A motorcycle with an aerodynamic shell gets more than 200 miles per gallon. Cool Storage Besides increasing fuel economy, the shell allowed builder Allert Jacobs to add a trunk in the back.
Dutch vehicle designer Allert Jacobs knew that his fuel-sipping, shell-encased motorcycle was street-legal. Unfortunately, the police didn’t, and impounded it after pulling him over during a test run.
But Jacobs has a lot of patience. He first built a resistance-reducing nose cone in 2007, in an attempt to increase his Honda Innova 125i’s 114-mpg rating. That design fell short, so he built a 1:5 scale model, followed by a full-size polyurethane and wood mold. By 2009, he was crafting the fiberglass shell. Steel tubes welded to the bike’s frame attach it, and a frame and rails added to the front of the bike allow the front of the shell to slide forward like a door and lock shut. Last winter, he even made aerodynamic cones with indicator lights for his side-view mirrors.
Most of the mileage boost comes from the aerodynamic shape, but Jacobs also converted the bike’s automatic clutch to manual to keep it from slipping. Altogether, the changes worked: On one long trip, the bike got 214 miles per gallon. And as for the impound? “I got it back,” he says, “and they had to apologize.”
Time: 3 years Cost: $5,000
HANDLING
Jacobs can put his feet down to steady himself when stopped, but the shell prevents him from planting them out wide. He’s considering building a new version with open sides in order to reduce balance issues.
COMFORT
After lowering the seat and raising the footrests above the wheel, Jacobs decided that they would improve steering if they were closer to the hub, so he welded tubes to the frame parallel to the front forks and attached the footrests to them.
SECURITY
Jacobs welded and bolted a steel rail to the front of the bike so that half the shell can slide forward 18 inches, allowing him easy access and exit. There’s a security bonus too, since he can lock up his bike along with any valuables inside.
by "environment clean generations"
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