Man turns Henry Hoover into mini motorbike that he rides around his city

Systems engineer Allan rides his prototype machine proudly around the city, causing quite a stir with passers-by.

Now instead of sucking up dust it leaves people for dust around the streets of MK.

Made largely with “recycled junk” and fitted with a 2 stroke 50cc engine, its videos have already gone viral on social media with more than a million viewers on TikTok.

Allan’s offbeat idea began last year when he and fellow members of Milton Keynes Maker Space, a subgroup of Men in Sheds MK, were speculating on what to bring along to a forthcoming national gathering of inventors.

"I'm not sure who came up with motorised Henry Hoovers but it was an instant win of an idea... my brain immediately leapt to ‘put and engine in it’,” he said.

"One of our members managed to secure around six broken Henry hoovers and when they arrived I realised that not only would a 50cc pocket bike engine fit but it could be rideable.

"The work began in earnest by stripping down the Henry to just the outer shell and cutting away most of the bottom and internal support structure to take measurements. I knew it would be a tight fit but on paper it all worked out, so I began creating a frame from steel angle to mount the engine, steering and drivetrain."

Most of the work was completed at the Maker Space/Men In Sheds Kiln Farm workshop, where there are welding facilities and a sizable metal shop.