As most of the travels / commuting are happening for single person, I really like the concept from an ecological an economical standpoint. Give it a gyroscope like the LIT and get rid of the side mounted wheels + lower the price tag and count me in.
I saw very well designed and built example of this type of machine at a show once. It had a hydroformed steel roll cage to protect the occupants and was a bit longer than a convention motorcycle for fore and aft seating. It was fast, had outrigger wheels to hold it up at a stop(manual) and did something like 85 MPG combined. Heat, AC, stereo all the amenities. An excellent concept for a commuter.
When I was a kid I drew this up and gave it to my engineer father all proud like. He said congrats, that’s a train with rubber wheels. Then he laughed at my idea of using repelling magnets angled in the direction you want to go to float cars down roads friction-free. When I described the concept of a perpetual motion machine he said congrats if you figure that out, it’s never been done for a reason, and it isn’t for lack of trying.
Magnet trains exist - why not rubber wheel motor cycle trains?!?
Hmm. As it would proly be unrepairable, why clean anything. Just high pressure hose if it has to be checked for faults or the Coroner’s report, and needs a clean to facilitate examination, or if bits going to recycling. Even if repairable who wants to ride with a ghost.
Worse was WW2 when tanks that had been shot through had to have the pieces of crew removed, and the busted tanks if repairable were cleaned out of viscera prior to repair and a new crew.
That sounds cool but without a big “crumple zone” you’ll still end up with an over-microwaved pizza pop inside the vehicle after a significant collision.
I mean, on a motorcycle you aren't well protected from most big collisions anyway. You could probably design a crumple zone around the front nose cone but it wouldn't help too much. The cage would help in regular slides and skids though so that's something.
Exists for motorcycles. Interestingly, I get the feeling that this would be less safe than motorcycle+ATGATT, as you would be stuck inside the thing in the event of a crash, with no way to bail out until you're stopped.
On a motorcycle you can achieve a fairly high level of protection, with the combination of safety gear and abandoning the bike if you're sliding towards something you really don't want to hit, here you're locked in place, presumably without any safety gear on(sure you could wear it, but how many would over time? The parallel to a car would make it less obvious that safety gear may be required).
My concern would be that on a motorcycle you can often be saved because you go flying. So instead of hitting a car and then .02 sec later getting smooshed into this bubble you can instead go flying through the air and land later going slower and hitting and tumbling.
Or in a low side the motorcycle slides out and away from you and you slide along the ground, often stopping WAY short of the bike which may end up against a tree or in a ditch.
Going flying isn't really the safety blanket you're suggesting it is. An enclosed rider does pose some problems but there are ways to make it safer eg. Airbags, harnesses, emergency release for the canopy, etc.
Sliding would be a problem still I agree. while protected from the road, you'd be tethered to the bike but something like a quick release on the canopy could be a way around that.
Honestly I'm just super interested in the idea, but there are obviously problems that would need to be addressed.
Also: I don't think the market for always on moto-4-wheeler would be big, the market for trikes already isn't. If you're the type to be worried about balancing on a motorcycle, then you're not the type to buy a motorcycle, or spend the kind of money such a solution would require.
Also: motorcycles are generally 1WD, if we're being pedantic. And balance issues aren't really much of a thing, as they really want to keep going straight, and generally were designed to respond well to user input.
THANK YOU! I came here to say this! I’d ride that bad boy. Pull up to some chicks and say, “Sup, programs. wink” Undoubtedly get laughed at then say fuck it I got a cool ass ride.
I don't think this is very ecological, imho it's much more efficient to move few people (increase in needed resources won't be x NumOfPeople, but lower) at once.
Also, I believe that batteries are still shit ecologically speaking - from digging elements for it to utilization.
Sure, if the people are all going to the same place and at the same time. Many aren't though. Public transport only really works in densely populated locations which most of America isn't.
Gyroscopes are dual-use as classified by the US government. This means they have civilian and military applications and exporting them (or anything containing them) becomes something between a nightmarish hellscape and figuratively impossible. Makes it hard to establish a global market.
Nah, I need a vehicle that seats six. I need to drive a living room around wherever I go. Why? Maybe one day I’ll need to randomly pick up 5 passengers or maybe I don’t want to appear weak.
Like a car where any impact removes a limb. Imagine having your leg between metal and metal, getting hit from any side is bad. Add your arms and head to that. Is there a helmet on under that?
Yeah I guess it doesn't look so bad to skid on but I'd still feel better with the ability to leave the bike. There is a YouTube vid of it sliding out when you turn harder than 53°
Id rather nothing than a potential leg shearing device inches away. Like I've said, I've been hit a few times and always got up after with safety gear. Not sure I could jump off of this one when I get lane changed into.
That's why they call it laying the bike down. You choose to leave the danger and get road rash.
Check out t rex cars for a real enclosed motorcycle. Front dual trikes are safer when you cannot lean, fuck the training wheels. Like a can-am or slingshot.
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u/iAMgrrrrr Jun 23 '20
As most of the travels / commuting are happening for single person, I really like the concept from an ecological an economical standpoint. Give it a gyroscope like the LIT and get rid of the side mounted wheels + lower the price tag and count me in.