The Dodge Tomahawk, which was exhibited at the Detroit show in January 2003, is a fearsome model of the now legendary American muscle motorcycle Viper V10 engine mounted on a motorcycle.
Only 10 units were sold in limited quantities.
Ground cruise missile Tomahawk delivers over 500 PS
Tomahawk is one of the most special concept models ever introduced to the world. Can a human being really control an 8277cc V10 engine? You might think so, but you would be surprised to learn that the motorcycle is not a piece of fancy paper, but actually rides and that a limited run of 10 units was released.
The Viper's engine was derived from a truck engine, and its maximum torque was 72.6 kg-m, about five times that of the current Hayabusa (15.2 kg-m)! The maximum output was 506 PS and the theoretical maximum speed was said to be 640 km/h. The impact was so great that it was named after the cruise missile Tomahawk, which was first deployed in actual combat during the 1991 Gulf War.
The Tomahawk was characterized not only by its engine but also by its ability to stand on its own, a feature that Japanese manufacturers are still researching to this day. The Tomahawk was equipped with four tires, two on the front and two on the rear, an approach that is typical of automobile manufacturers and is also noteworthy.
However, if it had four wheels, would it be impossible to corner in a straight line only? The bank angle is announced to be 45 degrees. The front wheels are held in place by the independent cantilevered left and right suspension, and the vehicle has a hub-steer system. However, the steering wheel angle is only 20 degrees, so it is not good at U-turns.
It was later in 2007 that Yamaha exhibited the Tesseract, a four-wheeled motorcycle, at the Tokyo Motor Show. This is known to have developed into the later LMW, which went on to become commercially available. Tomahawk's direction was completely different, but it would have been a visionary move.
Tomahawk [DODGE]. A concept model presented in 2003 during the Daimler-Chrysler era, it was not mass-produced and was limited to 10 units for $550,000 that winter, but was not allowed to be driven on public roads.
The rear swing arm was installed inside the two tires and had a hydraulically lockable parking function. There are two vertical exhaust system exhaust ports below the tail lamps.
The two holes under the handlebars are air intakes and the headlight is located between the front wheels. The front brakes are 4-pot x 4 with a total of 16 pistons and a rim-mounted W disc for powerful stopping power.
Viper's V-10 is an OHV 2-valve 8277cc. Maximum output is 506 PS (372 kW)/5600 rpm, and the top speed of 640 km/h is a theoretical value on paper; officially, 0-60 mph (approx. 100 km/h) is estimated at 2.5 seconds.
Viper [DODGE]. Debuted in 1992, the first model shown in the photo was officially sold in Japan. The engine installed in Tomahawk is the second generation engine from 2002, with higher displacement and output.
OR2T [YAMAHA] This vehicle was prototyped as an R&D model based on the Tesseract. The research theme was sports LMW, and its high-speed turning performance was confirmed. Unlike the Tricity, it had two rear wheels.
The Tomahawk was a success as branding for Chrysler and Dodge but did not reach the target of selling 100 units of the product. However, a 150cc copy of the product made headlines in China in 2020.
The Chinese mini Tomahawk had a two-wheel rear version and a one-wheel rear version, and the two-wheel rear version was not independently suspended, so it was designed to float on one wheel while cornering. The price was about $1,000 in China.
Dodge Tomahawk Specifications
Overall length x width x height: 2590 x 703.5 x 937.2 mm
Wheelbase: 1930.4mm
Seat height:736.6mm
Weight: 680.3 kg
Engine: Liquid-cooled 4-stroke V-10 OHV 2-valve 8277cc
Maximum output:506 PS at 6000 rpm
Maximum torque: 72.6 kg-m at 4200 rpm
Fuel tank capacity:12 liters
Transmission:2-stage return
Brakes: F=W disc, R=W disc
Tires: F=120/60R20, R=150/50R20
