The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

AeroBike Enclosed Motorcycle by Roger Dunkley

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AeroBike fully enclosed motorcycle built in New Zealand by Roger Dunkley
AeroBike fully enclosed motorcycle built in New Zealand by Roger Dunkley

If you’ve ever thought motorcycles are a lot more fun and fuel efficient than your average car, but you could do without getting wet in the rain and you prefer being able to carry a bit more baggage now and then, you might join Roger Dunkley in thinking an enclosed motorcycle isn’t such a bad idea. The Peraves, though it does all the right things, is a bit pricey for most of us and Roger, living in New Zealand, naturally figured a DIY version would be a viable option, which leads us to the AeroBike project.

Roger designed a sheet metal tub in a tandem two seat configuration and mounted telescopic forks. The drivetrain he used, though not his first choice, is Suzuki RF900 inline four which works very well.

AeroBike chassis first test configuration
AeroBike chassis first test configuration

The necessary side stabilizer wheels are designed to retract telescopically instead of swinging up like the Peraves. They, too, work well, now, though there were a few bugs initially resulting in a few tipovers, but that’s what building is all about, solving problems as they arise.

AeroBike canopy built by Roger after several false starts
AeroBike canopy built by Roger after several false starts

The fiberglass body is designed and built by Roger and it has a strong resemblance to the Peraves, not really surprising when you consider what any body will look like when enclosing a tandem two wheeler in an aerodynamic package. It’s gorgeous work. What I also thought impressive is the clear canopy was also made by Roger. After several false starts and very high bids from companies who he had planned to hire for that portion of the project, he finally built his own oven and did it himself.

Shaping the plug for the body molds
Shaping the plug for the body molds

Roger has put up a pretty nice running story of the build and the videos below are interesting, the first shows testing without the body, the next taken from the finished AeroBike and another from a chase car during a slow lap of the Manfield race track.

The AeroBike is still in the shakedown phase, but it seems to work extremely well right out of the gate and the build quality seems top notch. From the perspective of the track video, it might take some getting used to, but I think it would be a fun ride. Very nice work, Roger!

Thanks for the tip, Bob.

Link: Aerobike and FF Web

Videos below:

Posted on Filed Under: Motorcycle Builders

Comments

  1. Interesting thought

    I’d be more inclined to go this route than a trike or any variation there on…..can-am, whatever…

    • Though I understand where you are coming from, I find it really hard to look at these sorts of projects and not think, “a third wheel would have easily solved that.”

      • In one of the first pages on Roger’s site, he explains:

        I really enjoy riding my motorcycle on twisty roads and love the leaned over cornering sensation you only get on a bike

        so leaning was a prerequisite, a third wheel usually precludes it.

        • Oh yeah, I get why someone would to go this route, completely. I find them really interesting as well. Would love to try one one day too. I just can’t help though but to think of an easy solution.

  3. I’ll take mine in red with the number 35 on the side as a modern, street legal Munro Special!! Don’t know whats in that kiwi water.

  5. The canopy looks like it was blow-molded or vacuum-formed. Remember the Vacuuform toys of the 1960s? Same principle, just scaled up. It is a gorgeous canopy — looks very clear and distortion-free, which, anyone who works with clear plexiglass or Lexan will tell you, is very difficult to achieve at home.

  6. This style of bike seems to be ideal for electric or hybrid power. Aerodynamics could make a significant difference in range and cruising speed for electrics. And it’s not like it’s a real motorcycle, so purists would not be offended.

  8. I also like the “training wheels” — they look like a simple mechanism; no troublesome hydraulics to use power and jam at the wrong time. A cable-and-pulley system is easy to make and no problem to sort out the teething issues.

  9. “more fun and fuel efficient than your average car” is not as true as it used to be, my shopping trolley (diesel Hyundai i30) uses less fuel than my Ducati and is more fun to drive than you would ever think possible. OK not as much as the Ducati.

    The poor fuel efficiency is mostly down to aerodynamics, even a bike with a fairing is unbelievably ‘dirty’.

