Genesis & Quasar Rear View & Headroom Differences (2009)
This photo shows Genesis alongside the Quasar that was owned by Andy Tribble at the time of this 2009 FF gathering in East Sussex and Kent. Note how he's having to twist his head to get it under the roof even though the roof is raised compared to the standard version. By contrast, Genesis's roof is significantly higher, avoiding the problem. At the time, Genesis was still owned by its creator, Ian Pegram, but he'd kindly lent it to me to take to of the event. I bought Genesis a few months later, in the spring of 2010 and subsequently added the rear light, mudguard and indicators from a Tmax which can be seen in later photos; here, for example: https://www.bikeweb.com/node/2170
Andy Tribble sold this Quasar and bought an early green Ecomobile (of which there are many photos on bikeweb); this Quasar is now owned by Malcolm Newell's son, Gavin, who can be seen riding it elsewhere on Bikeweb; here, during the 2015 BruceFFest, for example: https://bikeweb.com/node/3403
Also, note that by 2015 this Quasar's 'roof lump' had been removed and the shape returned to standard: https://bikeweb.com/node/3004/edit
PNB
Photo: © Paul Blezard 2009
Height
Genesis is on its centre stand and the Quasar isn't on a stand, so the difference is exaggerated in the picture. I've ridden a Quasar and Genesis, and Genesis was taller than I needed it to be for my short torso. Ian Pegram was tall, so he needed the headroom.
This, and the BMW C1 roofed scooter, show a limitation of roofed compact vehicles. In order to accommodate a wide range of sizes of rider, they need to be taller than necessary for the majority of potential riders. It doesn't show up as much with bigger vehicles, like typical cars, but even they can use height adjustable seats to accommodate different sized drivers.
Genesis vs C1 roof height vs the ideal
You're right about the centre stand, of course, but Genesis's headroom is still several inches more than a standard Quasar's. It's also several inches less than the ludicrously tall roof of the BMW C1, as can be seen in the photo of the two machines that is also in this folder, where both machines are on their centre stands. Here: https://www.bikeweb.com/node/1931
Having ridden Mark Crowson's QuickaQuasar, with its subtly raised roof, I would say that roof is the ideal – about half way between the too-low standard Quasar and the slightly-higher-than-necessary Genesis. There's a good side-on shot of the QuickaQuasar here; the extra 2 inches of headroom is not at all obvious: https://bikeweb.com/node/2074
Of course the extent to which the riding position is 'laid-back' is also a factor, with the Quasar being very laid back and the C1 unnecessarily vertical as if sitting on a toilet! PNB