Your Company Website

    Real Motorcycle Mileage vs

           Claimed Mileage!

When it comes to motorcycle performance, with the exception of top speed, and maximum horsepower claims - no other statistic is more exaggerated (or misunderstood) than fuel mileage claims. Although it is true that some scooters, mopeds, and small displacement bikes can and do achieve very impressive fuel mileage numbers, one must also consider the average speed at which such vehicles attain such mileages. In other words, yes - some of these vehicles do rountinely average 60, 70, 80, or even 100 mpg...  however under what conditions !?!      Take Note: As those mileages are almost exclusively at very low, in-city average speeds (25-40mph), and as once  45-50mph, is reached -- the power required to overcome aerodynamic drag from that point on increases at roughly the CUBE of any further increase of speed .    For example: a scooter that requires only 3 HP to travel 35 mph, will need roughly 12 HP to travel 70 mph, with of course the attendant dramatic increase in fuel useage. As for claims of 55+ mpg claims for full sized motorcycles at freeway speeds - my experience has been that such claims are simply that - claims. Rather, my experience has been that for full-sized bikes (500cc and up) 40 -45 mpg is the norm, with higher than average speeds dropping the range down into the 30's. Yes yes yes, I know that you know a guy that swears he got 57 mpg on his 1200 suckulux, two up, at 80mph into a 30 mph head wind! Alas, some motorcyclists like some fishermen aren't liars - they're just really bad at weights and measures.

For a good primer on real-world motorcycle mileage please see the March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports magazine. On pages 51-54 of that issue, real fuel mileage test data for four scooters, and two of the most fuel efficient bikes currently available - the Kawasaki 250 Ninja, and Honda Rebel 250 are listed in detail - and I think most motorcyclists will find the results both dissappointing yet eye-opening!

Sphere nacelle in straight forward attitude within the socket portion of the main fairing, demonstrating a single airfoil, with aerodynamic the nose section, transferring rearward with relative smoothness at the top, sides and bottom of the bike. Also, note the N.A.C.A. air ducts just forward of each transverse engine cylinder. The demonstration bike is of course a Moto Guzzi, with the exact model being a 750cc, albeit with slight modifications.

The

                                Sphere & Socket Motorcycle Fairing Project
                                                     (A United States Patented Invention by Charles Bugni, further Patents Pending by BUGNI LLC)

"A little Revolution now and then is a good thing..." Thomas Jefferson

Purpose - although current production motorcycles offer tremendous speed, acceleration, and handling characteristics - their average fuel consumption is often matched or even exceeded by modern 4 passenger economy cars, weighing 4 to 5 times more, and having over double the contact tire patch with the road! Why? Simply because virtually all motorcycles - including sport bikes - have drag coefficients closer to that of a concrete brick than an efficient transportation vehicle. In other words: conventional motorcycles are aerodynamic nightmares!!! Because of this reality, modern motorcycles offer virtually no economic advantage over economy cars, while retaining the disadvantages of exposure to the elements, noise, lack of luggage space, increased danger, and inability to carry a third or even fourth passenger. It is therefore our view that for motorcycles to make any sense at all, as a viable, practical alternative to the automobile, average current fuel efficiency must be at least twice that of an economy car, otherwise - motorcycles will remain little more than toys. Thus our purpose with this invention is to dramatically decrease aerodynamic drag, and therefore reducing current fuel usage by at least one half, while at the time, retaining the turning ability, and ease of use of conventional motorcycles. Further, attendent to this improvement, will be the added benefits of: increased performance for comparable, or even slightly less power output; enhanced weather protection for the rider; and finally reduction of noise and overall rider fatigue from conventional windblast.

Motorcycle Aerodynamics of the 1950's - An Inspirational Moment:

although in the past numerous attempts have been made to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of motorcycles, with the exception of land speed racers, little dramatic progress has been achieved since the prohibition and subsequent demise of the 'dustbin' fairing as seen in European road racing circa 1955-1957.

