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Jet engine on motorcycle --- MarineTurbine 2000: http://www.marineturbine.com/d...

Agree, the OP would be better served by a Surface or similar device --- my problem w/ the most recent crop of them (I need to replace my Fujitsu Stylistic ST-4121):

  - display not daylight viewable --- no one seems to use a transflective LCD aside from some ruggedized units intended for military/police use
  - moving away from Wacom stylus technology --- the Surface 3 uses an N-Trig digitizer, and I've had my fill of AAAA batteries and weird driver support issues

Am I the only person left that likes to see a bit of dare devil in the people that try and push the boundaries.? The land speed record for cars, for isntance, has just become dull because the teams working on it are just too professional and there is only a tiny chance that something will go horribly wrong (a bit like F1 really). This, however, is "cool". There is a really good chance this guy could kill himself but he does it anyway to push the limits a bit.

I think what you need is a gas turbine powered motorcycle. 320 HP, 425 foot pounds of torque, 500 lb. curb weight. 0-200mph in 19 seconds.

...we have the MTT Superbike. Powered by a gas turbine originally designed for helicopters. Exaust hot enough to melt the bumpers of tailgaters!

But for the rich and truly stupid ride the Y2K Superbike (since they were gay and decided to go with flash, click on motorsports.)

But with 320Hp at 52,ooo rpm, on a 500lb bike that can hit 227 MPH (365 KPH), you might want to have a buddy epoxy you on to it before you take it out for a spin.

So, anyway... I was watching American Chopper a while back, and I got to thinking:

• "I wonder what would happen if I went to OCC with one of the turboshaft engines that MTT uses for their bike, a copy of Akira, and asked Paul Jr. to replicate the Kaneda bike..."

But I'd sure love to watch them build one!

(Too bad I can't afford it... anybody else want to join in and start a pool? We could have the 'Slashdot Bike' built! (Anyone remember the 'Slashdot PT Cruiser'?) Too bad the .com boom is well and truly dead, or we'd be looking at a fleet of the things!)

The version in the article... it looks a bit fat and heavy. I don't know how much fun it'll be to ride. As much as I like the appearance, it's just pointless if all it does it look pretty.

I'd rather have a jet turbine motorcycle! Act now, before your place in the darwin awards hall of fame is taken.

• No one is really sure what the bike's top speed is. McIntyre had a pair of Sheriffs radaring him at both ends of an airport runway, but their guns maxed out at 199mph :) He theorizes probably above 250mph, though (!)
• My Dad knows Jay through business and is a fellow motorcycle enthusiast. One day my Dad & some friends were at The Rock Store, which is a small restaraunt/biker hangout on Mullholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills. Lo' and behold, Jay pulled up on his "jet bike" so of course everyone wanted to go take a peek. Jay starts talking about his trip over and about how some guy in his shiny new BMW pulled up extra close behind Jay so he could get a look at the bike. The thing is, the exhaust from Jay's bike started melting the front bumper off of the guy's car (Jet exahust = 1500+ degrees Fahrenheit)! Jay said he tried to warn the guy but he didn't get it and since they were parked at a red light he just had to sit there and melt the front end off this guy's car till it turned green :)
• Manufacture's site
• NPR story about the bike (RealAudio). Cool because it has a phone interview with Jay, and you get to hear the thing starting up! Gives you a sort of "what hath God wrought" feeling when you realize someone's about to hop on that monster and drive it around :)

Leno owns the first "production" example-serial number 002-of this unique species. The long, slab-sided machine is the handiwork of Louisiana entrepreneur Ted McIntyre. In simple terms, McIntyre slots an ex-Bell Jet Ranger helicopter Allison Rolls Royce gas turbine into a home-built aluminum chassis, adds controls and a seat pad, then sends you on your way. Price? $150,000.

My favourite line has to be:
Another drawback (besides the noise) is the enormous heat that billows from the outward-facing slash-cut pipes. "I was sitting at a traffic light," Leno says in slightly hushed tones. "I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw this Infinity car bumper kind of fold in on itself. I thought, 'Oh jeez, let's just pull away from here..."'