Size matters

The race for bigger, faster, farther, stronger never ends, and the Guinness World Records books honor those who never stop trying. The 2014 edition recognizes Italy’s Fabio Reggiani for building the world’s largest rideable motorcycle. The bike joins the ranks of other Guinness World Records such as the farthest distance skateboarding by a goat, fastest crossing of a tightrope by a dog, fruit salad weighing more than 15,000 pounds and the largest collection of vacuum cleaners.

We have to say, though, out of Reggiani’s many co-world record holders, his creation is certainly the most visually arresting, with its stunning red-and-gray paint, seriously kicked-out front end and high-as-the-sky extended apehangers. The gargantuan cycle, a.k.a. Big Bike, was unveiled at the Motor Bike Expo 2012 in Verona, Italy, to the amazement and delight of those in attendance.

Big Bike measures 16′ 8″ high and weighs over 5.5 tons, and features a 5000cc V8 Chevy motor boasting 280 hp. As set forth by the folks at Guinness, Reggiani actually rode the behemoth the required 100 meters (about 328 feet) to prove that it can, in fact, be powered by the rider while seated on the bike. Because a two-wheeled contraption that heavy cannot possibly be balanced, a set of secondary (i.e., training) wheels was affixed to the rear of the frame. Our only question is, how did he reach the handlebars?