gen h-4By David Ponce

Over the months, we’ve seen and covered a surprising number of contraptions that increase your chances of being forcibly removed from the gene pool. Hell, it’s practically a running theme. We think that the reckless pursuit of a quick adrenaline fix is great, and we’re in love with pretty much each and every such device. In this article, we’ll try to cover the ones that stand out the most; some of them have already killed, others are an accident waiting to happen.

Of course, no list is ever perfect, and if you know of any others, please leave us a comment.

1. Tim Picken’s Rocket Powered Bicycle

This bicycle straps a rocket to its back, and is able to go from 0 to 60 in about 5 seconds. Powered entirely from tar (!), the rocket produces 200 pounds of thrust. It’s made by one Tom Picken, and it?s of course a home-made project, having taken the man all of 1,250 hours and around $750 to complete.

[Original Article] AND [PopSci Source]

2. The Power Boots

These boots, made by a Russian scientist called Viktor Gordeyev, use biofuels, such as biodiesel, vegetable oil, SVO, waste vegetable oil (WVO) and 12 inch pistons to propel their wearer up to 25mph and take strides of up to 12 feet. Apparently, they are being marketed to police and delivery services, and should be sold in England, at some point, for ?1,500.

[Original Article (With Videos)]

3. The GEN H-4 Personal Helicopter

Some credit needs to be given to the Japanese for their creativity… no matter how disturbing it may seem to us at times. Every now and then, they’ll even come up with something a crazy American might want to jump into. Like this, the GEN H-4 Personal copter. It uses two counter-rotating helices, so it doesn’t need a tail rotor. The 125cc engine cranks out a hopefully-sufficient 8 horses, and the device will supposedly take you around at 90 km (56 miles) per hour. It’s being sold for 3.6M yen, which is about $31,000.

[Original Article] AND [Company Website]

4. The Jet-Powered Go-Kart

As you can imagine, strapping a rocket onto any means of locomotion usually earns you a spot on the deathwish list. In this case, we have a go-kart with a MK101 Solent Gas Turbine Starter that produces 70bhp and 140.1bft torque. It’s made by a company called Jetkart and it cost them about ?55,000 to custom build.

[Original Article] AND [The Jetkart Website]

5. Ron Patrick’s Jet-Powered Scooter

This particular entry shouldn’t really be here, because it’s not completely functional yet. If it was made by anyone other than Ron Patrick (of Jet-Powered Beetle fame), it wouldn’t be there, as it’s not much more than a scooter with two jet engines sitting by its side. He decided to build it when his wife mentioned she’d like her Honda Metropolitan scooter to go faster than 40mph. And even though it’s not working yet, we’re certain that once it is, his wife will feel like she got a little more than she bargained for.

[Original Article] AND [Ron Patrick’s Site]

6. The Wego Kite Tube

The Kite Tube, from Wego, is a killer. Literally. And when it doesn’t kill, it seems to have a knack for bending, twisting, bruising and otherwise maiming anything that climbs aboard.

It’s just an inflatable tube, which is pulled from a powered motorboat. But, the shape of the tube allows it to become airborne once it reaches a certain speed. As you can imagine, most people don’t stick to the recommended limit, and deadly hilarity usually ensues. If you visit the original article this was posted on, you’ll be able to sift through almost 150 comments of people detailing their painful encounters with the product.

It’s been withdrawn from the market, but if you look hard enough, you’re likely to find one willing to sell you theirs.

[Original Article] AND [Product Page]

7. Buggy Rolling

Buggy rolling is allegedly a new x-sport. It consists of wearing a special suit covered with wheels, and putting yourself on a slope. You can then speed down lying on your back, front… even on your behind. Initially a design project investigating the displacement of the human center of gravity using various support points, it has morphed into a new style of free-skating.

[Original Article] AND [Buggy-Rolling Website]

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44 COMMENTS

  1. Androhair: Its amazing how a lot of people with just a little imagination can build devices like this ones but what amazes me the most is how they dont hesitate in trying them even though they know its most likelly that they will have an accident in the tryout sessions !! Nice gadgets
    http://www.androhair.com

  4. Hook me up with that rocket-vespa gig! Just keep the keys out of my wife’s reach! I can already see her eyes starting to boggle at the sight of this!

  5. I have a WEGO kite tube, and they are really not any more dangerous than any towable. People just dont follow the instructions and act like morons with them. I used it with my family all summer and never had any problems.

  8. the tube actually exists, and they rule. my freind towed me on his wake setter, and it flew me in the air very fast. when u fall from about 20 feet, going about 27, it hurts bad

  9. btw, people, there is a difference between a jet engine and a rocket engine. Now I’m no expert, but to me that go-kart looked like rocket, not jet.
    Apart from that, there’s a link floating around where a couple guys put a rocket onto a shopping trolley. That was cool.

  17. listen…ur getting on my nerves…suicide is not the way to go! don’t make me send down some raining ponies or some tough stuff like that u three. SUICIDE IS NOT THE WAY TO GO! NEVER GIVE INTO THE DARKENESS! YOU’LL FIND YOUR LIGHT NO MATTER WHAT! JUST LISTENT TO YOUR HEART…as long as its not telling urself to kill you.

  18. where am I?

    i now…ill start singing

    “have a bad day, lalalalala, dododo da lalalalala,
    make your friends happy, since u had a bad day.”

    yea i sort of forgot the lyrics

  20. ook well god j. there is this girl named josie that is making fun of my hair…she says i look like a man. I mean she call sme Vicky the man…wt am I to do with this hair. Just b.c josie is gorgoues, i wish i could be more like her. Man im jealous!

  21. im sorry u feel that way about me, child of god, ill take away your sins of the world, i have mercy on you. why are you here? why do you want death? why, it’s wrong, a mortal sin. find your light and i will save you.

  25. gzzz Nina55, your really guna kill yourself, maybe if you opened up maybe ud be more normal, call me crazy, but we’r enot the ones tryiing 2 kil ourselves, besides you get 2 talk 2 god in the website….GOD!!!!! so be smart adn dont kill youself , you porbably have a loving faimliy, pets a husband or boyfriend, friends. SO really ask yourself do you really want to drwon in your pee?

  29. okay i have talked to sucidal people, people who swear, and now lesbians., what has the world come to? ohh my just let it go…you can save yourself. go to confession. take up a new hobby like reading or knitting. don’t think about the bad in the world and always have faith. Im watching over you all, my children. have faith and find the good in your heart, no one is evil, just bad. i love you no matter what but i don’t approve of “gay” people. im sorry but im going to have to have a corvetdrop on your head tomorrow morning while u are peeing. rember: peace love and god! homiiess ouut!

  35. awww josie thats SWEET….

    but its me who wants 2 be more like u….

    and a fucking ho…..

    but hey come on….

    im jealous,

    but come on

    pyro is so me

    how dare u

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