Advantages of our design over the historic 'dustbin' fairing -

Our design enjoys several major advantages over the dustbin type, and conventional designs currently available:

our fairing allows full 'lock to lock' turning capability and thus practicality;
because the sphere portion of our system turns with the front wheel, our fairing does not have the large, high-drag hole of the dustbin fairing, made necessary to allow what little turning ability that was available;
because our sphere nacelle enclosing the front wheel turns with the wheel, the space therein remains largely void, and could accomodate the fuel tanks, thus moving the center of mass of the bike forward, and down, while also providing cargo space in place of the conventional tank location, and thus eliminating high-drag conventional luggage paniers
as during the last half-century advances have been made in the understanding of the aerodynamic effects upon land vehicles, (especially in the field of 'solar' land racers), we believe that certain specific aerodynamic problems formerly associated with the historic dustbin design due to strong cross winds, can be substantially reduced or virtually eliminated by the implementation of these advances combined with modern computer and wind tunnel capabilities
finally, the bias-ply tires and primitive drum brakes available as the cutting-edge technological tire and braking systems of over 50 years ago, have seen incredibly dramatic improvements with our modern radial tires, advanced rubber compounds, and of course disc with anti-lock braking systems.

Prototype Testing Goals for 2009:

Current Test Bike:
as the above displayed test bike is our second test bike, with the fairing invention in its third iteration, we hope to commence freeway speed, real-world testing in April of 2009. Our goals are for 100 mpg (2.4L/100k) average at speeds of 65-70 mph (110-115kph), and if all goes well, top speed testing to achieve our very modest goal of 115 mph (190kph), with the un-modified (and very mildly factory tuned) stock Moto Guzzi 750cc Nevada engine.

Current Test Bike Challenges - Gearing Limitations:

As the author's selection of this particular test bike may have been somewhat ill-advised owing to the difficulty of 'gearing up' this partcular model (equipped with shaft drive and very limited gearing possibilities), we expect this particular test bike to turn engine RPM far in excess of that needed to maintain freeway speeds. In other words, this particular bike will burn far more fuel than this fairing would otherwise allow it to save, due to the inability to install much 'higher' and fuel-saving gearing. In an effort to increase the overall gearing of the present model, a slightly higher speed rear-end from a circa 1982 'small block' Guzzi has been substituted for the stock rear-end, and a 21 inch front wheel rim has been laced to fit the stock rear drive hub for added circumference, with an aggregate gearing elevation of approximately 12%.

Third Test Bike - Chain Drive:

By Autumn of 2009, we hope to test a chain driven 350 to 500cc chain driven (for ease of up-gearing) parallel twin, with the goal of 110+ mpg, with a 130+ mph top speed. The most likely candidates for a donor test platform include Suzuki and Kawasaki 500cc twins - although other models will also be considered.

Want to Help ?

Contact us at our link at the top of the page
Consider linking to this website
Copy & Paste our address & share it in online blogs!
Tell your friends - please!

Want to get involved?

We're very interested in licensing our Patent to major manufacturers or specialty builders, if you are one or know one - drop us a line.
If you'd like to invest in our Patent project, some shares of our Limited Liabilty Company are available.
Are you are racer, educational institution, or just a tinkerer who would like to experiment with our design? We may be very open to granting limited you or your organization, gratis written permission for your individual (non-commercial) use of our product. Contact us at our address below.

Want one built for you?

Drop us a line as we are also gauging interest, in order to explore limited custom-order manufacture of a number of units especially tailored to 'one off' applications.

Links

excellent site great dealership

Guzzi Speed Record holder

Excellent Site e

          Scooter Application of the Sphere and Socket System:
          to any scooter designers out there, please note
           the advantages afforded by this invention, as follows:

for conventional gasoline scooters, utilizing a compact and unsprung engine/drivetrain combination - relocation of the engine and drivetrain into one or both of the front wheel nacelle halves, would not only provide marked improvement in aerodynamics of the front of the vehicle, but would also allow for an marked increase in storage space under the rider
for electric scooters, relocation of the compact electric motor into one of the front nacelle halves would allow for more battery space and range on the rest of the scooter
on all scooters, the movement of the engine or motor, and/or fuel tank to the front nacelle halves, would allow a lower seating position in the formerly occupied space for the rider, thus reducing both rider height, and aerodynamic cross-section