JET ENGINE POWERED SCOOTER

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It seems that we humans have a strange fascination with strapping immensely powerful jet engines onto objects that were clearly never made for such propulsion, but that doesn’t stop the engineering (and a bit off kilter) minds of the world from giving it a go anyway. We’ve seen jet-powered wheelchairs and even supermarket carts, but the current king of overkill in regards to horsepower is none other than Ron Patrick — his rocket-infused Volkswagen Beetle, though deemed “completely street legal” by Ron, sports an extra 1,350 horses thanks to the massive blaster he attached to his ride. Obviously this little endeavor went over so well that he figured strapping dual JFS 100 jet engines onto his wife’s Honda Metropolitan scooter would solve her complaints of it “only going 40 miles per hour.” Since Ron estimates that one engine alone could get her ride over 60 mph, it’s fairly safe to say she should be outrunning commuters (and police, or anybody else for that matter) in no time. Patrick’s biggest challenge is compensating for the weight of the actual engines, because at 50 pounds apiece, they put a serious strain on the suspension. He plans to install an “air-start” that utilizes a “carbon fiber tank of compressed air” in order to remove the batteries currently on the vehicle. Regardless of Ron’s sanity (or lack thereof), we can’t argue with his determination, and if you happen to see a scooter in California with a curious looking device on each side (click through to see what we mean), don’t even think of revving your puny engine at Mrs. Patrick.


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The Molnari Gyrocycle – Tired of Traffic ? fly for a change

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Is a combination motorcycle and helicopter currently under development by Dezso Molnar and his team. The initial prototype, the Molnari GT, first flew in 2006. 

Molnari GT flight tests in 2006. 50 Horsepower single-cylinder engine; 650cc. Flew on the first attempt. 30+ flights were made. No crashes or damage. Aircraft now resides in the Florida Air Museum. Street legal road performance is ~ 100 MPH and 50 miles per gallon.

The second 

prototype, the GT2, has been street tested and is now being prepared for flight operations. The GT2 was on display at last weekend’s Maker Faire.

Abstract
A vehicle that can operate as either a motorcycle or an autogiro, said vehicle having a flight mode and a motorcycle mode, said vehicle comprising: a frame having a front part and a rear part; a center-line that passes from the front of said vehicle to the rear of said vehicle through the center of said vehicle such that said vehicle’s weight is distributed nearly equally to either side of said center-line; a propeller mounted to a propeller barrel that is rotatably mounted to said frame such that the junction where said frame’s front part meets said frame’s rear part is located within said propeller barrel; an engine mounted to the rear part of said frame, wherein said engine powers said propeller in said flight mode; a cockpit fixedly mounted to the front part of said frame, said cockpit comprising means for controlling said vehicle; at least one aircraft lift means comprising: at least one rotor that is rotatably mounted to said frame when said vehicle is in said flight mode; a front wheel steerably and rotatably mounted to the front part of said frame along the said vehicle’s center-line; and a rear wheel that is rotatably mounted to the rear part of said frame along said vehicle’s center-line and is powered by said engine in said motorcycle mode.







Claims



What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle that can operate as either a motorcycle or an autogiro, said vehicle having a flight mode and a motorcycle mode, said vehicle comprising: a frame having a front part and a rear part; a center-line that passes from the front of said vehicle to the rear of said vehicle through the center of said vehicle such that said vehicle’s weight is distributed nearly equally to either side of said center-line; at least one propeller mounted to a propeller barrel that is rotatably mounted to said vehicle’s frame at the junction where said frame’s front part fixedly connects to said frame’s rear part; an engine mounted to the rear part of said frame, wherein said engine powers said propeller in said flight mode; a cockpit fixedly mounted to the front part of said frame, said cockpit comprising means for controlling said vehicle; at least one aircraft lift means comprising: at least one rotor that is rotatably mounted to said frame when said vehicle is in said flight mode; a front wheel steerably and rotatably mounted to the front part of said frame along the said vehicle’s center-line; and a rear wheel that is is rotatably mounted to the rear part of said frame along said vehicle’s center-line and is powered by said engine in said motorcycle mode. 

2. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein said vehicle has side wheels retractably and rotatably mounted to said frame and said side wheels act as landing gear in said flight mode and prevent said vehicle from tipping over at low speeds in said motorcycle mode. 

3. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein: said cockpit is enclosed in a monocoque shell that is attached to or incorporates the front part of said frame and said engine is enclosed in a monocoque shell that is attached to or incorporates the rear part of said frame. 

4. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein said vehicle is also a water craft having a water mode and a means of aquatic propulsion and one or more flotation means attached to said frame. 

5. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein said rotor comprises removable rotor blades that are stowable along the sides of said vehicle when said vehicle is not in said flight mode. 

6. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein said rotor comprises foldable rotor blades that are folded when said vehicle is not in said flight mode. 

7. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein said rotor comprises extendable rotor blades that are retracted when said vehicle is not in said flight mode. 

8. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein said propeller comprises foldable propeller blades that are folded when said vehicle is not in said flight mode. 

9. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein said engine powers said rotor to provide for shortened or vertical takeoff. 

10. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein an external power source connects to an external coupling mounted to said rotor and powers said rotor to provide for shortened or vertical takeoff. 

11. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein at least one rudder and at least one horizontal stabilizer are affixed to the rear part of said frame. 

12. The vehicle as in claim 1; wherein said engine is adjustably mounted to the rear part of said frame so that said engine can be raised and lowered vertically relative to the rear part of said frame, thereby switching the supply of mechanical power back and forth from said propeller to said rear wheel by slackening and loosing one or more drive belts or meshing and unmeshing gears.

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World’s Most Expensive Motorcycles

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World’s Most Expensive Motorcycles

Motorcycles have had mass appeal to the general public for roughly a century and a half. An American named Sylvester Howard Roper designed one of the first motorcycles in the 1860s. The motorcycle was displayed at fairs and circuses around the eastern U.S.. Europeans also had their hand in popularizing motorcycles and, during the World Wars, motorcycles functioned as a quick means of transportation.

As the motorcycle progressed, the engines and frames became bigger, sleeker, faster and more powerful, resulting in the high-tech and expensive motorcycles of today. If you can afford one, a custom motorcycle built to your exact specifications is within reach.

MV-Augusta F4CC – $120,000

This expensive motorcycle was created by Claudio Castiglioni, MV’s director. He wanted to create a spectacular motorcycle that met strategic marketing needs while also being something truly special and unique. The expensive motorcycle bearing his very own initials “CC” has a top speed of 315 kph (195 mph), 1078 cc’s and a 198 hp engine. Each bike boasts a platinum plate located near the top of the steering column showing the model number from 1 to 100, making this motorcycle all the more special to its owners.

MTT Turbine SuperBike – $150,000

Not only is this motorcycle expensive, it’s also extremely fast. This bike, also known as the Y2K Turbine Superbike, is the Guinness World Record holder for the “Most Powerful Motorcycle Ever to Enter Series Production”. The turbine engine in this one is made by Rolls Royce and is capable of over 300hp. The motorcycle also boasts carbon fiber fairings, a rear mounted camera with LCD color display, forward-and rear-looking radar detector with laser scrambler, one touch “Smart Start” ignition, and many other cool gadgets. This bike seams to be pretty popular in Hollywood. It starred in the movie “Torque” and even Jay Leno owns one!

Icon Sheene – $160,000

This bike was created by Andrew Morris in honor of legendary British Grand Prix motorcycle champion Barry Sheene, who died in 2003 at the age of 52. As such, only 52 of these 250 hp, turbocharged 1400cc motorcycles will be created, each emblazoned with a playing card hand-painted by the same artist who painted Sheene’s helmets, Mike Fairholme. Each of these bikes will be bespoke, tailored to fit the purchaser’s unique requirements.

Macchia Nera concept bike – $201,000

Built around a Ducati 998RS engine, this motorcycle’s Italian designers and engineers set out to create an extremely high tech and expensive motorcycle that would be thought of as “the ultimate track bike” that is “simply beautiful and beautifully simple”. The Testastretta engine is fitted with lightweight metals and alloys, like titanium and aluminum, making it very lightweight. The view from the side of the Macchia Nera shows exposed belts and engine components, giving its design a minimalist feel while still being aesthetically pleasing. We should add that this bike is a one of a kind and not in produced for retail at this point, but if you have an extra 150,000 Euros (US $201,000) laying around for an expensive toy, your dream might come true.

Ecosse Titanium Series RR Limited Edition – $275,000

This luxury motorbike features a titanium chassis with clear coated carbon fiber bodywork and wheels. It features a fuel injected, intercooled, supercharged 2,150cc billet motor and is capable of over 200 hp. Its saddle is ergonomic and adjustable. The bike also comes with a timepiece, designed by French watchmakers BRM, which is made to match the bike and is engraved with the same serial number as the handlebar clamp and VIN plate. This bike is limited to only 10 units.

Dodge Tomahawk V10 Superbike – $555,000

This reproduction of Dodge’s concept bike is considered an “automotive sculpture,” as it is not street legal in the US. Ten of these bikes were offered by Neiman Marcus in their 2003 Christmas Book. The Dodge Tomahawk V10 superbike boasts an 8.3 liter engine (505 cubic inch), and the 10 cylinders can bring the bike to a maximum speed of almost 400 mph. The 1500lb bike has an independent 4-wheel suspension and can reach 60 mph in around 2.5 seconds.

source:


airticle by TOM on JULY 8, 2010 

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