h a l f b a k e r yPoof of concept
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Baseing a motorcycle wheel idea on a motorcycle I've seen a magazine where the wheels were spokeless and just an outside rim used with nothing inside (think huge rim bearings). I thought, why not put the motor and trans inside the back wheel too now since it's empty inside the wheel. Make the back
wheel larger if need be to fit the engine and trans. Then, since the motorcycle's engine is not under the rider anymore, move the seat down to near the ground on top of the bottom frame pipes. The front wheel could be small with long handlebars and it would look a little like a low riding dragster motorcycle. If the front wheel was spokeless, electronics or other items could be housed inside the front wheel too. It would have a low center of gravity so it should be quite stable. The motor cycle would look something like this... o__/O
Honda P-50
http://www.transit-...ue/ny/honda_p50.jpg
But nobody calls it a "motorcycle". [Amos Kito, Oct 04 2004, last modified Nov 30 2008]
Kind of like this?
http://www.osmos-wh...lication_motos.asp#
Motorcycles with hubless wheels. Drive mechanism is located inside the wheels. [ato_de, Oct 04 2004]
Motor wheels
http://www.nytimes....ircuits/02next.html
...or possibly wheel motors. [DrCurry, Oct 04 2004]
Electric bike using this idea
http://www.nytimes....007&partner=NEOBIKE
Former US presidential candidate General Wesley Clark owns a company that makes electric bicycles with in-wheel drive. [pbx, Oct 04 2004]
Smith Motor Wheel
http://www.ohtm.org/eng_smith.html
[afinehowdoyoudo, Jul 13 2008]
Similar seat layout.
http://www.allameri...alligator_home.html
Vroom Vroom. [Giblet, Jul 14 2008]
[link]
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This may work in concept if a small displacement rotary engine could be housed inside a big wheel. The main drawback I can see is that the unsprung weight would be huge, leading to handling difficulties. |
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Such a good idea, this was thought of ages ago (1930's? may be 1950's). They called them 'stinkwheels', with a 50 or 75cc two-stroke engine. You see them occasionally in museums, but they never really took off (no wings, you see). They were fitted to slightly uprated bicycles. Don't know about the dragster idea, though. |
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What [egbert] says, the unsprung weight would be detrimental. Of course, if it was a hardtail . . . . |
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The Honda P-50 mo-ped, circa 1965, had the engine on the back tire. When you got a flat -- and it always seemed to be the back tire -- you'd have to remove the engine. It was best to have two people on hand for that job. |
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Can't be good for durability to have that close of contact coupling between whatever pothole you're driving over and the engine. |
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almost been done. I got a calender a couple of years ago from the Guggenheim Museum "motorcyle as art" show. My favorite picture was some 1920s german bike that had a rotary radial engine built inside the FRONT wheel, like doing in the rear wheel wasn't enough of a challenge. I think it was a 5-cylinder. Easily the most bizarre motorcycle setup I've ever heard of. Great stuff. |
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Cyclemaster / uk used to build a 35cc 1 cylinder 2 stroke inside the back- wheel c.1950s.
I've got one in the garage - rebuilt and working. |
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You have to pedal like hell and let the clutch out to start it.
It has back pedal braking, and a thumb throttle. There are two hand operated brakes using solid pull rods. Quite difficult to control with clutch and brake on left, and brake and throttle on right. |
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The bicycle is a standard safety design: Raleigh. Not the reclined idea that you have, though. |
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The two stroke is quite noisy - would you want your head so close? |
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anyone thought about the gyro effect sounds like serious handling issues |
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i like the electric approach. adapt segway tech to make riding a wheelie so much easier. |
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The whole idea of riding that low promises one main problem...visability. That close to the ground you can't see what's coming. Also, in a head on accident of any kind you would have the front frame, forks and entire front wheel (electronics included) shoved up into that sunless district after ripping your manhood off (ewwwwww!)
The idea is cool, but I have yet to hear a practical reason for doing this. |
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using a smallish engins, incorporate a suspension inside the wheel as well, power both front and rear wheels with engines/suspensions inside both. Cool idea, but as stated before, no real compelling reason to do this. |
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some one made an engine and wheel type that replaces the front wheel of a bicycle |
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Sach-Huret made a 2-stroke version of just what you describe,for bicycles, in the 70s or 80s. Couldnt find a link though. |
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I gave a plus for the simplest and most effective drawing I've ever seen. |
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