Dodge's Four-Wheel Motorcycle! (The Tomahawk)

Popular Science ^ | April 2003 | by Dick Teresi

[vannrox]

500-300-200. That's horsepower, miles per hour and thousands of dollars: the oversize numbers for Dodge's 4-wheel Tomahawk "motorcycle" prototype (named for the cruise missile), which the company says it may bring to market.

Dodge's Four-Wheel Motorcycle! (The Tomahawk)

by Dick Teresi

The biggest news out of DaimlerChrysler this spring is not a sport-utility vehicle or a sports car. It's a motorcycle. A big, weird motorcycle.

The Dodge Tomahawk is auto erotica for the customizer and power freak. An enormous 500-horsepower V10 Viper engine sits on a billet aluminum body, each part a one-off custom design, machined to order. The exhaust note reminds us of a light aircraft's, with enough crackle to rattle windows.

A noticeable departure is the four wheels. OK, a four-wheeled motorcycle is an oxymoron, but in this case the wheels are closely paired, giving the vehicle a motorcycle appearance if you squint hard. Dodge sees the four wheels as an advantage, noting that the bike stands up on its own. (Customers willing to shell out $200,000 should be happy to learn that they won't need to buy a kickstand as well.)

So what happens to this 4-wheeler when you lean into a turn? Similar designs have rolled up on just two tires when banking, then dropped back onto all four when the bike straightens out, sometimes with uncomfortable results. Thanks to an inventive suspension, all four of the Tomahawk's tires remain in contact with the road even when the bike is cornering. Yet it's no car. You lean and counter-steer, just like on a bike.



The bike's name was inspired by the Tomahawk cruise missile, and it may be equally ridable. Dodge first announced a top speed of 420 mph, then dropped that to "300+." DaimlerChrysler spokespeople proved unable to illuminate us further. Can we ride the bike to check the speed? we asked. "No." Can we talk to one of your company riders? "No." Can you give us some riding impressions? "No." Can we use your bathroom? "No."

Desperate for expertise, I called my brother, Joe Teresi, whose Easyriders Streamliner bike holds the world speed record: 322 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, set in 1990. Looking at photos of the Tomahawk, Joe was dubious. Dodge computed the Tomahawk's theoretical top speed only from horsepower and final drive ratio. Joe says this ignores other critical factors, such as frontal area and drag and the coefficient of tire friction to the ground. Joe offered Dodge the use of his Dyno-Drag, a motorcycle dynamometer/simulator, to ascertain the Tomahawk's top speed. When I relayed the offer to Dodge spokesman David Elshoff, he said, and I quote, "No." Elshoff did say Dodge would someday take the Tomahawk for a run at Bonneville.

Dave Campos, who was onboard the Easyriders Streamliner for the world record, predicted the Tomahawk wouldn't do well in the real world -- and that the rider would do worse. The Teresi/Campos bike was powered by two 91-cubic-inch Harley Shovelhead engines and enclosed in a fairing. The Tomahawk Viper engine is 505 cubic inches; the rider is exposed. Campos said he would be foiled by air resistance. At high speeds, "your back acts as a wing. It'll lift you right off the bike." Campos was also skeptical about the four-wheel steering, and said he doubted the bike would hit 200 mph. Still, he wishes the Tomahawk team luck at Bonneville. "Let nothing but fear stand in your way," he said.

Many bikes today are built for show, not go, and even if the Tomahawk never breaks 55, there are a lot of guys who'd like to trailer it to Sturgis or Daytona during Bike Week just to fire up that motor and drown out the Harley crowd. Or, as my brother says, "It's a nice engine stand for your Viper V10."

[philetus]

I wish I had it.
Then I could sell it and buy myself a Wide glide, a VMax, a Warrior, another Harley, and put a bunch in the bank.

[3catsanadog]

But doesn't calling this bike "The Tomahawk" offend somebody or other?

[Future Snake Eater]

Heh heh, I'd love to have a bike like Kaneda's. I sure don't want to pay $200,000 for one, though.

[JoeSixPack1]

"He who dares not offend cannot be honest". Thomas Paine

[RightWhale]

Wonder how much rubber I'd leave on the road

All of it.

[IronJack]

Instead of wasting time on phallic indulgences like this thing, I would think some motorcyle manufacturer could strike gold if they developed a commuter vehicle that used motorcycle components but had none of the (perceived) drawbacks of a motorcycle. Sure, it would be nothing but a very small car, but you could probably sell a lot of them to green weenies, soccer moms, and bikers who couldn't hold up the big iron anymore. Mileage would be great, parking a breeze, and the zip of a 1,000 cc engine on the right frame and with a lightweight composite shell would be sporty enough to entice performance addicts.

This thing is just some engineer's testosterone-fueled wet dream. It's as practical as plate glass underwear.

[GOP_Lady]

If it's not a Harley-Davidson, I'm not interested. :-)

[AFreeBird]

Very Cool machine.

It should be noted however, that motorcycles have two in-line wheels. Sorry, they'll have to call it something else.

[JoeSixPack1]

You referring to this?

[The South Texan]

To hell with it, it is made by a comppany that is owned by the Germans. Stick with a Harley!

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

The production model will have a complete Velcro suit and matching Velcro tank pad. The rider will wear special gloves designed to be lashed to the handlebars. The foot pedals will include special ski bindings to keep the feet in place.

The marketing pitch will be:

"The two of you will become one....'til death do you part."

[discostu]

I think it looks more like Tron's lightcycles. Pretty cool either way.

[old3030]

This is a typical Chrysler: great looking piece of horse dung.

[Brian Mosely]

Somebody's been working on it...

[Abcdefg]

This thing can't go on the public streets and was never intended to. It has 3" clearance without a rider.

[Hank Rearden]

Mine's faster.

[killjoy]

I'll stick with something that can actually corner. :)

[Atlas Sneezed]

"Instead of wasting time on phallic indulgences like this thing, I would think some motorcyle manufacturer could strike gold if they developed a commuter vehicle that used motorcycle components but had none of the (perceived) drawbacks of a motorcycle. Sure, it would be nothing but a very small car, but you could probably sell a lot of them to green weenies, soccer moms, and bikers who couldn't hold up the big iron anymore. Mileage would be great, parking a breeze, and the zip of a 1,000 cc engine on the right frame and with a lightweight composite shell would be sporty enough to entice performance addicts."

The third world is filled with such scooters/mopeds. They're inherently unsafe, and uncomfortably exposed to the elements. Maybe they would be a hit in Hawaii.

[killjoy]

The third world is filled with such scooters/mopeds. They're inherently unsafe, and uncomfortably exposed to the elements. Maybe they would be a hit in Hawaii.

BMW has already one upped the scooter/moped:

[Rose in RoseBear]

Pingpingping!