Thursday, 7 April 2016

MTT Y2K - The bike where engineers went too far?





Marine Turbine Technologies Y2K it's one insane Motorcycle is powered by a Turbine. I first seen this marvel of engineering beeing presented at Jay Leno's garage in one of those rainy dutch afternoons, the feeling of watching something as incredible as this is enough to excite anyone for at least 10 minutes of its life. The production of these motorcycles is limited to 5 per year (makes sense), my question is, who is going to run a turbine motorcycle? did they went too far ? nah not really ...



I wouldn't mind trying it out, would you ? but riding with a turbine sound below me for hours.. ( I doubt the bike runs for hours ) , anyway that is not the point of this motorcycle, this motorcycle shows the pinnacle of an era of combustion engines and motorcycle engineering.


Below the specs from MTT: 

Representing the latest in engineering technology, the bike features carbon fiber fairings, a tubular aluminum frame containing the bike’s transmission fluids and reserve tank, a rear-mounted camera with LCD color display, SmartStart computerized ignition, and more.

MTT is constantly creating product improvements with each new bike built. The general specifications are listed below.

  • Engine: Rolls Royce Allison – 250-C20 Series Gas Turbine
  • Power: 420 HP @ 52,000-rpm
  • Torque: ~500 ft/lbs @ 2,000-rpm
  • Transmission: 2-Speed – Automatic
  • Lubrication: Dry-sump / 3.5 Qts. Turbine Oil
  • Frame: Aluminum Alloy
  • Weight: ~500 lbs
  • RPM: 6,000 RPM
  • N1 Speed: 54,000 RPM
  • Fairings: Carbon Fiber
  • Rake: 27 Degrees
  • Colors: Infinite Custom Colors
  • Fuel: Diesel and Kerosene
  • Fuel Capacity: 8.5 Gallons (34-liters)
  • Reserve Tank: 1.5 Gallons (6-liters)
  • Wheels: 17 Inch Carbon Fiber – Dymag
  • Wheel Base: 68 Inch
  • Front Tire: 120 60ZR17 – Pirelli
  • Rear Tire: 200 50ZR17 – Pirelli
  • Speed: * Faster Than You Will Ever Dare To Go * :)





Now the fun part starts, because apparently there is a successor, so they haven't gave up yet !

A road-legal motorcycle powered by a Rolls Royce helicopter turbine engine and the successor to the famed Y2K has smashed three world speed records and one British record.

Even with blinkers, horn, mirrors and road-legal tyres, the Madmax bike set the following records at the Straightliners Speed Record event in Elvington, UK, in May 2015:


  • World’s fastest Turbine Motorcycle – 1 mile (one way): 233.7mph (376.1km/h)
  • World’s fastest Streetfighter – 1 mile (one way): 231.6mph (372.7km/h)
  • World’s fastest flying quarter mile for Turbine Motorcycle: 3.91 sec
  • Britain’s fastest Naked Motorcycle (Official ACU two way average): 225.6mph (363.1km/h)







Madmax is a continuation of the Y2K project built by Marine Turbine Technologies (MTT) in 1988.



Y2K motorcycles were rare and highly sought after. American talk show host Jay Leno has one and there was one in the Australian Motorcycle Museum near Ipswich which is now closed.


When MTT dropped the Y2K to concentrate on mining equipment, Maxicorp founder Zef Eisenberg visited their HQ in Louisiana in 2005 to strike an agreement to take over the development of the next generation of turbine bike.

They shipped the last Y2K motorcycle to Maxicorp in UK to use as the basis for developing its successor.

The bike now produces 404kW (542hp) of power and more than 610Nm (450 lb-ft) of torque from the engine which is the successor to the turbine used in the Y2K.

The engine is mounted in a custom frame based on the Y2K, but with carbon fibre wheels, inverted Marzocchi 50mm forks, twin 320mm discs with six-pot ISR brake calipers, Motec engine management and unique ECU software.

The project cost is estimated at about £200,000 ($A400,000, $US308,000) and is still in development.

Maxicorp doesn’t intend to make the turbine bike for public sale, however they say on their website they “may be tempted to build one for those that can demonstrate they have sufficient money and expertise in handling such a bike for special occasions or ideally for those that want to add possibly the most extreme bike ever made to their current collection of automotive exotica”.

I personally can't wait to se Electric motorcycles becoming cool and with a better range than fossil fuel motorcycles, I am definitely a Petrol Head, but Mr. Tesla is always in the back of my head whispering: Something exciting is about to come! but that's a story for another blog ;)

I say: "Keep Dreaming , and aim for the sky (if this motorcycle had wings I am positive it would take off "


No comments:

Post a Comment