--- title: "Pulsejet-Powered 1929 Harley-Davidson for Sale Has the Pipes to End All Pipes" description: "Buy this 1929 Harley-Davidson with a pulsejet engine and wicked side pipes to show up all the V-twin riders." date: "2022-11-29" modified: "2022-11-29" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/pulsejet-powered-1929-harley-davidson-for-sale-has-the-pipes-to-end-all-pipes" categories: - "Culture" - "For Sale" - "Motorcycles" - "News" - "The Garage" --- # Pulsejet-Powered 1929 Harley-Davidson for Sale Has the Pipes to End All Pipes ![]() *\Mecum\* If you've ever had the strange, burning desire to straddle a pulsejet engine, you might be in luck. A 1929[ Harley-Davidson]() powered by such a lump with 250 pounds of thrust is headed to [Mecum]()'s Kissimmee auction in January. Better yet, it's a creation of the [Rocketman]() himself, Bob Maddox. Maddox is famous for building anything with a pulsejet engine. He's used them to propel everything from cars to motorcycles, bicycles, go-karts, and even himself. He actually jumped from an airplane with 50-pound thrust engines strapped to his chest. ![]() ![]() The pulsejet Harley in question is one Maddox built more than 10 years ago. Its whirring engine makes about 250 pounds of thrust and it's said to reach 60 miles per hour in about five seconds. In a [video from 2011,]() Maddox claimed it could do about 120 mph in the quarter-mile but was unsure about its top speed. A pulsejet combines large amounts of air and fuel and ignites them in pulses to create propulsion. There are few orno moving parts to a pulsejet engine, meaning they're fairly reliable. They can also run on almost any type of fuel. In this case, regular 87 octane will do the trick. The downsides are that they're terribly inefficient, so they don't make as much power as you might think, and they're extremely loud. You need earplugs just to start them, as Maddox says he learned the hard way. https://youtu.be/Wb2Cl03E3t4?t=49 It's hard to tell how much this jet-powered Harley will sell for, though some of Maddox's creations have commanded more than $25,000 in the past. Whoever ends up buying this bike is going to have an incredibly unique motorcycle that's hand-built by Maddox himself, in Medford, Oregon. Maybe they'll also teach a thing or two to all those guys that love [revving the snot out of their V-twins](), too. *Got a tip? Send it in: tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()