Taking off in 2nd on vw trike?

[grandpanystrom61]

This very true, mine will come up just about that easy, but knowing it will has helped me learn to shift without lifting the front end up.

But than my mind starts to think, if you are going down the road at 60mph, wouldn't the front tire kinda be floating on the road surface ?

If you have enough torque to lift the front end with the twist of the throttle as you go down the road in 2nd or 3rd, well I do wonder what is happening at high speeds and the front wheel.

What about stabilizer fins (wings), they could be fashioned so the axle would slide thru the whole and once the angle is figured out they could be pinned in position for added strength.

You have the fin on the rear of cars to keep downward pressure on the rear end, so why not some smaller designed ones on the front tire to help keep the light front ends on the road surface ??? Am I off on this, or is there something to this, or they would be to small to matter, I say they would be small, but your hand goes up and down out the window in the wind when you move the plane of it, so basically the same size or smaller on the front axle would help keep it down........ just me thought and would like feed back, good or bad.....my friends have a great day.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Air foils.....well sorta.....maybe.

I would be more afraid of the dynamics of it. Variable forces due to speed, wind direction, ect. I don't feel it would be predictable.

Technical info.....

Fins and spoilers on street cars do not do much other than look good. Some carefully designed ones are more for reducing turbulence and therefore making the car a bit more slippery......increase gas mileage. I doubt any under 100mph fins are intended to create downforce.

The only truly functional down force fin/spoiler I can remember seeing on an amercan street car is the super bird.

plymouth-superbird-1.jpg

The euro super sports cars do have functional down force but are designed to run 200mph. They typically are powered and lift up when at speed.

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[Doug D.]

When I had mine, I took off in 2nd all the time. 1st was way short and I was reaching for 2nd pretty quick anyway. Also, when it was originally built, like so many, the Boden (sp?) tube was omitted and it chattered like hell in first. The chattering was cured with a hydraulic clutch, but the habit of starting in 2nd just sorta stuck.

As for wheelies, when it had a 412 gear box it would get air in 1, 2 and 3 if you laid into the throttle hard enough. That went away when I switched to a 388 box and slightly taller rear tires.

PEACE and ride safe!