The proliferation of cheap electric scooters and bicycles has given birth to a rapidly growing custom scene, where folks chop up these electric two-wheelers and create all sorts of weird and wonderful machines. There are tons of cool backyard creations out there, but one of them, a KTM-inspired electric monocycle from India, caught my eye recently.
Showcased in an India-based YouTube channel called Creative Science, this funky one-wheeler was designed with KTM's best-selling Duke street bike in mind. The best part is that the video shows a step-by-step procedure on how to make this thing yourself. Judging from the finished product, it looks pretty impressive, and does a good job of hiding the rather shoddy cutting and welding that we see at the start of the video. Apart from borrowing parts from various scooters and e-bikes, building this thing requires quite a bit of fabrication, too.
The bike's appearance is based on a Yamaha FZ-S fuel tank, which gives it the look of a regular motorcycle. It serves no other use than to provide style and maybe provide a grip for the rider's legs. A specially constructed tubular chassis painted orange at the back of the monocycle pays homage to the KTM Duke's trademark look. The e-monocycle is finished off with bar-end rear view mirrors and a cafe-racer type seat. Overall, the monocycle is rather distinctive and is sure to attract attention when riding down the road.
On the tech side, it's really pretty simple. A BLDC hub motor drives the monocycle, which is powered by a 60V 5000mAh lithium-ion battery pack. However, no details regarding the device's power output, range, or other features have been revealed, so don't expect much from it. The self-balancing controller mounted on the bike, which keeps the rider upright, is one of the most significant pieces of equipment. The controller was most likely taken from another one-wheeled device, which are plentiful and inexpensive on the internet.
The bike also has a fake headlight and instrument cluster, scooter footpegs, and a rear mudguard to give it a motorcycle look. While monocycles are simple to ride, enjoyable, and indisputably cool, they are also fundamentally hazardous and may cause serious injury to persons and property if used incorrectly. As a result, as wonderful as this one-wheeled device is, it can only be used on private land and not on public highways.
