From: jsloan@ncar.ucar.edu (John Sloan)
Subject: Re: All-wheel drive???
Organization: Scientific Computing Division/NCAR Boulder, CO
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 16:45:30 GMT

In article <1jnmm3$qkg@agate.berkeley.edu> robinson@cogsci.berkeley.edu (Michael Robinson) writes:
>It was a water-cooled bike, but instead of a radiator, it had sort of a
>boiler affair.  They ran steam lines down the front forks to a steam 

From article <1993Jan22.151141.24959@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>, by groh@omicron.cs.fsu.edu (Jim Groh):
> Absolutely correct, it was the Spagthorpe Indomitable.

I take it that this was a completely different design from the one that
had the small radial-engines, not unlike miniture versions of those
used in WWII vintage aircraft, acting as both motive force and as front
and rear wheels? I recall that they had several problems with this
design:

o  Unsprung weight was a problem, although the center of gravity was
extremely low. This model was not fitted with a center stand, a side
stand, or any kind of stand. Apparently it could easily be balanced to
stand upright even on its narrow tires with no other means of support.

o  The seals around the axles had a tendency to leak gasoline. A
suitable gasket material and lubricant was never developed. This
ultimately led to the cancellation of the plan to store gasoline in the
tires, rather than in the gas tank, more of a fuel bladder really, that
doubled as the rider's seat, although this had the advantage of the
rider's weight pressurizing the fuel system. However, the bike never
idled well unless someone was sitting on it.

o  Fuel was fed through the frame down through the front forks and the
rear shocks, which made the bike especially hazardous in a crash.
However, one-way valves and natural suspension action served as an
effective fuel pump.

o  The tires frequently melted due to high cylinder head temperatures.
I know that water jackets were tried briefly, which worked as long one
did not want to turn, and as long as speeds were low. Centripedal force
apparently forced water high into the cylinder heads and made its
return to the spinning radiators which stuck out on either side of the
axles problematic.

o  At high speeds, the spark plugs were frequently thrown from their
holes, which frequently entangled the spark plug wires in the spinning
engine.  This resulted in frequently reboring of the holes to install
new plugs.

o  There were several lawsuits, I recall, from pedestrians who were
clipped by the rather wide (and hot) "wheels" when the machine was
ridden through town. Not to mention the few that were flayed by
loose spark plug wires and the still-attached plugs.

A fascinating experiment, one which the march, or at least the stagger,
of technology will surely eventually make feasible. Rumors abound that
the new Yamaha RADD forkless front suspension is a first step in a
secret joint development plan between Yamaha and Suzuki to revive this
design with a Wankel rotary engine.

--
John Sloan              "Since I've given up hope,       +1 303 497 1243
NCAR/SCD                   I feel much better."      Fax +1 303 497 1137
Boulder CO 80307-3000 USA                           jsloan@ncar.ucar.edu
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