Welcome to Friday Fudge – a weekly round up of the more ‘unusual’ motorcycle related stories that are just too silly to post on their own, but raise a much bigger chortle when you slap them all together and take the piss.
A bike for the clouds?
A flying motorcycle? It sounds like something out of Futurama or a Tom Swift book, but Australian inventor Chris Malloy has put together a prototype that looks like it just might work.
Of course, without wheels his invention isn’t really a bike, but it is powered by two BMW Boxer engines, and that’s good enough for us.
Malloy’s craft weighs 231 lbs, has a maximum takeoff weight of 595 pounds, and can travel 92 miles on the primary fuel tank; the machine can reach an altitude of 10,000 feet and reach a top speed of 172 mph — in theory. So far, he’s only run tests with the craft tethered to the ground. And we don’t blame him. His machine looks like a good idea, but it also looks pretty top heavy. If you flipped that thing over in flight, we bet it would be a real downer.
Story source: Gizmag
Ducati on your cellphone
We’ve already told you about Ducati-branded pens, speedboats and luggage in Friday Fudge. The fun hasn’t stopped, though; now you can get a Ducati ringtone for your phone. Ducati’s website features ringtone downloads that give you the exhaust note of a Diavel, Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada or Superbike when someone calls or sends you a text message. Just be careful… turn your ringer up too loud and you may end up running afoul of noise laws.
Cops cash in at Isle of Man
Every year, the Isle of Man is overrun with speed-minded individuals during the island’s TT races. As you can imagine, the police have their hands full writing out traffic tickets. How busy are the police? As of June 10, Motorcycle News reported that the island’s bobbies had handed out a whopping 70,000 pounds in speeding tickets during the races! That’s about $110,700 CDN.
And don’t plan on skipping town without paying your fines, either, the police will actually stop you from getting on the ferry if you haven’t paid off your egregious debt to society.
Despite the heavy ticketing, some police officers are still doing their part to join the fun at the Isle of Man. Check out this YouTube video of a copper having some fun at an island intersection. He’s even setting up impromptu motorcycle races, though we wonder if it’s just a setup so his partners down the road can slap them all with a ticket.
Story source: Motorcycle News
Merry-go-bike
Motorcycle racing can sometimes be as graceful as a ballet. In this Youtube video posted by user motorstelevision, two bikes begin an elegant dance after their riders stepped off during a race at the Magny-Cours circuit in France. One rider even tries to cut in, but the lead dancer would have none of it.
