If you remember the GG Quad mentioned here before then you’ll immediately see the family resemblance in the Taurus. The GG (Grueter & Gut) Quad runs a BMW boxer engine, later evolving into the GG Quadster using the inline 4 from the BMW K1200S. I didn’t notice their next logical step when they re-engineered the Quadster into a reverse trike, called the Taurus. I came across the Taurus in the BMW Customs book I just reviewed and it could be an interesting alternative to a Can Am Spyder if they decide to bring it to the US. GG Quad North America has been trying to make the quad street legal but the Taurus would be a slam dunk for certification with the Can Am already on the road.
Since the 175 hp, 6 speed Taurus would be the pricier trike, most casual riders looking for a reverse trike would most likely opt for the Can Am, but, for those who can’t be seen on what anyone else is riding, who have to be a little bit faster and are willing and able to pay for the experience, the Taurus would be pretty sweet. There’s no indication this is coming stateside but you never know.
Link: GG Technik
JP says
States are likely going to keep classifying the quad as an automobile…4 wheels=car, and those training wheels style “trike” conversions that keep the standard drive wheel of the bike on the ground can be classified as such and folks fined by officials in a snit.
This though is just a trike and as long as the base frame is classified for use is going to be fine.
I remember the kits to convert Honda ATCs to a dual front ttire set up, and would love to find one at a reasonable price to convert my XL250S to a reverse trike. Dirtwheels magazine made one for a comparison when the nannies were considering a ban on possession of three wheeled ATVs. Pointing out to the CPSC that a: most of the folks they used for examples were drunk and could crash anything, no matter the design, and b: the poor kids killed in their examples were often a 5-10 year olds riding a Big Red alone, which is quite silly and akin to letting said 5-10 yr old ride a Silverwing GL500/650 as a trike, had no effect as as now, they thought they could legislate common sense. As No One in gov’t seems to have common sense it of course would never have worked, but they have since gotten the makers to stop 3 wheelers, save kids from eating the starter batteries in their small motorcycles, and still can’t seem to protect us from lead in goods from China.
Four wheels would have to pass crash tests for cars. Some states may allow it as a home construction. Sand Rails are licensed in Texas but sure wont pass a crash test.
When are they coming with the K1600 version?
Adrian van den Hoven says
I see that they i.e. GG also make “quads.” I was in Lisbon, Portugal recently and to my amazement I saw young people riding (driving?) quads down the main streets. I don’t know of any province in Canada (at least not to my knowledge) where they are street legal but are they legal in any of the American states? Great magazine, Adrian
Kent says
What…no electronic windscreen? Big mistake.
Mark says
I think there’s a whole new untapped market for three wheelers out there that no one seems to be exploring. I’m not referring to 3 wheelers like this or the Can-Am Spyder, but something more car like.
These 3 wheelers could be the base for a whole new class of car that wont have to undergo crash testing, or be equipped with airbags and other mandated safety equipment that drives up the cost of entry level transportation since most states would classify them as motorcycles.
It wouldn’t take much for a large manufacturer to produce a nicely styled 3 wheeled, 2 seat commuter vehicle that borrows heavily from trikes like these, at a price that could be substantially below that of a sub-compact car, and still be something fun and exciting to drive. A small 50hp engine would be plenty to provide enough speed for highway travel and give great gas mileage, especially a Diesel version. They can also have electric versions for city commuting, or a performance version similar to a T-Rex that would outperform many Supercars.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
Volkswagen was going that direction with their GX3 until they canceled it.
Hawk says
There’s some interesting ideas coming out of Switzerland but it tends to be pretty expensive. At least for the GG Taurus, the regulatory way has been paved by the Can-Am Spyder. Not so for such things as the Peraves.
As a personal preference, I would like to see a leaning suspension similar to the defunct Carver. Riding the Spyder, even not aggressively, I keep feeling like I’m about to be pitched off. But then, that’s probably why I enjoy my bike more than the car.
Spyderrider says
“Riding the Spyder, even not aggressively, I keep feeling like I’m about to be pitched off. But then, that’s probably why I enjoy my bike more than the car.”
With all due respect, that’s why you keep feeling like you’re about to be pitched off– you’re riding the Spyder like it’s a bike. Ride it like a Spyder, and it can be driven *extremely* aggressively. No one will ever confuse it with a sportbike, but again– it’s NOT a bike.
Ken says
I would think you would ride it like a snowmobile… Pitch your body off of it or it will pitch you…
Mike says
Can Am has applied for a patent on a “leaning” type suspension re: the Paiggio mp3.
