The YikeBike is New Zealand's answer to vehicles like
the Segway HT and the Honda
UX-3. It's basically an electric powered commuter
bike which has a completley unique riding position.
The inspiration for the design came from the old penny-farthing
bicycles - some of the first commercially available bicycles.
However for the 21st Century the idea has been significantly
altered and radically improved. The only thing that hasn't
improved is the price. At $4,500 (£3,000) this isn't
just some toy for use on the odd occasion!
The lightweight YikeBike comes in at just 10kgs (22 lbs)
thanks to the use of a carbon fiber frame. The electric
brushless DC motor is housed within the main wheel meaning
there's no chain to catch your clothing on. Lithium polymer
batteries, which take just 40 minutes to fully charge,
give the YikeBike a 6 mile (10 km) range. Top speed is
16 mph (25 km/h). When you need to go on foot or pack
away the YikeBike conveniently folds down in under 15
seconds.
Apparently the YikeBike, despite the unorthodox layout,
is quite easy to get the hang of. And because there are
no handlebars in front of you, if you need to jump off
in a hurry (or you fall off) there's nothing to catch
your sensitive regions on.
The only downsides to the YikeBike are the price - which
needs to come down considerably before this thing takes
off. And the fact its a bit of a one trick pony. Sure
it's great for traveling on smooth roads and sidewalks.
But unlike conventional bikes there's no off-road potential,
and additional cargo space is nonexistent..
Similar and related vehicles:
Segway Human Transport
Honda UX-3
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