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Inside Jay Leno’s Garage: 10 Unusual Motorcycles Worth a Closer Look

A closer look at ten unusual motorcycles documented in Jay Leno’s collection or Garage coverage, and what makes each one distinctive.
Entry921 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team

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Jay Leno’s motorcycle collection ranges from early machines to modern engineering, but the available reporting does not establish a definitive ranking of its rarest bikes. These ten selections stand out for documented rarity claims, unusual mechanics, historical character or distinctive operation. Each connection to Leno is grounded in published coverage; the reporting does not verify present ownership or condition.

Ten unusual motorcycles associated with Jay Leno

1. 1922 Megola

The Megola’s defining feature is its five-cylinder radial engine mounted in the front wheel. The Los Angeles Times’ 2018 collection report called it “probably the rarest bike in the entire collection”—a qualified description from that report, not an independently established ranking of motorcycles worldwide.

2. Y2K turbine-powered motorcycle

This Y2K is powered by a helicopter engine. The Times reported an output of 375 horsepower and said the motorcycle had been tested at 237 miles per hour. Those are figures from its 2018 report, not a current speed-record verification. Leno described the experience this way: “It’s basically a jet. You kind of strafe when you go down the road,” he said. “You’re so glad when you get off it.”

3. 1918 Pope

The Times identified Leno’s Pope as an original, unrestored example. Its age and reported condition make it notable; the article does not provide a production total or valuation, so neither can be used to quantify its rarity.

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4. Henderson Four

The Times reported that Leno bought this Henderson Four from a 92-year-old owner. That provenance detail is part of the bike’s story, though the report does not supply further ownership history or a model year.

5. Brough Superior motorcycles

Leno’s collection includes several Brough Superiors. The Times characterized it as the world’s most extensive collection of the marque, a description to attribute to that reporting rather than treat as an independently audited count. The article does not identify specific models or establish production figures for the examples.

6. Nimbus

The Times names a Nimbus among the collection’s rare motorcycles. Its report does not give a model year or technical specification, so the meaningful point here is the specific marque’s inclusion—not an assumed model-level rarity claim.

7. Rudge

Rudge is also named as a rare motorcycle in the Times’ collection coverage. The report supplies no model year or specifications, which makes it unwise to attach a more precise identity or rarity measure.

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8. Early Whizzer

The Times calls out an early Whizzer in the collection but does not identify its year or precise model. That makes “early” the supported description; a more specific date or model designation would go beyond the published account.

9. 1924 Ace

A 2014 Los Angeles Times photo gallery shows Leno demonstrating the Ace’s hand shifter and foot-operated dual rear brakes. Those controls offer a concrete example of how operating an early motorcycle can differ from riding a contemporary one; the caption does not make a rarity claim.

10. ARCH KRGT-1

The ARCH KRGT-1 provides a modern counterpoint to the historic machines. In a 2017 Jay Leno’s Garage feature, the series-production motorcycle is presented with ARCH founders Gard Hollinger and Keanu Reeves. It belongs in this selection as a documented Garage feature and engineering contrast—not as a rare antique.

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What makes these motorcycles stand out

The strongest points of comparison are specific: the Megola’s front-wheel-mounted radial engine, the Y2K’s turbine power, the Ace’s unusual controls, and the Pope’s reported original, unrestored state. The collection’s reported range also crosses eras, from early historic machines to a modern series-production motorcycle. Beyond those details, the coverage does not provide a consistent method for comparing rarity, production numbers or market value.

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For Leno, the appeal of older motorcycles is also mechanical. The Times quoted him describing vintage-bike riding: “There’s a great sense of mechanical satisfaction,” he said. “You control your own destiny. If it stops running, you try to get a spark and some fuel and some air and you get it running again. You feel like you’ve really accomplished something.”

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