Author Topic: The spirit of ingenuity is not dead  (Read 5171 times)

Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)

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The spirit of ingenuity is not dead
« on: February 28, 2010, 12:21:29 am »
I don't expect you'd get away with this on the roads over here, but I like this project

http://highmileagetrikes.blogspot.com/index.html#3810103703827805393

and I'm sure this one will appeal as well

http://highmileagetrikes.blogspot.com/index.html#269451462373390985
Malcolm
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P50

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Re: The spirit of ingenuity is not dead
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2010, 08:17:13 am »
To quote.

MPG has yet to be determined, but I'd say around 120.
No insurance is required, and I might be able to perswade the first cop who pulls me over that It's technically a motorized tricycle. If not they'll make me register it as a moped which will costing me $35 a year.


Err if not they'll make me register?

Pull a stroke like that in the socialist khazi called britain (little B) and some zelous nazi will have you for no tax/MOT/insurance plus no registration straight off. No negotiation. Nadir. Nothing.   Prob 9 points and 500 pound fine.   Then it would have to go for full SVA approval with hazzards, seat belts, hydraulic brakes blah blah blah

Think of the serious accident that might happen if you bumped into a ferral seven year old on a sink estate running away from an arson attack on a shed at 23mph.  


No grey areas here. Watched, monitored and nicked.  

Be thankful no regressive legislation on old junk we drive. Yet...

"Men of worth act like men of worth, and men of genius, who produce
things beautiful and excellent, shine forth far better when other people
praise them than when they boast so confidently of their own achievements."
-Benvenuto Cellini

AndrewG

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Re: The spirit of ingenuity is not dead
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2010, 12:50:07 pm »
Sadly, although scooter power units are attractive to one-off builders because they are so self-contained, modern ones aren't very economical - this mainly seems to be because they have belt CVT which is very inefficient, plus most people don't ride them far enough that fuel economy matters much to the designers.  The CVT has the additional problem that if you change the drag (increasing it to a three-wheeler, or reducing it by streamlining a two-wheeler), you can't change the gear ratio.

This Dutch guy nearly halved the fuel consumption of a chain-driven, geared-gearbox Honda 125 by improving its aerodynamics plus some other moderately serious mods (like converting it from centrifugal to manual clutch):

http://www.velomobiel.nl/allert/Recumbent%20motorbike.htm




Andrew

Bob Purton

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Re: The spirit of ingenuity is not dead
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2010, 12:57:05 pm »
"Think of the serious accident that might happen if you bumped into a ferral seven year old on a sink estate running away from an arson attack on a shed at 23mph. "

Loughton must be a rough old place to live now Perry!

P50

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Re: The spirit of ingenuity is not dead
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2010, 01:28:40 pm »
hehe. I was referring to Hornchurch actually....
"Men of worth act like men of worth, and men of genius, who produce
things beautiful and excellent, shine forth far better when other people
praise them than when they boast so confidently of their own achievements."
-Benvenuto Cellini

Bob Purton

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Re: The spirit of ingenuity is not dead
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2010, 05:41:40 pm »
If it was Hornchurch the kid would have set fire to the shed AND nicked your motorised tricycle!  :D :D :D