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Steve McDonald
September 26th 03, 04:13 AM
A friend of a neighbor just stopped by on his long ride down the
Pacific Coast. He had a two-wheeled recumbent that was
pulling-------no, make that being pushed by a trailer. The trailer had
a 3-hp B & S gas rototiller engine. It was belt-driven and had a
centrifugal slip-clutch, that was taken off an old motor scooter. Both
trailer wheels turned on a common axle with no differential function.
It had throttle and turn-off controls on the bike. He said it gave him
no control problems and the way he handled it, I believe this is true.
You'd think the pusher would cause trouble unless the throttle was
controled very carefully during stops and turns. He had handlebar and
tailbags and a big bag on the trailer. He said that ordinarily he does
no peddling, unless he runs out of gas or ditches the trailer
temporarily for some local riding on a stopover. Mileage has been about
140 MPG. Surprisingly, he said that so far, no cops have given him any
heat. Too bad we don't take binaries here or I could show a picture.

Steve McDonald

Lorenzo L. Love
September 26th 03, 05:58 AM
Steve McDonald wrote:
> A friend of a neighbor just stopped by on his long ride down the
> Pacific Coast. He had a two-wheeled recumbent that was
> pulling-------no, make that being pushed by a trailer. The trailer had
> a 3-hp B & S gas rototiller engine. It was belt-driven and had a
> centrifugal slip-clutch, that was taken off an old motor scooter. Both
> trailer wheels turned on a common axle with no differential function.
> It had throttle and turn-off controls on the bike. He said it gave him
> no control problems and the way he handled it, I believe this is true.
> You'd think the pusher would cause trouble unless the throttle was
> controled very carefully during stops and turns. He had handlebar and
> tailbags and a big bag on the trailer. He said that ordinarily he does
> no peddling, unless he runs out of gas or ditches the trailer
> temporarily for some local riding on a stopover. Mileage has been about
> 140 MPG. Surprisingly, he said that so far, no cops have given him any
> heat. Too bad we don't take binaries here or I could show a picture.
>
> Steve McDonald
>

Tell them about it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/power-assist

Robert Haston
September 27th 03, 09:07 PM
Cool. I have always liked the idea of a fast racing bent coupled to a
trailer. Aside from the push, you could run a killer light set, having the
engine a few feet further behind makes it even quieter. Also it would be
good to make the trailer impact absorbing for safety.

"Steve McDonald" > wrote in message
...
>
> A friend of a neighbor just stopped by on his long ride down the
> Pacific Coast. He had a two-wheeled recumbent that was
> pulling-------no, make that being pushed by a trailer. The trailer had
> a 3-hp B & S gas rototiller engine. It was belt-driven and had a
> centrifugal slip-clutch, that was taken off an old motor scooter. Both
> trailer wheels turned on a common axle with no differential function.
> It had throttle and turn-off controls on the bike. He said it gave him
> no control problems and the way he handled it, I believe this is true.
> You'd think the pusher would cause trouble unless the throttle was
> controled very carefully during stops and turns. He had handlebar and
> tailbags and a big bag on the trailer. He said that ordinarily he does
> no peddling, unless he runs out of gas or ditches the trailer
> temporarily for some local riding on a stopover. Mileage has been about
> 140 MPG. Surprisingly, he said that so far, no cops have given him any
> heat. Too bad we don't take binaries here or I could show a picture.
>
> Steve McDonald
>

Steve McDonald
September 27th 03, 10:19 PM
I might add that this motor had a super muffler that was about 2
feet long and eliminated all but a small noise. It looked much like the
extractor mufflers that are used on VWs and dune buggies. By using a
4-cycle rototiller engine, that is designed to lug down to low rpms and
still keep running, the use of it without gears was made more feasible.
Also, the drivewheel for the belt was on the end, on a horizontal
driveshaft, turning in the correct vertical plane to match that of the
axle below. The engine was turned sideways on the trailer, so the
drivewheel turned parallel to the direction of travel. A lawnmower
engine would have a drivewheel mounted on its vertical driveshaft,
turning horizontally, on the bottom. If you tried to run these engines
turned on their sides, there would be problems with gasoline feed and
the oil in the pan.

Certainly, this trailer would serve to provide a greater visual
presence and if a car rearended it, the rider might have a better chance
of survival than if the bike was struck directly.

