- Harley-Davidson rebuilt with twin jet turbines replacing its conventional engine and drivetrain
- Each turbine produces 336 Newtons of thrust, propelling the bike without a gearbox or chain
- The project took over 400 hours, involving custom mounts, fuel system, and electronic controls
A Harley-Davidson stripped of its conventional engine and drivetrain has been rebuilt to run on two small jet turbines. The unusual project, created by YouTuber Matt of Warped for the Bikes and Beards channel, has also been ridden, with the team recording a run to about 97 kmph.
The build began with a non-running Harley sent to Warped by Sean Kerr of Bikes and Beards. Its original engine was beyond repair, so Matt removed what remained and developed a new propulsion setup around a pair of micro-turbines mounted beside the rear wheel.
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Each turbine produces an estimated 336 Newtons of thrust. Unlike a conventional motorcycle engine, they are not connected to the rear wheel through a gearbox or chain. Instead, the bike moves forward as the turbines generate thrust. That removes shifting and much of the usual drivetrain connection, but also makes throttle response and stopping very different from a regular motorcycle.
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Demanding Custom Build
The conversion reportedly took more than 400 hours. The work included fabricating turbine mounts and protective housings, developing a fuel system and creating electronics to control the engines. The builder retained the Harley's switchgear and displays, adapting them for the new setup.
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The turbines also brought specific safety challenges. The build video discusses the need for containment shields in case of a turbine failure, as well as the time it can take for fuel already in the lines to reach the engines after a manual cutoff is activated. These considerations make the machine a highly specialised project, not a conventional road-bike conversion.
Kerr estimated the finished motorcycle weighs around 159kg, although that figure has not been verified. The team reached 97 kmph during testing and suggested the bike could go faster. The reported run demonstrates that it moves under turbine thrust; it does not establish a verified top speed or provide a direct comparison with a production motorcycle.
The result is less a practical alternative to a standard Harley-Davidson and more an engineering experiment built around an unusual idea. Its ride, according to the creators, lacks the familiar vibration and gear changes of a conventional bike, but the turbines' steady push makes the experience unlike ordinary motorcycling.