Not Photoshopped, a motorcycle that packs a whopping 48 cylinders in its embrace.
A motorcycle named "Tinker Toy" that packs a whopping 48 cylinders in its embrace. Its creator, Mr. Simon Whitelock, completed it in 2003 and has since held the Guinness World Record for "the vehicle with the most cylinders" to this day.
Indeed, the record listed in Guinness is for a "functional vehicle," as there are no other registered motor vehicles worldwide that have more cylinders in their engines than the Tinker Toy. It's worth mentioning that this motorcycle, which consumed the engines of 16 Kawasaki KH250 three-cylinder two-stroke motorcycles, is legally roadworthy in the UK.
For a long time, Simon Whitelock has been hoping to create an exceptional multi-cylinder motorcycle. Before Tinker Toy, he converted a Kawasaki three-cylinder engine into a four-cylinder configuration and later tinkered with seven-cylinder and nine-cylinder motorcycle engines.
Gradually, Simon became extremely familiar with Kawasaki two-stroke motorcycle engines, mastering both series and parallel configurations! When the time was ripe, he decided to create an unprecedented, and probably will remain unmatched, 48-cylinder motorcycle - an obsession that can drive a person crazy.
Tinker Toy might be one of the most complex custom vehicles in motorcycle history. Undoubtedly, the biggest challenge was modifying the engine, and the rest of the parts had to be designed around the 48-cylinder structure - as mentioned earlier, this huge heart was assembled from 16 Kawasaki KH250 three-cylinder two-stroke engines.
The total displacement of the completed 48-cylinder engine is 4.2L, or 256 cubic inches. Initially, a 50cc two-stroke engine was used as an auxiliary starter motor, but it was later replaced with a more powerful 125cc starter motor before final installation in the vehicle.
Simon custom-designed the frame for this behemoth, and the "gas tank" seems somewhat comical due to the engine's massive size - but it's not actually a gas tank, it's just a cover for the ignition system. The actual gas tank is located in a safer position and supplies fuel to the carburetors through a custom fuel line.
To carry the heavy engine, Tinker Toy used an automotive alternator, and the front fork and brake system came from a Honda Goldwing; the rear part of the frame was also custom-made.
It's not hard to imagine that riding this thing on the road requires some skill; not only does one need long arms and legs, but also exceptional core strength... Although Tinker Toy is legally roadworthy in the UK, it doesn't get many opportunities to go full speed.
The Kawasaki KH250 three-cylinder motorcycle engine can burst out 32 horsepower, so theoretically, multiplied by 16, that would be a whopping 512 horsepower! But this exaggerated figure has not been verified, as no one has been able to ride it to its limit. In fact, Tinker Toy has never been on a dynamometer, obviously, Simon is also not sure about the power of this hand-cranked engine.
The Whitelock Tinker Toy is currently listed for auction at Bonhams, with an estimated selling price between £40,000 and £60,000. Of course, the Guinness World Record title also comes with the sale of the vehicle.
