This Coastal Connection is sponsored by Baths by Spicer Bros.
SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Justin Bonneville, a Sussex County native, explains his latest project that has heads turning on the road. The motorcycle-jet ski hybrid he calls the Land Doo, is the latest in his passion to build anything with two wheels.
Bonneville says he got the idea after seeing similar creations in Florida and decided to try building one himself. With over 20 years of motorcycle experience, he knew exactly how to make it happen. The motorcycle enthusiast stripped all the plastic off a bike, slimmed it down as much as possible, then customized an old jet ski shell to fit over the frame.
“Once I had that bare frame scooter, then I knew the dimensions of the hole I needed to cut in the bottom of this jet ski,” he explained.
The jet ski came from a friend’s backyard for just $100. It had a blown motor and wasn’t seaworthy. But that didn’t matter for Bonneville's land-bound plans.
“I always tell people, yeah, straight to the bottom,” he joked, when asked if the Land Doo could go in the water.
What makes the project most memorable for Bonneville isn’t the ride, it’s the reactions from people who see it.
“It’s been very positive, from young to old. Everybody’s at first like, ‘What is that?’ And then it finally kind of dawns on them,” he said.
And for Bonneville, the best part is connecting with kids who get just as excited about the bike as he once did growing up.
“I was that kid who, when they saw a biker going down the road, wanted them to rev the bike. That’s typical kid stuff,” he said.
While the Land Doo might look like it belongs in the bay, Bonneville made sure it met all DMV rules and regulations so it’s legal to ride on the street. You just might catch him cruising along the coast this summer.
