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Old 12-26-2011, 10:38 PM   #36 (permalink)
Ken Fry
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee View Post
I think the trike layout can have advantages for one or two passenger side-by-side vehicles, but handling deteriorates quickly when loads in addition to those in a front seat are placed near the single wheel.
Although if the vehicle is light (granted... Aptera made a stab at handling this through redesign -- they just made the thing 3 times as heavy as first announced) then the side-by-side seating makes it handle like a motorcycle with a side car, with different right turn and left turn dynamics when one person is on board. The Aptera was so fat, that the driver was fairly close to the line between the left front and rear contact patches. Combine that with high CG and incorrect geometry, and you can expect poor handling.

Stiff suspension and low CG can help with this stuff.
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