B50 Jim says
Imagine the liability — that’s what the automakers do, and cancel any plans to build three-wheelers. That said, there is a niche for a snappy, enclosed 3-wheeler with modern design (not rapping on the Morgan updates), but it would be limited production and quite expensive.
This GG Taurus looks like it can corner like it’s on rails. A rider would need forearms like Popeye just to hold on for dear life
Jim says
Not the Robin?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliant_Robin
Anon says
An importer brought in GG quads as track toys. I see no reason that they wouldn’t bring in the trike especially as they can be licensed for the street. The only barrier is the price. I don’t see it costing any less than the quad.
Phil says
Does it lean? No? Oh well, another car!
Ian says
Ok noone else seems to be mentioning it… 3 or 4 wheels- these things have always been downright hideous. I struggle to comprehend how someone got to the point of looking at it and saying “yeah, looks good lets go with it”.
Rob says
Yep bring on the lean. If they could cross this with Piaggio MP3 and keep the power of the BMW engine… And yes a bit of weather resistance (T-rex style) for the rider wouldn’t hurt either. I live in a country where it rains a lot.
Tin Man says
If a manufacturer brought out a “car like” 3 wheeler, How long until they go bankrupt when the Nannies get it under the “safety umbrella”. We had best hope this idea stays small and stays under the radar.
Mark says
The last time I checked, they still sell bicycles and motorcycles in this country.
How would an enclosed 3 wheeler be more dangerous than a motorcycle?
Tin Man says
If you make them “car like”they will be regarded as cars by the safety Nazis.
Travis says
The reason they are so ugly is because they always look like someone just stuck an extra fron wheel on, I’d like to see a complete build up where it was al redone.
Mark says
The problem I see with this type of 3 wheeler is that it falls between the cracks of the market segments. In other words, it looks too much like a motorcycle to appeal to a non-motorcycle rider, and isn’t a real motorcycle in the eyes of most motorcyclists.
Motorcyclists already know how to ride a 2 wheeled vehicle, what benefit would they be getting from adding another wheel?
I think the 3 wheeler would be much more successful emulating our 4 wheeled cousins rather than our beloved two wheelers.
todd says
So, does this improve on the K1200S or is it a step back? If I was in some way incapable of balancing a two-wheeler, then maybe this would look real neat to me.
-todd
Boxerfanatic says
If it is open wheel, and open cockpit, requiring a helmet and riding wardrobe, it should lean, but not like carver, because carver was chassis-articulated, and two rear wheels.
I would prefer two leaning front wheels and motorcycle tires, and a motorcycle rear wheel and tire. More like the Tilting Motor Works concept, or something like that with a recumbent seating position.
If it is not going to lean, it should be able to be fully weather-tight, climate controlled, and steered with a steering wheel, like the VW L1 concept, even if it is narrow, nimble, and tandem-seating, and be a nice light car that doesn’t require a helmet and gear to drive.
B50 Jim says
The argument seems to have settled on lean vs. no-lean, and is it really a motorcycle? As far as most states’ DMVs are concerned, it’s a motorcycle because it has three wheels and not four. Lean vs. no-lean seems like a nebulous argument to me — the rider is out in the elements holding onto handlebars, twisting a throttle and shifting a gearbox, and the machine is making the right noises. It’s a motorcycle, and one that handles very well in either direction. Anyone who wants a different 3-wheel experience should try a sidecar rig. Forget everything you know about steering a bike; you’ll discover the joys a a truly weird-handling machine that behaves totally differently in a right-hand turn than in a left-hand turn.
I agree with Ian — the styling looks like a big plastic children’s toy. Hire some stylists and let them come up with a design that will say “buy me and ride me”, not “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”.
anders says
Since first seeing the Spyder, I’ve thought that a vehicle such as this would be great to get back out on should I be unfortunate enough to suffer paralysis of my legs due to a crash or such …
ACE
Klaus says
It looks like a sportbike sitting on a trailer!
I agree with Mark. Either I want a bike that acts like a bike or the comfort, space and protection of a car. This vehicle doesn’t combine the good points of MC and car. It robs you of the MC riding fun like a car does but doesn’t offer the advantages of one.
