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motorcycle built for two #2

Side by side
  (+2, -1)
(+2, -1)
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against]

Instead of one behind the other.

OK, cornering, stopping and filtering would all be severely compromised, but apart from that...what have the Romans ever done for us?

Ling, Mar 10 2007

Ural http://www.ural.com/
[nuclear hobo, Mar 10 2007]

Side-by-Side Tandem Bicycle http://www.citynoise.org/article/917
A modern sociable bicycle. [baconbrain, Mar 10 2007]

"The Sociable" http://freepages.ge.../y&fm+sociable.html
An old sociable bicycle. [baconbrain, Mar 10 2007]

Quasar #1 http://www.minimarc...gallery/newell.html
[hippo, Mar 12 2007]

Quasar #2 http://www.realclas...quasar06062000.html
[hippo, Mar 12 2007]

Quasar #3 http://en.wikipedia...Quasar_(motorcycle)
[hippo, Mar 12 2007]

up/down tandem bicycles http://www.velomobi...irdStuff/?g2_page=2
A couple of "different" home-built tandems [livewombat, Apr 06 2007]

Dual Control Tandem Dual-control_20tandem
Shameless self-promotion time! Hooray! [theleopard, Apr 06 2007]


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Annotation:







       Ever here of a *side car*?
nuclear hobo, Mar 10 2007
  

       Sure, but I'm thinking two wheels only.
Ling, Mar 10 2007
  

       by two wheels only do you mean inline or one either side?
the dog's breakfast, Mar 10 2007
  

       On either side? Now that would be a challenge. Unfortunately, I had the rather tame idea of having them in line - it's a normal bike, but with seats next to each other.
Ling, Mar 10 2007
  

       great for learning to ride - dual controls for a riding instructor!
po, Mar 10 2007
  

       Filtering: when motorcycles go to the front of the queue.
Ling, Mar 10 2007
  

       The first, fourth and fifth bikes on the Ural page (linked by unclear hobo) appear each to have two wheels, diagonally offset. This is ingenious.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 10 2007
  

       They used to build side-by-side bicycles like this back around 1900. They were called "sociables" to differentiate them from tandems, which means "long". See links.   

       Those are normal motorcycles with sidecars, [Max].
baconbrain, Mar 10 2007
  

       One can see why "sociables" never caught on. Aside from a balance problem with riders of different weights, who is steering?
nuclear hobo, Mar 10 2007
  

       //Those are normal motorcycles with sidecars, [Max].// I can see why you might think that. Bloody ingenious people, these Uralese.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 10 2007
  

       And another thing. If side-by-side and tandem have been done, why not above- and-below? Takes up less roadspace, and affords improved visibility.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 10 2007
  

       Baconbrain: thanks for the very nice links.
Ling, Mar 11 2007
  

       [Ling], you're welcome. I like the Python reference.   

       //Aside from a balance problem with riders of different weights, who is steering?//   

       You'd put the lighter rider further from the center of gravity. On a custom-made bike, this could be done exactly. On mass-produced sociables, they probably assumed a couple of likely ratios and designed for them. (Since sociables were for courting couples, you probably could assume something about their weights.) Customers bought the best balance, and packed their lunch on the light side.   

       Quite likely, the guy steered, but the linkages could be set up any way desired.   

       The biggest problem with sociables was going around corners and hitting pedals. This would be a little less of an issue on a motorbike.   

       //Bloody ingenious people, these Uralese.//   

       It's the mountain air.   

       I'd like to see a side-by-side motor scooter with a bench seat and a tiller to steer with. I realize that's practically a golf cart or a factory scooter trike, but the bench seat would negate balance problems. The tiller could have throttle and brake controls, so it could be used by either person, or by either hand of a solo rider. Oh, and a kickstand activator switch.
baconbrain, Mar 11 2007
  

       I may be wrong, but that first (much older) link from baconbrain shows a steering system where each rider has to effectively push/pull to steer.   

       One big disadvantage of a tandem is that you could lose your passenger and not know it. That's where a sociable is much better, 'cos you could throw them off instead.   

       Maxwell, I checked your Uralese bikes very carefully, and looking closely, the rear wheel seems to be just clear of the ground. Now that *is* clever.
Ling, Mar 12 2007
  

       //I may be wrong, but that first (much older) link from baconbrain shows a steering system where each rider has to effectively push/pull to steer.//   

       I see a linkage from the bottom of each head tube to the top of the fork. It's on the back, kind of hard to see.
baconbrain, Mar 12 2007
  

       Recumbant bikes, like the "Quasar" (see link) would be a good place to start for a side-by-side bike design - all you'd have to do is widen the seat and cabin to take two people sitting next to each other.
hippo, Mar 12 2007
  

       I'm asking on behalf of 'a friend', OK... but what if your wife's fat?
Mister Sketchly, Mar 14 2007
  

       (sp. "*your* wife")
hippo, Mar 14 2007
  

       The links by livewombat and theleopard: I bow down and eat humble pie, for my idea is surely quite tame compared to some of those examples.
Ling, Apr 06 2007
  

       I thought it said motorcycle built for #2. You know, for when you want to get from florida to houston without stopping, to keep and 'appointment'. I thought it was gross.   

       Also, your idea is a naked, two-wheeled car.
GutPunchLullabies, Apr 06 2007
  


 

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