Streamlining an aircooled Honda Rebel.
 

I am building a full fairing around my Honda Rebel after reclining the seat to a recumbent position to lower frontal area. The end goal is to cover the exterior skin with solar cells to create a giant solar panel so that the bike is generating a significant amount of electricity as long as the sun is out. I plan to use the power to eliminate the alternator load from the engine. When the battery is above a certain limit the power will be used to generate hydrogen from a fuel cell behind the seat to boost mpg. Even if it is an insignificantly small improvement, all the electrical needs are met, so long as I don't add an electric hybrid motor onto the frame (not out of the question) The excess energy is used to generate an explosive gas that *in theory would improve my fuel economy by allowing me to be able to run leaner in my 233cc engine.

Does anybody know where I can get an electric motor that I could attach to the chain drive? Maybe build it into a sidecar design with batteries in there to power the vehicle to start and at low/med speeds <35mph or so depending on battery availability.

Perhaps adding a clutch between the electric motor and the chain.

This is all beside the point. As of today the bike has no sidecar but it can run on ethanol/e85/gasoline [with a 20 minute conversion] or hydrogen and any of these mixes. I would like to add a full fairing next to reduce my drag.


On the topic of my air cooled engine, would a shape similar to that of an f86 fighter be more efficient/better for cooling the engine or would such a duct be better for areodynamics if it was placed under the bike behind the front tire and in front of the engine? Am I right in thinking that I could use the front tire to push rotational air up into the duct from the tire spinning?


I want to stay as streamlined as possible with a lexan windshield and windows to promote visibility, reflective glass beading over the parts of the vehicle that aren't solar panels to increase visibility at night. I also want to add peltier cells to the engine to generate enough power to run led strips off the engine heat to optimize visibility at night.

I would like to do a plastic sheeting skin mock up and tuft test of the shell before I build a fiberglass/insulation or a flashing/insulation. Any thoughts on the shape?

I have read all of the Craig Vetter Diaries and think they are absolutely wonderful, I hope to compete in the Fuel Economy Challenges in the years to come.

My dream is to build an all electric solar assisted streamlined three wheeled vehicle that can run at highway speeds, with trailers of batteries instead of tanks of gas. But right now I can't do that, so I will make the most out of what I have by making my rebel as efficient as possible.

I like the idea of the boxfish shape but I can not seem to find a 3d model of the boxfish shape to study and incorporate the shape into the fairing.

After the fairing is done I will change the gearing, after the gearing I will explore different hybrid technologies that I may be able to incorporate into the project. I build and sell solar panels for a living so that's where I will start.

The object of this project is to test the viability of hybrid technologies in everyday vehicles to reduce my dependance on fossil fuels, eventually becoming completely energy independent.

A HUMBLE HOWDY FROM TEXAS AND LET'S GO!

this is going to be a full streamliner fairing [whole bike+rider enclosed in the fairing]

I will upload mock up pics of what it will look like as soon as I can.

Do solar panels on the side of a streamliner ever face the sun?

In my experience, cooling is going to be your biggest hurdle. On my air cooled sr185 I used a combination of cooling fans and oil cooler to solve this problem. ducting enough air to cool your bike will only work at speed, since in city traffic not enough air will be forced through. I know this from experience. This year I hope to go 100% fan cooled, eliminating the ducts.

as for motors for a hybrid setup, you could look at what they have at Electric Motorsport They are set up specifically for motorcycles and such. I've been eyeing their brushless setups for some time now, but can't afford one yet.

Yes during the afternoon to evening hours that will be spent driving along the coast on my way back from Oregon. I can build separate solar circuits to run separate things, such as one patch to charge a battery, one patch to aid the electrical system. If the patch isn't producing its not the end of the world because the bike is incredibly efficient on it's own. I figure, It's lightweight, looks cool, at least semi functional [worth their weight] The stock bike has less than 100watts of total electrical draw from the system, but I would need to add more lights [possibly el wire, go tron style] so I am thinking that a larger battery is needed to power all of these things off hand and charge it whenever it is parked. I still like hho cruising to be able to run leaner fuel mix and save a drop of gas or two.

Here is a mockup of the body shape I want to use, The seat recumbent for lowered frontal area:
http://www.hondarebelforum.com/membe...icture7081.jpg

The green is frame support bars attaching to the frame of the motorcycle, there will be flat stock run to construct the shape of the body to cover.

