The history of this motorcycle begins with a Harley-Davidson Street Glide whose original engine was severely damaged. Without a doubt, he had died. Instead of looking for a replacement propellant, Matt Mikkacreator of the channel YouTube Warpedaccepted a much more ambitious challenge: to preserve the base of the motorcycle and completely change the way it moves.
The initiative came from the team “Bikes and Beards“, also specialized in content related to the world of 2 wheels, which commissioned this peculiar transformation. The result is the “Jet Glide”, a preparation that has required more than 400 hours of work and numerous pieces designed specifically for the project.
The most striking modification is found at the rear. There, where the Street Glide conventional mounts its side cases, now 2 small jet turbines appear. The V2 engine has disappeared and its space has been used to install a custom-made fuel tank. But, obviously, this change goes far beyond an aesthetic issue: it affects the entire mechanical architecture of the motorcycle.
Two turbines, without gearbox or transmission
The “Jet Glide“does not operate like a conventional motorcycle. In a Harley-Davidson As standard, the engine transmits its power to the rear wheel through the gearbox and final drive system. In this preparation, however, the turbines generate thrust directly by expelling the gases rearward, propelling the assembly forward. Therefore, it does not need a mechanical transmission connected to the rear wheel or a gearbox to manage the gear ratios. Propulsion depends exclusively on the operation of the 2 jet engines.
To make this solution a reality, Mikka He had to manufacture specific supports, work with welding and resort to laser cutting and 3D printing. It also designed thermal protection elements to deal with the high temperatures of the turbines. The adaptation of electronics was another of the great challenges. The coach had to modify the electrical installation and integrate the new controls to manage the engines without completely losing the configuration of the controls and instrumentation of the vehicle. Harley-Davidson original.
The Harley-Davidson “Jet Glide” reaches 97 km/h
Once the entire assembly process was completed, the most important test arrived: checking if the 2 turbines were capable of moving a motorcycle of these dimensions. The first tests served to verify the operation of the set and detect some technical problems that required adjustments. On one of the first outings, Matt Mikka It reached approximately 72 km/h.
Later, during another test carried out by a member of the team “Bikes and Beards“, the “Jet Glide” reached 60 mph, equivalent to about 97 km/h. This is not a certified maximum speed, but rather a figure reached during the project tests. Nor have sufficiently verified data been published on its final top speed, its autonomy or fuel consumption.
Beyond the features, what really distinguishes this preparation is its sound. Instead of the characteristic low pulse of the V-twin Harley-Davidsonthe “Jet Glide” produces a deafening whistle reminiscent of that of a fighter.
This preparation shows how far imagination can go in the world of customs. It is not intended to replace a Street Glide conventional nor, obviously, does it represent a new commercial model of Harley-Davidson. It is, simply, a mechanical experiment that changes the classic V2 engine for 2 turbines and turns a motorcycle destined for scrap into a unique machine.
