by The fastest motorcycle in the world: a steam monster accelerates to 100 km/h in 0.4 seconds
Riding a motorcycle at high speed is fundamentally different from driving a car. If something goes wrong on a two-wheeled vehicle during sudden acceleration, you know you will end up on the asphalt, sliding and tumbling. In a car, you are protected by the body and airbags. However, this constant danger does not scare 62-year-old precision engineer Graham Sykes from North Yorkshire.
Sykes is the creator, owner, and pilot of a motorcycle called “Force of Nature” — the fastest in the world in terms of acceleration. Instead of conventional fuel, this bike runs on steam. Recently, the world saw it in action at the Santa Pod Raceway track in the UK.
Incredible acceleration figures
The way this machine takes off is astonishing. Acceleration to 100 km/h takes only 0.4 seconds. During the latest run, Sykes covered a quarter mile (402 meters) in 5.5 seconds, reaching a speed of 310 km/h. The only motorcycle to complete this distance faster was the rocket bike of Frenchman Eric Teboul, who set a record of 4.976 seconds.
Teboul’s run took place in September 2022 at a speed of 467.53 km/h on a motorcycle powered by hydrogen peroxide. “Force of Nature” holds records on shorter distances: it covered an eighth mile (201 meters) in 3.17 seconds at 326.7 km/h, and 1000 feet (305 meters) in 4.53 seconds at 310.6 km/h.
How the steam engine works
Sykes began building his steam motorcycle in 2022, and this is now the fifth version. Development is ongoing, and he believes it is possible to reduce the quarter-mile time by another 0.6 seconds, allowing it to drop below the 5-second mark. In a separate run at Santa Pod Raceway, Sykes improved his best time to 5.44 seconds.
Controlling such a steam motorcycle is quite complex. A small burner running on kerosene or vegetable oil generates heat, which is fed through a manifold into six burner tubes. This heat is transferred to a 120-liter pressurized tank containing deionized and demineralized water. The temperature reaches 250 °C, and the pressure reaches 580 psi (about 40 atmospheres), providing Sykes with thrust for approximately 2.9 seconds. The team aims to increase the thrust time to over three seconds by reducing turbulence and cavitation, which interrupt the flow.
G-forces exceeding fighter pilots
According to Sykes, the motorcycle generates up to 6.8 G of overload during acceleration. For ordinary people, this is a frightening figure, surpassing the forces experienced by fighter jet pilots. At this peak load, a pilot weighing 85 kg instantly weighs the equivalent of 578 kg. That is why Sykes presses himself against the handlebars and lifts his legs immediately after pressing the start button.
“The motorcycle generates up to 6.8 G of overload during acceleration. At this peak load, a pilot weighing 85 kg instantly weighs the equivalent of 578 kg.”
This project demonstrates how far engineering can go using alternative energy sources. The steam engine, once considered obsolete, turns into a true record-breaker in the hands of a talented engineer. Sykes is not just building a fast motorcycle — he is challenging perceptions of what is possible on two wheels. His work reminds us that innovation is often born at the intersection of traditional technology and a modern approach. If the team can overcome technical limitations and achieve a time below 5 seconds on the quarter mile, it will not just be a record but a true revolution in the world of motorcycles, proving that steam can be just as powerful as rocket fuel.
