Craig Vetter still working on 2-wheeled streamliners, looks for help
The last time we checked in on Craig Vetter, he was hard at work designing a new inexpensive design for a vehicle capable of 100 miles per gallon at 70 miles per hour with a 20 mph headwind. Oh yeah, the 2-wheeler also needs to be able to carry four bags of groceries. No problem, right?
The first machine that Vetter ended up with may not be the most attractive motorcycle we've ever seen, but it's still very much a work in progress. In fact, Vetter is rethinking the entire project and plans to retire the Honda Helix and restart with a new base vehicle.
Vetter is now looking for suggestions on how to proceed, and he's posted a bunch of comments and suggestions on his personal page for the project. There are lots of ideas floating around along with questions on what would be the best choice for a powerplant. It seems diesel and electricity are options, but ethanol has been ruled out. Have something to share? Do it.
Gallery: Vetter Streamliner Project
[Source: Craig Vetter]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GoodCheer 2:32PM (4/26/2009)
If he wants help with body design, I would suggest going to the people who do that for a living. Google "varna diablo" to see a bicycle that has been run over 80 mph. If you can do that on
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GoodCheer 8:58AM (4/27/2009)
... sorry, the second part of that post dissapeared.
If you can do 80mph on less than 1hp, imagine what you could do with 20hp (or whatever an old Honda Helix puts out).
PeterRG 1:10AM (4/27/2009)
Aptera have broken the body shape rut we've all been stuck in and Tesla and Fisker have shown what EV's can do, Toyota and Ford have brought real innovation to mass produced hybrid alternatives. Yet the public aren't there, what the mainstream needs to see is where all this is going, if Venter could produce some interesting alternatives to maintream volume sellers, decently sized sedans, wagons and vans and SUV's why not, that gave us the best of the Escape and Karma packaged like an Aptera (think larger light planes), powered by an EREV setup with a small (125cc) natural gas powered wankel rotary and something very like the Honda natural gas compressor onboard, (surely a very small tank would only take 30 mins to fill) with a plug and a bbq-like natural gas hookup - C'mon Craig you can show us the way!
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Phil Knox 7:51PM (4/27/2009)
Craig,I aplogise if I missed some of the tech specs on your project.Can you provide:(1)all up weight to figure your road load due to
rolling resistance at 70 mph.(2) your frontal area (is it around 6-ft-sq?).(3) are you estimating a Cd of around 0.12,then degrading it due to the open left side? (4) the licence plate and lamp behind your head seems to be a location where flow recovering from your helmet slams into the angled flat plate,with much separation and relatively large wake.? Could it be moved to the rear and "frenched" into the body,and replace it eith some fairing to clean up the wake behind your helmet?(5) Is the upsweep of the lower body too steep for this ground-effect aggravated region?(I got a fellow at Bonneville to lower his bodywork there,and next year he ran 247mph for a record).Research published in Hucho's Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles recommended a diffuser angle of no more than 2.5-degrees for separation-free flow.(6) On the left side of the bike,behind you,on the backrest bulkhead,there appears to be a relatively flat face there,right up to your head,where flow might separate,and if it did,it would render your boat-tailing useless on that whole side of the bike,which could even destablize the bike at speed.(7) If the left side must remain open,could you tailor custom riding apparel which has streamlining features sewn in,to help create an air bridge across the open coachwork? Motorcycle Grand Prix leathers have features now,which approximate "fairings" tailored right in.Also down-hill ski-jumpers,Tour de France helmets,etc.There are very many of us interested in your project,and rooting you on.You've been a personal hero to many.I'll help anyway I can,but I consider you to be the maestro.Best to you and I'll continue to think about your challenge.If we can "nail" your road load,with the headwind component,perhaps there is a powerplant out there that operates at the right power,and near it's torque-peak,where the big guns say an engine will have it's best BSFC and MPG.
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Frank Lee 10:06PM (4/29/2009)
Good Cheer: What do you think Vetter does for a living if not body design???
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