Is a Slingshot worth bothering with

[rmay635703]

I may have an opportunity at one but not sure I want it.

When you check the interwebs I get the following

“Jul 10, 2020 — For the people who want one, it's better than ever. ; 0-60 MPH, 4.9-5.4 sec (mfr est) ; EPA FUEL ECON, 35/45/39 mpg (MT est) “

But the golden oldies usually list 15-28mpg depending on City / HWY

Is the Polaris motor that much better? I would expect these to be unreliable money pits.

Let me know the common failures

Thanks

[serialk11r]

I thought very hard about a seated motor trike, and my conclusion was that a "sporty" trike is not really practical. Something like an Elio driven very conservatively makes sense as a compact commuter, but the really wide sport trikes are kind of questionable.

The front track is extremely wide so it takes a lot of space.

Rear traction is limited which can be dangerous.

Most of them have no real crash protection since the sides are completely open.

[freebeard]

I think Arcimoto could hang side-by-side bucket seats on their backbone chassis with a joystick control [mechanical tiller] accessible from either side and have a diresct competitor to T-Rex and Polaris.

The torque vectoring front wheel drive in this thought experiment shows the flaws in the Slingshot's architecture.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I think Arcimoto could hang side-by-side bucket seats on their backbone chassis with a joystick control [mechanical tiller] accessible from either side and have a diresct competitor to T-Rex and Polaris.

Makes me wonder how it would fare in some countries where either the LHD or RHD rules are enforced more strictly, also considering how hard it could become for left-handed or right-handed drivers depending on which country they would drive it. Well, it might eventually be still technically less complex than a system developed for Mercedes-Benz for the Unimog, named VarioPilot, which enables switching the standard controls for LHD to RHD and vice-versa.

[rmay635703]

I always thought it stupid that they didn’t literally just use the cobalt drivetrain 100% with FWD.

The belt to the rear through a car-like 5 speed always seemed massively hillbilly, now 3wd with the belt…
That might have made sense.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

The belt to the rear through a car-like 5 speed always seemed massively hillbilly, now 3wd with the belt…

Shaft-drive like some BMW motorcycles would've made more sense.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

I may have an opportunity at one but not sure I want it.

When you check the interwebs I get the following

“Jul 10, 2020 — For the people who want one, it's better than ever. ; 0-60 MPH, 4.9-5.4 sec (mfr est) ; EPA FUEL ECON, 35/45/39 mpg (MT est) “

But the golden oldies usually list 15-28mpg depending on City / HWY

Is the Polaris motor that much better? I would expect these to be unreliable money pits.

Let me know the common failures

Thanks

'Want' would be operative word. I can't imagine anyone actually believing that they 'needed' one.
There's an Indian MC dealer in Oklahoma City I visited years ago with a war buddy. They carried the slingshot with the Chevrolet powerplant.
Salespeople inferred that anyone walking through the door and actually interested, would already be in the demographic of those who can get whatever they want, and when they want it.
The implication that they were for general commuting never existed.
I did like the fit and finish. The execution was good.
I figured it would be as reliable as people's expectations. After a day in the seat you might be thinking about the next purchase, as novelty faded.
Like the Ariel Atom, aerodynamics would be parachute-like.
If Rezvani made an enclosed body for them, that would be a good move.
At the right price, one might be willing to put in a thousand hours building an all-weather body.

[freebeard]

If Rezvani made an enclosed body for them, that would be a good move.

Ingress/egress would only get worse.

[aerohead]

http://https://www.theautopian.com/a...r-than-teslas/

Originally Posted by freebeard

Ingress/egress would only get worse.

My memory can't guide me as to whether or not, some of the side structure was 'decorative' or 'structural.'
With gull-wing doors and some grab-handles, I think I could step in and out of it.
Kinda like the 1950s Messerschmitt KR200. 'Wearable' transportation.

[freebeard]

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/t...ine-84341.html

Step-over height isn't bad but the H-point is way low. I'd need an ejection seat.

KR200 is a tandem, FUV has step-over in the middle.