Quad Bike

[Icosahedron]

Just to generate some smiley happy discussion on the board, here is my Striker-generated Quad Bike design - just the thing for a roving Scout - please comment:

The Quad Bike is very useful for off-road transport on survey missions, etc. Overall dimensions are L1.5m, W0.8m, H1m, and it fits into its own individual packing crate with the same overall dimensions (maybe some parts are removed for storage). The crate acts as a mini fitted compartment, allowing efficient carriage of the vehicle in a hold. The bike uses a fuel cell and bottled gas that can be refilled from a ship's tanks. It can carry the rider plus either a pillion passenger or a luggage rack to which a 0.5m³ 50kg load may be strapped.

 

[coliver988]

This means I need to dig out Striker & start designing again... One of the JTAS had some info on making sub-1m3 power plants for personal vehicles, so that we could scale Striker down to motorcycles, grav bikes. They even detailed a couple out.

How about speed & range details for you quad bike? And does it look like

(from http://www.motorauthority.com/news/concept-cars/bombardier’s-exit-quad-bike-concept/)

 

[Icosahedron]

I'd imagined something a little more streamlined, but with hindsight that's probably not important for a camp workhorse.

Speed and Range? Now you're asking. Do you know how old this design is?

Ok, checked through the ringbinders. I got 115kph road speed and a 2 hr endurance, but that was with Striker houserules and the range will vary with TL of the gas bottles - and no, I can't remember what TL I used - 8 or 9 I think.

I made up my own small engine rules before I got JTAS (I only got them recently on the CD).

 

[samuelvss]

The Quad Bike is very useful for off-road transport on survey missions, etc. Overall dimensions are L1.5m, W0.8m, H1m, and it fits into its own individual packing crate with the same overall dimensions (maybe some parts are removed for storage). The crate acts as a mini fitted compartment, allowing efficient carriage of the vehicle in a hold. The bike uses a fuel cell and bottled gas that can be refilled from a ship's tanks. It can carry the rider plus either a pillion passenger or a luggage rack to which a 0.5m³ 50kg load may be strapped.

I LIKE it.

Cost, weight? (We know we can sell this thing!!)
I figure nine per ton, OR 48 in a 4 dton container. Remember that, depending on atmospere, or lack thereof, you may need to bottle 02 as well, and it weighs a bit more.

 

[whartung]

Since these are pretty much ubiquitous today (sport ATVs, 4WD ATVs, etc), how would these improve with future technology?

Power plant is about the only real difference I can think of. The basics of the design otherwise pretty well limit them, and if you get too big you're moving in to the "Buggy" category (like a VW Baja Bug).

 

[samuelvss]

Since these are pretty much ubiquitous today (sport ATVs, 4WD ATVs, etc), how would these improve with future technology?
Power plant is about the only real difference I can think of. QUOTE]

Power plant, weight (carbon fiber, titanium, etc), and multi-amospheric.

Also, a little grav in the right place (a al Deep V), might help.

Also, CHEAPER!

 

[Icosahedron]

I LIKE it.

Cost, weight? (We know we can sell this thing!!)
I figure nine per ton, OR 48 in a 4 dton container. Remember that, depending on atmospere, or lack thereof, you may need to bottle 02 as well, and it weighs a bit more.

Hmm. I replied to this yesterday and my post's done a runner - hope my other posts are ok.

I got 600kg and 2kCr, but I was using houserules for small engines, so YMMV.

I figure if you're somewhere with no O2, you'll use a closed vehicle.

 

[samuelvss]

I got 600kg and 2kCr, but I was using houserules for small engines, so YMMV.

I figure if you're somewhere with no O2, you'll use a closed vehicle.

It may be cheaper, if you're already working in vacc suits, to have an open vehicle for jobsites and the like.

I'm thinking ATV, a little higher tech. I'll take 250 kg, and 1.5 kCr, using my SWAG subroutine.

So I bid 13.5 kCr for 1 dton of 9 vehicles , at 2.5 metric tons (crated up), or 72 kCr for a 4 dton container, massing (we'll say) 13 metric tons, 75 kCr with some spare parts....

Lox O2 conent, say they hook up to the same air tanks as vacc suits.