Steve McDonald

meb
September 28th 03, 12:36 AM
Steve McDonald wrote:
> A friend of a neighbor just stopped by on his long ride down the Pacific
> Coast. He had a two-wheeled recumbent that was pulling-------no, make
> that being pushed by a trailer. The trailer had a 3-hp B & S gas
> rototiller engine. It was belt-driven and had a centrifugal slip-clutch,
> that was taken off an old motor scooter. Both trailer wheels turned on a
> common axle with no differential function. It had throttle and turn-off
> controls on the bike. He said it gave him no control problems and the
> way he handled it, I believe this is true. You'd think the pusher would
> cause trouble unless the throttle was controled very carefully during
> stops and turns. He had handlebar and tailbags and a big bag on the
> trailer. He said that ordinarily he does no peddling, unless he runs out
> of gas or ditches the trailer temporarily for some local riding on a
> stopover. Mileage has been about 140 MPG. Surprisingly, he said that so
> far, no cops have given him any heat. Too bad we don't take binaries
> here or I could show a picture.
> Steve McDonald




See also MotoBob electric powerassist trailers. I've been told the
concern with Motobob is not stops and turns as much as bumps and low
friction surface wheelspin.



--
>--------------------------<
Posted via cyclingforums.com
http://www.cyclingforums.com

MLB
September 28th 03, 12:48 AM
>
> Certainly, this trailer would serve to provide a greater visual
> presence and if a car rearended it, the rider might have a better chance
> of survival than if the bike was struck directly.
>
> Steve McDonald
>
>

I'd bet large that a negative effect on safety would be more likely.

S. Delaire \Rotatorrecumbent\
October 1st 03, 11:06 PM
MotoBOB's are built in the same industrial complex where I am, by:
www.thunderstruck-ev.com
They have done some work on a suspension MotoBOB
It is like having an extra set of legs pushing you down the road.
Pull the trailer off and you get your bike back.
Nicely done
Steve "Speedy" Delaire

meb wrote:

> Steve McDonald wrote:
> > A friend of a neighbor just stopped by on his long ride down the Pacific
> > Coast. He had a two-wheeled recumbent that was pulling-------no, make
> > that being pushed by a trailer. The trailer had a 3-hp B & S gas
> > rototiller engine. It was belt-driven and had a centrifugal slip-clutch,
> > that was taken off an old motor scooter. Both trailer wheels turned on a
> > common axle with no differential function. It had throttle and turn-off
> > controls on the bike. He said it gave him no control problems and the
> > way he handled it, I believe this is true. You'd think the pusher would
> > cause trouble unless the throttle was controled very carefully during
> > stops and turns. He had handlebar and tailbags and a big bag on the
> > trailer. He said that ordinarily he does no peddling, unless he runs out
> > of gas or ditches the trailer temporarily for some local riding on a
> > stopover. Mileage has been about 140 MPG. Surprisingly, he said that so
> > far, no cops have given him any heat. Too bad we don't take binaries
> > here or I could show a picture.
> > Steve McDonald
>
> See also MotoBob electric powerassist trailers. I've been told the
> concern with Motobob is not stops and turns as much as bumps and low
> friction surface wheelspin.
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com
> http://www.cyclingforums.com



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EVSolutions
October 2nd 03, 05:20 AM
and best of all, the MotoBob uses a Crystalyte Hub Motor....".totally
shameless advertising on my part"/
************************
"S. Delaire "Rotatorrecumbent"" > wrote in message
...
> MotoBOB's are built in the same industrial complex where I am, by:
> www.thunderstruck-ev.com
> They have done some work on a suspension MotoBOB
> It is like having an extra set of legs pushing you down the road.
> Pull the trailer off and you get your bike back.
> Nicely done
> Steve "Speedy" Delaire
>
> meb wrote:
>
> > Steve McDonald wrote:
> > > A friend of a neighbor just stopped by on his long ride down the
Pacific
> > > Coast. He had a two-wheeled recumbent that was pulling-------no,
make
> > > that being pushed by a trailer. The trailer had a 3-hp B & S gas
> > > rototiller engine. It was belt-driven and had a centrifugal
slip-clutch,
> > > that was taken off an old motor scooter. Both trailer wheels turned
on a
> > > common axle with no differential function. It had throttle and
turn-off
> > > controls on the bike. He said it gave him no control problems and
the
> > > way he handled it, I believe this is true. You'd think the pusher
would
> > > cause trouble unless the throttle was controled very carefully
during
> > > stops and turns. He had handlebar and tailbags and a big bag on the
> > > trailer. He said that ordinarily he does no peddling, unless he runs
out
> > > of gas or ditches the trailer temporarily for some local riding on a
> > > stopover. Mileage has been about 140 MPG. Surprisingly, he said that
so
> > > far, no cops have given him any heat. Too bad we don't take binaries
> > > here or I could show a picture.
> > > Steve McDonald
> >
> > See also MotoBob electric powerassist trailers. I've been told the
> > concern with Motobob is not stops and turns as much as bumps and low
> > friction surface wheelspin.
> >
> > --
> > >--------------------------<
> > Posted via cyclingforums.com
> > http://www.cyclingforums.com
>
>
>
> -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
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DrRecumbnt
October 2nd 03, 04:34 PM
<<and best of all, the MotoBob uses a Crystalyte Hub Motor....".totally
shameless advertising on my part"/>>

Steve, what is so special about this motor?

Bob Bryant

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