page_title: Feet forwards motorcycle
section_title: Rationale
hierarchical_section_title: Feet forwards motorcycle / Rationale
caption_attribution_description: English: 1924 Ner-A-Car motorcycle This is an English Model A of 1921/22, built in Tinsley, Sheffield, by the Sheffield Simplex firm. The front light is not an original fitting - they were fitted with two front lamps, one on each mudguard stay, the left one being gas-powered and the right one electric. Also, the front suspension springs have been replaced by rubber blocks! If you want to see the history, and more photos of these unusual motorcycles, go to www.ner-a-car.co.uk Deutsch: Ner-A-Car (1924)
context_page_description: A Feet First Motorcycle is a class of motorcycle design that seeks to look at the two-wheeled concept afresh, and create a new form of practical personal transport. The name "feet first" was first used by Royce Creasey and refers to the rider's seating position, with feet ahead in a position, rather than below and astride, as with conventional bikes. As there are other types of motorcycle that have a 'feet forward' position, an alternative term sometimes used is Advanced Single Track Vehicle.
context_section_description: Modern motorcycles are simply well-developed motorized bicycles, and as such have drawbacks. Chief among these are:
  Safety - riders involved in an accident are at significantly higher risk of injury or death compared with car drivers.
  Weather - motorcycles do not offer the advantages of an enclosed  car in poor weather.
  Convenience - conventional motorcycle riders need to wear a helmet and protective clothing.
  Efficiency - motorcycles have a relatively tall profile that reduces aerodynamic performance. "A feet-forward sitting position is easier to streamline" according to inventor Craig Vetter.
  Skill - motorcycles riders need training and practice to become skilled at riding.
  Likewise, in dense urban environments, the car has a number of drawbacks:
  Road occupancy - a car takes up much more space than a single person, and most cars transport only one person. Similarly the area occupied when parked consumes considerable space.
  Environment - a car uses more fuel than a motorcycle for the same journey. It is also more expensive in terms of resources to build in the first place.
  Performance - Journey times - a car is generally a lot slower than a motorcycle for city journeys due to congestion. A greater percentage of weight redistribution to counter directional momentum is available.
  The FF motorcycle is an attempt to marry the advantages of bikes and cars, while avoiding the drawbacks of either.  However any  FF STV has no roll stability so actual benefits are overstated by some proponents  when comparing a  FF motorcycle with a motorcar.  In addressing these issues, most FF designs arrive at a low-slung faired body, with the rider in a reclining position.
  A number of FF concepts have been tried, but so far a commercially successful design has not appeared. There has been a  revival of interest in the motor scooter as a means of personal transportation, and in some respects these vehicles have some features in common with FF motorcycles.
caption: 1924 Ner-A-Car
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