Eccentric man turns his Henry the Hoover vacuum cleaner into a mini motorcycle, but finds it still handles ‘corners’ as poorly as a vacuum cleaner

An eccentric engineer has converted a Henry Hoover vacuum cleaner into a mini motorcycle, but he admits it doesn’t handle corners well.

Systems engineer Allan Gallop, 35, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, worked with a team of enthusiasts to fit the broken device with a two-stroke 50cc engine, handlebars and new wheels.

Now the updated machine can reach a top speed of 45 km/h, with hilarious footage of a rider taking it for a spin on a stretch of asphalt.

But the inventor joked that the converted device – called ‘Henry Hoofer’ – still works as a household cleaner around corners.

Mr Gallop, a father-of-three, said: ‘Almost all the parts are recycled junk, with the exception of the braking system and tyres.

‘The top speed is currently unknown, because no one has had the courage to find out yet.

‘In theory the speed should be around 45 km/h, but unfortunately it still handles corners as poorly as a vacuum cleaner.’

Mr Gallop came up with the bizarre idea with members of a local charity group called Men in Sheds MK.

The members, many of whom are retired, produce individual and collective projects in a workshop, using wood, metal and electronics.

Mr Gallop said they had speculated about what to bring to a national meeting of inventors when they decided to convert vacuum cleaners.

He added: ‘I’m not sure who came up with the motorized Henry Hoovers, but the idea was an instant success. My brain immediately jumped to ‘put a motor in it’.

‘One of our members managed to secure about six broken Henry vacuum cleaners and when they arrived I realized that not only would a 50cc pocket bike engine fit, but it could also be rideable.

‘Work began in earnest by stripping the Henry down to just the outer shell and cutting away most of the bottom and internal support structure to take measurements.

‘I knew it was going to be tight, but on paper it all made sense, so I started making a frame from a steel angle to mount the engine, steering and drivetrain.’

Mr Gallop said the most difficult part of the design process was trying to fit an axle to the back of the vacuum cleaner that could support a set of wheels.

He said: ‘The biggest problem with the build was the rear axle – it has a 10mm diameter as that was the only size I could find pillow blocks that would also fit the frame

“I was very fortunate that the shed had recently received a large turning and milling machine as a donation and a fellow member was a retired machine shop teacher.

‘Together we have been able to design and manufacture custom flanges and hubs to hold the wheels, sprocket and brakes with a high degree of precision.’

Mr Gallop said the machine cost very little to produce as most of its parts were collected from waste and other recycled materials.

But he said if every part were bought new, the motorized cleaners would cost around £400 to make.

The prototype was finally completed early this year and after Mr Gallop posted videos of the vacuum cleaner on TikTok, it received half a million views.

He said, ‘Well, it’s funny, isn’t it? I expected people to say, “Look at this lunatic riding a Henry Hoover.”

‘But before I knew it the video had already been viewed a million times! Suddenly I hear people talking about it.

“I’m ecstatic about the popularity that Henry has gained because it brings some joy into the world, and that’s what’s really important.”