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Motorized tricycle project By Alex

The name of the vehicle is the Artax named after the fastest and most graceful horse from Neverending Story, it died from depression. It is hard to get depressed when riding this in the country though.
Why do this??
1:A bicycle kit cost 1500 to 2000 dollars
2:The only kit that fits my tricycle rubs the tyre and skids in the wet
3:I can not afford a car.
What makes this legal on the road?
Victorian road rules permit those little two wheeled scooters to be used on road by classifying them as motor assisted bicycles. See scooter gearbox section. There seem to be no regulations prohibiting bicycles from having a fairing. A tricycle is also classified as a bicycle. Me talkum heap big government logic here. The engine gearbox combination I have used comes from one of the aforesaid scooters. Hopefully if you get pulled over by the cops you just ask them to call the scooter guy. I have cops follow me a little and then nick off but I have not tried this with the fairing on yet. I will have a folder containing the vic roads document and a scooter add in the boot. The engine has been rotated ninety degrees since the photograph to make it lower, the red bit is now forward.
Here is a laugh for you, if a driver drives this vehicle which is road legal in Victoria, with a Victorian license in a state where it is not legal for a resident of that state, then it is legal for him. I mean you do not get a roadworthy certificate every time you cross from wodonga to albury do you?
The tricycle is a Trisled made by Ben and the frame is a bit stronger than usual and a bit more weight-over-the-front to allow for the extra weight of the motor down the back end. Ben's site is Trisled.com.au Parts List

$400 Honda gx31 motor 4-stroke whipper snipper
$180 Tammy gear box for scooter
$ 15 20 inch steel bike rack
$ 20 Ansi 35 chain and joiner and 2 half links
$ 10 Steel bar etc
$ 10 Bolts nuts
$ 35 35 tooth Sprocket
$ 50 Sprocket engineering
Total $720

Why this motor and not a two stroke?

1:One third as much petrol costs. Little on oil also uses half as much petrol.
2:Lasts twice as long
3:Ten times less noisy at 80 db maximum, it?lose to your head. It is not too noisy but I will make a headrest when I put the body on.

4:Power over a wider rpm range, giving you a wider speed range with one gear. Think hills.

Why a tricycle and not a bicycle?
1:Half the power required on the flat compared to a bicycle.

2:Quarter the power required on the flat with a full body kit. Body kit and bicycle would be bad.

3:When you stop you do not fall over.

4:The thrill of riding a tricycle, control, speed, more speed.

5:I want to see the scenery, not the road under the frame.

6:Cars have to change lanes to pass and they do not make you wobble.

7:What are headwinds?





Weird Maths



One horse power at 50 kph on my machine carrying 100 kilos versus a car. A car that does 150 kph requires 3^3= 27 times as much power for the same weight but weighs at least 8 times more = 8*27 = 216 hp

Coming soon

Body kit and lights

Indicator lights because hand signals do not work with a car body. 555 timer chip and super bright leds. Single pole triple throw toggle switch. $20 estimated.





Road test



Average speed 38, Maximum 42 kph, oil change at 65 klms very dirty and down to 50 ml instead of 100 mls.

watch oil consumption at 80 cents per change.

At 240 kilometers the oil is fine and the engine is worn in so top speed is up to 57 on the flat no pedaling.

At 50 kph cruising speed I am using 1 cent per kilometer of standard without the body. At 40 kph I am using .6 cents per kilometer. The body should halve the petrol cost. Uphill and I mean the Victorian alpine regions around mount Beauty and Tallangatta. On one hill I had to pedal but most of them I just slow down to 30 kph and if I pedal as well I get back to 40 kph, uphill fast is really good for the ego.