Craig Vetters Helix Streamliner stolen
 

Ba$tards.

From Craig's webpage:

Crap. Is that a thing nowadays? Stealing easily identifiable unique vehicles?

Yeah. Paint it or put different stickers on it- nobody will know.

Shame. That bike was slated to end up in a museum. Who would bother stealing his streamliner? I bet they get a surprise if they ever even ride it to find out the top speed is 75 mph.

People will steel something like that just for the scrap value of the aluminum panels.

AAAAAAAgh!

That sucks. Hope they find it. Shouldn't be hard to spot on the road.

Any Jalopnik users here? They have an active "help us find this stolen vehicle" thing... and a lot more eyeballs than EcoModder.

Update!

From Craig's web page:

I hope its not damaged, it looks like a nice bike!

Umm.... ride it?

Craig, take the ins. money, buy a 4x8 trailer from Northern Tool, the kind that you can fold the tongue and stand on its end, saving floor space inn the garage, ~$2-300. Throw out the cheap Chinese bearings and tires, install decent ones. Use Coro panels and make a mini-horse trailer fairing to enclose the whole deck, wheels, and tongue. This protects and streamlines the cargo, and for a few bucks more at WalMart buy a couple of 1/2" thick camping mats. Camp out on the way home, using the flat bed of the now-covered trailer and the mats, effectively a nice tent. Use drop cloth to cover the streamliner when removed from the trailer at night for camping. Use lightweight jackstands to level the trailer when camping.

Done right, this trailer may actually save fuel at highway speed, as it fairs the turbulent flow behind the tow vehicle, per Aerohead's and others' findings.

Well according to Vetter if we all streamline our bikes we will all look the same. ;) Somebody trying to get a head start on next years Vetter challenge or maybe save some $$$ at the pump. He did top 100mpg at this years challenge!

Latest word from Craig's website is the bike was recovered but the trailer is still missing. A new trailer was purchased. Craig is a long distance rider but the Helix is only a single seat and getting long in the tooth. No word on how comfortable he is after hip surgery.

Here are the official results of the 2014 VETTER FUEL ECONOMY CHALLENGE, AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS, JULY 11, 2014

Name Motorcycle Total Miles Fuel Type Fuel Used Cost/Gal Total Cost MPG Cost per Mile
A. Smith Vetter Ninja, 250 cc, 2005 154 Gasoline 0.848 3.359 2.85 181.60 0.0157 Overall Winner, Pump Gas Winner
F.Hayes Hayes Diesel Steamliner 154 Biodiesel (B20) 0.865 3.799 3.29 178.03 0.0185 Alternative Fuel (Biodiesel) Winner
V. Valdes Vetter Ninja, 250 cc, 1999 154 Gasoline 1.216 3.359 4.08 126.64 0.0322
C. Vetter Vetter Helix 154 Gasoline 1.491 3.359 5.01 103.29 0.0485
Dale Van De Ven Hayes Diesel Adventure Touring 45.7 Biodiesel (B30) 0.330 3.799 1.25 138.48 0.0274 DNF

G. Faulkner Honda, CTX700, 2014 154 Gasoline 1.512 3.359 5.08 101.85 0.0499
D. Fye DR200, 2004 154 Gasoline 1.883 3.359 6.32 81.78 0.0773
D. Palmer Vespa GT200, 2005 154 Gasoline 2.163 3.359 7.27 71.20 0.1021
C. Bailey Honda, FT500 Ascot 154 Gasoline 2.255 3.359 7.57 68.29 0.1108
R. Gordace BMW 1200 154 Gasoline 2.81 3.799 10.68 54.80 0.1949
Rob Baughman Harley DynoGlide, 2007 154 Gasoline 2.856 3.799 10.85 53.92 0.2012
B. Kelley Triumph Tiger 1050 154 Gasoline 2.98 3.559 10.61 51.68 0.2053
Christy Harrison Harley Road Glide Ultra, 2011 154 Gasoline 3.075 3.559 10.94 50.08 0.2184
Terry Wildman Harley Electro Glide Ultra 154 Gasoline 3.055 3.799 11.61 50.41 0.2303
Chris Harrison Harley Road Glide, 2011 154 Gasoline 3.802 3.799 14.44 40.50 0.3565


Richard Goff Vetter Zero 131.8 Electric 11.86 0.12 1.42 0.39 1.813 0.0138 DNF
Kevin Smith X-Price Winner 154 Electric 26.04 0.12 3.12 0.39 3.515 0.0228 Electric Winner?
Richard Goff What If 154 Electric 13.51 0.12 1.62 0.39 2.011 0.0131

Craig is doing great after his surgery.