The motorcycle hearse for riders who love speed

Motorcycle hearses have gone beyond being a gimmick to being offered in many parts of the world as a suitable way for a biker to take his final ride.

But for those who need to make it from the church to graveside in the shortest possible time may look to England for their answer.

Reaching speeds of 144 mph in a ‘trike-hearse’, Reverend Ray Biddiss wasn’t rushing a rider to their final resting place but chasing a world record on an airfield runway in York, England. The 57 year old vicar needed to exceed a speed of more than 80mph to be recognized by Guinness World Records.

Riding a 2008 Triumph Rocket III which was given a trike conversion and then had a coffin carrier added, the holy ride was on a sleek black and chrome hearse. According to the Reverend, who calls himself ‘heaven’s angel ‘, the modified Triumph is actually used for funeral services in Halifax, Yorkshire.

Called ‘The Rocket’ the motorcycle hearse is a Triumph Rocket III with a 2.3 liter, three cylinder engine built by Liversedge-based DTB Panther Trikes to Reverend Biddiss’s specifications and within the relevant road traffic regulations.

“Many people who are or have been bikers agree that a motorcycle hearse is the only way to travel for your final journey,” Reverend Biddiss told local reporters. He should understand that biker passion, he has been riding for over forty years himself.

“I wanted to create the most powerful of all coffin carriers,” Biddiss said, “a vehicle that maintains the integrity of a motorcycle, appeals to the most passionate of bikers and brings a credible alternative to the traditional four-wheeled hearse or other motorcycle hearse outfits.”