Motorcycles

Comanche gas/electric recumbent trike is made for the dirt – or the street

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The gas off-road version of the Comanche, with the optional long-travel independent front suspension package
Plans call for there to be four versions of the Comanche – gas and electric off-road models, along with gas and electric street-legal moped models
The off-road Comanche's optional independent front suspension system is demonstrated
The gas off-road Comanche reportedly weighs under 105 lb (48 kg)
The gas off-road version of the Comanche, with the optional long-travel independent front suspension package
The gas off-road Comanche features a 6.5-hp engine that takes it to a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h) although optional upgrades to beefier engines boost that figure, maxing out with a 450cc engine that delivers about 70 mph (112 km/h)
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While many people enjoy dirt-biking, they often can't afford the truck or trailer necessary to transport the things. That's why Stanford University aerospace engineering grad Dak Steiert created the Comanche. It's a gas or electric-powered recumbent trike that fits in the back of a hatchback or SUV.

Plans actually call for there to be four versions of the Comanche – gas and electric off-road models, along with gas and electric street-legal moped models. As compared to traditional motorbikes, all four are claimed to be not only more easily transported, but are also said to offer greater stability (there are a set of outrigger wheels in the back, to keep the trikes from tipping over) and better cargo-carrying capacity via an optional package that includes dual rear boxes and a rack.

The gas off-road model features a 6.5-hp engine that takes it to a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h) although optional upgrades to beefier engines boost that figure, maxing out with a 450cc engine that delivers about 70 mph (112 km/h). The electric off-road version, on the other hand, has a 5-kilowatt motor powered by a 24-Ah battery pack. It also tops out at 45 mph, and has a claimed range of 70 miles (112 km) per 5 to 8-hour charge.

Both of the off-road models have 11 inches of rear suspension travel, with 8 inches of front suspension available as an upgrade. For really serious obstacle-climbing, there's also a 14-inch independent front suspension option.

The off-road Comanche's optional independent front suspension system is demonstrated

The gas moped model has a 50cc engine that puts out roughly 1.5 hp, while the electric moped has a 3-kilowatt motor and a 14-Ah battery pack, delivering a range of about 40 miles (64 km) per charge. In order to stay street-legal, both versions are limited to a top speed of approximately 20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h). And no, they don't have pedals.

Should you be interested, the Comanche is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign (see the link below). There are a number of packages available, with pledges for full vehicles starting at US$2,475 for the base gas off-road or moped models (planned retail $2,975), $4,275 for the base electric off-road (retail $4,950) and $3,650 for the electric moped (retail $4,175).

You can watch the trikes in action, in the following video.

Source: Indiegogo

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6 comments
guzmanchinky
I come to Newatlas to see the new, the exciting and the different! And boy oh boy is this different...
Josh!
+1 for the "different". Love looking at this stuff.
DaveWesely
Puzzled as to why the gas model is measured in HP while the electric is measured in KW. 750 Watts is 1 HP, so the electric motor is 3 times stronger than the gas motor. Yet why is top speed on electric lower than gas version?
Lardo
450cc? 70MPH? Hmmmmmm.
toyhouse
I too love this stuff. As a grade-schooler, I spent way too many hours drawing pictures of things just like this when I was supposed to be listening to the teacher. A three-wheeled recumbent minibike? It has an old-school minibike drive train, (industrial lawnmower-type engine mated to a torque converter),. That combo can go much faster than you'd imagine. The tire width looks a bit narrow to us for navigating over some of those rocks. I need to test one thoroughly to be sure, lol.
ljaques
I'll give him a salute for the added humor. Risky, but he may know his target consumer: rich, adrenaline-seeking youts wif money to burn.
The electric is slower than the gas because batteries weight more than fuel.
Wait a minute, did I see him faking a MIG weld in the film? Scratch off the potential MIT quality of the ride. And that thing, even with a 6hp engine, will never compete even with an OLD 125cc motocross bike, let alone a larger one. It sure is different, though. Still, I want a Shredder if I'm going adrenaline fishing.