Conference terri::cars_uk

1377.0. "2 Wheel Cars" by UNTADH::LEWIS (It's a Racing Snail...) Tue Mar 05 1991 08:24

    Re 24.2112-.2115
    
    The bike in Geneva was featured on Top Gear last year, it is built to
    order by a Swiss Aerospace Engineer, and uses the BMW K100 engine and
    transmission. The undercarriage is lowered and retracted by a handle
    from inside.
    His idea was to market the machine as the 'ultimate sports car', I
    think the price is around �20k, which for a car that will do over
    175mph, and 0-60 in under 4 secs whilst returning 50mpg ain't bad.
    
    The Quasar was built by Malcolm Newell in Bristol, it was based around
    the Reliant 850 engine. Top speed about 120mph, but 80mpg...
    It looked very ungainly, but having ridden(driven ?) one, I can report
    that it handled better than anything that was on the market at that
    time ('76).
    The Quasar did not have 'undercarriage', but didn't have doors
    either...
    
    Malcolm sold the Quasar business, and went on to design a single-seat
    version which he sold in kit form, to which one added a Japanese
    engine. During testing of the prototype, which had a Kawasaki Z1300
    6-cyl engine, he was clocked by the Avon & Somerset Constabulary at
    165mph on the M32 - it made all the papers at the time.
    
    Mind you, back in the 50's, Barnes Wallis (He of the Bouncing Bombs)
    designed a 2-wheel car which used a Geodetic construction (what else ?)
    and employed a Gyro to keep it upright whilst stationary. Every so
    often I find myself dreaming about actually building something like
    that, but I never seem to get round to it.
    
    Now, if I took the engine out of the Snail...
    
    Wonko the Sane