Maybe A Helmet Wouldn't Be So Bad...

[Nitro]

If your are concerned about escaping a crash there are emergency hammers that u can stow under the seat or dash. Thay have seat belt cutters, glass beakers and can be used to pry things apart but for the car to be on it's side I imagine you would have to hit something hard enough to remove the wheel, axle, and "a arms" other wise I suspect the car would rest on more so on it's back if it ever flipped and did not come back down on its wheels

(Mind you I have no proof of this other then educated speculation)

 

[goldwing06]

it wasn't a matter of how or why u got in the position, but how u would get out. i'm always concerned with what the texting teenager might do, than what i may do. no one wants the dubious distinction of being the first do a dead bug imitation in an Elio

 

[skygazer6033]

I agree Z. The only way I can see a roll over is in an unfortunate scenario that completely removed one or both front wheels. Possible but not likely. As for those who say "it's a 3 wheeler it'll tip over" well that's not going to happen either. With the CG low and forward and ESC you would have to get really rowdy in the curves to get into trouble.

 

[Jambe]

How many vehicles have you rolled over?

One.

'57 Chevy. My girlfriend said, "Turn down there." Pointing out my window. The side of the road was a 4' drop off.

 

[skygazer6033]

Goldwing06 While the rear of P4 is a little busy I have been thinking about the area under the rear cover to the left of the wheel assembly. The rear of the Elio appears to be about 2 feet wide and the wheel assembly is about 9 inches that leaves about 7 inched of width. Possibly a 6.5 x 18 x 24 form fitted suitcase to fit the area. (Dimensions are pure guess) Not much I know but good enough for toiletries and a change of clothes. Out of the breeze so no concern with aerodynamic drag or debris thrown by the front wheels. This of course is all speculation since all I have to go on is pictures I have seen of P4.

 

[zelio]

One.

'57 Chevy. My girlfriend said, "Turn down there." Pointing out my window. The side of the road was a 4' drop off.

Obviously you survived but I hope you changed girlfriends. LOL :-) Z

 

[goldwing06]

Goldwing06 While the rear of P4 is a little busy I have been thinking about the area under the rear cover to the left of the wheel assembly. The rear of the Elio appears to be about 2 feet wide and the wheel assembly is about 9 inches that leaves about 7 inched of width. Possibly a 6.5 x 18 x 24 form fitted suitcase to fit the area. (Dimensions are pure guess) Not much I know but good enough for toiletries and a change of clothes. Out of the breeze so no concern with aerodynamic drag or debris thrown by the front wheels. This of course is all speculation since all I have to go on is pictures I have seen of P4.

i may not have been clear in my previous post, but the thought for the extra storage area would be external saddle bags, attached to brackets, afixed to the underside of the frame and then bent to vertical, making essentially, a giant u shaped bracket that provides a verticle mount on each side of the vehicle, allowing to bags or storage compartments to clear the door and gas fill port. two such brackets, fabricated from say....2x.250 or maybe 3/16 4130 steel and attached with 4, 1/2in bolts under the frame, making the brackets easily removable when extra storage is not needed. maybe 4 tangs or attach points may have to be welded to the frame rails if adaquate area is not currently available on the chassie. the whole assembly of brackets, bags, and contents should not exceed 75lbs. this doesn't mean that more weight couldn't be carried in this location, but the suspension has a limit that shouldn't be exceeded, since this location adds to the rear seat weight location and this location helps balance the weight distribution to all 3 wheels as opposed to a trailer loading just the rear wheel, aft of the rear axel, and becoming a destabalizing force in extreme manuvers. i know this will affect the gas milage but not as much as a trailers drag would. hey, when it's touring time, u can't expect the same mileage as the daily commute. this is gonna be a fun vehicle to play with. imagine a rear wheel with a pm motor hub, that can be used as an alternate charging source, traction assist in slick areas or breaking assist.

 

[Music Man]

Good stuff.

Lovin' it Dustoff!

Where can we get one???

Want one almost as much as I want my Elio!

Semper Fi, brother!

 

[skygazer6033]

Goldwing06-- search thread on "aerodynamic saddle bags". Having 2 wheels in front brings its own set of problems. Not insurmountable but problems nonetheless. Anything you run over with the front wheels is going to blast the saddle bags. Road debris, road kill, horse debris (maybe just a Texas problem) you get the idea. Anyway I've read the roof will have hardpoints pre installed to mount aftermarket roof racks.

 

[skygazer6033]

I really don't think I would want to pull a trailer myself but I do think realistically that is your best option for touring. If a small trailer(<500 lbs.GVW) properly loaded with the proper tongue weight would pull like it wasn't even there. Acceleration would be a little more anemic is all. Elios equipped with aftermarket hitches should have no problem with instability, certainty much better than with a two wheel motorcycle pulling a trailer.