The Balamutti Yondu ice racer is straight out of the apocalypse!
With three wheels, studded tyres and a funky front end, the Balamutti Yondu is the ideal machine for some artic self-isolation
BUILT around a Ducati Hypermotard and named after a character from Guardians of the Galaxy, the Balamutti Yondu is possibly the most bonkers motorcycle of 2020 so far.
It’s creator, Vitaliy Selyukov, plans to race the bike in the arduous Baikal Mile ice race and for that, a standard Hypermotard just wouldn’t do.
To help keep the machine rubber side down (or should that be spike-side down), Selyukov set about turning an 1100 Hypermotard into an ice racing machine that wouldn’t look out of place in the Mad Max films.
The layout is what’s known as a leaning reverse trike and features two front wheels that pivot as a normal front wheel would, and also lean as the bike rolls into corners.
The set up is controlled by two tubular steel swingarms, which take care of the vertical movement of the wheels, which are fitted with hubs that carry the front wheel and brake assembly. The hubs are also mounted on pivots and controlled by a series of levers and linkages, that transmit the movement of the handlebars (or levers) and turning the wheels left and right.
Away from the clever tach that has gone into designing and fabricating the bike, it’s fairly clear its not going to win any beauty pageants. From its gawky looking seat to the industrial-looking metalwork, It’s not what you’d call a looker! But it if makes it quicker and more stable down the Baikal Mile’s 1/8 of a mile course, it’s alright by us!
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
