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Let us have a moment of silence for the poor folks blown off the Tampa Sunshine Bridge in their VW microbus in the 1960's. Not so much the area forward of the front wheels
(12 in.) but the area ahead of the CG with the rear engine and no down force.
We are looking to manage airflow and the resulting forces in various scenarios. The cross section radius and pressure forces relative to the vertical and horizontal CG are key to the stability versus response set up. The desired lean angle will affect any spoilers or canards. Down force increases control at the cost of drag. I am looking at the design of vintage glider designs with elliptical hulls (e=0.7) and a modest (4 degrees) negative angle of attack. The ground clearance will be higher on the bicycle, likely 12 in. versus 4-6 inches on a motorcycle.
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