HF355 is the World’s First Functional Motorcycle Powered by a Ferrari V8 Engine

Photo credit: Maxwell Hazan
Maxwell Hazan, a Los Angeles-based auto enthusiast, has created something incredible: a motorcycle with a Ferrari F355 V8 engine. The HF355 is a marriage of engineering and madness, combining the brute force of a supercar with the lean agility of a two-wheeler.

The heart of the HF355 is the engine. Hazan chose the 3.5-liter V8 from a Ferrari F355, a 375 horsepower powerplant from the 1994-1999 sports car. With less than 11,000 of these engines produced, it’s a rare gem for a project like this. The flat-plane crank and 8,500 rpm redline makes the V8 sound like a Formula 1 car roaring through a tunnel, not a motorcycle. Paired with a six-speed manual transmission and a custom SC Project exhaust, the engine’s growl is as good as the bike’s speed.

Building a motorcycle around a car engine is a wild fantasy and not an easy task. Most sport bikes use lightweight, high-revving engines—twins, triples or inline-fours—that top out at about 210 horsepower. The HF355 with 400 horsepower is a whole different animal. Fitting a V8 into a motorcycle frame required a complete rethink. Hazan built a custom aluminum frame, using the engine as a stressed member to carry the structural weight, keeping the chassis minimal. This keeps the bike at 590 pounds with fluids, lighter than many production motorcycles despite the big engine.

The HF355’s suspension and brakes show it’s more than a show bike. Hazan fitted Öhlins front forks and a rear shock, premium parts built to handle a 400 horsepower beast. Brembo monoblock calipers clamp the front wheel, so the stopping power matches the bike’s acceleration. A custom underslung swingarm and a fat racing slick at the rear gives it a track-ready stance. The 63-inch wheelbase, similar to an adventure bike, gives it stability at high speed.

Cooling a V8 in a motorcycle is a big problem, as car engines produce a lot of heat and bikes don’t have a car’s radiator space. Hazan solved this by mounting the custom radiators under the engine, cooled by twin electric fans and an electric water pump controlled by the bike’s ECU. The seat unit is also the oil tank for the dry-sump engine, a clever design that saves space and weight.
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