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| The Making of the Last Vetter Fairing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| My goal is to live better on less energy. I am designing the ultimate fuel economy and rider comfort at 70 mph, into a 30 mph headwind with 4 bags of groceries. Oh yes... in a garage full of vehicles, I want this to be so convenient, so much fun and so comfortable that it is my first choice. What is the formula? How much horsepower? What will it look like? Follow my progress in the following web pages as I learn the truth. This is where I apply everything I know about consuming less fuel and liking it. My job is to design the streamlining and to develop a kit so you can streamline your bike. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chapter 1: The Search for Fuel Economy Chap. 1: Streamlining Saves Fuel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What is the Big Deal, anyway? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Americans have developed such a thirst for fuel that we cannot generate enough from our own resources. Today, we import half our fuel from other countries. Some of these countries hate us and want to destroy us. Guess where their money comes from. We need do reduce our fuel consumption by 50%. Our 7 mpg trucks need to get 14 mpg. Our 25 mpg cars need to get 50 mpg. Our 40 mpg motorcycles need to get 80 mpg. If we did this, we would not have to import fuel. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Half our fuel is imported | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This is my passion The goal is to make a cycle we will want to ride across country that gets at least 100 miles per gallon. We must begin with the right horsepower and then streamline it. Here you may follow along in my design process. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| It is my hope to inspire you to take the matter into your own hands and see for yourself what is possible. As you read the following chapters, you will notice that the last Vetter fairing, my Streamliner Kit has been made entirely with simple tools which most of you already have in your workshops. Do not expect Detroit or Japan or our government to solve these problems. "Living better on less energy " does not make anybody money. But, "Living better on less energy" can make our country stronger. Follow along. See how easy and how much fun this has been. I hope you get inspired. We can do this together. Begin now: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Pick a machine with the right horsepower. Something that sets low with about 15-18 hp. should be a good beginning. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Step one is to photograph the key views and size them in PhotoShop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Streamline it | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Streamline it: Streamlining is round at the front... pointed at the rear. Streamlining allows less power to do more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Step two is to do a quick sketch of a streamlined shape. More is to be gained by adding a tail that can be gained at the front | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This page posted Feb 20, 2008 Updated Sep 8, 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
