A few weeks back, Nate Erickson — colleague and crazy talented industrial designer at the product development firm where I work — kindly volunteered to do some Streetliner sketches for me. His love for cars and his professional abilities mean that Nate has an ability to think in shape that I can’t even approach. What I was hoping for, and what he’s constantly delivering, was that he’d bring some fresh aesthetic thinking to the Streetliner project. This sketch is one of many groovy renderings he’s done lately.
It’s very nice looking and thanks Nate for your contribution but I prefer the previous design concept. The bike needs to have enough room to tilt and riffing off of a classic race car is probably the best way to start. The Tripendo is really an amazing achievement of engineering prowess. Glad you are using it as the basis of your design. Do you think this new vehicle will use steering and tilting levers as the Tripendo does? My impression is that it is able to deliver such high performance because you have complete control over both functions and can learn to use them in concert.
Will help with engineering.
Well I’m open to all ideas at this point. True the Aptera has a terrific shape, but given my modest mpg goals, squeezing every last efficiency percentage out of the aerodynamics isn’t a big part of the appeal for me. Perhaps in follow up projects, but for now, the reduction in frontal area is going to do much more for me in terms of aerodynamic efficiency that body shape will. Not that a teardrop of some sort isn’t requisite, but this project is as much about aesthetics to me as it is efficiency.
The trioendo is definitely part of the inspiration, but the suspension geometry is actually based much more on the Leanster and the Tilting Motorworks suspension. It will lean organically via counter steer just like the TMW or the Piaggio MP3. I’m not going to try to muscle it in and out of the lean as that’s both unnecessary and improbable given the end weight.
Glad to have your input!
Thanks for your reply!