11 Oct 2008 Harley-Davidson Trike? 新車速報

正當電單車市場上三個轆熱潮炒得熱哄哄時,冷不防美國Harley-Davidson主動向傳媒放料,說其實他們早在06年便已提出專利註冊的申請。

有關專利註冊的細節文件請按此觀看。右格是H-D對這份傾斜式懸掛機械設計的扼要描述:

A vehicle including a frame, left and right wheels, and a leaning suspension system. The frame defines a longitudinal vehicle axis. The leaning suspension system includes a transverse beam, left and right damping members, left and right control arms, and at least one lean actuator. The transverse beam is coupled to the frame and pivotable about the vehicle axis. The left and right damping members are pivotally coupled to the left and right sides of the transverse beam. The left control arm is pivotally coupled to the left wheel and to the frame, and the right control arm is pivotally coupled to the right wheel and to the frame. The lean actuator is pivotally connected between the frame and the transverse beam. The lean actuator is configured to extend and retract to tilt the left and right wheels and to lean the vehicle while cornering.

設計草圖是以一臺風冷V2引擎作為動力心臟。驟眼看,H-D的三個轆Trike設計和Brudeli的Leanster 625L/654L很相似。但細心一看便知道兩者完全不同。
H-D的雙筒避震擺放較接近搖臂中央位置,運作形式較直接。而Brudeli的雙筒避震擺放接近中心點,透過連桿設定來提升槓桿比率,讓Leanster的避震操作幅度較H-D的設計為短,所以擁有較高的穩定性能,理念和現代跑車相同。H-D的雙筒避震和搖臂,說得好聽是「相當直率」,就像傳統街車的雙筒尾避震.....不好用嗎?倒也不是.....哈。始終是懂得傾斜轉彎的三輪電單車,若要老編在不懂得傾斜轉彎的Spider Can Am和H-D的Trike兩者選其一的話,當然會揀懂傾斜轉彎的H-D。

點解?實在想不通那些不能傾斜過彎的設定,又沒有桶seat,車手是如何抵抗離心力呢?