Reimagining the Harley-Davidson

While the Harley-Davidson Street Glide is known for its robust stock performance, custom motorcycle culture often pushes boundaries far beyond factory specifications. In a bold engineering experiment, Matt Mikka, the mastermind behind the YouTube channel Warped, set out to replace a traditional motorcycle drivetrain with a pair of small jet engines.


The Engineering Challenge

The transformation was an extensive undertaking that required stripping the motorcycle down to its frame. The original engine and transmission were completely removed to make room for the twin turbines. Integrating the jet engines required significant fabrication work:

  • Mounting System: Mikka and his team utilized waterjet cutting and welding to create a custom bracket assembly, positioning the turbines where the saddlebags would typically reside.
  • Fuel Management: Because jet turbines consume vast quantities of fuel, a secondary 11.3-gallon fuel tank was custom-fitted in the space previously occupied by the motorcycle's engine.
  • Electrical System: The stock charging system was replaced with a bespoke battery pack constructed from high-capacity Tesla cells.

Performance and Rider Experience

When evaluated by traditional automotive metrics, the jet-powered bike's performance is modest. Generating approximately 150 pounds of thrust, the machine—which weighed roughly 350 pounds without its original drivetrain—achieved a top speed of 60 mph during testing. However, the experience of riding it is entirely unique.

According to Sean Kerr of Bikes and Beards, the client for this project, the bike operates more like an aircraft than a motorcycle. The start-up sequence is intricate and unforgiving, and the noise level is extreme. As Kerr remarked: "After hearing this bike, this is not only the coolest thing I own, it's the loudest motorcycle I've ever heard in my entire life."

The ride itself is described as surreal, lacking the characteristic vibrations and gear shifts of a standard V-twin engine. Instead, the rider experiences a smooth, relentless push from the turbine exhaust.


Safety Measures for Jet Propulsion

Operating a jet-propelled motorcycle introduces significant hazards, prompting Mikka to implement critical safety features:

«To protect the rider from potential turbine failure, we had to fabricate a custom containment shield around the engines, as these units can be volatile under high load.»

Furthermore, to address the risk of an uncontrollable "runaway" engine, an emergency fuel shut-off valve was installed to provide an immediate kill switch. The project also had to account for the extreme heat and flames emitted by the turbines, which pose a significant hazard to anyone standing behind the bike during operation.