Abstract:
A mobile motorcycle burnout pit that includes a wheeled flatbed, an apparatus for supporting a front wheel of a motorcycle in an upright position on the floor of the flatbed, a guide attached to the floor of the flatbed rearward of the front wheel supporting apparatus, and a burnout pad replaceably secured with the guide on the floor of the flatbed. The burnout pad is sized and located relative to the front wheel supporting apparatus for supporting a rear wheel of the motorcycle during a burnout session.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/521,571, filed May 26, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to motorcycles and entertainment equipment that can be used therewith. More particularly, this invention relates to a portable motorcycle burnout pit.  
         [0003]     Traditional motorcycle burnout pits have been stationary and expensive. For example, because conventional burnout pits are stationary, a motorcyclist must bring his/her motorcycle to the burnout station for a “run.” Also, conventional stationary burnout pits generally accommodate a single motorcycle at a given time.  
         [0004]     Accordingly, a more accommodating, less expensive motorcycle burnout pit would be desirable.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention provides a mobile motorcycle burnout pit that can be set up and used practically anywhere. The mobile burnout pit also provides various desirable accessories, such as an onboard video camera, signal lamps, and a computer that records a burnout performance and produces a recording at the end of the burnout. The mobile burnout pit also preferably accommodates more than one motorcycle at a time.  
         [0006]     The mobile motorcycle burnout pit of this invention includes a trailer with forward and rearward ends, a support member adjacent the forward end for receiving and securing a front wheel of a motorcycle in a generally upright position on a floor of the trailer, a pad guide adjacent the rearward end of the trailer, and a replaceable burnout pad received in the pad guide so as to be fixedly secured to the floor of the trailer behind the support member for accommodating a rear wheel of a motorcycle. A video camera and signal lamps are preferably mounted near the forward end of the trailer, and can be connected to a portable computer capable of recording and producing a storage medium, such as a DVD, containing a recording of a burnout from start to finish as signaled by the signal lamp.  
         [0007]     In view of the above, it can be seen that a significant advantage of this invention is that the mobile burnout pit provides a portable and relatively inexpensive apparatus for allowing motorcyclist to engage in burnouts as an entertainment attraction. The mobile burnout pit maximizes the entertainment opportunity by enabling contests between multiple motorcyclists and providing a permanent recording of the burnout performance.  
         [0008]     Other objects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3  are side, rear, and plan views, respectively, of a mobile motorcycle burnout pit on a flatbed trailer in accordance with a first embodiment of this invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is plan view similar to  FIG. 3  but with the trailer of the burnout pit of  FIGS. 1-3  configured for a single motorcycle.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 5, 6 , and  7  are side, rear, and plan views, respectively, of a mobile motorcycle burnout pit on a flatbed trailer in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 8  is plan view similar to  FIG. 7  but with the trailer of the burnout pit of  FIGS. 5-7  configured for a single motorcycle.  
         [0013]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are plan views of the trailer portion of any one of the burnout pits represented in  FIGS. 1 through 8 , showing the location and orientation of a camera and signal light for a single-motorcycle and two-motorcycle configuration, respectively.  
         [0014]      FIG. 11  is a plan view of the burnout pit similar to  FIG. 10 , modified to have an extended burnout pad sized to accommodate the rear wheels of both motorcycles.  
         [0015]      FIG. 12  is a plan view of a burnout pit similar to  FIG. 10 , further equipped with a water system for wetting the burnout pads.  
         [0016]      FIG. 13  is a side view of a front wheel support assembly lying on the bed of the trailer prior to being readied for use.  
         [0017]      FIGS. 14 and 15  are side views of the support assembly of  FIG. 13  being readied to receive a front wheel of a motorcycle.  
         [0018]      FIGS. 16 and 17  are plan views of  FIGS. 13 and 15 , respectively, with  FIG. 17  further showing a front wheel of a motorcycle received in the support member assembly. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]      FIGS. 1 through 17  represent embodiments of a mobile burnout pit  10  utilizing a wheeled flatbed trailer  12 .  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3  are side, rear, and plan views, respectively, of a first embodiment having a front wheel support assembly  14  mounted to the floor of the trailer  12 ; a pad guide  16  with a replaceable burnout pad  18  on the floor and rearward of the support assembly  14 , and a video camera  20  and signal lamp  22  mounted on a stand  24  attached to the floor of the trailer  12  near a forward end of the trailer  12 . The signal lamp  22  preferably has red, green, and amber lights to signal the start and stop of a burnout session, during which a motorcycle (not shown) positioned on the trailer  12 , with its front wheel secured with the support assembly  14  and its rear wheel positioned on the burnout pad  18 , is operated to spin its rear wheel on the burnout pad  18 . To obtain the desired effect, the pad  18  is preferably formed of concrete or asphalt, though the use of other materials is foreseeable. The pad  18  is adapted to be removed from the pad guide  16  and replaced when excessive rubber has accumulated on the pad  18 . Guardrails  46  (not shown in  FIG. 1  for clarity) extend along the length of the trailer  12  to assist the motorcyclist in maneuvering the motorcycle on the trailer  12 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a storage cabinet  26  provided immediately forward of the stand  24  for the purpose of containing a computer  28  and storage device  30 , as well as fire extinguishers, additional equipment, and supplies. The computer  28  and storage device  30  are operatively connected with the video camera  20  and the signal lamp  22  to control and time the operation of the camera  20  and lamp  22 , and cause the storage device  30  to record the burnout session on a suitable storage medium, such as a DVD, video tape, memory card, etc.  FIG. 2  also shows a large fan  50  mounted in the cabinet  26  to force air rearward toward the motorcycle to simulate the wind associated when riding a motorcycle. A second storage cabinet  32  an also be provided beneath the trailer  12 . In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3 , a rear ramp  34  is attached to the rear end of the trailer  12  to enable a motorcyclist to ride his or her motorcycle up onto the trailer  12 .  FIG. 4  is a plan view showing how the burnout pit  10  of  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3  can be configured for use by a single motorcycle.  
