A Steam-Powered Motorcycle Reaches Supercar Speed (10 photos + 1 video)
On a quarter-mile, the two-wheeled Force of Nature reached a speed of almost 195 mph (311 km/h), accelerating to 60 mph (100 km/h) in under 0.8 seconds. 
For six years, 62-year-old British self-taught engineer Graham Sykes has been methodically and consistently improving his steam-powered motorcycle, the Force of Nature, in a small workshop in North Yorkshire, periodically participating in various competitions. It's almost like the movie "The World's Fastest Indian" starring Anthony Hopkins, only in our time, and not alone, but with his wife, Diana.
The latest iteration of the bike, featuring a longer chassis, an improved water heating system, a refined kerosene burner, and an optimized riding position to withstand 6G takeoff forces, completed the quarter-mile in 5.503 seconds at the Santa Pod track in April, reaching a speed of just under 195 mph (311 km/h) and 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) in approximately 0.7-0.8 seconds! Over the 1/8 mile (201 m) distance, the "Force of Nature" reached a top speed of 218 mph (338 km/h), second only to a hydrogen peroxide-powered motorcycle.
Sykes designed the bike exclusively for one-off straight-line speed runs. Suffice it to say, there's no actual wheel drive, so after the launch, the bike is slowed by a parachute ejected from the rear, after which the regular brakes take over. A sort of steam-powered mini-dragster.
The motorcycle's tank contains 120 liters of deionized, highly purified distilled water, preheated by a gas burner to 250°C under pressure up to 50 atmospheres, according to 3DNews. Pressing a button on the handlebars opens nitrogen valves, and the water is ejected as steam through a nozzle at supersonic speed. With a water flow rate of approximately 40 liters per second, this process is practically lightning fast, accompanied by a powerful sonic boom upon takeoff.
