The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Montesa Motorcycle Scale Model

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Scale models have come a long way but I've often found motorcycle models to be just a little off in some proportion, somewhere. Maybe the tires are just a little bit too large for the wheel to look right or some tubing or wiring looks wrong, but up close you can always tell they're models and not the real thing. And then, there are models like this one, just to prove it can be … [Read more...]

Duc Rod – Ducati Powered Concept Model

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We've all heard the stories about cool projects that start with a sketch on a cocktail napkin, well here's a model of a Ducati powered car that started at a Tamiya model club meeting in southern California. Dale King picked up a few incomplete Ducati kits to see what he could put together. He carved a body, scratch built the suspension and came up with a nicely designed Ducati … [Read more...]

Light Car Company Rocket Powered by Yamaha

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Checking in on Jay Leno's website the other day I came across the Rocket from the Light Car Company, which is very, very cool. The car was produced, starting in 1992 by the partnership of race driver Chris Craft and Gordon Murray who designed another nifty car you may have heard of, the McLaren F1. The idea was to build an extreme road car with excellent handling. This was no … [Read more...]

Does This Electric Bicycle Make Sense?

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Noticed this story yesterday in the New York Times about a fellow who changed from an SUV to an electric bicycle called the Optibike for his daily commute. Since the drive is only 10 miles it's well within the range of this bike but the part that caught my eye was the price, $7000. The article talks about saving gas, the bike is cheaper, quieter and cleaner than his prior ride, … [Read more...]

Fast Changing Technology for Motorcycles

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Think back just a few years. How many three wheel production motorcycles or cars were being produced? Not trike conversions using a “normal” motorcycle as a base vehicle but a three wheeler from day one. Were there any? Historically, many have come and gone but at that time, the T-Rex powered by a Kawasaki engine was out there, a very low production vehicle but beyond that, … [Read more...]