Airstream compilation Monoliner at MIRA

Here's a picture from the archive compiling all the smoke streams into one photo. If aerodynamics was even a thing in the Powered Two Wheeler world this would be an interesting picture given valuable ibsghts into separation features and the effects of various curves and radii. As it is we can all laugh at the weirdo withthe Russian hat* waving the smoke wand about. For the record tjhis is what a .21 CDa airlfow looks like.

*It's a Chinese copy of a Russian hat. It's pretty draughty in a 60mph windtunnel

Airstream compilation Monoliner at MIRA

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Given institutional inertia, corporate cowadice and the general failure of imagination amongst people who race motorised bicycles, it's extremely unlikely that anything looking like this will be seen on a racetrack (ever?) but it's interesting to consider the potential. This shape is (was) legal in E-racing and is recording less than half the drag of a typical racing motorcycle. And yet it's configured for the ICE motor it's fitted with. This is because it's a developmenet prototype. Intended for prolonged running to establish the ideal parameters and settings for a vehicle like this - without having long breaks to charge a battery system.

As a pure E-racer almost all the intakes and exits would disappear. most noticably the radiator intakes. The short video on this site (in 'films') shows that they work very well but there's no doubt of the drag penalty. Given such cleaning up of the shape, and various changes indicated by this actual flow picture. I have no doubt that a CDa of less than .2 is readily achievable. probably less than the .191 achieved by the famous NSU Land Speed Record breaking 'Hammocks' of the mid-fifties. Racing against any known motorised bicycle it would be completely unbeatable.

As a road vehicle it would be no more practical than a formula car. race and road vehicles are different animals altogether - except when anachronistic regulations demand an obsolete layout. As can be seen on this site a Road FF needs to be higher and shorter, inevitably increaing frontal area and general efficiency. However CDa's below .3 have been achieved in past decades and application of the knowledge gained here means that figures around .25 should be achievable, half the drag of a full race motorised bicycle. If powered Two Wheelers have a place in an efficient, renewable future, this matters.

next steps

Given institutional inertia, corporate cowadice and the general failure of imagination amongst people who race motorised bicycles, it's extremely unlikely that anything looking like this will be seen on a racetrack (ever?) but it's interesting to consider the potential. This shape is (was) legal in E-racing and is recording less than half the drag of a typical racing motorcycle. And yet it's configured for the ICE motor it's fitted with. This is because it's a developmenet prototype. Intended for prolonged running to establish the ideal parameters and settings for a vehicle like this - without having long breaks to charge a battery system.

As a pure E-racer almost all the intakes and exits would disappear. most noticably the radiator intakes. The short video on this site (in 'films') shows that they work very well but there's no doubt of the drag penalty. Given such cleaning up of the shape, and various changes indicated by this actual flow picture. I have no doubt that a CDa of less than .2 is readily achievable. probably less than the .191 achieved by the famous NSU Land Speed Record breaking 'Hammocks' of the mid-fifties. Racing against any known motorised bicycle it would be completely unbeatable.

As a road vehicle it would be no more practical than a formula car. race and road vehicles are different animals altogether - except when anachronistic regulations demand an obsolete layout. As can be seen on this site a Road FF needs to be higher and shorter, inevitably increaing frontal area and general efficiency. However CDa's below .3 have been achieved in past decades and application of the knowledge gained here means that figures around .25 should be achievable, half the drag of a full race motorised bicycle. If powered Two Wheelers have a place in an efficient, renewable future, this matters.