Lately I’ve had a bit of an obsession with the Steampunk movement. What the heck is that? you may be wondering.
:Steampunk:
Definition: a genre of science fiction set in Victorian times when steam was the main source of machine power. (You can learn more at wikipedia.)
Artists have been experimenting with steampunk art for a while and it’s gaining in popularity. It incorporates a lot of brass, copper and the use of gears and cogs and has a high-tech, yet vintage look. One of the most recent creations that has spread online is the steampunk LCD monitor and keyboard modification (which can be found at the Steampunk Workshop if you’re interested in modifying your own set up).
I began to wonder if anyone had created steampunk style motorcycles and with the help of Google, a blog called Dark Roasted Blend and The Kneeslider (both sites posted about steampunk style motorcycles back in July, you can read them by following the appropriate links) I found some examples.
While these motorcycles might not have specifically been created to reflect the steampunk sensibility, they come pretty close and I think they’re really fantastic.
This is the Bobster trike from Zeel Design.
This bike was initially created for a motorcycle comic and the artist’s brother decided to make it real.
You can see more images of this bike on this German site.
Now this bike, the Hubbard Steamcycle actually has a steam-powered engine. Read more about it.
This is the B120 Wraith which was made by the Confederate Motor Company.
And lastly is this beast: the Aero Bike by none other than Mr. Jesse James.
Cycle World has an article about Jesse and this bike.
There’s no doubt that these motorcycle are really fricking amazing, but I hope one day someone builds one with steampunk specifically in mind.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Wow, those are really cool. I particularly like the Bobster. We saw something very similar at the vintage motorcycle on the Isle of Man last summer.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
[...] Steampunk motorbiciklik a rippin-kittenen. Az ottani lányok a Dark Roasted Blenden meg a Kneeslideren találták a válogatásban szereplő monstrumokat, amelyek közül Jesse James fentebb látható Aero Bike-ja a legbikább erőfitogtatás. [...]
December 7th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Maybe I’ve been in a hole but I have never even heard of ’steampunk’. It is a very interesting movement. I think the bikes are kinda cool, but are they rideable? You opened up a new world for me…..
Bikerchickz
December 7th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Maybe I am to old, I just don’t get it. Help me out here.
December 8th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
The bikes are rideable as far as I know. The aesthetic of steampunk is what’s old is new again…with a twist!
March 27th, 2008 at 6:11 am
[...] of the most popular posts on this site has to be the one that featured steampunk-inspired motorcycles. Not only are the motorcycles art to behold, they’re just really frickin’ [...]
May 18th, 2008 at 6:37 am
[...] designs for motorbikes and trikes with pictures. From Rippin-Kitten the biker blog chick.http://www.rippin-kitten.com/2007/12/05/steampunk-motorcycles/Kamikaze Girls Movie Review, DVD Release - Filmcritic.comThat??s when biker chick Ichiko Shirayuri [...]