Is it a bike? Is it a plane? Bizarre-looking vehicle stopped on motorway

Police have described stopping one of the strangest vehicles seen on Britain’s roads – a motorbike gaffer-taped to a look like a boat.

The odd-looking contraption and its driver were flagged down on a motorway near Bedfordshire on Sunday evening, prompting a somewhat confused tweet from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire roads policing unit.

“The most unusual vehicle I’ve stopped on a motorway in my 26 years! All checked and in order, although still not convinced I know what it is,” the officer in control of the account posted.

While some said the vehicle was reminiscent of the Messerschmitt bubble cars prevalent in the mid 20th century, others suggested it looked like a Quasar motorbike from the 1980s.

The latter was closer to the truth – Bedfordshire Police said it transpired to be a motorbike with a shell made mostly of fibreglass and plastic around it.

Sergeant Stephen Andrews from the roads policing unit said: “This is certainly not a vehicle that is seen very often on our roads but after road side inspection we couldn’t find anything that would prevent the rider to continue his journey.

“The vehicle was keeping up with other traffic and didn’t cause any obstruction to other road users.

“The owner made sure that he fulfilled all the safety regulation as well as keeping the insurance, MOT and tax in date.”