as a clown).
Unlike regular unicycles, the 28kg EniCycle puts pedaling and balancing out of the equation. Acceleration is handled by an integrated 1000W electric motor that manages a top speed of 15 km/h. Power is courtesy of an onboard 44V 10Ah battery pack, which juices the ride [...]
2009 Piaggio MP3 500: The Mean Scooter
If you thought scooters can’t attract the same attention as a 1000cc hog, the 2009 Piaggio MP3 500 just might be the ride that changes your mind. The aggressive-looking, fun-riding three-wheeled maxi-scooter takes the conventional idea of a cool motorcyle and turns it over on its head.
Scooters have long been one of the most ideal transportation options for lone-riding motorists. Yet, many parts of the world still see a lack of adoption for the mild-mannered two-wheeler. Whether it be their lack of power or the flimsy appearance that turns the majority of people off, Piaggio’s MP3 series has long made a good case for redefining cool on the road – and the larger, meaner-looking model 500 makes sure it can’t be ignored.
Unlike full-fledged motorcycles which come with a manual gearbox that you’l need to master, the MP3 500 rocks a step-less CVT transmission, spurring the ride to move with just [...]