Don't see a link to the pics.

I think you need to consider going to a water cooled engine. they are more efficient, quieter, smaller and give you more options aerodynamically speaking. Also, it will give you the ability to heat the interior in a controlled manner.

I would love to get a liquid cooled ninja 250cc and streamline it, but I do not have the funds to get a ninja 250 and streamline it. The way I am building the bike now, If at some point in the future I am able to acquire a liquid cooled bike, I could pull the streamlining off of one bike and put it on the other.

Although, I kind of want to do the streamlining to the Rebel so that an air cooled vehicle is running in the Vetter Fuel Efficiency Challenges. I love this old reb, she can run on corn or gas.

"When we went to the moon, we didn't do it because it was easy, we did it because it was hard." -jfk

How viable do you think it would be to weld a box around the cooling fins large enough to fill with coolant and pump the heated liquid to a radiator? Seems simple enough, it's just a box and a steel engine.

There have been a number of a/cooled road race engines that had the middle fins shaved off and a water jacket welded to the top and bottom fins. But that's on 2T engines. A 4T makes the most heat in the head and that is much harder to convert to liquid cooling.

cheers,
Michael

What I did several years ago, in preparation of the same modification, is purchase temperature sensors and mount one on each side of the crackcase, and the measure the maximum temperature that it sees on the hottest summer day, and record that value.

Then when the full size dustbin fairing goes on, the sensors can be used to ensure adequate cooling to the engine on both sides.

I made the mistake of not considering temperatures there on a previous full coverage motorcycle fairing many years ago, and promptly cooked the alternator windings at the end of the crankshaft.

Lesson learned.

Jim.

Would adding a radiator fan to the cooling fins help or would it not be worth the energy consumed?

I could also spray the engine with water while stopped, 8 extra pounds of weight but I will only have to use it when driving slow. I would refer not to have to use this idea though.

Improving air cooled engine cooling can be done by drilling some 12mm holes in the fins from the top.

The problem with air cooled engine is the heat is not uniform hence risk of distortion.

The main issue is the heat managment, we want the engine to quickly warm up but then to cool adequately fast once at operating temperature.
This warm up / cooling loop is very poor on an air cooled engine.

My sr185 has run in both ohio vetter challenges, and I plan to continue running it. I am air cooled, and have found that it can work quite well. the less fuel you consume, the less heat you put out. I achieved cooling last year by installing small cpu fans on either side of the jug, and an oil cooler patched into the oil filter circuit. a head temp sensor is an absolute must, at least for developement. take a stock control reading on a hot day after a long distance ride. then make sure that you can keep your head temp at or near (within 10-15 deg F) this mark. this will keep you safe. I am going to attempt to completely force cool my rig this year by building a shroud for the cylinder and head, and attaching a blower. I should be testing this soon, so I will let you know how it turns out.

Amusing to me how many times history repeats.
ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunseeker_(solar_vehicle)
Solar+36V = epic fail for me. Good Luck!

<---then now...

What is required to run your bike on ethanol? mine doesn't even like e-10. I lose noticeable amounts of power between zero ethanol gas, and e-10.

When Harley developed the Buell-Blast, they put a plastic duct, leading from the front cylinder to the rear, for good air control.

If you had something like that, it would be easy to also add a fan to control cylinder temperature.

Even on a water cooled engine like the Honda VF500, I would seriously consider adding ducts inside the fairing to allow cool air past the crankcase to control temperatures there.

Jim.

Is the Buell blast not a single cylinder derivative of the HD engine ?

Anyway, it is right the Buell V-twin do use a cowling.

Good idea but the engine is aluminium not steel wich makes it a little trickier to weld.
Also, the heat is in the head rather than the jug (remember Suzuki GSX range are air oil cooled with an extra oil capacity in the head)

Also you said you had a problem with the alternator.
Improving the cooling of the engine top end is not gonna help much the cooling of the crankcase ...
I think extra oil capacity and or oil cooler are a must to fit. You can even thermo manage the engine warm up time with a thermostat)

Bad news, clutch is out. Project pending as I acquire a new vehicle so I am not driving around in the cold.

so, how are you doing Texan? :{)

I wouldn't waste time with a solar powered hoffman apparatus. I just don't think it is worth the time/expense/weight.