         [0021]      FIGS. 5, 6 , and  7  are side, rear, and plan views, respectively, of a second embodiment of the invention, differing from that of  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3  by eliminating the forward storage cabinet  26  to permit the addition of front ramps  36  connected to the front end of the trailer  12 , thereby enabling the motorcyclists to also exit the trailer by moving forward. Because the forward storage cabinet  26  has been eliminated, the computer  28  and storage device  30  are shown in  FIG. 2  as being contained within the lower storage cabinet  32 .  FIG. 8  is a plan view showing how the burnout pit  10  of  FIGS. 5, 6 , and  7  can be configured for use by a single motorcycle.  
         [0022]     As evident from  FIGS. 1 through 8 , the video camera  20  and the signal lamp  22  are mounted on the stand  24  so as to face the motorcyclist(s) during a burnout session. Cables (not shown) connecting the video camera  20  and signal lamp  22  can be run inside the stand  24  to the computer  28  and storage device  30 . The computer  28  preferably causes the storage device  30  to record a burnout session based on the signals of the signal lamp  22 , for example, starting at a red light condition immediately before the start of the session, through amber and green light conditions, to a red light terminating the session. Consistent with the embodiment of  FIGS. 5, 6  and  7 , the plan view of  FIG. 9  shows the stand  24  as being generally positioned at front-center of the trailer  12  to permit two motorcyclists to exit the trailer  12  via the front ramp  36 .  FIG. 10  is a similar plan view showing the single-motorcycle configuration of the embodiment of  FIGS. 5, 6 , and  7 , with the video camera  20  and signal lamp  22  mounted on the post  24  to one side of the trailer  12 . The camera  20  and lamp  22  are shown oriented at sufficient angle to record and be visible, respectively, to the motorcyclist performing the burnout session.  
         [0023]      FIGS. 11 and 12  are plan views similar to  FIG. 10 , showing optional modifications to the burnout pits  10  of this invention.  FIG. 11  shows the dual burnout pads  18  of  FIGS. 3, 7 , and  10  replaced with a single burnout pad  18  that extends sufficiently across the trailer  12  to accommodate the rear wheels of both motorcycles.  FIG. 12  shows the burnout pit  10  equipped with a watering system  38  installed on the trailer  12  for connection to an outside water source to slowly deliver water to the upper surface of the burnout pads  18 , resulting in the creation of a steam effect during the burnout session as a visual enhancement to the performance.  
         [0024]      FIG. 13  through  17  illustrate the appearance of the front wheel support assembly  14  during a series of steps as the assembly  14  is prepared to secure the front wheel  48  ( FIGS. 15 and 17 ) of a motorcycle for a burnout session. As represented in  FIGS. 13 through 15 , the support assembly  14  acquires a triangular shape when assembled, so that the front wheel  48  of the motorcycle is engaged in the support assembly  14  in a generally fixed upright position. The support assembly  14  comprises three elongated members—a middle  40  of the three members is attached to the floor of the trailer  12 , while the remaining two members, a leg member  42  and a connection member  44 , are connected to forward and rearward ends of the middle member  40  with hinges so that the leg and connection members  42  and  44  can freely pivot about the adjacent ends of the fixed middle member  40 .  FIG. 14  shows the leg member  42  raised to create an L-shaped configuration with the middle and connection members  40  and  44 , and  FIGS. 15 and 17  show the connection member  44  latched, pinned, etc., to the raised end of the leg member  42 , thereby creating a cradle for a front wheel  48  of the motorcycle ( FIG. 17 ). The connection member  44  maintains the leg member  42  in a generally upright position to prevent a motorcycle from moving forward during a burnout session. As evident from  FIGS. 13 and 16 , the support assembly  14  is able to lay relatively flat to enable a motorcycle to ride forward off the support assembly  14  and then off the trailer  12  via the front ramp  36  of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0025]     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiment, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, it can be appreciated that the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4  can be adapted for the bed of a truck instead of the trailer  12 . Furthermore, the position of the front wheel support assembly  14  and the burnout pads  16  could differ in location, appearance, and construction from that shown and described. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.