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ELWB motorbike

Extra long wheelbase motorbike
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In many countries, the motorcycle is used for family transport.
So, I have often wondered why they are not designed for this use.
My idea is for an extra long motorcycle, with a saddle that is long enough for friends, relations, chickens, dogs, packed lunches, a couple of chairs, picnic table, beer etc.
See link for example of under-designed motorcycle.
Ling, Mar 21 2004

Only 4 on a bike http://www.xs4all.n...ke/html/traff1.html
I've seen 5, but the extra member was a baby. [Ling, Oct 04 2004]

bingo! http://www.halfbake...0for_20motor-cycles
[po, Oct 04 2004]

5 on a bike http://www.geocitie...oy/other/5bike.html
I finally had the camera in the car. In my effort to photograph them, I side-swiped them. Only kidding! [Ling, Mar 05 2005]

TRAG with 11 http://www.homesofl...at_entrance_web.jpg
A 3-wheel version of a cargo motorcycle. I'm looking for more photos. [baconbrain, Mar 06 2005]

BlueSong http://i209.photobu...brain/BlueSongc.jpg
My dad's converted his road 'cycle to a trike. [baconbrain, Mar 24 2008]


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       I've ridden three up before.....it's fun, each of you only has to lean 1/3 as much as a single rider would.   

       It's also fun to ride two up and have the passenger do ALL the leaning - feels strange, but it's fun.
normzone, Mar 21 2004
  

       Long wheelbase bikes have a problem: they don't turn or handle particularly well.
bristolz, Mar 21 2004
  

       And how does a 100cc step-through handle with 5 people on it?
Ling, Mar 21 2004
  

       Terrible but the rider expects it.
bristolz, Mar 21 2004
  

       For you then, I could change the design to that of one with stabilisers. Edit:(thank you, [po]!)
Ling, Mar 21 2004
  

       umm...sidecar?
nick_n_uit, Mar 22 2004
  

       See link. Actually ELWB motorcycle name was used because there is a LWB which is a few inches longer, already. But I don't mean like a tandem: somewhere in between.
Then I could take photos of 6, maybe 7 riders.
Ling, Mar 05 2005
  

       My dad worked-up a front-wheel-drive cargo motorcycle for manufacture and use in developing nations. I found a photo of one of the 3-wheel TRAG truck variants (link). Let me see if I can find pictures of the two-wheelers.
They all had the engine over the front wheel. For two-wheelers the handling was different, but do-able (I've seen Dad riding no-hands). The snarkiest was the fiberglass-bodied highway model, which had a seat long enough for three, a cargo hatch behind that, and plenty of enclosed space under the seat.
The dirt-road two-wheelers could carry a thirty-gallon drum, or a stretcher patient, or a couple hundred pounds of anything else.
I got eighteen or twenty children in a three-wheel TRAG truck, once, but didn't actually drive it.
We always thought they were a very good idea, but made the mistake of working with faith-based organizations when trying to get them built in/by developing nations.
baconbrain, Mar 06 2005
  

       Yes, it looks as if it could carry some weight, but it doesn't look like it can get to 80kph (50mph).

I've seen 4 on a bike doing nearly 100kph.
Ling, Mar 07 2005
  

       I never found a picture of my dad's long-seat highway 'cycle in two-wheel configuration. He's converting it to a three-wheeler after 30 years in storage, and we got pictures this weekend (see link).   

       The seat isn't as long as I remember, but then, I'm a lot fatter than I remember. I recall being the second kid behind him, at 65 mph.   

       The single back wheel was further back, and there was/is lots of space for storage. It used to look even sleeker, but so did I.
baconbrain, Mar 24 2008
  


 

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