Awesome Motorcycles

A working prototype made by Aerofex Corporation. The vehicle has an intuitive control system that responds to the rider’s leaning movements and balance, similar to a Segway.

Hungarian craftsman Istvan Puskas built his own custom chopper – not using metal parts, but instead making his motorcycle primarily out of acacia wood. Bonus points for that helmet, Istvan.

The lightest 4-cylinder supersports bike in the 1000cc class, the HP4 has 193 horsepower, and weighs under 440 pounds with its tank 90% full. Only serious speed junkies need apply.

If you’re going to be visiting Montreal soon we have good news: the city has a motorbike band with a sidecar cow on drums. The bad news? They only know how to play Sweet Home Alabama.

A custom chopper built by Taiwan-based Rough Crafts using a Harley Knucklehead motor from S&S and a frame from Zero Engineering. All that’s missing is a leather-clad, goggle-wearing rider.

A 1972 Rokon Trail-Breaker – an 8hp 2-wheel drive all-terrain motorcycle – restored by Robert Galbraith, resulting in a bike that’s in all likelihood more beautiful than when it was brand new.

This stretched-out bike from The German Motorcycle Authority has not one, but two 80hp, 1.35L Harley-Davidson/S&S Evolution engines, and the ability for its rider to lay almost entirely flat.

These lightweight, durable motorbikes run on electric power, with top speeds of 80mph and a 2 hour runtime. The MX goes off-road, while the SM is for urban dwellers, and the PD is for cops.

A gorgeous custom bike inspired by the Iron Gorilla, Shaw Speed’s satin black beauty started as a Harley XL1200X, upgraded with Rough Crafts’ risers, bars, and grille, and fuel tank.

Sporting futuristic looks, this electric motorbike hits a top speed of 75mph and can drive up to 85 miles on a charge via its retractable power cord. Not great for long hauls, but it still looks awesome.

French trial biker Julien Dupont takes to the tricky walls, alleys and hills of Rio de Janiero’s Vidigal neighborhood, unafraid to balance the wheels of his motorbike on any surface beneath him.

We’ve seen the same idea before, but we prefer this chopper rocking horse by Felix Götze. It even has a two-stroke engine. Get this and the Cadillac stroller and your kid will love you forever.

The Switch Riders team can conjure smoke and tire tracks and pull off donuts as easily as Ken Block can. But they also have several unique tricks that not even the gymkhana pioneer can pull off.

Masashi Teshima spent 7 years and $121,000 making a replica of the iconic bike from Akira. He exhibited the bike all over Japan to raise funds to help victims of the 2011 earthquake. Videos here.

An urban military-themed collaboration between Ducati and Diesel based on the Monster 1100 EVO. It has a 100hp 1078cc 2-cylinder engine, 6-speed transmission and adjustable suspension.

Watch in awe as freestyle motocross rider Petr Pilat heads straight for pilot Kirby Chambliss’ stunt flyer, repeatedly jumping over the plane as it comes just feet from the ground.

You have to hand it to YouTuber 87mcmahan87 for having the cojones to go riding his dirt bike on these skinny, snow-covered ridges. It might not be as high up as it looks, but we still couldn’t do it.

If the MOEGI is thin and light, the XTW250 RYOKU is chunky and rugged. Designed for camping, it has an AC generator, a large rear carrier and an engine guard that also acts as a shovel.

We’re not sure which part of the Werth Brothers’ stunt is more crazy: the guy flying the airplane upside-down inches from the ground, or the guy on the motorcycle trying to grab onto its rudder.

Two Triumph Speed Triple sportbikes go up against a 550hp supercharged Ford Mustang Cobra in this wonderfully shot video for Icon Motosports. Pop to 3:30 for the start of the chase. High-res stills here.

A stunning custom design by Italy-based workshop Abnormal Cycles, the Union has a 1942 Harley-Davidson Model U for its base. We can’t stop ogling its sidecar and the oversized chrome brakes.

A heavily customized version of the classic Chang Jiang 750, the Magnus has a heat treated – i.e. blowtorched – tank, frame and fork, leaving it with a raw and organic look. More about the build here.

Just like its big brother, the Wazuma V8F is practically a car in quad-bike form. It has a 250hp 3.0L Ferrari V8 engine, a 6-speed gearbox from a BMW M3, Momo rims and Brembo brakes.