Although technically the Rapom is Road-legal (or… Road-lethal if you prefer), it is only used on the roads for a 10 mile journey back and forth to a local drag racing strip by its creator and owner, Nick Argyle. The builder tells us that the bike was spawned “from the unusual marriage of convenience and naivety”. See, after selling the chassis of his monster truck, Nick Argyle was searching for a much smaller project. He said: “I didn’t have the same workshop space I had when I built the truck. I only had the house garage so it had to be a bike. I was going to buy a new engine for the project but my wife told me to use the one that was still in a garage – a monster truck engine! Despite its size, I thought why not?’ I guess his neighbours must feel relieved that he didn’t have any Jumbo jets lying around his backyard…
Technorati: Rapom+V8, motorcycle, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, autos, Auto Cars 2011, images, pictures, 2007
Engine: | 8193cc Mopar big block, tuned by ICE Racing |
Supercharger: | 8.71 Littlefield blower |
Power: | 1000 - 1200bhp depending on blower speed and fuel used. |
Gearbox: | 2 speed & reverse API Racing Transmissions |
Frame: | 32mm wall steel tube using the motor as a stress member, kept short by running blower belt through forks |
Wheels: | Front 15 x 5.5 Prostar with Metzeler Marathon 180x70 Rear 15 x 15 Prostar with Micky Thompson Sportsman Pro 29x18.5 |
Brakes: | Front: 2 x Harrison Billet ‘Big’ 6 piston calipers Rear Harrison Billet ‘Mini’ 6-piston caliper |
Bodywork | Seat unit is a mix of MV Agusta F4 & Suzuki Hayabusa |
Misc | 95% of work is one-off for this machine. |
Builder: | Nick Argyle |