It seems like every month or so, some outrageous machine sets a new record somewhere in the world. Last month, Koenigsegg set a new zero to 250 mph to zero record and the month before, Rimac smashed the production car zero-to-60 mph record with a staggering 1.74-second run. The latest record to fall? Fastest UK&ITA-recorded two-up speed on a motorcycle. Perhaps a turbocharged literbike or one of the latest superbikes on the market? No. As reported by Motorcycle News magazine, this record was set by motorcycle mad scientist and genius engineer Allen Millyard on his Dodge Viper V10-powered homebuilt machine.

Do you remember the Dodge Tomahawk? A limited-production non-street-legal, very narrow four-wheeled thing built by Dodge in 2003 to drum up publicity. It looked like a Tron lightcycle predecessor from a Mad Max world, but although Dodge quoted some outrageous figures, the Tomahawk never actually proved them. That’s where Millyard comes in. He saw the Tomahawk, and then built something similar for himself. Something a bit more feasible, more traditional, and less like two motorcycles chained at the hip.

The Millyard Viper V10 is more sensible than a Tomahawk, in the same way that a homemade rocket launcher is more sensible than recreational nuclear weapons. The engine alone weighs 712 pounds, or more than the weight of two Honda CB300Rs. In eight-liter form, it makes at least 400 horsepower, but Millyard’s tuned the thing up to 500 horsepower, good enough to hit 207 mph as reported by Motorcycle News magazine. This motorcycle is so insane that it has its own Wikipedia page. Now that’s a sign a machine has been built right.

In the years after that astonishing top speed run, Millyard hasn’t been afraid to take this mental machine on road trips. In his words from a 2022 YouTube video, “I’ve ridden the Viper 9,150 miles since August 2009.” Fair play, man. Now that’s how you use a cool toy. Speaking of using a cool toy, let’s get to what you all clicked on the article for — the record.

While it undoubtedly takes a certain kind of crazy to build and ride a Viper V10-powered motorcycle, it takes an equal or greater amount of crazy to ride on the back while attempting a speed record. Kudos to motorcycle TV presenter Henry Cole for stepping up to the plate and riding pillion. With the two men on the bike and the runway at RAF Elvington clear, it was time to twist the throttle and see what’s what. The result? Complete and utter success, a trap speed of 183.5 mph and serious bragging rights. The old world record stood at 181.426 mph, so that’s some good headroom gained by Millyard and Cole.

Just imagine for a second, the sheer force of air hitting you while you’re on the back of a fairingless bike going 183.5 mph. Sure, you’re wearing a full-face helmet at that point, but I bet you’d also be hanging on for dear life. What an incredible feat this is, and it’s fitting that such a bonkers bike would be the one to do it. After all, everyone who loves going fast, we all have to be a little bit crazy, right?

(Photo credits: Allen Millyard/YouTube)

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