following the logical conclusion of my minimal weight design brief, for my current build im looking into 3wheels (you know it makes sence!)
from my reaserch the key to 3wheel stability is haveing the CG as close to the paired wheels as possible. but i want to use a mid engine layout with a bike swing arm as its so simple. but this puts the weight at the wrong end!.
but the thought of much less restrictive SVA and AUW of sub 300kg is just SO tempting.
if i put the engine in the front,like a skunk ,ive then got the complication/weight and lower effeciency of a long drive train, and if i keep the engine at the back and move the paird wheels ive then got a plastic pig!! (have u seen the vigilantte bonkers!!)

www.vigillante.com/vigillante1.htm

HELP!

[Edited on 10/10/04 by malakiblunt]

http://www.vigillante.com/vigillante1.htm
When you get to it. I like the 2 front wheel approach myself, I saw too many bond bugs put through hedges. . I used to like them though.

Yes im with you on the tadpoles!
the morgan 3 wheelers especialy the lowered raceing ones are amoung the coolest looking cars ever! (very fast to!)

very very tasty!!!

Anyone remember the Bond Bug - only ever seen one!!!! Cool!!!

http://www.carcentric.com/SpitTrike.htm


Inspired by the 1933-52 Morgan F2 "barrel back" and F4 (both watercooled four-bangers with chain drive AND a driveshaft)..

like the spitfire, thats a realy neat solution with the rear diff.
however i would recomend side by side seating, otherwise when you have a passenger in the back i will move the cg backwards, destabilizeing the vehicle in roll.
but should make a realy nice vehicle.
like it.

quote:

---

Originally posted by malakiblunt
like the spitfire, thats a realy neat solution with the rear diff.
however i would recomend side by side seating, otherwise when you have a passenger in the back i will move the cg backwards, destabilizeing the vehicle in roll.
but should make a realy nice vehicle.
like it.

---

Yeah yor right in you would hope the driver would be taking it eiser with a pasenger-but the problem is how much eiser do you take it as the limit is now lower than when you were driveing alone!

I belong to a car builders club in NZ http://www.constructorscarclub.org.nz where we have one very enthousiastic builder of three wheeled bike engined cars. One John Bell. here is his last effort, which has been on the road for a few years now, Honda V twin powered. http://www.constructorscarclub.org.nz/profiles/profiletrivia.html John has almost finished his next one, which has a Gold Wing motor and single front wheel steering. It has a plywood chasis, and handlebar steering (so it can be registered as a bike). This is a great forum. Brian

cheers brian
i made a plywood bodyed car once not quite as good as our friends trike!. ill be very intrested to see his next 3wheeler has he seen the vigilante? thers a link earlyer in this thread.
thanks for the link looks like you guys are haveing fun out in NZ.

Here's some shots of John's current Three-wheeler project. Gold Wing Power. Sounds great. - Brian

That is a ringer for a Bug if it was painted orange. He ought to work for Reliant, he could get loads of inspiration from them (and parts )

Maybe you already know of this TRIMAGNUM. It's a bit old now, but basically accepts any bike rear end. I had a friend built one up to the stage that it could be driven, but he sold the project to someone elce who failed to complete it.
http://www.rqriley.com/tri-mag.html
Lots of three-wheeler tech stuff at the site.
Cheers Brian




[Edited on 23/10/04 by Ratman]

[Edited on 23/10/04 by Ratman]

It looks really good from the back, but the front looks like a large piece of cheddar

malakiblunt have you seen this design ?

i realy like the trimagnum, think its being part of the starwars generation (30 something!)
yeah the robert riley site is a realy good resorce for trike stuff,im useing his formula to calculate the rollover threshhold of my project
the goldwing powerd machine looks a bit alarming! whats it like round corners? i would imagine its prety good in a strieght line!Though looking again hes obviously thought out the design, and got the weight distrubushion sorted,
is it still plywood?
i herd a goldwing once with stright through pipes 6 of um sounded fantastic , still looked like a carnival float mind!
yes i have seen the sportscycle, intresting vehical but a bit of a styling disarster!
have you seen the indycycle? www.indycycle.net
one of the best looking trikes ive seen though keeping it a single seater makes the job eiser.
years ago someone tried to start a onemake 3wheeler raceing class with a snowmobile powerd machine looked fantastic and aparently went as well but geuess it didnt catch on.

[Edited on 24/10/04 by malakiblunt]

I really like this design, The guy is out there a bit with the whole mafgnet powered (hence the name) wheels, I think it's a great idea, but the cost will be huge for one, I Kinda did a "early on paper layout" based on a busa drivetrain, mounted sidways with the output shaft hooked to a shaft driven rear wheel, which I think is more probable. I would imagien that it is very stable both in straight line and cornering, as long as the weight is kept closer to the front (like a (60/40 split).

Web: http://www.naulapaa.com/degree04.html

Yeah i realy like it to,dont think its got anywere near 60/40 with a rear engine. but it wouldnt matter if it leans as that keeps the cg within the wheel base, though to be hohnest leaning designs scare me a bit as its fine whilst it workss but what happens if you get a bit out of shape? you only have to see what happens to bikes when you get on the power to quick out of a corner- highside anyone och!
but still it would be a real buzz. think it could work fine non leaning with a bike engine as its got a very low CG.

Does it actually use an internal combustion engine, or is it electric? I don't see any signs of an engine or exhaust. it doesn't even look as if there's enough room at the rear for an engine. How does it drive?
Those wheel/hub assemblies are pure sex!
Ah! Google just returned the relevant site. It's actually a mid-petrol-engine with electric motors at the wheels.
Read about it here.
Interestingly, it's tilting is done by hydraulics rather than the more normal (and lighter, I would have thought) mechanical method.
I just love it.

Lots more photos here.

[Edited on 26/10/04 by Hugh Jarce]

most of the tilting trikes use active hydrulics, the mercedes lifejet(who thort of that name!) and the dutch carver.hydrulics can be realy smal light a power steering pump would be more than enough.
however i agree on such a light single seater a pasive system would make more sence, but rember its a student concept design, car designers are very realy engineers!