The monowheel might not be the best choice when it comes to personal mobility, but that didn’t stop Kevin Scott from becoming the fastest man on one.
Last year, Scott and the UK Monowheel Team crushed the Guinness World Record for fastest monowheel motorcycle with their contraption.
Nicknamed the “WarHorese”, the one-wheeled, single-track vehicle – piloted by Scott himself – recorded a 61.18 mph (98.4 km/h) average run.
Not bad, for a rig that’s described as being unstable, weighs 214 lbs, and has to be controlled using just the right amount of throttle and balance. In fact, one major challenge for Scott was to avoid a “gerbil incident” – that happens when the rider, housed inside the 59-inch wheel, loops around with the outer wheel instead of remaining in the same position.
To achieve the World-Record title, the monowheel had to be run solely on power produced by its engine, while the speed had to be timed from a flying start over a quarter-mile distance (402 meters). Thank God there weren’t any turns, as the contraption has yet to conquer cornering.
The Guinness World Record holders are still tuning and developing the “WarHorse”, just in case someone else decides to go for the title.