To grasp how this new 3-Wheeler can potentially be light and powerful, it’s essential to understand why snowmobiles have their passengers sitting astride each other.
A narrower vehicle can go through the woods more easily, but there is more to it:
As it is for 3-Wheelers, if the passengers sit one beside the other, the vehicle has to be quite large like an automobile. The vehicle is thus narrowed a lot if the passengers sit astride each other.
The vehicle is like a beam supporting a load between its two supports, which are the wheels. So the larger and longer the vehicle is, the heavier the beam has to be in order to support its load. Physic books tell us that its own weight is proportional to the square of the length between its supports. So if the vehicle chassis can be either half its length or half its width, this chassis weight can be 4 times lighter.
Neither the length nor the width can be reduced in half. But since the passengers sit astride each other and also astride the power train, the chassis weight can clearly be lighter.
Snowmobiles use this layout, so the vehicle chassis can be the lightest possible. It’s the reason why snowmobiles and motorcycles are about four times lighter than small automobiles. And its precisely because of this passenger layout that the first snowmobiles were able to float on the snow.
Our new 3-Wheel concept also uses this passenger layout, which lets it be the lightest possible non-falling motorcycle.
Moreover, it can be equipped with powerful motorcycle or snowmobile engines (over 150hp).
One could think that with its third wheel adding extra weight, this 3-Wheeler could not offer a Power-to-Weight ratio as high as for a sports motorcycle. But in reality, this 3-Wheeler does not fall and does not have to be held up at standstill. It can thus be equipped with even more powerful engines as for regular motorcycles, in order to offer an equal or even higher Power-to-Weight ratio.
Conclusion:
This new 3-Wheeler component layout with two front driving-steering wheels and passengers sitting astride each other can be remarkably light and powerful, compared to both regular motorcycles and cars.