He uses a Ferrari V8 engine to build a 400 hp motorcycle... and just sold it for 500,000$

When Maxwell Hazan started work on a motorcycle powered by a Ferrari F355 engine, many thought it was just the delirium of a passionate engineer. However, almost two years later, this completely mad project has become a reality... and above all, a collector's item. The HF355, the only one of its kind in the world, has just been sold for over $500,000 to an undisclosed collector. A staggering sum for a motorcycle. But this is no ordinary motorcycle.

A Ferrari F355 transformed into a two-wheeled monster

Behind this project is Maxwell Hazan, an American tuner based in Los Angeles and already known for his extreme handcrafted creations. His idea: take the legendary 3.5-liter naturally-aspirated V8 from a 1999 Ferrari F355 and build a motorcycle around it. The result surpasses all expectations.

The HF355 develops around 400 hp and revs up to almost 10,000 rpm, with a claimed top speed of around 300 km/h. On paper, its performance is more reminiscent of a hypercar than a classic superbike. With a dry weight of just 265 kg, the power-to-weight ratio is simply mind-boggling.

But perhaps the most impressive aspect of this machine is the way it has been designed. There's no traditional frame here. The Ferrari engine acts as a structural element, directly integrated into an entirely custom-made chromoly tubular architecture. The transmission and rear suspension are attached directly to the V8, in an approach worthy of racing car engineering.

Handcrafted almost entirely by hand

What makes the HF355 even more incredible is the level of craftsmanship achieved by Maxwell Hazan. Virtually all components were designed, machined and assembled by hand in his workshop. Even the specific driveshafts connecting the Ferrari engine to the six-speed sequential gearbox had to be custom-developed after several trials and mechanical failures.

The carbon-fibre cladding also required a colossal amount of work. The bike uses sixteen unique elements fashioned from blocks of foam before being reproduced using a resin-infusion process usually reserved for the aerospace industry. Some parts deliberately reveal the raw carbon fiber, while the paint is a deep red.

And above all, there's the sound. The metallic howl of the Ferrari V8 released by the SC Project exhaust transforms this motorcycle into a true two-wheeled racing car. Hazan himself compares the sound to that of an IndyCar single-seater in the pits.

A motorcycle sold at full price

We had already followed this project on several occasions on Italpassion, notably when the HF355 was rolling for the first time, on his circuit debut. Every step of the way, this creation has aroused enormous enthusiasm among Italian mechanical enthusiasts.

The sale of this motorcycle for over $500,000 now confirms its status as a unique collector's item. At this price, its future owner hasn't just bought a motorcycle. He has probably just acquired one of the craziest mechanical creations ever built around a Ferrari engine.