Most people will never have the chance to ride a concept motorcycle or get to test drive any of the custom builds that hit auctions for tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars. But that doesn’t make them any less fun to look at. After all, how can people know the limits of moto design if the boundaries aren’t pushed? The first month of 2023 saw a number of designs that caught the Cool Material team’s eye. These were our favorite motorcycles that had us talking in January 2023, from a twin-jet motorcycle to electric super bikes to a foldable suitcase-size moped.
Bob Maddox’s Twin-Jet Motorcycle
This Bob Maddox pulsejet-powered twin-jet motorcycle is one of the craziest two-wheelers on earth, and it's headed to auction. The bike looks like it should have 'ACME' emblazoned on it as Wile E. Coyote rockets off a cliff. Two huge, bazooka-like stainless steel pulsejets dominate the gloss red board track-style…
Tamarit Motorcycles Triumph Scrambler 900 “Ongaku”
In the capable hands of Tamarit Motorcycles, an already handsome Triumph Scrambler 900 has been turned into a desert bike that's even more tantalizing. Dubbed "Ongaku" ("music" in Japanese), the bike gets a new subframe, a custom two-piece seat and covers, and a heat-shielded exhaust with hand-crafted grilles. Adding to…
Kawasaki KZ250 Sprint Racer
While this customized Kawasaki KZ250 dirt bike looks like an exercise in death-by-masochism, it's actually created as a minimalist sprint racer that's equal parts speed and art. Built by Valen Zhou, the bike is Frankensteined together using the base bike, off-the-shelf parts, a one-off road-bike-like chassis, exhaust tape wrap, but…
ICOMA Tatamel e-Bike
We covered the ICOMA Tatamel Concept a little while back, and now it looks like it's just that much closer to production. The little electric suitcase moped just won an award at CES 2023 for Innovation in the Vehicle Tech and Advanced Mobility category. Newly released details include a 110-pound…
Harley-Davidson Sportster XLR 883 TT Racer
This rare bike is no street-legal vintage Harley Sportster. It's a rare Sportster XLR 883 that was created for "TT" scramble races where builds were light and engine displacement was kept under 900cc. The XLR 883 had no lights and the engine was retooled for more power to the tune…
Rough Crafts Honda CB1100 RS Custom ‘Oriental Uppercut’
The Honda CB1100 is no more, but the spirit of its inspiration, the CB1100 TR Concept, is carried forward by the Rough Crafts Honda CB1100 RS Custom. The flat track-style gets mad aggression via new bodywork, huge tires, handformed aluminum pieces, gold pinstriping, and forged carbon veneers. It also gets…
Verge Motorcycles TS Ultra Hyperbike
Verge's TS has been one-upped by its own creator with the TS Ultra. Torque jumps from 737 lb-ft to an astounding 855 lb-ft. from a 150-kW (201 horsepower) powertrain that sends the TS Ultra to a top speed of 125 mph. Range jumps from 186 miles to an impressive 233…
