How do you make the world’s fastest motorcycle, the iconic Suzuki Hayabusa, even faster – at least in theory? We assume the more technically inclined will each have a different answer to that question, but for Tony Pandolfo from Orlando, Florida, there’s nothing better than a…jet-sourced turbine engine.
To be more precise, the 54-year old engineer fitted the Hayabusa with an AlliedSignal jet fuel starter (JFS) sourced from an early-model F-14 jet fighter! The JFS runs on K2 Kerosene or Jet A fuel and comes complete with an afterburner.
The only official figure released by Pandolfo on his website is the jet starter’s peak torque of 300 lb-ft – remember, we’re talking about a motorcycle and not a pickup truck…
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Pandoflo told the newspaper that he actually turned the jet unit’s power down.
“I really love the novelty of a jet-powered bike – it sounds like an aircraft. I wanted to make it user friendly so didn’t make it too powerful,” said Pandoflo.
“Anybody who can ride a scooter can ride this, it is an automatic and handles exceptionally well. It is just like a Hayabusa except it sounds like an F14 fighter jet charging down the runway. It is like a jet at lower speeds but as it picks up it sounds more like a travelling missile,” he added.
If you’re interested, the jet-powered Suzuki Hayabusa is available for sale for $60,000 (about €46,000 or £38,000).
Tech Specs
- Engine: AlliedSignal jet fuel starter (also known as an auxiliary power unit or APU), used in early-model F-14s and A-10s
- Torque: 300 ft/lbs
- Weight: 400 lbs, dry
- Fuel Type: K2 Kerosene or Jet A
- Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons
- Fuel Consumption: 5 miles/gallon
- Double the braking power (two rear calipers)
- Custom control system – Automatic transmission; no clutch
- LED headlights and taillights
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