Nichola Beckford/Contributor

The term SEMA build is a thing. That is when exhibitors create outrageous projects and bring them to the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, each year, in the hopes of gaining as much attention possible for their product. These tend to fall into two categories, existing wild builds that were just brought to SEMA and crazy builds that were just done specifically for SEMA. Whichever one they are, SEMA builds always leave attendees entranced for better or worse. It wasn’t an easy task given the large scope of unleashed imagination, but here are the top three most insane SEMA builds for 2022.

3: Demon Motorcycle — Count’s Kustoms

In motion or static this motorcycle drew attention, with a capital A. Most people probably don’t even remember what booth or product this monstrous display was supposed to be promoting, but they did stop dead on their tracks. It wasn’t even the bike builder’s booth. Pictures don’t do this creation justice. It’s insane from every angle. Created by Las Vegas-based Count’s Kustoms, this motorcycle has been extensively modified to look like a demon, from back and front. The intricate details like integrating the head and brake lights into both faces, the bold colours, and the extensive extrusions for the large horns and teeth make this one scary motorcycle. Whoever is brave enough to ride this thing will not be messed with.

2: The Ricochet ARV — Plan B

How do you make one of the most military vehicles ever made even more military? You send it to Plan B with a cheque for US$278,000 to start. What returns is what Plan B had in their booth. Not technically, a specific SEMA build, but making its SEMA debut was the Ricochet ARV, that’s Armoured Response Vehicle. Note, this is available to anyone, any…, one. The base vehicle is a civilian GM HUMMER H1. The body is then reworked to be able to withstand high powered rifle fire. Plan B term the Ricochet a Light Tactical Civilian Vehicle, purpose built to be the ultimate in off-road, emergency response and riot avoidance. Beyond the increase in visual aggression over the already imposing HUMMER H1, the Ricochet ARV has upgraded suspension and engine to handle the massive angular armoured body now sitting on the HUMMER’s chassis. A suggestion to those who might be interested in this, maybe move from that neighbourhood.

1: Shadow Six Typhoon — Shadow Six Racing

One word, Florida. From the state that constantly tells Texas to ‘hold my beer’, is an unholy union between two of American favourite recreational toys, jet skis and side-by-sides. No human brain has the capacity to understand what’s happening here. Shadow Six took a UTV, removed its wheels, and added a pair of jet skis. Yes, you read that correctly, no wheels, jet skis, so the Typhoon operates on water. The top ¾ is the expected UTV with its long travel shocks. The body is custom, built from aerospace grade titanium and carbon fibre for lightweight and safety in extreme surf conditions. It uses aftermarket panels from a Polaris RZR side-by-side, and can fit one to three people, in case an owner can find two other human beings crazy enough to join them.

At the end of those shocks are a pair of modified jet ski hulls. Of course, I doesn’t stop there, because ‘Murica! Each hull has a 1.8-litre four-cylinder supercharged Yamaha engine, with an output of 250bhp. That’s right, it has 500bhp. If that’s not enough, buyers can order their Typhoon with more power, up to three stages. The base specification sees the Shadow Six Typhoon Aquatic Utility Vehicle (AUV) — a world’s first, able to hit 68mph on water. Stage three moves that speed goalpost to a reported 80mph plus. It’s real, cannot be unseen, and can be purchased starting at US$250,000.