    The Aerobike goes a long way to fixing that but I reckon he could take it further by lowering the seating position.

    The other benefit of this type of design is that it’s much safer; not only is the rider protected but they are a lot closer to the ground.

    The idea’s not new (Peraves, Quasar, the Gurney Alligator, many more) but maybe its time has come as cities around the world become more and more choked by cars.

    Roger’s clearly channelling John Britten, here’s hoping he has similar success (and a longer life!)

    • I know that some (many?) liscensing bodies describe motorcycles as having seated positions of minimum 600mm / 24 inches from the ground, although this doesn’t appear to meet that requirement either.

      • This really annoys me. Engineering specifications are absolutely the wrong way to deal with a perceived social problem. In this case, the relationship between fairly radical choppers and the outlaw motorcycle gangs. I am absolutely certain that 600mm/24″ is an entirely arbitrary figure with no science behind it.

        • the reason for the 24″ minimum height is to make sure those pocket bikes don’t get licensed

    • Such as a K100 by BMW ?
      By the way, is the passenger legless? He/she don’t seem to got no knee room.

    • I’d be more inclined to look at the drivetrains from some of the biggest scooters–a 650cc parallel twin wouldn’t be bad at all, and at least one of those was designed with the cylinders lying down so they wouldn’t intrude into the cargo area under the seat.

      In practical terms, you don’t actually want the seating position to be too low. If it were a speed-record streamliner, sure, but if you want to use it on public roads, the seating position needs to be high enough so the driver can (a) see over trunk lids, and (b) get in and out of the thing easily.

      • People get in & out of Caterham 7s, etc… – and drive them around on the street just fine.

        • I just about rtipped over a super 7 once, when I was texting and walking at the same time.

  11. A great project ride. Not my cup of tea, but I admire anyone that builds at home. Keep up the great work.

  13. It’s a good effort, and he should be proud of his accomplishment.

    This kind of design comes back up every few years, with somebody else doing it.
    It’s not what people want, in terms of commercial viability.

  14. It is a fantastic piece of craftsmanship. I just have one concern / observation – the wheelbase is very long and I know that the longer the wheelbase, the further over a bike has to be leaned to acheive a certain radius turn. You could probably trim at least a couple of feet by deleting the passenger capacity.

  15. Passengers kegs go around the driver, ala tandem seating arrangement on Rutan Longeze and other type tandems.

  16. So what happens if it tips over? It doesnt’ look like the out rigger would support or lift the bike once on it’s side. One of the great things about the Peraves is the outrigger wheels can be ridden on when on it’s side. There is vid somewhere of someone recovering from a full over position and also using the wheel in the up position as a racer would use his knee.

  17. The minimum seat height Julian is a safety issue especially in the US where more than 60% of vehicles are SUV’s. It’s bad enough drivers can’t see existing motorcycles and now you want my head to be the height of a bumper? Try pulling out from a stop sign with oncoming right of way vehicles hidden by parked cars.
    Pretty sure Pereaves lawyers are going over the design to prevent future sales of the obvious and admitted copy.

  18. Welcome to the Nanny State, protecting you from all the experiences that Motorcycling provides to non cagers.

  19. I just read his whole blog.

    This is great, I would love a 250-500cc single seat version. Or even a 400-600cc motor in the current chassis.

    Personally with the outriggers I would want them strong enough to catch or right the whole vehicle with a load or passengers. Steel sheaves and 4x safety margin minimum on the steel cables and their end connections. Maybe worm drive or shaft and gear drive instead of chain. Or double the chain and make the brackets much reinforced so it can’t have a misalignment failure again.

    If the wheels can’t be made to catch the bike leaned over, how about secondary wheels at the correct orientation to ride on? Either leave them out full time or have them pop out as it leans or falls over.

  21. What about a windshield wiper and defroster? Are those included?
    I might prefer an MP3 type trike being made into an autocar. It would be high enough to be seen, and to get in and out of.

  22. Question, With the engine enclosed as it is, do you have problems with it overheating? How did you solve that problem?

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