The Lawnmower Goes How Fast?!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello listeners, it's time once again for another episode of
the Lawnmower Versus sports Car podcasts. I was walking through
my local home improvements store now walked past the lawnmowers.
In my goodness, they are expensive, I thought to myself.
For some of that money, I could get a sports car. Well,

(00:26):
maybe you would reconsider that if you were looking at
a Honda Mean Mower thee Too. The story of the
Honda Mean Mower thee Too begins with a team of
British engineers and racers obsessed with pushing the boundaries what

(00:52):
a humble lawnmower could do. Originating as a grass roots
engineering challenge, their mission was simple yet wildly ambitious. Create
the fastest lawnmower in the world, one that could not
just cut grass, but blitz past high performance of sports

(01:13):
cars on the drag strip. In twenty fourteen, the Mean
Mower V two was unveiled, powered by a nine hundred
and ninety nine cc N Line four engine from a
Honda CBR one thousand r R Fireblade superbike, a serious

(01:38):
powerhouse in the motorcycle world. The team had to radically
modify the mower's a chassis to withstand the stress of
such power reinforce the frame and dramatically upgrade the tires
and brakes. The end result was jaw dropping. This lawnmower

(02:01):
could hit a top speed of roughly one hundred and
fifty miles per hour. Its grounding achievement was smashing the
Guinnesis world record for the fastest lawnmower acceleration, hitting one
hundred miles per hour in a blistering six point twenty
nine seconds, a time that outpaced many iconic sports cars.

(02:26):
The Mean Mower V two wasn't just a stunt, represented
the perfect fusion of motorcycle engineering and lawn care humor,
and it turned the notion of a lawnmower on its
head forever. Next up the Viking T six speed mower.

(02:53):
The Viking T six, also known as the Steal T
six in some regions, is a German marble engineered by
teams inspired by the same spirit of extreme lawnmower racing.
Unlike most mowers that run on traditional garden engines, the

(03:16):
T six was a fitted with a kt M superbike engine,
giving it the heart of a motorcycle but the soul
of a mower. Introduced in nearly twenty tens. The T
six could reach speeds of up to one hundred and
thirty three miles per hour, making it one of the
fastest production mowers ever built. This machine was not just

(03:41):
about speed, It was also designed to cut grass effectively
at high speeds, a daunting engineering challenge given the high
RPMs and risk of vibration and instability. The lawnmower racing
community quickly embraced the T six as a symbol of
innovation and sheer speed. Historically, this mower blurred the lines

(04:07):
between the industrial agricultural world and professional motorsport, showcasing that
the right engineering and guts, even the most mundane machinery
can be transformed into a track ready beast. Before the
V two claimed the throne, the original mean mower, later

(04:30):
dubbed the V one, was the pioneer in high speed
mower scene. Developed by Team Dynamics Racing, a British motorsport outfit,
The V one packed a one thousand c c Honda
v t R fire Storm engine. It reached speeds of
up to a hundred and sixteen miles per hour. This

(04:51):
mower made headlines in the mid two thousands, shattering the
idea that lawn mowers were slow, cumbersome machines. The V
one's success helped kickstart a new subculture of MOA racing
and record breaking attempts world wide. By pushing a lawnmower
to such speeds, Team Dynamics highlighted how motor sport culture

(05:14):
could extend to the most unexpected places the suburban lawn,
the race track, or the drag strip. The V one's
legacy lies not just in its speed, but how it
inspired future generations of engineering enthusiasts to experiment, innovate, and
challenge in norms. Next up the Moa Bassa. One of

(05:40):
the most terrifying and awe inspiring lawnmower creations is the
Moa Bassa, the nickname that cleverly blends moer and high. Abusa,
the legendary Suzuki superbike known for its phenomenal speed and power.
The Moabusa features a thirteen hundred c c Suzuki Hyabusa engine,

(06:07):
an absolute powerhouse in the motorcycle world, transplanted into a
lawnmower chassis. This creation emerged from the desire to push
the mower speed boundaries even further, achieving over one hundred
miles per hour. The Moabusa is allowed aggressive beast that

(06:28):
looks almost like a dragster of disguise as gardening equipment.
Its rider must possess not only courage but great skill,
as controlling such power on a mower frame requires precision
and nerves of steel. Historically, the Moabusa symbolizes the wild

(06:48):
ingenuity of grassroots motor sport, where passion often outweighs budgets
and formalities. It's a testament now far people will go
to combine hobbies, in this case motorbikes and lawn care
into something extraordinary. How about a jet powered lawnmower. For

(07:13):
those who believe lawnmowers should only be powered by piston engines,
a Norwegian engineer's jet powered lawnmower is a jaw dropper.
This machine replaced the traditional engine with the home built
jet turbine, turning a mundane garden tool into a roaring,
fire breathing machine achieving the speeds of around eighty miles

(07:35):
per hour. This jet mower is more about spectacle and
engineering brilliance than practical mowing. The roar of the jet engine,
the flames, and the sheer audacity of the build make
it a stand out in the niche world of extreme
lawnmower projects. Historically, this mower shows how innovation can come

(07:57):
from anywhere, including the cold Fjords of Norway, where creativity
meets engineering in unexpected ways. It has appeared in numerous
motorsport exhibitions and engineering affairs, inspiring new generations to rethink
what's possible with alternative propulsion systems. Next up, the mower

(08:20):
cycle dragster. The mower cycle is a staple of lawnmower
drag racing, a competitive sport with a passionate following, especially
in parts of the United States. These machines combine the
frame of a lawnmower with the powerful V twin motorcycle engines,

(08:41):
capable of reaching speeds between seven hundred and eight hundred
miles per hour on short dragstrips. Lawnmower racing has route
dating back to the nineteen sixties and seventies, when enthusiasts
began modifying mowers for competition rather than gardening. The mower
cycle became iconic as racers sought to combine speed, maneuverability,

(09:08):
and a flare for showmanship. These machines are raced in
classes with strict rules to keep things fair and interesting. Historically,
mower racing events became community gatherings, fostering camaraderie, competition and
a celebration of engineering creativity, The mower cycle and bodies

(09:31):
of spirit of grassroots motorsport where anyone with a wrench
and a dream can race. Next up, the British Lawnmower
Racing Association, founded in nineteen seventy three, is the world's
oldest organized lawnmower racing body. Within this tradition, the race

(09:52):
modified Westwood lawnmower represents the pinnacles of British racing mower engineering.
Built around four hundred and fifty c c P plus engine,
these machines can reach speeds up to sixty or seventy
miles per hour, balancing raw power with tight handling necessary
for circuit racing. The blm ra A enforces strict rules

(10:14):
to ensure a safety and maintain the lawnmower identity of
the machines. No engine swamps from cars or bikes allowed,
only modifications to existing mower engines. Historically, the Westwood race
mowers represent a unique British blend of humor, engineering and competition. Unfortunately,

(10:35):
that's all the time we've got for today's episode of
The Lawnmower Versus a sports Car Podcast. Which would you
rather have a lawnmower or a sports car or I
guess if you've got a really big yard or a
really small yard, you'll want to mow quick. One of
these may be for you.