A Motorcycle Car That Makes Commuting Easier

National Geographic ^ | December 9, 2012 | Dan Stone

[Forward the Light Brigade]

The Morgan supersport three wheeler in the 1930s was a car that was both fun to drive and low on gas. We should re-build them in this nation by the thousands.

[chainsaw]

“I wonder why he needs to have gyros instead of just making it a tricycle? It would probably lower the price to 8k”

Besides spinning that gyro consumes precious battery energy.

[central_va]

Death-trap

[Ditter]

There was something like this on the market in about 1955 (can’t think of the name right now). I was 15 and out riding my horse one day. I stopped at the dealership, tied my horse to a fence and they let me drive one home to pick up my mom and take her for a test drive, by my self. Imagine that happening today!

[flaglady47]

Supposedly coming to the U.S. in the next few years is the Tata Nano, an Indian car - read this tidbit about it:

“After months of rumors and tantalizing leaks — and as we first told you earlier this week — Indian automaker Tata Motors has finally unveiled the Tata Nano — its already legendary $2,500 (1-lakh)car. As expected, the car that Tata claims will change the face of not only the Indian car market, but the global auto industry will be a four door, five seat hatch, powered by a 30 HP Bosch 624 cc four stroke engine mounted out back and mated to a CVT. That makes the Nano the first time a 2-cylinder gasoline engine will be used in a car with a single balancer shaft. The Nano’s also expected to get 54 US miles per gallon.”

Google Tata Nano for more info about this car. Sounds interesting.

[Lee'sGhost]

That’s actually kind of cool. Care to provide more info?

[Lee'sGhost]

Now, that’s just the kind of look that would capture the youth market. Or lost youth market. IMHO, the secret to selling a dorky little alternative vehicle is to not make it LOOK dorky. That looks like something out of Death Race 2000. Way cool.

[PapaBear3625]

Death-trap

Less crash-worthy than a full-sized car. Much more crash-worthy than a motorcycle -- which is what it is, an enclosed motorcycle.

[PapaBear3625]

Google Tata Nano for more info about this car. Sounds interesting.

Good car for the Third World, or for puttering around the neighborhood.

It's not something that I would ever take on a highway.

[PapaBear3625]

How they got the Tata Nano so cheap: no air bags, manual transmission, no power steering, no air conditioning, no radio, etc. As listed, it would not be street legal in the US.

[bmwcyle]

It is a concept item. It's eletric

[skinkinthegrass]

IIRC...the GERMANS (late '80s); had enclosed carbon-fabric motorcycle body that could really
haul (@$$ :) two ppl. based on a very sleek BMW 2000cc chassis.. 120mph/200kph..gyro-enabled
hvac..communication equipped.

[RandallFlagg]

Meh!


I'll take one of these.

[Adams]

The commute won be so easy for them when my SVT Raptor rolls over it during a simple lane change...

[skinkinthegrass]

looked similar to post #15..& it was designed by a aircraft engineer.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

12 grand ? Get real.

Fear not.

Ubama has plans to make the price of conventional vehicles "skyrocket."

[Jonah Hex]

Casters on the ends of retractable telescopic struts...

Somthing like this?

[baddog 219]

Just bring back the Nash Metropolitan.... 4 cyl. two seater 45 miles mpg.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***I wonder what keeps it upright when the gyros aren’t running.***

***Magic pixie dust. ***

Needs permanent training wheels!

[John O]

How are you going to haul plywood with that?

I figure if I can’t haul a full sheet of plywood then the vehicle isn’t worth driving