William Shatner Tests His 500-HP Rivet Trike With A Cross-Country Ride

William Shatner isn’t know for doing things halfway. The 84-year-old actor/author/pitchman’s many hobbies has now grown to include a cross-country charity ride aboard a 500-hp V-8 trike.

Launched on Tuesday, the first product of Rivet Motors was designed by Shatner and built by motorcycle company American Wrench, houses a 6.2-liter supercharged LSA V-8 behind its stainless-steel bodywork. Shatner took the tiller in Illinois heading west, with planned stops at American Legion halls around a documentary/reality show that’s being filmed during his journey.

Being as it was the first time anyone had driven the Rivet, problems were expected; Shatner said on Twitter he had to finish the first leg on a backup Harley trike after the Rivet’s steering developed a hitch in rural Illinois. "It’s a work of art,“ Shatner told the Chicago Tribune. "There are hopes and dreams of a great many people that are riding on this ride.”

Here’s Shatner talking about his Rivet creation in an interview with Yahoo Tech’s David Pogue:

Photos: Rivet Motors via Facebook