All photos from Revatu Customs

Surfing the net looking for something cool and old brought us to an article discussing the Irish Motorbike and Scooter show last year. What caught our eye was the third prize in the bike building competition. With all new custom bike builds featured, this third place build stuck out like a beautiful sore thumb. Nothing about it looked modern.

The Revatu Customs of the Netherlands “Black Pearl” build was certainly something from an earlier time. Looking every bit “steampunk,” this machine would look right at home parked next to a steam locomotive. Solid flat black with rounded tanks, a huge light on the tank next to a brass bell that acts as a horn, the only thing missing is the cattle catcher on the front. It is even lettered like an old steam locomotive.

According to the Irish Motorbike Show newsletter, the Black Pearl is a fully functioning steam powered motorcycle, just a slow one.

The owner of Revatu Customs, Rene van Tuil, is obviously a fan of Captain Jack Sparrow’s, taking inspiration from the movie and working with a Colby Higgins design to create this hot rod of motorcycles.

We could not find any specifications on the horsepower, torque, range, or even weight of the vessel. All we can tell you is, it is cool and it is functional.  We did see a top speed rating of 5 mph, which is about pedestrian speed or about as fast as a man can walk – but it is much cooler than riding a mobility scooter.