British engineer Graham Sykes has achieved a remarkable feat in the world of drag racing with his homemade steam-powered motorcycle, Force of Nature. Built entirely in Sykes’ Yorkshire garage, the bike recently set new records at Santa Pod Raceway in the U.K.
Force of Nature is now recognized as the fastest accelerating steam motorcycle and the fastest two-wheeler over 1/8th of a mile, clocking an impressive quarter-mile time of 5.5039 seconds. This performance places it just behind a rocket-powered bike, securing its place as a groundbreaking innovation in motorcycle engineering.
Sykes spent six years and developed five different iterations to perfect the machine. He remains optimistic about future improvements, telling Motorcycle News:
“I think that we can probably go 0.6 seconds quicker over the quarter mile. So, we should be able to run into the high fours. That’s the target we’re aiming for.”
The motorcycle operates by propelling a jet of superheated steam through a pair of de Laval valves at 1.1 times the speed of sound. This process generates an almighty sonic boom as the bike accelerates down the drag strip.
Force of Nature is not a conventional motorcycle. It requires 120 liters (32 gallons) of deionized and demineralized water, heated to 250°C (482°F) and pressurized to 580 psi. A separate boiler, powered by kerosene or vegetable oil, takes up to five hours to reach operating temperature. Once in motion, the bike expels 40 liters (10.5 gallons) of water every second and delivers a peak acceleration force of 6.8 G. Sykes explained:
“The power is on or off. You can’t moderate the flow rate of the valves. It’s 100 percent or nothing.”
Sykes’ passion for drag racing dates back to 1979, and his inspiration for a steam-powered bike came from an unlikely source. Reflecting on his early influences, he recalled:
“I remember years ago watching Evel Knievel trying to jump over Snake River Canyon, and he was live on television, and I found out it was steam.”
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