Wheels with Whiskers: Jaguar-Inspired Motorcycle Revs Up Overseas

There are easy ways to show your animal pride while out on the open-road, like, say, a snazzy bumper sticker (e.g. "My dog ate your honor roll student," and yes, we're snickering). But how about a motorcycle shaped like one of the biggest kitties on the planet?

London-based designer Barend Massow Hemmes has put a flashy spin on a classic ride with the Night Shadow, a bike that pays homage to the fiercest of felines: the jaguar. Inspired by both his love of motorcycles and thoughts of marketing a corporate brand like Jaguar, the former interior designer married the two ideas to craft his first one-of-a-kind bike, which is for sale for, oh, just $123,539.40 from Massow Concept Cycles.

A cat lover, Hemmes has had animals for most of his life — though, these days, he says he's on the road too often to have a pet. "Cats are sort of my key animals, and I really enjoy [them]," he tells PEOPLEPets.com. “I used to collect stray cats and we used to have dogs and horses … cats really are something that are close to my heart, and maybe it is ironic that I ended up building a cat motorcycle."

The initial idea and inspiration dates back 10 years, when Hemmes came across the logo for Jaguar, and from there, he enlisted the expert help of custom bike builders Polar Cycles, in Doncaster, U.K., to bring his idea to life. "I'm pretty stubborn," he says. "I paid for it myself, and I worked really hard for it."

A lengthy process - three years to design and another three to build - Hemmes unveiled Night Shadow at the Bulldog Bash Motorcycle Show last year. The bike is now making appearances around Europe.

Even with all that work, not everyone is bowled over by his masterpiece. "I've had a lot of criticism in the past through blog sites, and that some people say I should be sued for infringement or copyright, because what I've done is disgraceful," he says. "And then I have many people absolutely raving about it and thinking it's an awesome piece of work. So, you have to put everything aside and do what makes one happy.”

So will Hemmes continue with the pet theme for his next bike? Yes! He's already hard at work on his second ride, a red bull motorcycle to add to his collection.

Click here to see a video of the bike in action!

See more pet-friendly rides on PEOPLEPets.com:
The Pet-Friendly Trailer Has Finally Arrived!
Love Your Pet? Say It with a Tattoo – for Your Car!

Karen J. Quan