Guinness World Record Holder: “Tinker Toy” by Simon Whitelock…
Recently we showcased the 7-cylinder Kawasaki two-stroke built by the UK’s Simon Whitelock, who’s been building custom motorcycles specials since 1985. He says the Kawasaki Triples Rally is where he caught the bug for hybrid smokers. In fact, Whitelock was constructing multi-cylinder Kawasaki two-strokes for several years before our favorite mad genius, Allen Millyard, turned his own hand to such endeavors.
In the early days, Whitelock began building two-stroke inline fours from Kawasaki triple engines. He later developed a nine-cylinder “triple-triple” and the aforementioned “KH606” inline seven. Seven cylinders may seem mad enough to some, but Whitelock’s ambitions were loftier…much loftier. Not double or triple the cylinders, but seven cylinders squared. What you see here is a 49-cylinder Kawasaki KH250 inspired by “the large and complex aero engines of the Second World War.”
Nicknamed the “Tinker Toy” after one of the storied B-17 Flying Fortress bombers of WWII, this Guinness World Record-setting 4200cc (4.2 liter) Kawasaki was built from 16 KH250 two-stroke triples, arranged in six banks of eight cylinders each on a custom engine block.
There’s a 49th 125cc cylinder that acts as a “donkey engine” to start the behemoth. Overall, the weighs in at 1322 pounds (600 kilograms)! There are six Mikuni carburetors — one for each cylinder bank — and the exhaust is a custom-made 48-into-2 design. What appears to be the gas tank is just a cover built from a KH250 tank. It covers the amplifier boards for the ignition, billet throttle splitter, and fusebox.
There’s actually a small liquid-cooling system to keep the heat down — especially helpful with repeated starts of the big engine at events.
The real tank is mounted between the lower and middle cylinder banks, built from 150mm diameter stainless tubing. The KH250 tail was widened 1.5 inches to work, and it contains more electrical and ignition components. The battery is housed under the seat, as is the 125cc donkey engine.
The gearbox is a BMW K100 “Flying Brick” unit, and the front end comes from a Honda Goldwing with an extra fork spring to handle the weight. The front wheel was laced up by Hagon and features an aluminum rim, Goldwing front hub, and the heaviest duty stainless spokes available.
The Tinker Toy took Whitelock about five years to build, though he says 85% of the build was completed in the final 12 months. He says it wasn’t really built for speed or power, but to set a new Guinness World Record, which it did. The World Record certificate reads:
“Simon Whitelock (UK) has built a motorcycle powered by an engine with 48 cylinders, the most ever on a land vehicle.”
As you might imagine, the bike is pretty tricky to ride. The rider has to stretch far out over the tank, and he certainly wouldn’t want to drop the 1322-pound brute on his leg. Whitelock estimates the bike to be capable of 120-130 mph, though it would take serious courage to run the bike up to such speeds. You can see him start up the bike and do a short ride in the video below.
In April of last year, “Tinker Toy” sold at auction for $114,400, or around $2,334 per cylinder!
This has been around a while.
Rather strange.
Great AI.
Didn’t bother to watch the linked video, didja?
What?
THE 48 CYLINDER BIKE IS A BIG PIECE OF CRAP. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD. NOT IMPRESSED.
Nobody is impressed by people that post in all caps either, but here you are.
What a waste of all those classic parts that plenty of Kawasaki classic bike builders would have loved to have, the three cylinder Kawasaki’s are the leading classic bike of the two strokes and yet loads of sort after parts have been wasted in this monster of stupidity.
Derek..when Simon built this monster 2stroke…you couldn’t give 1970’s engine parts away..I should know..99% of unwanted bikes went to an Evil we had in Britain..called the Breakers..owners were paid a pittance or nothing to take a bike away and dismantle it..where do you think the vast majority of unsold parts went? Mostly to the scrap man to be crushed and recycled into probably cars.. incidentally I met Whitelock in the mid 80’s he came round and we did a deal for Kawasaki KH250 parts..I still have much of what he left me..he took drum front end and gave me a disc front end..
Maybe this makes the other bikes more valuable? Huh?
Why not some longer handlebars?
That would disrupt lane filtering, of course…
Talent focus and complete genius. Never say it can’t be done. This guy did something you would have never dreamed of. Well done sir. Let’s see if all the negative people can up you. Love it.