The Best Car-Engined Motorcycles In The World

1. Aurora V8 Hellfire OZ26

The Aurora Hellfire is an insane piece of Australian engineering. Designed by former motorcycle racer, Vincent Messina, the Hellfire produces a scarcely believable 417bhp and 235ft lb of torque from its enormous 2575cc V8 engine. To put that into perspective, the most powerful production bike currently on sale, the Kawasaki H2, produces around 210bhp from its supercharged 1000cc engine.

Weighing a colossal 265kg (585lb) it’s safe to say that the Hellfire will be challenging in the corners, but the team at Aurora has been determined to make this bike handle. The innovative Hossack front end should stop the bike from diving on the way into the corners, and the Ohlins monotube and multi-link rear suspension setup should help keep things under control on the way out. Expensive Brembo GP4RX four-piston calipers also help bring this colossal machine to a stop. If you’re mad enough and want to get in on some of this V8 action, Aurora is planning to put the bike on sale mid-2016.

2. Dodge Tomahawk V10

The Dodge Tomahawk is potentially the most famous car-engined motorcycle ever. Powered by the 8.3-litre V10 from a 2003 SRT Viper, the Tomahawk produces 510bhp and 535lb ft of torque. The Tomahawk was never intended for public sale and as a result it was never fully road tested, but that didn’t stop Dodge making some pretty absurd claims.

For example, its top speed was estimated at 420mph. How this was calculated, no one knows, but it would seem very unlikely as the Dodge has the aerodynamic properties of a brick. After much criticism from the automotive press Dodge brought its official/unofficial estimate down to a more conservative 300mph.

Building a motorcycle around a V10 engine is no mean feat and RM Motorsports (the contracted company that built the Tomahawk) came up with some ingenious solutions in order for the bike to work. Due to the weight of the engine, the team opted to go with four wheels instead of two. Thus making this bike more of a quadricycle than a traditional motorcycle. Each wheel was given independent suspension which allowed riders to lean the bike at up to 45 degrees.

Using four wheels also got rid of one of the problems all motorcycles suffer from - falling over. A locking rear suspension allowed the bike to sit upright without the need for an unsightly side-stand. Even though Dodge claimed that the Tomahawk was always intended to be a piece of rolling sculpture, we really wish that it had put the bike into production.

3. Millyard Viper V10

If you’re disappointed that the Dodge Tomahawk was never put into production, then don’t worry, because Allen Millyard has you covered. Using the same V10 from the SRT Viper, the British motorcycle builder created his very own 500bhp monster. The engineering that has gone into the Viper is incredibly impressive and Millyard has ensured that everything is over-built for increased safety. For example, the bike features a huge DID drag racing chain, a full-sized Dodge Viper radiator and a reinforced, but absolutely beautiful, single-sided swing-arm.

Millyard claims that the bike can be ridden around town quite easily and that it handles fairly well. Which is a good thing, because Motor Cycle News (MCN) managed to take the Viper up to a frightening 207mph down Bruntingthorpe’s runway. And remember, this bike is completely unfaired. Absolute madness!

4. Track T800-CDi

The Track T800-CDi is the least extreme bike on the list, but has an interesting story. The T800 is diesel powered and exists because of military policy. Since the early 1980s the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) have used a strictly single-fuel (diesel) policy. This helps to keeps costs down due to the fact that every vehicle in the military fleet can run on the same grade of fuel. Unfortunately, this had the effect of wiping bikes out of almost every military fleet. There have been a few attempts at building a diesel motorcycle to meet the needs of the military, but all have been unequivocal failures. Until now.

The Track T800-CDi is built by a dutch company called EVA Products and it’s actually a very clever machine. The bike uses a three-cylinder turbodiesel engine from the Smart Fortwo which produces a respectable 50bhp and a BMW R1200GS-beating 74ftlb of torque. However range is really where the Track earns its keep - 320 miles to a tank and up to 140mpg. Perfect for long range military sorties.

With a dry weight of almost 227kg (500lb) the bike is fairly heavy, but no more so than the 2015 BMW GS1200 Adventure which weighs in at 229kg (505lbs). However, even with the help of high quality Brembo Brakes, WP Suspension and shaft drive, motorcycling publications have reported that the bike is still fairly unrefined and difficult to ride. The crude continuously variable transmission (CVT) and centrifugal clutch doesn’t help matters.

This lack of refinement shouldn’t be too big a problem for military sales, but as a road bike, it still has a long way to go. However, we think that the T800 is the most convincing diesel-powered motorcycle yet. And for that, EVA Products should be applauded.

So CTzens, what do you think is better - bike powered cars, or car powered bikes? Let us know!