Over at Bike Exif today they are featuring a custom two-wheel drive KTM 950 Super Enduro.
How does that work? Magic, I think:
Cool. Normally the thought of a powered front wheel on a bike makes one a little nervous. The last thing you want, especially in dirt, is the front end having a mind of its own. Not too much detail, but I'm sure these guys know what they are doing. Anyway, follow the link over and check it out.
How does that work? Magic, I think:
It’s an interesting system. Via gears and shafts, power goes from the countershaft sprocket to the headstock, where it’s converted again via a pair of counter-rotating drive shafts.
The front wheel is driven at 80% of the speed of the rear wheel: this prevents undue torque from affecting the steering. When the rear wheel outpaces the front—via wheelspin in slippery situations—the front starts to dig in, bring the bike back into line. Wasted power becomes extra forward motion.
Cool. Normally the thought of a powered front wheel on a bike makes one a little nervous. The last thing you want, especially in dirt, is the front end having a mind of its own. Not too much detail, but I'm sure these guys know what they are doing. Anyway, follow the link over and check it out.
Didn't know what I was looking at, at first. Then I read the description a couple of times. That's quite an impressive bit of enineering. Still trying to figure out how the wheels rotating at different speeds would work, though.
ReplyDeleteExactly, the 80% bothers me. I understand that it allows the front wheel to take over when the back loses traction, but what about when the back is spinning 20% faster than the front with good traction? It must free-wheel or it would be like riding with the front brake on all the time. Clever, no doubt.
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