Tadpole motortrikes.

[Postboxer]

Maybe spectators get out of the way of them more, the way cyclists are only one wheel wide to some motorists.

[pete75]

Oh for the days when the bikes were like this,BMW R50 or R60, so much classier than those three wheeled things.

[Brucey]

leather jacket on top, sandals on your feet; ideal garb for a motorcyclist

cheers

[rjb]

And no sign of a helmet.

Iirc, those 3 wheelers have the option of automatically locking the tilt out below 5mph.
Chris Evans reportedly owns one. His take on them here in the daily snail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/ ... affic.html

[tatanab]

Iirc, those 3 wheelers have the option of automatically locking the tilt out below 5mph.
Chris Evans reportedly owns one.

Not the same thing at all. That is a 3 wheeled scooter, the machines at the TdeF are Yamaha Niken. It is a bit like comparing a shopper bike with a decent club riders machine. The scooter has the vertical lock, the Yam does not.

[pete75]

leather jacket on top, sandals on your feet; ideal garb for a motorcyclist

cheers

The cylinders keep his feet warm.

[cycle tramp]

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?

For the same reasons the tadpole push-tricycle (as per Roman Road) was sighted - you are able to double the braking force on the front wheels, without increasing the risk of losing front tyre traction, you halve the risk of crashes should you encounter slippery road conditions, the ability to brake into a corner is improved, and if there is a front wheel blow out you stand a better chance of remaining up right...
...as winter draws closer with wet leaves on the ground and the threat of ice and snow, I do wonder if it's time I should purchase a tadpole push tricycle....

[Tigerbiten]

An upright trike with two front wheels and one back is a Newton, a recumbent trike with two front wheels and one back is a Tadpole.

You do get more front wheel braking on one but it not double due to the fact there's less weight on each front wheel therefore each wheel will skid easier.

Luck ........

[tatanab]

An upright trike with two front wheels and one back is a Newton

WAS a Newton, made be the late Derek Shackles. Before that was the Kendrick design of the 1930s which was copied later on by Higgins and Jack Taylor. To add to that, if a recumbent with 2 rear wheels is a Delta, then the equivalent name (long consigned to history ) is Cripper.

[pjclinch]

I'd assumed that an advantage relevant to a TV moto was being more stable as a camera platform when going v-e-r-y slowly matching riders up very steep climbs through throngs of cheering fans.

[DNC123]

An upright trike with two front wheels and one back is a Newton,

Luck ........

And then someone always takes things one stage further...

[reohn2]

I'd assumed that an advantage relevant to a TV moto was being more stable as a camera platform when going v-e-r-y slowly matching riders up very steep climbs through throngs of cheering fans.

Agreed and I'm assuming there's an upright lock out switch which comes into play in those situations.

[tatanab]

I'm assuming there's an upright lock out switch which comes into play in those situations.

Further back in this thread you will find that these specific machines have no lock. Some scooters do however. I'd say it is simply a matter of sponsorship -free supply of machines.

[reohn2]

I'm assuming there's an upright lock out switch which comes into play in those situations.

Further back in this thread you will find that these specific machines have no lock. Some scooters do however. I'd say it is simply a matter of sponsorship -free supply of machines.

Sorry missed that
As you were

[pjclinch]

I'm assuming there's an upright lock out switch which comes into play in those situations.

Further back in this thread you will find that these specific machines have no lock. Some scooters do however. I'd say it is simply a matter of sponsorship -free supply of machines.

Sorry missed that
As you were

Though even without a lockout I imagine a three wheel platform is quite possibly easier at (very) low speed than a two: you can use your arms to keep it upright and straight, while on a bike you need to steer to keep it upright.