When the tentacled aliens from Gliese 581g arrive on Earth, they’ll probably be riding a YikeBike.

At least, that’s how the YikeBike looks. In reality, it’s made for the posteriors of humans, not the glistening thoraxes of our future Gliesean overlords. It’s the most compact electric bicycle ever made, its creators claim, and it looks the way it does because they threw out every preconception about the way bikes are supposed to look.

Instead, they stripped the YikeBike down to its essentials: One big wheel to propel you forward and one little rear wheel to stabilize your ride. It’s a design that inventor Grant Ryan, the founder of YikeBike, calls a “mini-farthing.”

We spent some time with Ryan recently, riding his strange two-wheeled contraption around the Wired parking lot. Watch the video above to see it in action. Despite its looks, it’s quite fun to ride.

The YikeBike’s motor is contained within the hubless main wheel. It is a tiny high-rpm model, geared down considerably to propel the wheel. In contrast to most e-bikes, which top out at 200 or 300 watts, the YikeBike’s motor delivers 1000 watts of power, the better to propel you uphill. Batteries and control electronics are also tucked inside the wheel, with space left over for the rear wheel to tuck away when the thing is folded up. The body is made with copious amounts of carbon fiber, keeping the total weight to just 23 pounds.

Riding the YikeBike is not like riding a regular bicycle. It’s more wobbly, at least at first, and you have to get used to the unusual handlebar location. After a couple minutes on the bike I was already feeling considerably more comfortable, though, and I could see that half an hour’s practice would be plenty for me to feel ready to go almost anywhere.

It’s also loud. That high-rpm motor and the carbon fiber shell make it sound a bit like a UFO flyby. That can be a good thing, though, as it will help alert pedestrians to your approach. The lights on the handlebars are particularly bright, and while they’re attention-getting, they certainly increase your visibility. There are even headlights and turn signals.

The YikeBike can go as fast as 14 mph, or slightly faster than a Segway’s top speed of 12.5 mph. (However, there are no YikeBike polo leagues, at least that I know of.) It has enough battery capacity to go about 6 miles, and recharges in 40 minutes, Ryan says. In other words, you’re not going to be riding cross-country on the YikeBike, but it could make a great commuting e-bike.

That is, assuming you can get to your destination without being stopped every hundred feet by curious bystanders. As we found, even in a relatively secluded parking lot people will go out of their way to gawk at the YikeBike, ask questions and take pictures.

The price? A steep $3,600 in the U.S. (And if you’ve got the dough, you might want to look into whether it’s legal in your area before ordering one.)

Ryan says the company is starting with a high-end, carbon-fiber model, but plans more economical models for the future. For now, though, you’ll need a lot of money — and confidence — to ride this contraption.

For more information, see the YikeBike website.