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Well thanks for the thoughts! I think the main point that I take on board is to forget the synergy with other systems on the vehicle and go for the lightest and simplest solution.
I’m very familiar with gearbox karts, as we know them over here, and I admire the engineering of the typical rod shift system using spherical rod-end bearings. However, the distance that I need to cover, without intrusion into the driver’s space, makes for a complex arrangement. Karts have different entry and fitting criteria, so I need to find a design with that precision of selection, but a light, simple and non-intrusive operation.
So, with an eye to a “mechanical” system, I think its got to be cable operated. Using two lightweight cables (bicycle brake cables) working in opposition to one another – a pull/pull system.
The reason I considered other “powered” systems was the synergy benefits, as the parking stand will definitely require power assistance. My calculations show that it will require quite a lot of energy to deploy a parking stand correctly. The “overcenter” action will need to lift the vehicle by say 50mm, and that’s from the unloaded position. So it will need to lift at least 50% of the riders weight and approx 40kg of its own weight (but that’s a guess). This is because, unlike a traditional motorcycle, it will be practically impossible to enter or exit and still support the machine upright. Just like getting in or out of a car, the driver will rely upon the machine for stability.
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