The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Motorcycle Rider Training in 1968 – The Nelson Trainer

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When we last looked at rider training, it was the Jawa dual control motorcycle from 1959. Shown here is the Nelson trainer, designed by Bernard G. Nelson of Maine in 1968. Instead of dual controls out on the street, this is simply a set of rollers that the trainee rode until the instructor deemed him or her safe enough to venture out on a real motorcycle on an actual road. I … [Read more...]

Pulsejet Powered Bicycle

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Feeling depressed because you can't afford a turbine motorcycle? Don't despair, you can have a pulsejet bicycle instead. It may not be quite as impressive but if you tell folks you have a jet bike without giving them too many details, they'll think you're a real rocketman. :-) Robert Maddox builds pulsejet engines. Pulsejets, for those of you not up on your aviation history, … [Read more...]

Motorcycles – The Future of Performance Part 2

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Recently I asked if motorcycles were the future of performance. With increasing CAFE standards and the rising price of gas, cars are turning into high mileage clean air pumps which, unfortunately, underperform, especially when compared to the cars we used to drive. I thought about this again while looking at these photos from Paolo Tiramani. He thought we might want to see … [Read more...]

Homebuilt Motorcycle Dynamometer

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How many projects begin this way? You see something that looks cool and think, "I bet I could build one of those" and next thing you know you're making sketches. Steve, a motorcyclist from Melbourne, Australia, watched a motorcycle dyno shootout and figured he could build his own dynamometer, how hard could it be? Well, it took him 3 years but he did it, he finally had his own … [Read more...]

MTT Y2K Turbine Motorcycle For Sale

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Show up at bike night on one of these and guaranteed, you'll be the center of attention. This is the same model Y2K turbine powered bike you've probably seen Jay Leno riding in a video and here's one for sale on eBay. Powered by a 320 hp Rolls Royce-Allison 250 Series Gas Turbine with 286 hp at the rear wheel and a top speed well over 200 mph, it's not something you'll want … [Read more...]