But like all things people are passionate about, some fans are inclined to tweak and put their own spin on the Segway. Here are thirteen Segway mods that are just crazy enough to be real. (And don’t read that the wrong way — all of these are the genuine article.)

Apple Computer Segway

Undoubtedly made for some kind of PR use, this Segway was modded by Segway Junkyard to include a 20″ LED TV that runs off an Apple G4. The Segway also has a built-in WiFi printer. [Source]

Big Wheels Segway

Sometimes 12.5 miles an hour — the standard Segway’s maximum speed — just isn’t fast enough. This guy traded out the standard 19″ wheels for a pair of 36″ bicycle spokes. The result, thanks to the physics of bigger wheels having more area to spin, is a Segway that the owner managed to get up to 20.5 mph, but estimates could max out at 24 mph. But don’t try this at home — he says himself that this is an admittedly “dangerous” modification that could cause serious injury or even death. [Source]

Flying Segway

Okay, so it’s not really a Segway. But it works using the same lean-to-move gyroscopic technology that the Segway does, so pundits have dubbed it the “Flying Segway.” In reality, it’s called the “Vertipod,” and it hovers up to fifteen feet above the ground. It’s still in an experimental phase, but Air Buoyant, the company that’s manufacturing the device, expects to make them available to buy eventually. [Source]

Homebrew Segway #1

This homemade Segway was built by one enterprising builder who cobbled it together out of “leftover crap around the house.” No idea how well it handles, but I’m guessing it cost a lot less than buying the real thing. [Source]

Homebrew Segway #2 – Student Project

Daniel Fukuba, graduate of Palo Alto High School, built his own Segway, but says it actually cost him more to build one rather than buy one. He’s even started a website to help people better learn how to build a balancing scooter of their very own. [Source]

Hot Rod Segway

Segway of Oakland tricked out this custom job in the style of a classic muscle car. [Source]

HDTV Segway

Similar to the Apple model above, this one’s been rigged with its own protective metal “skirt” and a generously-sized HDTV, to display advertising messages.

“Legway” Steampunk Segway

You’ve got to have strong legs — not to mention mad balancing skill — to operate this steampunk Segway. This old-school design has no electronic mechanisms at all. It’s one hundred percent human powered. Hence the name. [Source]

Multi-Wheel Segway

Just for the heck of it, this Segway enthusiast added extra wheels, making it look more like an ATV than a Segway.

Nintendo Segway

A few years ago, Nintendo famously added a virtual Segway to one of its Wii Fit titles — the fitness games that use the Balance Board that you stand on. This ain’t that. Instead, this trade show model featured an onboard display to show off the latest Wii titles. I know many a Nintendo fan who’d trade their firstborn for it. [Source]

Pirate Segway

Got no details on this one, but the picture album it’s a part of indicates that it was used in a parade. What’s with the Barbie down near the bottom? Is it supposed to be Tinkerbell, you think? [Source]

Tank Segway

A real Segway prototype ATV, this “SegVator SegTrax” is a trade off in power and distance for being able to traverse surfaces that other Segways dare not attempt. Its speed tops out at around 8 mph, and the standard charge is cut in half. [Source]

TRON Segway

Inspired by the aesthetic of Tron: Legacy, Ricky Brigante put this fully-functioning twist on his own Segway. Brigante himself admits that he “managed to add even more nerdiness to an already ultra-nerdy mode of transportation,” but you’ve got to admit… It’s pretty sweet. [Source]

Now, what if someone comes up with something like the Segway but still closely resembling the traditional car? That is what the makers of Segway and General Motors were thinking of when they came up with the concept of the PUMA, which is short for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility. By the way, I love the acronym.

Anyhow, this car cum Segway weighs only 300 pounds, and can carry two people. It is similar to the Segway in that it follows the same two-wheel principle. With regard to its power source, it is fully electric, and can travel 35 miles on a single charge. The speed? It can go as fast as 35 miles per hour.

I can now just imagine New York city – where the PUMA was unveiled, by the way – teeming with countless little cars. Needless to say, if the PUMA takes off, it will solve a lot of problems. Since it is electric, there would be less emissions. It will also lessen the tedious process of finding a parking space. Last, but perhaps one of the most important, it will mean less traffic on the streets. (That is if other cars are taken off the streets.)

However, since everything is still at the prototype stage, we have no ideas about the full capabilities of the PUMA as well as its price.