Graham Sykes, a 62-year-old precision mechanical engineer from North Yorkshire, England, built, owns, and operates the "Force of Nature," the world's fastest accelerating motorcycle. Unlike vehicles running on fossil fuels, this motorcycle operates on steam and recently performed at Santa Pod Raceway in England.
The Force of Nature achieves 0-100 km/h in a mere 0,4 seconds, comparable to the blink of an eye. It completes a 402 m straight-line run in 5,5 seconds, reaching a speed of 310 km/h. The only motorcycle to cover the same distance faster is Eric Teboul's rocket-powered vehicle from France, which clocked 4,976 seconds.
Teboul's record was set in 9/2022, achieving 467,53 km/h on his hydrogen peroxide-powered rocket motorcycle.
Sykes began constructing the steam-powered motorcycle in 2022, and it is currently in its 5th iteration. Development continues, and he believes he can shave 0,6 seconds off the 402 m run, pushing it below the 5-second mark. In another run at Santa Pod Raceway, Sykes achieved a best time of 5,44 seconds.
Operating a steam-powered motorcycle is complex. A small burner, fueled by kerosene or vegetable oil, generates heat. This heat then passes through a manifold into six combustion tubes. The heat is then transferred to the vehicle's 120-liter pressure vessel, which contains deionized and demineralized water. Temperatures reach 250 degrees C, and pressure hits 580 psi, providing thrust for approximately 2,9 seconds. The research team aims to sustain thrust for over three seconds by minimizing turbulence and cavitation, which disrupt the flow.
Speaking to MCN, Sykes stated the motorcycle achieves acceleration up to 6,8 G. For most people, this is a daunting figure, comparable to the G-forces experienced by fighter jet pilots. An 85 kg rider would momentarily feel an equivalent weight of 578 kg, which explains why Sykes grips the handlebars tightly and lifts his feet immediately after releasing the start button.
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