An inverted Trike?

[Batti]

Wow, this one is incredible! Make a **** of a commuter vehicle...

http://reversetrike.com/xr3-hybrid.html

[mudbug]

Granted it's cool,but it's also over $30,000+ and that one on ebay was only $3000.

This is just one of the projects I bought plans for which got me started welding so I could build one....The Yellow one.

http://badasstrikecompany.webs.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=83362

I've got a link to plans for a reverse trike similar to the T-Rex, they are about $90 (now $105). http://www.prismz.com/xzilarator/ I'm leaning more toward the Reverse Trike design as time goes on. I've got all sorts of links to Reverse Trike styles & designs.

This is the chassis design http://www.rqriley.com/images_xr3/master-asmy-ov.jpg of this http://www.rqriley.com/images_xr3/DSC02347-web.jpg

This is why I like the Xzilarator (link above) over the T-Rex.... It's the same vehicle...just homebuilt....I think I could hire someone to fabricate one for less than a T-Rex...

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other-Makes-T-Rex-by-Campagna-DEMO-SALE-2009-Campagna-T-Rex-three-wheel-reverse-trike_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQ hashZitem4a99530985QQitemZ320399935877QQptZUSQ5fmo torcycles

And that's $3000 off MSRP because it's a demo. $50,000 is pretty steep toy money.

That XR3 is pretty cool...I love the chassis design...and plans are under $200 The XR3 has it's own forum under the yahoo groups for discussion between builders. I'm still undecided about the body... It's nice looking,but a bear to construct and they are still stumped about the windshield. I'm not that taken with the "green" design dual power sources.

I did think the chassis would be great for a hydrostatic drive machine with the small diesel/hydrostatic pump up front connected to the rear driven wheel hydraulic motor. This eliminates a lot of weight and complicated mechanicals. No clutch..no transmission...built-in reverse... no complicated linkages connecting the front to the rear...just some hydraulic hoses and reverse flow for reverse. Most of these builders hit a brick wall when it comes to a reverse because most are based on motorcycle powerplants and only some of the "Goldwings"came with it...other options are expensive.

If everyday life would take a backseat,I might find time/money/floorspace to take a stab at building that XR3 chassis with hydrostatic drive. I have an old Avenger GT-40 replica body that might be made to fit that chassis.

If anyone intends to tackle such a project... welding is almost an absolute requirement to do so. Unless you want to depend on someone else to do it for you.... I decided to learn to do it myself. I'll have more invested in equipment/materials/time than if I'd hired someone,but It's a great learning experience and I always find more things to fix/build as I'm working toward that goal. The equipment bought used won't drop in price...the materials help building/repairing all sorts of things and the time is my own to use as I please. It's fun and rewarding and it's not that costly,when compaired to what I get from it.

[Hotfoot]

MudBug wrote...

"I did think the chassis would be great for a hydrostatic drive machine with the small diesel/hydrostatic pump up front connected to the rear driven wheel hydraulic motor. This eliminates a lot of weight and complicated mechanicals. No clutch..no transmission...built-in reverse... no complicated linkages connecting the front to the rear...just some hydraulic hoses and reverse flow for reverse. Most of these builders hit a brick wall when it comes to a reverse because most are based on motorcycle powerplants and only some of the "Goldwings"came with it...other options are expensive."

..so, look here!

http://reversetrike.com/hydrostatic.html

[mudbug]

Jeff's creation was actually what got me onto the concept. He built a Diesel hydrostatic bike he rode to Sturgis a couple of years ago.He received a lot of press on it in this country and I hooked him up with a British Bike magazine that did a spread on that bike.

His site http://www.hydraulicinnovations.com/projects.htm Contains some really interesting projects. A hydrostatic two wheel drive scooter...a hydrostatic driven boat for just a couple of examples.

He's had that 3 wheeler on the back burner for a few years now and his Dad built both a reverse trike and a regular trike with the hydrostatic drive.

[trial&error]

I always thought it was a redesigned snow mobile.

[mudbug]

This is a video of Jeff's Hydrostatic Diesel motorcycle...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6G_YrGugug&feature=related

You should see his homebuilt 2 wheel drive hydrostatic off-road trail bike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csheFaxdSgI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ehydraulicinnovations%2Ecom%2Fraccoon%2Ehtm&feature=player_embedded

They tinker around with things that aren't hydrostatic drive also...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BckO72ouqeg&NR=1

[mudbug]

For those that liked the "Can-Am" trike concept... Harley-Davidson applied for this patent a few years ago. They may just be waiting until the idea catches on.Their version tilts,which should really aid handling.

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/06/01/harley-davidson-leaning-trike-patent-application/

[SpyGuy]

Well, to be fair, Harley-Davidson DID have a hot little reverse three-wheeler called the TriHawk.

http://www.3wheelers.com/trihawk.html

I got to see one of these little things, up close and personal. The owner said it had a 4-banger engine, handled like a dream because of the low center of gravity, and could easily do upwards of 100mph.