Velomobiel: 214 mpg Recumbent Motorcycle (Honda 125cc with DIY aerodynamic fairings)
 

http://www.velomobiel.nl/allert/Recu...n/image075.jpg
Do It Yourself 214 MPG Motorcycle Project

EDIT (by metrompg): link to builder's site, with more photos & info

And because this is such an awesome project, I've just blogged about it for EM as well:

• 214 mpg with DIY aerodynamic fairings on Honda 125cc motorbike - EcoModder.com

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that is beautiful
i would probably lay it down

Why does this remind me of janvos39 and his Suzuki Burgman modification?

Very cool. Added a link directly to the builder's site in post 1.

I was trying to remember what thread I had seen this posted in before.

Oh yeah: it's in theycallmebryan's Ninja 250 streamlining thread: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post148131

It was april last year that I came up with this:

Found nice example of Dutch project with 125 cc bike
Allert

Since than it was also linked by Theycallmeebryan and also Craig Vetter who I did sent this link.
I think this guy is ahead of us in implementing good ideas to come to the fantastic FE.
Very interesting to follow his improvements.

Maybe it can be a sticky article in this motorcycle/scooter catagory????

Good idea, Jan. I'll sticky it now.

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Also: I've written a blog piece about Allert's project.

214 mpg with DIY aerodynamic fairings on Honda 125cc motorbike | Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, and EcoModding News - EcoModder.com

I wrote to him to ask permission to post his photos, and he wrote back saying:

He also says he'll be posting new photos on his site tomorrow.
I suggested that he might want to look at the MPGuino to add an MPG gauge to his bike, since his Honda has fuel injection:

That's very cool. I bet he's seen your Suzuki as well, Jan.

If you're a Digger, please show some love for EcoModder's blog piece about Allert's project:

Digg it here! 214 mpg with DIY aerodynamic fairings on a Honda motorcycle

I'm going to check out his site again tonite to check on the new photog's.

They might not be up until tomorrow.... then again, it'll be tomorrow in the Netherlands tonight for you...

I hadn't thought of that... I'll check mi mañana, which is his "the next day".

There are a few new images up. They mostly show the decal details on the completed bodywork:

De ligmotor

Don't forget to Digg our blog piece if you haven't already!

I can't get over how smooth it looks... and how nicely those Pasta-lights fit the in rear. (Of course, I know he designed the shell to fit the lights/windshield, but we don't have to look at it like that...)

more + larger photos please!
 

Looks great -- can we see more and larger photos, of the building process especially, please?

How well does the start and stopping process work? You have to start moving, pick up your feet, then close the fairing -- and stopping is the reverse of this, right?

Edit: he already has plenty of pictures that explain things a lot better, at the link that Darin posted: http://www.velomobiel.nl/allert/Recu...0motorbike.htm

Enjoyable! Even Dan Gurneys recumbent motorcycle didn't think about mileage as much- it had no fairing. I don't know where I saw that one.

Velombiel / velomobile: plenty of photos:
Flickr: The velomobiles Pool
-electric or human power. Enjoy!

Neil: as you saw on his site, the fairing is open on the bottom, so starts & stops are just like a regular ... well, regular recumebent bike. You just put your foot down when stopping, and lift it when starting out.

He only has to open the fairing to get on/off (or is that "in / out") of the bike.

http://www.velomobiel.nl/allert/Recu...n/image009.jpg

Gas 2.0 has picked up this story:

Guy Mods Honda Motorbike to Get 214 MPG : Gas 2.0

Autoblog Green has now picked up on this story:

214 mpg with DIY aerodynamic fairings on a Honda 125cc motorbike — Autoblog Green

this may have been asked, but is this shell legal in the u.s? ..just wanted opinions.

better, yet.. how do custom choppers get an MSO/MCO?

It's a DMV thing. If you ask the DMV in your state, they'll probably tell you something along the lines of either filing for a vehicle VIN/Title after production (similar to how you would file for a trailer in some states, pictures, forms, etc.), or, in the case that it was constructed from other vehicle parts, you'd use the VIN's of those other vehicles and fill out a SV title. (Specialty Vehicle)

All legal I think- varies size/speed/height. Just plain aircraft "skin" in most cases. No problem with pedal cars in CA., but I had to gear down to 20 mph on the VM and had to register the City_EL because it 'ain't a golf cart!

