The cage-cycle?

Posted by Bob Myers on October 6, 2011, 1:57 pm

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 So I finally got around to opening up the most recent Cycle
 World, and found an article on this: 
 
 <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://monotracer.peraves.ch/">http://monotracer.peraves.ch/</a> 
 
 (Unfortunately, I can't find the article on the Monotracer on CW's
 own web site, but find a print copy - it's worth a look.) 
 
 I'm trying to decide what I think about this.  An enclosed two-seat
 "motorcycle," with air conditioning (!), no less, that you clearly
 sit IN rather than ON. My first reaction was "cage on two wheels -
 what's the point?" - but then I read a bit further.  There's what
 looks like a handlebar, not a steering wheel.  It DOES lean the
 right way in corners.  Hmmmm.    And it really leans,
too - you can
 get it as far as 52 degrees off from straightupanddicular before the
 "outrigger" wheel on that side touches down (and you are apparently
 SUPPOSED to do that in sprited...driving?  Riding? - the wheel takes
 the place of the racer's knee).  You sure aren't going to get any
 wind in the face with this thing, but the wind that IS going by can
 go by as fast as 155 MPH. 
 
 So now I feel like I want one, even though I also feel like somehow,
 I shouldn't.  Of course, at almost 60K Euros - can't see if it's
 even sold on this side of the pond yet - that "want" is going to be
 just a dream for a long, long time. 
 
 But whaddaya think? 
 
 Bob M. 
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Posted by krusty kritter on October 6, 2011, 2:16 pm

I think you're an asshole.

Posted by CS on October 6, 2011, 6:57 pm

So I finally got around to opening up the most recent Cycle World, and found
an article on this:

http://monotracer.peraves.ch/

(Unfortunately, I can't find the article on the Monotracer on CW's own web
site, but find a print copy - it's worth a look.)

I'm trying to decide what I think about this.  An enclosed two-seat
"motorcycle," with air conditioning (!), no less, that you clearly sit IN
rather than ON. My first reaction was "cage on two wheels - what's the
point?" - but then I read a bit further.  There's what looks like a
handlebar, not a steering wheel.  It DOES lean the right way in corners.
Hmmmm.    And it really leans, too - you can get it as far as 52 degrees off
from straightupanddicular before the "outrigger" wheel on that side touches
down (and you are apparently SUPPOSED to do that in sprited...driving?
Riding? - the wheel takes the place of the racer's knee).  You sure aren't
going to get any wind in the face with this thing, but the wind that IS
going by can go by as fast as 155 MPH.

So now I feel like I want one, even though I also feel like somehow, I
shouldn't.  Of course, at almost 60K Euros - can't see if it's even sold on
this side of the pond yet - that "want" is going to be just a dream for a
long, long time.

But whaddaya think?

Bob M.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It looks like fun, and it is sure to be good for long hauls with a 14 gallon
tank at 50ish MPG.  It would be mighty nice for a ride through Death Valley
with AC and the range to get through the no-gas-lands.

In the parts of Europe where it rains a lot (basically Europe) it would be a
nice dry ride.

It doesn't seem to have much room for luggage, and I imagine this bike would
mostly appeal to those folks who tend to haul a lot of shit around, versus
those who want the wind in the face, camp out on trips, and don't mind
wearing the same stinky clothes.

I don't see it becoming a big seller.  Far too expensive.  It would be the
perfect commuter, but the price is out of reach for anybody who needs a
perfect commuter.  It is priced for those who might buy a Bugatti or Lotus,
but it doesn't have the 'Damn that’s bad ass!' look, feel, or performance
that would attract those folks.

If it were, say, $40,000, I might be tempted.  The savings of gas and
parking, combined with the 'suit friendly' enclosure, might make me feel
justified in buying it at that price, especially if it had Japanese guts.  A
BMW drive train, combined with a price that's about 1/3 of what I owe on my
house, makes this thing look just silly to me.

CS

Posted by Bob Myers on October 7, 2011, 2:35 pm

On 10/6/2011 4:57 PM, CS wrote:

I get the impression from looking at the thing that a LOT of that
current high price is because this is basically a very low-volume,
practically-hand-made product.  I see no reason at all that something
essentially identical couldn't be made to sell for half this price or
less, IF a manufacturer were to commit to more typical vehicle
production volumes.

Of course, for someone to do THAT, they'd need to have some indication
that there was a volume market.  And I'm not sure that there would be -
the CW article noted that the thing DOES have something of a learning
curve, even for experienced riders.  For one thing, if you're not a firm
believer in countersteering, you're going to have your hands full with
the Monotracer.  And learning to put the "feet" down also seems to catch
most while starting out on this "bike."

Bob M.

Posted by krusty kritter on October 7, 2011, 3:41 pm

I get bored from reading about stuff that you guys are never going to
do, so I don't read it anyymore.