A Three Wheeled Boat climbing the mountain!

[Nigel]

Not sure what it is, but it looked like a boat with three wheels!

If we are going to save the planet from global warming then this is what we should all be driving, not that 2 tonne hybrid Mitsubishi in the other thread!

Recorded on Viofo A129, and compressed to 3.1 Mbps before uploading to YouTube using the new AV1 codec - pretty good at keeping number plates at less bitrate than "low bitrate parking mode" even moving quickly, but YouTube still seems to have reduced the quality further!

 

[kamkar]

 

[flank]

We have something similar you can rent in San Francisco.

 

[Nigel]

We have something similar you can rent in San Francisco.

Are they wearing the helmets just as GoPro mounts, or are they expecting to fall out?

Maybe it is so that they feel indestructible, but a seat belt/straps to go with the roll bars would be a better idea!

 

[Gibson99]

probably some stupid insurance requirement. just looking at the thumbnail, i can tell the helmets aren't even Snell rated. "DOT" rated helmets are basically worthless IMHO. all they'll protect you from is bruising your head on that roll bar... speaking of which, that bar isn't even tall enough to be useful in the event of an actual rollover.

meanwhile, i wonder if that green car is a Morgan?

 

[Nigel]

meanwhile, i wonder if that green car is a Morgan?

No, not a Morgan, engine was under the bonnet instead of sticking out the front acting as a bumper!

It was some sort of home made kit car, I suspect a fairly old one, but most copy the Morgan and stick an air cooled engine on the front, a Google image search didn't help, there are too many types of 3 wheeler about:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/g999/11-thrilling-three-wheeled-kit-cars/

 

[dash riposki]

Can't see a 3 wheeled car without thinking of this one.

 

[Nigel]

Can't see a 3 wheeled car without thinking of this one.

Don't understand how they got it to roll over so easily and smoothly, normally it takes two people to roll one over, doing it while driving takes some skill!

 

[dash riposki]

 

[Nigel]

We know how Top Gear did it - they doctored the differential!

Proof:

Clarkson Reveals Bombshell: Top Gear Modified Reliant Robins To Make Them Roll

In an admission that should surprise nobody who’s given it more than a minute of actual thought, Jeremy Clarkson revealed he asked Top Gear’s “backroom boys to play around with the differential” to make the little three-wheeler topple every time he yanked the steering wheel.

jalopnik.com

But in TG it was always a violent event, never as smooth as Mr Bean's.

 

[Nigel]

There are some real problems with three wheel cars, like if there is grass up the centre of the road, or you need to use a ramp designed for normal cars:

but when it comes to cornering, the Stig shows that you can even powerslide a Robin Reliant:

 

[dash riposki]

Oh no, TV is not real?

Probably better with limited speed.

I'm seriously considering one of these in a few months after I retire, move to Asia. Use it as a city car, pickup truck.





I'd get the 'high performance' model, which has a 200CC engine, and maybe will do 30 mph on flat roads.

The shop that assembles them from Chinese parts claims a weight capacity of a ton. I'm a little skeptical.


At least there is a radio and windshield for a dashcam.

The same small shop also scratch builds similar trikes they install 650cc Japanese car engines in. That scares me. They'll hit 100 KPH.

 

[Nigel]

The shop that assembles them from Chinese parts claims a weight capacity of a ton. I'm a little skeptical.

Top Gear tested that as well:

And they raced them:

And they also found that they can be rolled :

 

[dash riposki]

Those look more like the Indian or South Thailand Tuk Tuk, motor rickshaw. I

This poses the question, 'where's a cop when you need one?" Apparently in India they're all in that video.

Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka.....

 

[Nigel]

Those look more like the Indian or South Thailand Tuk Tuk, motor rickshaw. I

They were racing from Sri Lanka to India via Adam's Bridge, which turned out to need the floats for a major ocean voyage along the chain of islands! Quite a good episode if you get the chance to watch it.

 

[dash riposki]

but as you pointed out, it's fake?

Since I'll be close to two of the small factories who actually scratch build these beasts, and the cost is a little more than a small motorcycle or upmarket large scooter, I'll look at them. The scratch built ones (Regional type) generally have Chinese Lifan engines, if not rebuilt engines out of the japanese (home market) mini cars.
Not hoping for cutting edge stuff, just solid and reliable. (and survivable)

One local report of a cheaper model chinese trike said the frame broke in half while doing a u-turn.

 

[Nigel]

but as you pointed out, it's fake?

Since I'll be close to two of the small factories who actually scratch build these beasts, and the cost is a little more than a small motorcycle or upmarket large scooter, I'll look at them. The scratch built ones (Regional type) generally have Chinese Lifan engines, if not rebuilt engines out of the japanese (home market) mini cars.
Not hoping for cutting edge stuff, just solid and reliable. (and survivable)

One local report of a cheaper model chinese trike said the frame broke in half while doing a u-turn.

No, it was an entertaining destruction test, in Top Gear tradition! Conclusion seemed to be very positive, so as long as you will be driving in traffic that it can keep up with then it's probably a good buy, not sure the more powerful version is necessary, that might get to speeds where a crash will be fatal rather than uncomfortable since safety seemed to consist of attaching a small statue to the front! Top Gear didn't seem to find much benefit to their sports model.

The Chinese do have some terrible factories for things like that, but also some good ones.

 

[dash riposki]

I'll have a rental car for the first few weeks while I do the required running around to government offices to become 'official', banks, etc.
Probably buy a car later this year since a few models I'm interested in will come out with freshened up versions.
I am pretty sure the section of town I will be living in will allow me to get anywhere in the city of 200,000 on back streets and roads, and only crossing major streets or intersections occasionally. Planning the route will be like planning how to get somewhere on a bicycle.

I don't like the style of the locally scratch built trikes, but the advantage is you can visit the factory, they do any alterations or modifications you want, and probably can watch them build it. The larger shop that builds these is 3 km or so away from where I will live.

Here's one of the typical, gaudy, locally assembled trikes, complete with 650 CC car engine, shift lever, and too many lights and crap.
These are in heavy use as taxis, but usually with a 125-150 cc engine.

I'm tall, don't envision being comfortable on one of these, and don't like the style, but modifications are possible.

This is the smaller of the two 'factories' locally that assemble some chinese trikes, and scratch build at least the frames and body work for the Thai regional version.

The following style seems to be a chinese product, maybe bought in parts or basic kit, assembled by many shops in thailand who slap their name on it, modify it to your specs. These are cheaper, but the quality and durability is ????.

Speed, I mostly worried about getting across intersections. You usually drive these on the shoulder of larger roads, legally, and I wouldn't wander more than ten miles away in one. Shopping, etc.


There's really no motorbike I'm interested in that wouldn't be close to the price of one of these, and these seem more utilitarian.
(And I have no desire to ride a motorbike there)

 

[jokiin]

Heaps of these things in regional areas of China

 

[kamkar]

I would stay with 2 wheels and get a yamasaki.