Tilting Trikes

[Conor]

Hey guys Im a mechanical engineering student working on making a fuel efficient vehicle. I am currently exploring a motor driven front wheel with tilting rear wheels for stability. I just wanted to ask you guys some thoughts on the stability of using a tilting delta design or will it be to tippy? Also what kind of steering mechanism is need to allow for the rear wheels to steer. Also if anyone has built a tilting trike what was the difficulty level of the build?
Thanks for any help you guys can provide

 

[Gromit]

Raptotrike module

Here you go.

http://www.raptobike.nl/blog/raptotrike/

Though, I don't think that he has made any production, trike modules yet.

 

[John Tolhurst]

Tilting is one of these ideas

Tilting is one of these ideas that gets a lot of buzz. But like many buzzy things, those making the buzzing don't come up with the dollars when you produce it. That's something with internet marketing you have to get used to. On the internet, you can find convincing support for pretty well any stupid dumb ass idea, provided you formed the belief first. identifying where your beliefs lie is the challenge. Oh, am I off topic? ?http://admin.alternet.org/media/most-depressing-discovery-about-brain-ever

 

[Eric Winn]

Long timeline, still nothing actually on the market

http://www.gizmag.com/toyota-i-road-full-enclosed-tilting-electric-three-wheeler/26498/

Tilting is a pretty cool buzz though. I kind of like the looks and function of the Toyota i-Road. The front wheel movement reminds me of a Lomax 3-wheeler I built when I was stationed in the UK.


-Eric

 

[Ivan]

There are commercially

There are commercially available 3 wheel tilting motorcycles from Piaggio and Gilera available for many years (not enclosed). They are popular in my neck of the woods. You don't have to put your feet down when you stop at a traffic light. Such a mechanism on a bicycle/trike would be heavy and impact performance more.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaggio_MP3