Craig Vetter Quote...

[Grant-53]

The Mid Ohio contest course is very close to my driving conditions. We have considered raising some of our own food but our lot is 100' x 100'. P & G needs to be applied as conditions allow including turns and grades. I would keep a 10 mph range and accelerate at no more than 75% throttle but keeping a 3 sec. distance between vehicles.
As for motorcycle safety we have yet to make a concerted effort to improve active or passive safety. Start with a lap belt and helmet. Improve visibility by adding marker lights to an eye catching paint scheme. Then start designing fairing shells that add leg protection and crush zones. Use your horn and hand signals politely to interact with car drivers.

[Quasimoto]

Craig, if your tuned in, this is a little off subject; but what ever happened on the trip to Kosman Specialties to lower the seat height on the Ninja?

[TFS]

Originally Posted by cvetter

Yeah... California winds make a good testing grounds.

Yeah no kidding!

I haven't read the whole thread, but I have seen many aero projects and seen some crazy mileage competitions that don't prove much or result in any practical innovations.

I picked the Vetter contest back in the day because you have to be legal and ride on the street, in traffic, in the wind, whatever.

One of our college clubs was in an SAE contest with lawnmower engines and they coasted around in parking lots at 15 mph, then bragged about getting 800 mpg. Who cares?

[cvetter]

I sent the attached PhotoShop sketch to the Kosman folks. Let me make contact with them today and report back. It would be encouraging to them if you sent them an E mail reflecting your interest. It may persuade them to take action. Kosman Specialties | Building Speed since 1965

Craig

[jkv357]

Originally Posted by TFS

Yeah no kidding!

I haven't read the whole thread, but I have seen many aero projects and seen some crazy mileage competitions that don't prove much or result in any practical innovations.

I picked the Vetter contest back in the day because you have to be legal and ride on the street, in traffic, in the wind, whatever.

One of our college clubs was in an SAE contest with lawnmower engines and they coasted around in parking lots at 15 mph, then bragged about getting 800 mpg. Who cares?

Welcome Steve! (it is Steve, right?)

Glad to have you as a new Ecomodder member and appreciate you joining-in on the discussion.

I saw a photo of your Vetter entry in another thread - maybe you could start your own thread and highlight how your built it and what you have learned about streamlining.

I'm sure there are lot of members here that would appreciate hearing your experiences designing and building a cycle for mileage competition.


Jay

[TFS]

Originally Posted by jkv357

Welcome Steve! (it is Steve, right?)

Glad to have you as a new Ecomodder member and appreciate you joining-in on the discussion.

I saw a photo of your Vetter entry in another thread - maybe you could start your own thread and highlight how your built it and what you have learned about streamlining.

I'm sure there are lot of members here that would appreciate hearing your experiences designing and building a cycle for mileage competition.

Jay

Jay-
I'll try and do something tonight, thanks. Yeah, the name is Steve. TFS is a leftover nickname from moto journalism days.

If you want a story I did a couple of months ago about building a Mylar-wrapped streamliner for the 1984 Vetter contest and how it turned out, go to
Www.stevebruhn.com.

I plan on being at the next years event. If no entry, at least I want to do a bunch of pics and write it up.

Note that the last winner didn't have a rear fairing section. I think maybe a rear piece can work, but you need to keep air from separating. Some HPVs were using spandex for that. It may look silly day-to-day, but for one contest it may help results.

(I know what Craig is thinking...so what, we are going for long term practical, not one-weekend!)

[jkv357]

Thanks for the link to your site - you're a busy guy!

Lots of good streamliner info (and great photos) right there!

http://www.stevebruhn.com/vetter1984.htm

http://www.stevebruhn.com/vetter1984LL.htm


Jay