You trail brake to get rid of understeer in front wheel drive cars. The Plastic Pigs were rear wheel drive with good torque, quick steering, and a slightly high cg. They were inadvertently designed to go controllably sideways. As if I would ever do such a childish thing. Especially when some idiot is trying to cut me up with a BMW car.
Better than a smart car?
- Thread starter wheelbender6
- Start date
Trail braking can be used in every type of car, we use that technique in mid-engined formula cars to initiate rotation, which you control with maintenance throttle mid-corner and transition to slight understeer (with chassis slip angle however) on corner exit, for fastest lap times and repeatable control. Of course I understand there is a different type of driver interested in a forward trike car, and those looking for a car which turns in crisply and can rotate well under high G cornering, but I wouldn't ever consider a forward trike because I know I'd flip it over because of that high CG, and instability on corner entry. Even if you don't drive hard, if you need to brake and avoid an obstacle, it would take a lot of conscious effort to brake in a straight line toward the obstacle, and then gas it hard for rearward weigh transfer so you don't barrel roll into the obstacle trying to go around it. Braking with a single front wheel will suffer too, so you'd want to instinctively go around it if it's too late to stop completely, at which time you'd have to worry about flipping. On my emotard I gotta sit far back on the seat under hard braking or it'll do an endo, and it brakes twice as hard with both tires making contact with the road. Honda stopped selling their 80cc trail trikes because of all of the lawsuits, my buddy that had one flipped it over more times than I could keep track of, that bike worried his mom so much!
You must be a skilled driver dicing it up with BMW's in a Robin, Mr. Bean clowned on his nemesis in a Reliant in a clapped out Mini! lol
You must be a skilled driver dicing it up with BMW's in a Robin, Mr. Bean clowned on his nemesis in a Reliant in a clapped out Mini! lol
I have used a 100,000 mile Rialto to nail a VW Golf down an English country road; I never had any problems with the layout of the car, but I did understand it's strengths and weaknesses.
I tell a lie. When it snowed, it was an absolute swine driving with that one front wheel unsure which side of the built up hard ridge in the middle of the road it wanted to be.
I tell a lie. When it snowed, it was an absolute swine driving with that one front wheel unsure which side of the built up hard ridge in the middle of the road it wanted to be.
The reverse trike is the lesser of two evils. Cornering is not the forte of a trike. At least the two wheels forward trike gives you two brakes in the front and better control in the event of a front tire flat.
It's personal preference if the lower cost of the trike is worth the compromise in cornering ability.
It's personal preference if the lower cost of the trike is worth the compromise in cornering ability.
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Been following the Elio for awhile and hope it is successful. I think a 3 wheeled vehicle is the most efficient form of intercity transportation, especially for commuting.
There have been other 3 wheeled vehicles, but pricing has been their demise.
Another option that is unfolding is the Lit C-1 that is all electric and includes a gyroscopic stabilizer. It is a 2 wheeled. It is slated to start production in the end of 2014 for a price of $20K, excluding tax incentives that may bring the costs down. Lot cheaper than a $100K Monotracer.
http://litmotors.com/c1/
Toyota is testing the i-ROAD electric 3 wheeled vehicle. It is also gyroscopic stabilized and tilts when turning.
Chris
AKA: BigBlue
There have been other 3 wheeled vehicles, but pricing has been their demise.
Another option that is unfolding is the Lit C-1 that is all electric and includes a gyroscopic stabilizer. It is a 2 wheeled. It is slated to start production in the end of 2014 for a price of $20K, excluding tax incentives that may bring the costs down. Lot cheaper than a $100K Monotracer.
http://litmotors.com/c1/
Toyota is testing the i-ROAD electric 3 wheeled vehicle. It is also gyroscopic stabilized and tilts when turning.
Chris
AKA: BigBlue
I like the i-Road too. Some are turned off by rear wheel steering, which is necessitated by the tilting chassis. They don't plan to sell it in that states in the foreseeable future.
-The Lit C1 has only two wheels, yet is more car-like than the i-Road in its acomodations, like roll up windows.
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/08/toyota-i-road-electric-trike-production/
-The Lit C1 has only two wheels, yet is more car-like than the i-Road in its acomodations, like roll up windows.
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/08/toyota-i-road-electric-trike-production/
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Reverse trikes handle okay, you can get around the rear grip deficiency with a wide azz rear tire in relation to the fronts, so the front-rear grip is more balanced. A low CG also helps, as in recumbents, like BA's awesome hybrid. I saw something that looked absolutely ripper, heres a pic:
Probably the only way to get away with registering a formula car for the road, as a motorcycle, lol!
Probably the only way to get away with registering a formula car for the road, as a motorcycle, lol!
I'm bumping this back into the present day because I found out what the car in the picture was. It's apparently a 2006 "Four Stroke" Rumen ("Four Stroke" seems to be the chosen name of the company and "Rumen" seems to be the model name. I found a link for anybody who's interested. The description is promising, but I have no clue where to get one. It may be a kit car.Check out this little beauty, it looks like a tiny priceless Bugatti!
http://www.autoblog.com/2005/09/22/2006-four-stroke-rumen/
Thanks Allen. It certainly has a 'look' about it. Unlike so many of the little cars available today I wouldn't be ashamed to drive one. Cool looking machine.
Tom
Tom
Update: the newer ones have teardrop fenders (which I think are more fetching than the motorcycle wings) and 100 hp engines. The styling was in part inspired by the T57 Bugatti and the Talbot Lago 150 - both of which bore coachwork by Figoni et Falaschi. So we have a very strong French Art Deco influence there. However, I have not been able to find out if they are still being made; they aren't kit cars but they were only constructed in limited quantities. They are/were made in France but I haven't been able to find out yet where all they have been exported to.
But if in my later years I have any kind of money, I will be seeking one out.
But if in my later years I have any kind of money, I will be seeking one out.
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You know, that car has a vague resemblence to the early Fiat Topolino. It looks like a Fiat that a very talented customizer had fun with.
Tom
Tom
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It does at that. I think, in the maker's eye, it may have had a number of influences. The grill and placement of the outboard headlamps do resemble an old Topolino. The rest seems vintage French. When I saw it posted about a year ago by16v4nrbrgr, I just had to find out what it was. Especially for me, it fit the title "Better than a Smart Car". This thing is essentially that: a somewhat pricey but better-looking alternative to a Smart Car. Small engine and good economy, good power-to-weight ratio and decent performance, and stellar looks (if you love the vintage coachbuilder's stuff). After my kids have moved out, and IF they ever import these things, I will be trying to round one up.