Gator

[bemused]

just finished reading my second article on the low-slung sport? tourer? Dan Gurney's putting into production. this is apparently the 6th generation of the Gator, and it sounds pretty wicked...

any of y'all seen one of 'em? read about 'em?

thoughts?

just curious...

[benVFR]

It's about as rare as seeing someone riding a street-ified GP bike isn't it?

Nope, haven't seen one, yep, it's cool and I'd like to see one.

Ben

[need4speed]

Read about it first in Cycle World. Great idea for the vertically challenged, but a little too expensive for my taste.

[bemused]

Originally posted by benSV
It's about as rare as seeing someone riding a street-ified GP bike isn't it?
Ben

yeah, it would be. naw, I was just wondering if someone had seen it at a show, etc.

from a physics standpoint, the low CG is intriguing to me...

[benVFR]

I think it needs more development, etc.. and a chopper-esque price is not that cool either.

Sounds like the low CG + long wheelbase make it much faster than it would otherwise be though.

Even though it is a single IIRC from the article it would stomp a GSX-R 1000 at speeds under 100mph or something. (For acceleration and braking, not necessarily for turning)

I suspect it will end up like recumbent bicycles. A few geeks riding them around saying they are way better than everything else, but the rest of the world doesn't catch on, and they get declared illegal for racing and turn out to have some quirks that make them less than ideal for all situations.

For one it sounds like it sucks ass to ride in traffic, just like a recumbent bicycle. And I don't remember, but I think it was heavier than a regular bike, just like a recumbent bicycle. That is a huge penalty for climbing hills on bicycles but shouldn't be a factor on a motorcycle I guess.

Ben

[Matt K]

hmm, I wonder why he used twin shocks in the rear? I guess there wasn't space for a mono, but there's a reason performance bikes stiooed using twins years ago....

I also think it's too low to be safe/fun in traffic. it's hard enough to be seen on a bike as it is, it'd be even worse if you're sitting below the windows of an average sedan... Plus you won't be able to see anything from that low. Hell, a miata would be tall enough to block your view.

[stoinkythepig]

Article said he used twin shocks becuase a mono shock would have had to be placed where the seat is. Its not like dual shocks are all that bad. We all heve them on the front of our bikes... The seat hieght is roughly the same as a sedan's, not as low as it looks but certainly less conspicuous than a "normal" bike. If it were cheaper, I think it would be a cool bike for the vertically challenged. I'd like to ride one for a laugh.