Vetter streamliner body kit

[sendler]

Originally Posted by 3-Wheeler

as this is exactly what multiple other Insight drivers get at a constant speed on the highway at 55 mph.

Sorry but at this time must choose to reject your reality and substitute my own.
Hopefully one of these magic Insights will come to run with us at Mid Ohio next July.

[cvetter]

I look at it this way. My passion is the equipment: Streamlining and the right horsepower.

Driving technique is your passion. When we experiment - and that is what we are doing as fuel economy pioneers - it easier to make sense from the results when we make one change at a time.

After you develop the best riding techniques, imagine how they will be enhanced with a streamlined vehicle with the best horsepower.

My part in all this is the streamlining.

RE Insights at Mid Ohio: One already beat my Helix from Las Vegas to Barstow. Ohio is much slower. If I don't freshen up the engine, the Insights are going to beat me again.

[sendler]

Originally Posted by cvetter

RE Insights at Mid Ohio: One already beat my Helix from Las Vegas to Barstow.

Yes but the owner stated his 70's mpg was an anomaly and he usually gets low 60"s at a much slower pace.

[JeffM]

Craig, I am wondering why you are switching to fiberglass structures when the aluminum build up seemed, to me at least, much better suited to home building. Initially, your plans were to provide a kit of templates and a nose cone.

Love your work and have been following the Ninja build from the start.

Ps, seems that your web page is currently down.

[cvetter]

My page was down this morning but all seems good now.

Here is the story on the aluminum. It turned out to be virtually impossible to make a flat, un-twisted aluminum nose structure that allowed the skin to wrap properly.

By extending the fiberglass nose about 20" we don't have to mess with the aluminum at all. Believe me, as simple as the aluminum looked... it is not worth the trouble when a 20" longer fiberglass nose does it all.

It is looking like some people are interested in the nose only. OK with me. If there is not enough interest to justify me extending the nose tooling 20", I would be happy to make the existing nose parts available. The mold is not perfect. But it worked for me and Alan. You can make it work for you, too.

Lets continue to watch the reaction. We have until Christmas to decide what to do.

Craig

[JeffM]

Thanks for the reply Craig.

Jeff

[low&slow]

Today Alan Smith and I did a comparision ride together. My bike hadn't been running well lately and I wanted to see what it would do under better conditions than the high speed runs to Las Vegas , the Vetter Challenge there and the ride home.
We rode backroads from Livermore CA to Patterson, had lunch and rode back. The weather was cool with some light winds. We tried to keep the speeds at about 55-60 mph.The route was 101.1 miles. My results were 101.1 mi/1.1 gal. for 91.9 mpg.
Alan's: 101.1mi./.76 gal for 133 mpg.
I think this helps to illustrate how refined the Vetter streamiling kit is.

[3-Wheeler]

Originally Posted by sendler

Sorry but at this time must choose to reject your reality and substitute my own.
Hopefully one of these magic Insights will come to run with us at Mid Ohio next July.

Sendler,

Have you looked at the MPG numbers generated by Insight's at the Madison Hybrid
Fest?

I think three years ago, the winner got over 150 mpg. Yes, it can be done!!

And no, it was not me!

< your reality has now been readjusted again >

I also noticed your 2009 Honda Fit mpg numbers of 32 average. Several years back I drove my wifes Fit to Chicago looking for another car for my daughter and got 42 mpg on the highway at 63 mph, and following a semi three seconds back.

Jim.

[sendler]

Originally Posted by 3-Wheeler

I drove my wifes Fit to Chicago looking for another car for my daughter and got 42 mpg on the highway at 63 mph, and following a semi three seconds back.

Jim.

I get 40's in the Fit. My daughter gets the mid 30's

[bschloop]

the mileage debate here is getting pretty ridiculous. you are both right. at posted speeds and normal driving sendler is correct. with hypermiling and mima and such three wheeler is right. I could average 130mpg on my bike pretty easily if I was willing to take an hour to go 35 miles. I have gotten 100mpg in these conditions without a fairing.

Craig, I think that if I had $2000 to spend I would buy your kit. as it is I will have spent as much over three years to make my own fairing. anyone looking to streamline a bike should definitely check this out, since it will likely cost as much to diy.