Ecotransport mashup

[nickec]

This is a variation on the higher sills I mentioned:



In a two wheel vehicle side sliding is likely after a collision. Thus the driver/rider shoulder protection needs vary from 4 wheel vehicles.

Imagine you are inside the enclosed scooter, you are pushed over and are sliding along the ground. Your shoulder is contacting either the door or the side of the fairing. If only "glass" was between you and the road surface, bad things would be happening.

[Xist]

I think that is a good idea. Please forgive my OCD.

[nickec]

Originally Posted by Xist

I think that is a good idea. Please forgive my OCD.

Thanks for the edit Xist. I needed that. Compulsion is good.

[nickec]

I have been searching for sources of EPP sheet because I want to do some testing. One test involves sliding a body panel attached to a car bumper. The idea is to simulate one aspect of a "crash". A weight will force the panel to bounce and then slide on the road.

One reason to do this is to compare layer options. One layer option is 2 inches of EPP on both sides of 6 mm coroplast. This configuration "protects" the coroplast. Another layer option is an outer layer of coroplast covering a single layer of EPP. Some layer options are more easy to repair than others.

Like the designer of the Spira, I wish to not only protect the driver, I wish to protect pedestrians, and to reduce repair costs.

[Grant-53]

Bike helmets are foam with a thin layer of plastic. The HPV people have plenty of experience with sliding at speed. Kevlar seems to hold up well as would Lexan and Delrin. Motorcycles use hard points to keep bodywork from contacting the pavement. Aluminum honeycomb is used in body armor jackets on motorcycles as it has good crush characteristics. When a bike goes down there is the impact and then abrasion until it comes to rest. Protecting the neck, shoulders, hips, and ankles is key so a sturdy bulkhead is needed just behind the rider. A frontal crash is a matter of absorbing energy and keeping from going head first into some object. Rigid front touring bars can break a leg in a crash. I recommend an inertial reel lap belt .

[nickec]

If the wheelbase remains stock, then the image above shows what is likely the minimum reasonable size for my body size - 6'2". I am gradually homing in on the sizing and ergonomic compromises.

Slightly larger would give more elbow room of course.

A longer tail and more careful curves would pay dividends.

Even a boxy version will achieve the short term goal of affordable weather protection without breaking the bank.

My experiences with the more open fairing seen in previous videos convinces me that the vehicle's fuel efficiency has already improved a surprising amount. The much more closed version pictured in this post should further increase fuel efficiency.

No hard numbers yet. Still playing with fuel tank issues.

[sendler]

That's pretty tall. You're going to have big problems with cross winds blowing you off the road.

[Ironside]

That's pretty tall. You're going to have big problems with cross winds blowing you off the road.

I'm inclined to agree, one possible solution would be a more reclined position to lower the roofline.

If this causes ergonomic problems you could hang the footrests further forward, like over the front wheel.
You could then extend the bodywork to enclose the front wheel, giving you a more aerodynamic longer and lower shape?

[nickec]

Originally Posted by sendler

That's pretty tall. ...

Originally Posted by Ironside

I'm inclined to agree, ...

I too had concerns. And the solutions mentioned are valid. Yet I am reminded of a story about satellite building: Engineers were concerned about the deployment of some solar arrays because they felt that a mechanism was needed to dampen the array. During testing the complicated dampener failed. Yet the array deployed without the aid of the dampener just fine. Turned out it was dead weight. The problem they imagined failed to materialize in real life.

Because of the low speed regimen of a legal motor scooter in the United States I will test at speeds no higher than roughly 30 mph. If the fairing feels bad at these speeds in high wind then I will address it.

I feel only real life testing can assuage our concerns.

Let us hope for the best case scenario; that handling issues are real but mild enough that typical drivers quickly acclimate. The worst case scenario can be dealt with in a number of ways - venting, cross-section aspect ratio, wheelbase and height alteration, etc.

[nickec]

Originally Posted by Ironside

... you could hang the footrests further forward, like over the front wheel. ... You could then extend the bodywork to enclose the front wheel, giving you a more aerodynamic longer and lower shape?

I have mocked-up and explored the option you describe. It definitely has advantages. The limitation which curbs my enthusiasm involves door and seating complications.

I really like the advantages. Yet when the feet hit the ground a natural tendency to sit up appears. You can see this in recumbent bicycles riders. It is very very common and seems to force a complicated roof scheme.

There are solutions to the sit up syndrome. I am opting for avoidance as a first option. Later I would like to experiment to see how low a roof is practical.

I certainly cannot claim the compromises I have chosen are the best solution. One reason I decided to embark on this adventure, and invest time into this thread, is that I want to see more enclosed two wheel vehicles. So I thought: demonstrate the rapid development speed and low cost of experimenting with motor scooters. Lessons learned can be applied to more ambitious vehicles.