The EsCargo

[LockH]

"a cargo-carrying electric delivery bike prototype with a unique double-knuckle front suspension and steering system the puts the front wheel more than a meter (3.3 ft) in front of you"

Seen here:
http://www.gizmag.com/escargo-electric-cargo-motorcycle/42219/

 

[1JohnFoster]

Like!

I'm tempting to say "why not add pedals"?
But if you put this side by side with a long john, you see how much extra length and height is required to accommodate your twirling feet on the long john.
Or how much extra load you can fit without pedals for a given parking footprint.

 

[John in CR]

Interesting steering mechanicals. The article write doesn't know what he's talking about though, because it still steers like any bike. It's just that the riding position, low COG, and probably most importantly the non 1:1 steering ratio of handlebar movement to wheel turn threw his brain for a loop. The odd steering ratio makes no sense to me at all. The front wheel linkage though I'd love to try.

 

[1JohnFoster]

Interesting steering mechanicals. The article write doesn't know what he's talking about though, because it still steers like any bike. It's just that the riding position, low COG, and probably most importantly the non 1:1 steering ratio of handlebar movement to wheel turn threw his brain for a loop. The odd steering ratio makes no sense to me at all. The front wheel linkage though I'd love to try.

Maybe.... he didn't mention if he'd ever ridden a long john before. I found mine really hard hard to steer at 1st, mostly because of the length. But it also had completely wrong geometry; the maker copied the head tube from a photo on internet, but used a fork with really short trail. It was completely out of the URB guy's range of stability. After riding for months I couldn't ride no hands. Then I changed the trail, and it was easy.

Pretty hard to compute the head & trail on this thing from photos! They might have it perfect, and the reviewer's just a Long John noob, or maybe they screwed up the geometry.

In any case I really like the idea of reducing the clearance over the front wheel to have max carry in min length and min CG.

 

[gogo]

That steering pivot looks like it could be perfectly vertical. The wheel movement seems to have a progressive quality with centered steering being the slowest?

I'd love to test drive one. Looks like great utility.

 

[LockH]

Perhaps unfortunate name? Goes at a snails pace maybe?






(French word for snail = "escargot")