AWD/2-WD Series hybrid with removal genset.

[Logic11]

So this vents the genset's warm air and exhaust forward so you don't 'boil your eggs'!
But you're still in that warm air and exhaust, which would be nice in cold weather, but you're still getting fumigated.
So this is more a 'Easily take your genset with you' to charge the bike when you're off it and run chainsaws and lights and stuff, but leave the genset in camp if/when you can.

I'm thinking a, so designed vent system the (turned around) genset goes up against, that vents out under the seat?
Perhaps even a 'quick connect' extra muffler.

I like the 2-WD and the super fat tires should make for a comfortable off-road or pothole proof ride?
(I'm in The new South Africa where the power's now more off than on and the roads are more pothole than road)

 

[bananu7]

I like the 2-WD and the super fat tires should make for a comfortable off-road or pothole proof ride?

Fat tyres only work at low speeds as far as suspension goes. The lack of ability to tune their damping behavior means they have only a very limited range of compression velocities (not confused with vehicle speed) where they will work optimally. They're also very heavy which combined with the 2WD system used here that uses hub motors further make all suspension work much worse because of their unsprung mass.

If you want comfort, you need lightweight tyres, light wheels, light swingarm and a well set up suspension with gently progressive damping characteristics. This will actually make the tyres track the ground in contact at a large range of speeds.

I'm thinking a, so designed vent system the (turned around) genset goes up against, that vents out under the seat?
Perhaps even a 'quick connect' extra muffler.

If this is meant as an all-around slow-speed "agro"-style crawler, then using a trike or a quad is typically a better idea and gives you much more options than a motorcycle.

 

[jkrienert]

Looks like a nich vehicle, that seems pretty cool. I didn't catch a price or if it's a production model?

First thing that came to mind was it's potential use for water quality field sampling of environmental cleanup sites. I've done that work with an ICE 4x4 ATV, genny, and sampling instruments. The genny was the power source for the groundwater well submersible pumps and measurement instruments. The ATV wheelbase would sometimes be cumbersome when accessing remote sites, which could be alleviated with a narrow track 2x2 like this.

One question I have is, at the start of the video it's ridden through .3m deep waters, which submerge the front hub motor. Isn't that asking for trouble? I recall a lot of ES and Reedit threads saying ingress is an issue with hub motors, even when having ip6x ratings.

 

[Logic11]

Fat tyres only work at low speeds as far as suspension goes. The lack of ability to tune their damping behavior means they have only a very limited range of compression velocities (not confused with vehicle speed) where they will work optimally. They're also very heavy which combined with the 2WD system used here that uses hub motors further make all suspension work much worse because of their unsprung mass.

If you want comfort, you need lightweight tyres, light wheels, light swingarm and a well set up suspension with gently progressive damping characteristics. This will actually make the tyres track the ground in contact at a large range of speeds.


If this is meant as an all-around slow-speed "agro"-style crawler, then using a trike or a quad is typically a better idea and gives you much more options than a motorcycle.

In the video they do go into how it's a high end, tuned suspension system from (IIRC) an enduro bike.
But ye; the laws of physics say: "Go light!"
The unsprung weight is the one thing I dont like
BUT NB that with tires this 'fat' a lot of the suspension is in fact in the tire, so the unsprung weight might be considered to only be the the outer treaded piece of the tire..??? (Think F1..?)
Slow is not my goal!

I've often wondered why just about everyone uses the same (size, watts) motor on the front rather than a smaller one?
This example doesn't seem to do that and have a bigger motor on the rear.
I also recall some talk of ASC/ABS type software here, to keep the front wheel from spinning out etc in AWD setups. I need to revisit all that.