You’re familiar with the idea of the electric skateboard chassis used for electric cars where the batteries and motors and everything else are down low and designers can put whatever they want on top. The same concept is at work here, sort of, with the White Motorcycle Concepts WMC250EV, designed in pursuit of the electric motorcycle land speed record.
Motorcycles are not very aerodynamic for the most part, fairings help, but the engine and rider present a fair amount of frontal area that air needs to be routed around. Electric motorcycles have an advantage here because the motors can be in the wheels or somewhere down low along with the batteries and control electronics. The only remaining piece that needs to be there is the rider, the large IC engine is gone. From the side, it looks a little different, but from the front or rear, well, it’s unique.
Since the rider is used to straddling an engine, why not keep that same posture and let him straddle air, simply removing everything in the center while letting air pass through where the engine used to be? Well, that’s exactly what these guys did. There’s an empty air duct in the middle of the bike where air meets no resistance reducing drag and according to their wind tunnel testing it reduces drag by 70 percent! Not bad.
If you can get over the appearance, it makes sense. Will they break the land speed record? Who knows? Some time later this year, we’ll find out. I think it looks pretty interesting, a bit odd maybe, but definitely interesting.
Duffey Wolvin says
I can’t wait for them to hit the flats, speed record setting is one of the most interesting motorsports these days IMHO.
stephen bogert says
Look at the second pic. the rear view and tell me this isn’t HALF ASSED!
Brian Casey says
You know where that term “half assed” comes from don’t you?
David Lee says
As stated in the article, “…reduces drag by 70 percent…” . Not a well defined statement. Compared to what? Not to remove any credit from the the engineering put into this build or theory, the author should have stated a standard that this statement was based upon.
Paul Crowe says
From their WMC Concept Overview:
Yes, the reference in the article was a bit fuzzy.
todd says
Why have the rider sitting on stilts? It looks like they could just position the rider 1 foot lower and reduce the frontal area ever further. The sides of the tunnel provide frontal area and parasitic drag across the entire length of the hole. Just remove it altogether. As a land speed vehicle or aerodynamics demonstration, I doubt they are concerned with rider visibility or comfort.
Brian Casey says
Venturi effect??
charlie says
Ground clearance. “Kneelers” were raced before, but they couldn’t lean far before scraping their fairings. If it’s pure aero you’re chasing, just have it all laid down with a minimal frontal and a comparatively long tail to bring the flow back together at the end. Not practical for anything other than LSR racing, though.
Brian Casey says
Paul ; great site. Like that you present lots of varied concepts.
Bob says
I’m fairly certain that the most effective way to reduce frontal area is to reduce frontal area.
Rearranging the frontal area doesn’t do that, Adding surface area doesn’t reduce drag, either.
PS: At least one significant LSR organizer will not allow a 2WD motorcycle on the salt or dry lake for obvious reasons…..
charlie says
This is a nice art project, but not useful. It isn’t revolutionary, as it has long been known that end on, a tube is more aerodynamic than a cylinder. It’s also not really useful, even for a limited EV to try and set a LSR. There isn’t enough room left for sufficient cells to make enough power. EV makers have long known about better aerodynamics that electric drive can make possible. However, the problem is always how to pack in enough batteries to build enough power that will last. As an LSR racer in anything other than a standing mile sprint race, I doubt it would be able to carry enough cells and provide cooling for them and the controller.
Trevor D Cole says
nothing new John Britten from NZ designed his motorcycle on the same line years ago & showed up all the major manufactures on design & function…kiwi,s can do it…