MikeC says
For those of us who grew up in the snowbelt of north america (and elsewhere), the reverse trike (Spyder etc) idea is very logical. It rides no different to a snowmobile on a groomed trail, and should be ridden as such. If done in this manner, it is quite entertaining. The riding style should not lean, that’s what motorcycles are for. The problem is the main market as perceived by Can-Am to date is typically for those with excessive cash, and lack either the ability or desire to ride 2 wheels. Hence they make bloated heavy weight touring reverse trikes. What would happen if you made a 150hp, 500lb non leaning reverse trike (similar power to weight and handling to any upper mid range snowmobile) with sport riding intentions, and kept the price in the sub $15K range. They would be an absolute giggle to ride (all year around). They would be different to bike riding. Not better, not worse but different. I would definitely consider adding something like that to my stable of bikes, cars, snowmobiles and quads.
Ken says
We thought of building these things everytime the snow would melt and we would have to store our snowmobiles until next winter. Some people in the snowbelt have little interest in motorcycles, but woud love to ride one of these type trikes if they were around at a price similar to their sleds.
Oddly enough, my dad did buy some sort of standard trike/buggy off a guy and we mounted a ski on the front. It was fun until the snow was to deep and you just got stuck.
scritch says
It’s the perception. Motorcycles are common enough to be familiar while being uncommon enough to ride under the safety radar. If three-wheelers become more “car-like”, then they rise into the safety radar right into the safety crosshairs.
Sick Cylinder says
I like it and would love to try one, but wouldn’t have the money. The paint is a matter of taste (badtaste!) and could easily be changed – the vehicle looks very short in the wheelbase, so once it reached it’s limits of adhesion I imagine it would go out of control very rapidly with little chance of recovery. The Can Am has millions of dollars worth of electronic driver aids to stop loss of control.
Some posters have been talking about three weelers with 50 hp and weather protection – does anyone remember the Bond Bug? If there is really a market for that kind of thing maybe someone could update the Bug?
rfileger says
If it doesn’t TILT what is the point? A more expensive Can Am? So it’s a reverse trike that is a little less dangerous that a conventioal trike. The safety of a tilting reverse trike
is immeasurebly better that a conventional trike or a stock motorcycle. The ride is identical to a motorcycle. Isn’t it obvious?
Brady says
Does this have a similar steering mechanism to the Spyder? I don’t understand the trike scene as a whole – custom building that results in trikes are understandable, but prefab seems a bit strange to me.
Brady
Behind Bars – Motorcycles and Life
http://www.behindbarsmotorcycle.com/
leston says
good luck kneesliding that one
Ted says
3 wheelers, either you like them or you don’t, different strokes and all that, they do how ever allow people to ride that can’t handle a motorcycle.
The rear tire looks like something Lotus tried a while back, 2 tires side by side on a special rim, didn’t work so well, there was problems with the inner sidewalls getting holes in them from the was a radial works and debris on the road.
Dr Robert Harms says
If you look at the forward bias of the motor, the width of the track , the dead flat cross section of the front tires and the width of the handlebars I have to suspect heavy steering is an issue . I would also be concerned (as with any 2 front 1 rear configuration) that some backlash and indefiniteness might exist in the feel of the handlebars which would not exist on a motorcycle where the bars are “solid” with the forks.
Marvin says
I think a recumbent tadpole trike may be a layout that could be the basis of a really good streamliner project. Looking at http://www.velomobiel.nl/allert/Recumbent%20motorbike.htm a vetter inspired project he is getting great milage but suffers a little in side winds. With a tadpole or reverse trike you can get nice and low (a worry for some I admit) the side winds may be less pronounced and you can seal the lower part of the “cabin?” as you don’t need to put you feet down. I should think a motor with between 20 and 50 bhp would keep you up or in front of most UK traffic.
Casey Cook says
I really dig the fact that there are people out there blurring the lines between traditional vehicle formats, For me there is so much more than “optimal” engineering or the fastest way around a corner.. It’s also about enjoyment.
And the first thing I think of when looking at the GG Taurus is how badly I want to try and drift this thing around a corner(in the rain too!).
MDA says
This is really an old idea. I remember back in the 70s I saw these three wheeler kits in the back of the Popular Science magazines.
ron kessinger says
built the first homologated formula S open wheeled race car in SCCA in 1997. It had a 900rr Kawasaki in it. I raced it for several years and decided to get it street legal and finally did, which is another story. I got the title, registration and 4 yrs emission exemption but then the insurance was the problem. I finally found a company that insures drivers instead of cars. But when it came around for renewal I was to get an emission inspection before renewing the plates. This is a big problem as I was told that the EPA specifically prohibits motorcycle engines in 4 wheel automobiles so I’m open for advice. RK