A monstrous motorcycle with a 48-cylinder engine will be put up for sale (6 photos)
The unique Whitelock Tinker Toy motorcycle, which is noted in the Guinness Book of Records, will be auctioned at the end of April. It has the world's largest number of cylinders of any functioning vehicle - 48. The estimated cost is between £40,000 and £60,000. 
Briton Simon Whitelock many years ago became interested in building motorcycles with custom engines. His first-born was Kawasaki, whose in-line “three” he turned into a “four”. This was followed by bikes with seven and nine cylinders. In 2003, he built the Tinker Toy with a 48-cylinder engine.
16 three-cylinder Kawasaki KH250 engines were used for the project. They are assembled into six blocks of eight cylinders each. The total working volume is 4.2 liters. A separate 125 cc engine operates as a starter.
After building the motor, Whitelock built the frame and the rest of the structure around it. The fuel tank above the engine is fake and serves as a cover for the ignition system. The generator is installed in a car. The front end with fork and brake is taken from the Honda GoldWing, one of the heaviest production motorcycles.
Tinker Toy starts and drives, although it is extremely awkward to drive due to the long and wide engine. Power and dynamic performance have never been measured. Surprisingly, the bike is road legal in the UK. So, in theory, the new owner can drive it about his business. 
