Tadpole motortrikes.

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Mike Sales
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Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by Mike Sales »

What advantage do the motorbikes on the TdF gain from their two front wheels?
I suppose there must be an advantage to offset the increase in weight and complexity?
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tatanab
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by tatanab »

Apparently they can be pushed harder in corners without slipping when compared to a scooter with a single front wheel. Not an advantage for TdeF. I imagine the reason they have appeared this year is as a result of a sponsorship deal.
reohn2
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by reohn2 »

Yep,more rubber on the road at the front which is safer,especially in the wet.
But they're plug ugly :shock: and not as elegant as the Piaggio three wheel scooters
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Mike Sales
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by Mike Sales »

Thanks, Reohn2 and Tatanab.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Brucey
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by Brucey »

do they have any roll stiffness, i.e. is the tilt action sprung at all? If it is, then such machines might be more stable at low speeds. This might be important for a camera bike; they tend to topple over if they are forced to stop suddenly on a steep hill.

cheers
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landsurfer
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by landsurfer »

Nearly twice as much mass over the front of the bike ... this has all the hallmarks of a solution looking for a problem to solve .... not the first time Yamaha have gone down an innovative dead end with suspension ..GTS1000 anyone ...... they do like an engineering challenge .... :)
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tatanab
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by tatanab »

Brucey wrote:do they have any roll stiffness, i.e. is the tilt action sprung at all?
Not that I know of. They have a push button lock position to hold them upright when parked, I do not know if this is operable at low speed. The old Ariel 3 (other configuration of three wheels) had torsion bars to hold it upright. The problem was that you had to make a positive decision on whether to steer it like a trike or lean it like a bike - against those torsion bars. I imagine that if these had any form of sprung tilt they too would have a constant battle.
reohn2
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by reohn2 »

tatanab wrote:
Brucey wrote:do they have any roll stiffness, i.e. is the tilt action sprung at all?
Not that I know of. They have a push button lock position to hold them upright when parked, I do not know if this is operable at low speed. The old Ariel 3 (other configuration of three wheels) had torsion bars to hold it upright. The problem was that you had to make a positive decision on whether to steer it like a trike or lean it like a bike - against those torsion bars. I imagine that if these had any form of sprung tilt they too would have a constant battle.

Plus the Ariel 3's rear wheels didn't lean,only the front one.
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reohn2
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by reohn2 »

tatanab wrote:https://www.letour.fr/en/news/2019/with-yamaha-the-tour-de-france-rolls-on-three-wheels/1276061

Them needing a centre stand would indicate that they don't lock in the upright position
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cycleruk
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by cycleruk »

£13,500. :(
You'll never know if you don't try it.
Brucey
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by Brucey »

cycleruk wrote:£13,500. :(


more than a very posh sports bike with a mere two wheels....

Yamaha Niken reviewed here

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/yamaha/niken/2018/

They say that the machine falls over when stationary just like a normal motorbike.

It also weighs 263kg which makes it one of the heaviest machines that you can buy (with that kind of application in mind).

I don't imagine that engineers from Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki will be burning the midnight oil trying to develop their own version, but you never know....

cheers
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by Tigerbiten »

I've just looked up and watched a review of it on u-tube.

Here -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqP5mwCeySM

Verdict: Good grip on the front but not so good at the back. Also heavy at the front. It will make a good sporty tourer but not if you want super zippy.

Luck ....... :D
mattsccm
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by mattsccm »

Maybe, sponsorship aside, the possibility of increased front grip gives braking security. They are surrounded by unpredictable cyclists and choosing the best line and braking point may not be an option. I think the were used at Roubaix and the Strada Bianca
softlips
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Re: Tadpole motortrikes.

Post by softlips »

mattsccm wrote:Maybe, sponsorship aside, the possibility of increased front grip gives braking security. They are surrounded by unpredictable cyclists and choosing the best line and braking point may not be an option. I think the were used at Roubaix and the Strada Bianca


Used on Tour de Yorkshire too.
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