reverse trike, low, recumbent, 80-250cc (anyone else made one besides hyperrocket?)

[HydroJim]

Mustang 2 drop spindles are the cheapest and most durable parts that you can buy for the front end. But, they're heavy. I really recommend you research suspension design and geometry before you jump into something like this.

I spent many months designing mine and now it sits in the back on my mind waiting to be unleashed once I'm an adult and have a real income to afford such a project.

Here are some good sites:

Home | Reverse Trike

LocostUSA.com • Index page

Those 2 should get your mind going. Please don't buy any internet plans. They're junk.

Consult with people who have been there done that. Tell them your goals and your price and they'll tell you what can be done.

Here is a basic sketch-up model of what I am going to do with my trike. I am estimating 150 MPG at 60 mph on straight gasoline. Less than 500 pounds. Super low center of gravity for great handling. Good safety. Highly aerodynamic.







Keep the questions coming. If you're serious about this, you can end up with an awesome ride.

[Smurf]

Jim, I'm glad to see you're still crafting your trike.

Scot, as they have mentioned, the ATV front end is a no-go. Even some dune buggy parts would be illegal, as they are not DOT-approved, and even say "For Off-Road Use Only" often. Using a scooter might not be the best concept...

Step up to a Ninja 250 or similar, use a real vehicle suspension up front. It would be easier to get legalized, be much safer, and you wouldn't put all the work into it and then realize you cannot go over 25mph. Google for "Reverse trike" or "2F1R" (meaning, 2 Front, 1 Rear tire), and go over all the images. Many are built for performance and wasting tires, but you will eventually be forming your own design. Good luck, keep us posted on what you figure out or any questions you have.

[ScotD]

Thanks. The websites look good. I'll spend some time exploring them.

I've seen your design on your threads. I intend mine to be quite a bit smaller and lower. Are you familiar with the California Commuter? It is closer to what I have in mind, very low and very aerodynamic, though I expect I'll leave the front wheels/suspension outside the body as on yours, the Hyperrocket and others. I've ordered the plans from AeroVision - they're only $25 for the PDF, and I expect will give me good info on some aspects, particularly front end design and components.

I'm playing with body design, and have concept drawings that I like; preliminary is 8 or 9 feet long, extreme recumbent, top of body only 21 inches off the ground forward of the cockpit, headlight mounted just behind the cockpit with total height under 30 inches. I'll continue to develop and refine as I learn more and may completely re-design. I expect weight to be under 300 pounds.

I won't be able to finalize the chassis and body design until I have the scooter I'll use for drivetrain and put that together with my own front end design. It will be based on my preliminary design, but be tweaked as I put the chassis together. I expect to complete the chassis and have a functional trike before I start building the body around it.

I plan to use very thin plywood (1/8 inch) and stitch and glue construction for the body. I designed and built a small sailing/rowing/cruising boat that way and expect I can make a very light and aerodynamic trike body as well. Stitch and glue is pretty easy, often used for kayaks and other small boats.

[ScotD]

Smurf, thanks also.

Yes, I've noticed that the Ninja 250 is popular and understand some of the reasons. I don't feel I need that much power, but will consider.

There are advantages to starting with a scooter - the rear 2/3 of the scooter - chassis and drivetrain - can probably be used pretty much as-is - the layout/configuration is right, so that can make the build a lot easier (I think, but may decide that a completely new frame/chassis makes more sense, in which case no reason to start with a scooter). It could also give me a head-start on getting it licensed since I'd just be modifying an already legal, licensed machine. I'd still have to get the modifications approved, and am in process of learning what that will take here in Washington State.

And yes, I've realized that ATV parts don't make sense . . . I don't want to use regular automotive front suspension (for example VW or Mustang 2) because of weight. I know there are street legal rigs out there with suitable suspension, I just haven't discovered where/how to access. I'm hoping that will become clear fairly soon, perhaps helped along by the California Commuter plans I'll receive shortly.

[BLSTIC]

Early Kei class cars are around the 500kg mark, come with featherweight suspension, solid discs, occasionally 10" (but usually 12") wheels and 155mm tyres. They get 5l/100km on the highway from carby engines doing a squillion revs with un-aerodynamic bodies...

I imagine you could cut the front off one of those (use the sub-600cc engine) and make a lightweight aero tub/rear end for it. If you are lucky you can find taller gearsets and efi equipment in other cars (i.e. Suzuki SS40T mighty boy, 550cc F5A engine, 5500rpm @ 100kph, SS80V Alto, 800cc F8B engine, 4000rpm @ 100kph same gearbox casing, later F8B's are fuel injected and the manifolds can be retrofitted)

[ScotD]

Thanks for the ideas. I just browsed a little on Kei cars. 500 kg is still about 1100 lbs, much heavier than I have in mind.

The California Commuter plans have a very simple and functional front end design that I expect will work well for my project. I expect to keep it under 300 lbs. and get well over 100 mpg at freeway speeds. I think I'll end up between 26 and 32 inches high (depending on whether the body stays low or has raised area behind my head which would also provide additional luggage space; body max 24 inches wide, 8 to 10 feet long, track at about 36 inches wide, primarily designed for one person with a reasonable amount of luggage space but with a legal seat for a second person.

I continue to think I'll use the rear 2/3 of a 100 to 150cc scooter - much easier than building from scratch, with the California Commuter front end and my own stitch & glue body.

Once I'm more settled with the design I'll try to scan drawings and post.

[BarelyAWake]

It's a couple few CCs smaller than your minimum, however I thought I'd offer my homebuilt hybrid tadpole for what ideas it may inspire;



local thread: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ole-18414.html
photo album/build pics: Tad Photos by Serenity151 | Photobucket

[freebeard]

Sometimes the old ways are the best:



I started a thread here

Parts/complete vehicles are available: http://http://www.modernmicrocars.co.uk/index.html

[ScotD]

Thanks for sharing this with me. I like it! How fast do you cruise? And what mpg in gas engine mode? It's quite close to where I started in my thinking, but I soon realized that I'd rather create a trike that I could ride anywhere, including on freeways, and that takes more engine and a whole different level of requirements for licensing.

I've traveled a lot on a bicycle (including over 12,000 miles in one 3-year period). A little over a year ago I bought a 49cc scooter which is faster and easier than the bicycle and gets 125mpg. I've had some back problems and long distances on the bicycle had become problematic. Last spring I traveled over 3000 miles on the scooter, but it's not fun in cold weather, and I feel concern about delaying auto traffic.

I live where it's cold in the winter and wanted a trike for stability on snow/ice. I realized that the trike would be an even greater traffic obstruction - unless I could maintain normal highway speeds. So . . . I aim for highway speeds, long distance comfort, freeway legal, and well over 100 mpg. I think it's going to work.

[freebeard]

Search for "reverse trike" in the upper left of this page and you will find 342 results. Somewhere in there you could find discussion of driving a trike in the ice and snow. You'll want the center wheel sprung really soft.

Why not make an half-scale Dymaxion? It could be a tandem two-seater that would make up into a single occupant camper.