Little car wanting to be a motorcycle

[Dragonslayer]

This was sitting outside the window of my office yesterday.

[Great adVENTURE]

Too cool, I wanna do that to mine!

[videoarizona]

That is cool!

 

But sobering.....our Ventures are the same size...

 

[bongobobny]

My trike is bigger than a Smart car, and faster...

[cowpuc]

Now THAT is AWESOME Bob!! I really really like those little cars and would love to have one.. Be fun to do a cross country trip in one, tent n bags stuffed in the back.. Might have hard time sneaking past those Fruit Fly inspectors at the California border though:big-grin-emoticon:

[cowpuc]

My trike is bigger than a Smart car, and faster...

 

I think a Smart Car would be more fun to go spin donuts with on an ice covered parking lot though:big-grin-emoticon:

Edited October 22, 2015 by cowpuc
"LOT" I forgot the word "LOT" - made no sense without it!!

[StarFan]

My dream is aquiring something called:

BMW Isetta

And/or

Messerschmidt

 

[cowpuc]

My dream is aquiring something called:

BMW Isetta

And/or

Messerschmidt

 

Its an ERKEL car and I have ALWAYS wanted one too!! Had an Uncle who owned one and it was AWESOME!!! Surprisingly well made little outfit..

[Leland]

I'm sure that the government would love it if all of its' subjects drove these little speed bumps.

[Flyinfool]

My trike is bigger than a Smart car, and faster...

 

But I'll bet the smart car can charge its battery......

[cowpuc]

But I'll bet the smart car can charge its battery......

 

Probably dont even need one,, lean out the door, hand on the ground, give er a push and away ya go..

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

That is cool!

 

But sobering.....our Ventures are the same size...

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]102105[/ATTACH]

 

In reality the Smart Car is about 2 inches larger in length than a 2nd Gen. I have done this battle with a

group of locals that felt I should share a micro car parking spot with another motorcycle. Sorry but it is only large enough for mine.

[camos]

In reality the Smart Car is about 2 inches larger in length than a 2nd Gen. I have done this battle with a

group of locals that felt I should share a micro car parking spot with another motorcycle. Sorry but it is only large enough for mine.

Stand your ground Kevin. In Victoria is is illegal for a car and motorcycle to share the same parking space. The vehicle closest to the meter or number post is deemed to be the valid user. Also, a space can be shared by only two motorcycles and again, the closest to the post is the winner. Just something to keep in mind when parking downtown.

[Midicat]

I thought that was so cool, I Googled it. Here are a couple more I found. I really like he one with the driver.

 

Thomas

[Venturous Randy]

My kid sister drove a blue and white left hand drive BMW Isetta to high school in the early 70's. She ended up with a designated parking spot up in front of the office because the guys kept carrying it off and hiding it. It was fun to drive, but impossible to miss a bump.

Randy

Edited October 27, 2015 by Venturous Randy

[cowpuc]

My kid sister drove a blue and white left hand drive BMW Isetta it high school in the early 70's. She ended up with a designated parking spot up in front of the office because the guys kept carrying it off and hiding it. It was fun to drive, but impossible to miss a bump.

Randy

 

You make a point to something I have wondered about on all the reverse trikes (i.e. Spyders, Sling Shots...) that being, with a single wheel in the back I wonder if its harder to avoid pot holes and road debris than with a standard Trike. Anyone care to elaborate? @Marcarl, @Carbon_One,, hello,, anyone home,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Made me laugh Rand,, I could picture a young Puc doing exactly what you mention here, gotta hunch your sister and her Isetta would have been a viable target even up here in the North country:cold:

[Carbon_One]

Puc all 3 wheelers suffer when trying to avoid bumps and mostly pot holes. Some times one can straddle a pot hole if conditions are right and if there's only one to navigate around. Throw in a bunch of them thou and about all you can do is try to avoid the worst ones. Even 4 wheelers can't always avoid those numerous holes we seem to have here in Michigan.

[cowpuc]

Puc all 3 wheelers suffer when trying to avoid bumps and mostly pot holes. Some times one can straddle a pot hole if conditions are right and if there's only one to navigate around. Throw in a bunch of them thou and about all you can do is try to avoid the worst ones. Even 4 wheelers can't always avoid those numerous holes we seem to have here in Michigan.

 

Thanks Lar.. Are there any different steering dynamics involved with hitting rough roads on a conventional trike compared to your sling - that are +'s and -'s? I know you have ample time with both and I always enjoy your much sought after wisdom and thoughts brother!!

 

Just thinking out loud here,, I have a hunch that if I had a reverse trike (Sling Shot, Spyder) I would figure out the sweetspot in navigating avoidable potholes and the like by figuring out where to aim to keep the pothole between the inner side of the front wheel and the outside of the rear - that make sense Larry?? Of course, the same rule would probably apply to a conventional trike were I ever to own one.. If I am on the right track with that thought,, is one type more user friendly and easier to apply that method of survival on the road?

[Carbon_One]

Ya Puc one learns just where those wheels are so those pot holes can be avoided, hopefully. Like you said just miss with a front wheel and the same with the rear wheel(s). I don't think it makes much difference whether you have one wheel or two in front as to being user friendly. I guess it might if a new rider had never ridden a mc or conventional trike and simply got on a reverse trike from the get go. In that case ones driving experience in a car would most likely dominate their driving style.

One other thing I've found in my experience of 3 wheeling is the width of the wheels track width. Some bikes have a rather narrow axle such as the Harleys and my RSV/Tri-Wing conversion with solid axles. The Hannigan on the other hand has a nice wide width due to design of independent suspension. My Slingshot is even wider yet thus make it even easier to get past those pot holes.

Larry

[cowpuc]

Ya Puc one learns just where those wheels are so those pot holes can be avoided, hopefully. Like you said just miss with a front wheel and the same with the rear wheel(s). I don't think it makes much difference whether you have one wheel or two in front as to being user friendly. I guess it might if a new rider had never ridden a mc or conventional trike and simply got on a reverse trike from the get go. In that case ones driving experience in a car would most likely dominate their driving style.

One other thing I've found in my experience of 3 wheeling is the width of the wheels track width. Some bikes have a rather narrow axle such as the Harleys and my RSV/Tri-Wing conversion with solid axles. The Hannigan on the other hand has a nice wide width due to design of independent suspension. My Slingshot is even wider yet thus make it even easier to get past those pot holes.

Larry

 

Now that is something I never really thought about, I can see where that added width would make for a much wider area of pot hole avoidance.. Seems like I read somewhere that the Sling also has a "stabilization mode" of some kind, may be wrong on that,, may even be an option? If your's does Larry, does that mode help in a situation where the back end may come in contact with a pot hole and try to toss the vehicle sideways? Maybe I am thinking wrong here, maybe its a traction control thing. What ever it is, how does that system work Larry - both literally and handling wise?

Tip and I test rode a couple demo Trike Harley's (talk about a BLAST), really really fun in the twisties but I did notice a couple times in some sweepers where I hit some rough spots and that back end did some interesting things, not bad if your expecting it but I can see if some rough stuff caught a guy leaned back - feet propped up in long distance touring mode it could be an awakening experience - wonder how that would play out with a trailer packed to the gills in tow:think:. Never have ridden an independent suspentioned trike but am guessing they would be a little easier to control in the same situation..

 

Gotta admit one thing Larry,, for an old worn out biker wanna be I sure ask a lot of questions dont I:big-grin-emoticon: