Vetter streamliner body kit

[sendler]

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

It's a max of 50-55mpg at steady speeds. I use pulse and glide heavily and that is what helps the mpg. Tail winds are nice but my record tank of 75 mpg was trips back and forth to work.

Must have been some serious fill error to get all the way from 55 to 75.

[Weather Spotter]

With puse and glide I can get that much better. Without it I can only get the 50-55 mpg.

[sendler]

How much can you really get at 65 on a trip. That is my point. Where is your fuel log? The car guys always get defensive and exaggerate over here whenever the subject of car vs bike comes up.

[cvetter]

I must reel you in. The goal of this thread is to find out if I should make the kit components so you can streamline virtually any 2 wheeler you want.



I have until Christmas, to decide if here is any interest from you. The parts will cost around $2000 for all five pieces plus shipping from California.

Whtcha think?

Craig Vetter

Designer

[HydroJim]

I would try and find a way to lower the price of the kit if possible.

You can get a body kit for a car for $500 and it's essentially the same thing as far as pieces and material goes.

Are you building them each by hand? If you could use injection molding or a similar process, you could probably sell them cheaper.

As far as interest goes, I feel that most people who rides bikes couldn't care less about fuel economy. Most like the thrill. The average college kid who wouldn't mind saving money on fuel for his bike probably can't afford a $2000 fairing.

[sendler]

Yes. $2000 is way too high. I might go $300 for a nose and $300 for the cowl as a hobbiest, competitor and out of appreciation for all of the ground work you have done. Most people would probably still find this a stretch.

[cvetter]

Everything you say about expense is true. I (we) do projects like this out of passion. Not for money. True too is your observation that most motorcyclists don't care about fuel economy. This saddens me. However, the few that do care are here on the Ecomodder forum.

This kit makes streamlining easy. How many people would you guess - in the world - will want to buy a kit like this? I think you could count them on two hands. There is no money to be made in producing streamliner kits. You cannot buy such a thing from anyone, at any price.

I have my streamliner. I am just trying to help you get one.

[Varn]

Way to go Craig. I have done some body work in composite. Everyone thinks you should just be able to pop them out for about 10 dollars. It aint going to happen.

I had a windjammer back when. After a crash I sent it down a dug well when I was filling it in. I imagine that 500 years from now some archaeologist will dig it out and you will be famous again.

Again great design and proof
Dave
veloliner.com

[3-Wheeler]

Originally Posted by sendler

I knew this was coming next. Some of you guys must have a perpetual tail wind. I have driven my 2001 Honda insight 140,000 miles over the last 7 years. My best summer averages were 68 mpgUS at 65 mph. And I draft. I have entered competitions with the highly modified Alfred State University Insight. The best they can do is 82 mpgUS at 45 mph.

Sendler,

That mileage sounds way too low !!!!

In the summer, and traveling on a flat country road at 45 mph, the Insight can easily get over 100 mpg. I mean easily. This does not require belly smoothing panels, or a tail any other mods.

In fact on a hot summer day, 120 mpg is more realistic.

Throw in some EOC and now your looking at 130 or more.

I wonder if they used a CVT instead of MT?

Jim.

[3-Wheeler]

Originally Posted by cvetter

I must reel you in. The goal of this thread is to find out if I should make the kit components so you can streamline virtually any 2 wheeler you want.



I have until Christmas, to decide if here is any interest from you. The parts will cost around $2000 for all five pieces plus shipping from California.

Whtcha think?

Craig Vetter

Designer

Craig,

I might be spilling the beans by answering your post here, but I fully intend on Gurney-fying my VF500 motorcycle, then developing a full dustbin fairing for it.

I really do appreciate all the work you have done on yours however.

Jim.