10 Most Unusual Motorcycles Ever Made

Quirky, weird, and extraordinary are just some of the words that best describe these bikes

Every once in a while, manufacturers try to think outside the box when it comes to what motorcycle they plan on developing. Aiming to have an edge over their competitors, some designs work out, such as the Ducati Monster and the BMW R80G/S. These motorcycles were successful in creating new segments thanks to their innovative features and capabilities.

However, there are some bikes that are remembered for how outlandish they were, be it in design or in the parts that were present. While some went on to be successful in their own right, others remained as prototypes, or worse, canceled projects. In this list, we’ll take a look at the 10 most unusual motorcycles ever made, and see if they were a hit or a miss.

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There weren’t a lot of successful attempts when it came to making a diesel engine for motorcycles. An example is a KLR650 conversion made for the US Army, but even that didn’t take off. The only one that stood the test of time is Royal Enfield’s Diesel Bullet, or the Taurus.

One thing to know about diesel engines is their high compression ratios, leading to vibrations that turn violent on a two-wheeled platform. Royal Enfield attempted to refine this, but evidently fell back towards marketing the bike’s unmatched fuel economy, which was around 200 MPG. However, the 325cc diesel engine had a hard time keeping up with emissions standards, so the company decided to pull the plug on the only mass-produced diesel bike by 2000.

Sole inhabitants of the two-wheel drive, reverse gear adventure sidecar section, Ural Motorcycles are as quirky as they can get. The company’s designs have their roots back to the Soviet Union, when they “requisitioned” BMW’s motorcycle technology back in World War 2. While the bikes are considered very niche, they have enjoyed a steady following over the years.

Getting on a Ural will give riders something they’ll never experience on two-wheels. Their latest offering is the 2023 Gear Up, which features a 750cc boxer twin that puts out 41 horsepower and 42 pound-feet of torque. For $21,999, owners get a spare wheel, on-demand 2WD, a Jerry can, a sidecar tonneau cover, and lots of room for luggage or a co-pilot.

On the topic of three-wheeled motorcycles, Yamaha made their own quirky offering in the form of the Yamaha Niken. Making use of Yamaha’s leaning multi-wheel technology, the Niken offers a more aggressive take on three-wheelers.

While three-wheeled competitors such as Can-Am and Polaris make their products wide, Yamaha preserved the motorcycle feel with the Niken using elements from the Tracer 900 such as the seat height, the styling, and most of the tech parts. With its inline-three engine, the Niken divides the motorcycling community with its unusual three-wheeled styling.

The Suzuki RE5 is the prime example for how a rotary engine and a motorcycle are not a good match. The engine was heavy, underpowered, and complex. It featured two ignition points, three oil reservoirs, and two oil pumps and a radiator for both water and oil cooling.

Despite the efforts to cool the engine, it was prone to overheating, given how rotary engines work. Suzuki can be forgiven for the RE5, largely because they covered a full engine replacement in the warranty, and that their failed attempt just underlined why rotaries are difficult to pull off on motorcycles.

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When it comes to unusual engines, it doesn’t get any stranger than the MTT 420 RR. Made by a company literally named Marine Turbine Technologies, the MTT 420 RR features a Rolls-Royce Allison gas turbine engine. This engine is more commonly found in small aircraft and helicopters, it is the epitome of the term "crotch rocket."

True to its nature, the MTT 420 RR is fast in a straight line, and taking off on this bike feels like being in a fighter jet, with the whine of the turbine being a deafening tone for everyone around it. The bike can easily get up to speeds of well over 200 mph, and is essentially as fast as the rider is willing to ride it.

A lot of off-road riders have experienced being stuck, and wished that they had AWD. This was made a reality with Yamaha’s WR450F 2-Trac. As one of the very few production motorcycles that came with AWD from the factory, the 2-Trac got a lot of attention, given that Öhlins was Yamaha’s partner for the project.

With only 250 examples built, the bike featured an Öhlins fork and a gas-pressurized hydraulic accumulator for the drive system. This accumulator acts as an automated system that diverts power to and from the front wheel based on the amount of traction the rear wheel gets.

While the MTT 420 RR is powered by an aircraft engine, the Dodge Tomahawk was powered by one from a car, specifically the one found in the Dodge Viper. While it’s hard to categorize the Tomahawk given that it has four wheels and a car engine, we’ll say that it’s a bike given the styling and features that Dodge gave it.

The 8.3-liter engine made 510 horses, which could theoretically take the bike up to a speed of more than 300 mph. Dodge also made the bike’s chassis out of billet aluminum and fitted independent suspension for all four wheels without compromising the bike’s ability to turn.

RELATED: 10 Must-Know Facts About the Dodge Tomahawk

Boxx Corp makes Boxx, a small electric scooter that can fit inside a sedan’s trunk. At just around 3 feet long, the ridable suitcase can reach speeds of up to 35 mph and has a range of 60 miles.

Inside the Boxx is a three-phase brushless motor that generates 81 pound-feet of torque, and thanks to the company’s innovations, they gave the small scooter AWD. The only thing that isn’t small with the Boxx is its price, which starts at $2,997 for their base models, going up to $4,987 for the Boxx M.

When we think of motorcycling, we imagine a set of riding positions, either an aggressive sporty one or a relaxed cruiser. The Electrom LEV takes this a step further by being a feet-forward electric motorcycle designed for both the urban rider and open road explorer. While it does have bike pedals, for the most part, the Electrom LEV functions as a motorcycle, albeit an unconventional one.

The Electrom LEV uses two hub motors that drive each wheel, with the rear motor being tuned to provide much more power than the front. Being just 26 inches at its widest point, the Electrom LEV proves its utility as a city bike. If you take it out longer and run out of juice, the bike’s Generator Chain Drive lets riders add charge to the LEV while getting some exercise.

Last on this list is another feet-forward motorcycle, one that has captured the hearts of its niche followers. First made in the 70s, the Quasar carries a 850cc engine taken from a Reliant Robin, that, coupled with the aerodynamics offered by the cabin design, the Quasar can easily reach speeds of up to 100 mph.

Despite its promising future, only 21 Quasars were ever made after Malcolm Newell and Ken Leaman failed to secure funding. The feet-forward motorcycling community regards the Quasar as one of its pioneers, and while there were only 21 examples made, they managed to cement their legacy in appearances in shows like Top Gear.

Genesis works in marketing, but he's also a part-time writer and a full-time automotive enthusiast. If it has wheels and looks pretty, he's all over it.While he loves European cars more than other cars, nothing can match his love for motorcycles, especially the classic ones. You can find him parked in a café or shredding chicken strips around the twisties.