Very cool project!

Are the shells going to be available for sale?

He has the mold ready to go why not make more and show the world what could be done?

I'd think any television reporter who saw one rolling down a street would want to interview the driver for the evening news.

Not a motorcycle; but I have a motor, yet over 5 years now and no one has interviewed me (fantastic invisibility mod, I guess).

I wonder if Allert has performed any other mods besides aerodynamics/instrumentation.

Clutch-mounted injector kill switch? P&G/DWB? LED indicators? What's his tire pressure at? The curious mind wants to know!

well that got me thinking of my next build.

Closest thing going in US right now is a 125cc Kawasaki Eliminator and the Yamaha Rifle fairing through Craig Vetter.

Recent update shows that Allert has had his mileage above 220mpg. No new mods, but he was riding with another stock Innova that got 130mpg on the same trip. JJ

He'll probably be good for over 250 mpg once he cleans up the wheels, puts mirrors inboard, adds turtledeck and teardrop canopy, etc.. More water to be drawn from this well.

Why did he have to cut the back end of the fairing off so abruptly? If he was going to go though all that trouble, why not extend it more to the back

Google Kamm effect .

I drove Allerts fully faired honda
 

Hi,

I'm Allerts college/friend. I'm als building similar bike like Allert.
I drove his several times, it's quite comfortable but very sensitive to sidewind.
It is not save to drive on a windy day, wich we have a lot here in Holland.
Probably that's why you don't see fully faired motorcycles more.
I'm planning to build mine more open like the german Evomoto
( see photo or Home )
This guy rides it allmost daily and does not have much trouble with wind.
He's getting about the same mpg as Allert.
Allert's fully faired honda has a better shape but more frontal area, Evomoto has a very small frontal area but not the best shape, this give the same mpg but is much less sensitive to side winds.
And you have to dress warmer.

Happy holiday's, Theo

Thanks for chiming in; from Allert's writings I was under the impression that his bike was well behaved in x-winds.

What is the weight distribution on the front and rear wheel with the rider in place? The side wind problems are mostly due to the low mass of the bike and not I suspect due to the full streamlining alone. I think you need to do some dynamic testing as well to see what the weight is on the front wheel when going 80km/h. you may have a problem with lift at the front as well. the lower the mass of the bike the more critical is the design.:eek:

That is what his site says but it seemed hard to believe based on theory .The shape is so perfect aerodynamically that any apparent wind off the nose has to generate considerable side lift .Such seems to be the problem with a very good aero shape .

Spoiling that perfection seems the only way to get a rideable shape , something rideable in real world conditions .

On cars, putting a vertical fin on the back can stabilize it in crosswinds. Maybe this would help?

"On cars, putting a vertical fin on the back can stabilize it in crosswinds. Maybe this would help?"

I have seen this done on fully faired recumbents. This can help to stop the effect of the vehicle wanting to steer away from the wind, but it creates more sidearea resulting in having to hang into the wind at an angle more and more chance of having the vehicle simply blown off its wheels. I have seen it happen.
Making the vehicle heavier helps a lot, but not for fuel efficiency. :-(

What PeterS says is sadly true. A very smooth aerodynamic shape will allways be more sensitive to x-winds. So I will go for reducing frontal area.

Greets, Theo

Have you considered doing a reverse trike, like the Quest?

Yes, ofcourse. And maybey someday we will build one. But getting a homebuild motorvehicle approved in holland is a long road.
Allerts Honda FF and mine are motorcycles with a licence simply stripped from all the plastic body parts and buddyseat, and then mounted with a new seat and fairing basically.
This requires no new approval, you can just do it and ride it.

explaining the police this is sometimes hard.

With regard to aero shapes being more sensitive to crosswinds-

In long range rifle shooting a bullet with a higher ballistic coefficient flies straighter, flies flatter and retains more momentum. It gets deflected LESS by sidewinds enroute to the target.

Now, two bullets with same BC, same velocity, but different weights-
The heavier bullet does shoot through wind better than the lighter one.

But since we live in the sub-sonic world I guess it doesn't matter.

I do remember all the MOTOGP racers saying they don't like the more aerodynamic fairings on their bikes. Makes them too sensitive to wind even though they have a higher top speed.