[Tech] Those Wacky Dutch…
I was watching an old episode of BBCs Top Gear programme and they showed the dutch ‘fun vehicle’ the Vandenbrink Carver, a car-motortrike hybrid that is about 3.4m long, 1.3m wide, 1.4m high and weighs about 600kg. It’s pretty much a commuter vehicle, seating driver and passenger front to back as on a bike, but with proper car controls. Everything is held within a protected canopy like a car, which like a bike tilts when it turns. The engine and power are all held at the back for sturdiness while the single bike while at the front glides the steering, allowing it a curb-to-curb sterring circle of 8.5m. It can travel at up to 180 km/h and manage 0-100 km/h in 8.2 seconds…yes, you did read that the entire front of the bloody thing tilts.
Steer it like a car and the Carver will bank like a motorcycle. This wonderful little machine gives the full effect by being able to tile 45° on either side depending on how aggressively the driver is turning the wheel, if it’s soft and slow then they’ll be a gently gliding feeling as you turn, if you are bombing it you’ll be almost kissing concrete. The vehicle has little warning lights than indicate how far over you are, going from green to red, there is no warning in the manual as the dutch have noted this as “a bit of fun to watch”.
My god, how high were they. But watch it in action and it’s almost like a cyberpunk wet dream. Go see it NOW.