Motorcycles

DiamondBack trike looks "lean" and mean

DiamondBack trike looks "lean" and mean
The DiamondBack leans into turns, thanks to a unique pneumatic system
The DiamondBack leans into turns, thanks to a unique pneumatic system
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The DiamondBack leans into turns, thanks to a unique pneumatic system
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The DiamondBack leans into turns, thanks to a unique pneumatic system
A back view of the DiamondBack
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A back view of the DiamondBack
A front view of the DiamondBack
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A front view of the DiamondBack
The DiamondBack features a pneumatically-raised canopy
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The DiamondBack features a pneumatically-raised canopy
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There's nothing quite like leaning into a turn on a motorcycle. That said, there's also nothing quite like wiping out on one. For people who like the former but are wary of the latter, leaning trikes were invented. One of the latest to catch our attention is the snazzy-looking DiamondBack, which may hopefully soon be entering production.

The vehicle is the creation of Ohio-based electrical engineer Don Davis, who has previously worked in the automotive, pneumatics and aerospace industries. He tells us that he first came up with the concept when he became a dad, and was looking for a form of transportation that was as exhilarating and economical as his motorcycle, but safer.

The current single-seat prototype features a full steel roll cage, a Formula 1 style racing seat with a 5-point harness, and a pneumatically-raised canopy. Power is provided by a 1300CC Suzuki Hayabusa engine. The pneumatic leaning system, which also adjusts the vehicle's ride height in accordance to the weight of the driver, is Davis' own design.

Specs are still being gathered on fuel economy and performance, although Don says that the trike has a better power-to-weight ratio than a Lamborghini Murcielago.

A back view of the DiamondBack
A back view of the DiamondBack

Plans call for a two-seater V twin-powered model, along with the possibilities of a hybrid power plant and regenerative braking. A fully-enclosed canopy, which would incorporate heating and air conditioning, is also in the works.

Davis is now building the DiamondBack to order, at a price of US$29,995 a pop. He's also just launched a Kickstarter campaign, in order to fund larger-scale production of the trike.

"I love to design efficient and powerful products," he tells us. "I hope the DiamondBack touches many lives for the better."

You can see the prototype in action, in the pitch video below.

Sources: DiamondBack Division, Kickstarter

View gallery - 4 images
19 comments
19 comments
BigGoofyGuy
I think that is really cool. It would be neat to have a fully enclosed version so one can drive / ride it in any weather.
The cost seems on the high side. Makes me glad there is the Elio Motors three wheeler. http://www.eliomotors.com .
Keith Lamb
I was curious till I saw the price. At 30 grand I'd just buy a nicely engineered car.
Milton
I don't think they will have any problem getting rid of these things at 30K. When I see new motorcycles go for 20K, this thing looks like a good buy at 30K. I just think they will have a hard time growing with their current KS campaign.
Perhaps they thought it was too early to start offering 25K KS special "pre-orders"?
Andrew Knowles
Looks like a homebrew version of the Carver from back in 2008: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carver_%28automobile%29
The carver cost just over $40,000 (30,000 Euros), lack of demand meant the company went bankrupt.
I'm a bit skeptical about the $30,000 price tag. That's way too high for whats going to be just essentially going to be a toy for the weekend. Motorbikes are half the width of this which lets you get around traffic, plus the parking is usually free and abundant. This is just going to get stuck in traffic fill a car parking spot, just like every other car.
The 'basic' take on construction for easy home repair and customization is a great bonus though. If the price comes down, I can see this being a nice little money earner. Can't see it going main stream sadly.
Slowburn
If I am going to have a trike I don't want to have to deal with alining the steering tires so I will go with a delta. If you are worried about the stability use a gyroscope as the energy storage devise for the regenerative breaking.
nutcase
Compare this to a Can-am Spyder. Would you prefer to ride your trike or sit in it and drive it? This thing is not in the race yet but production line economics might get it there...
Mzungu_Mkubwa
@nutcase: The tilting aspect alone makes the experience superior to the Spyder. (And, just forget about those trike conversions where they put two wheels in the rear! I can't believe riders put those on thinking that they're safer! NOT!) However, if you'd rather ride, then pony up for a conversion kit from Tilting Motor Works (www.tiltingmotorworks.com). Its pricey, too, and Harley-only atm, but still far superior to a Spyder's configuration. And, with the TiltLock option, tip-over anxiety is also alleviated (which is the main reason folks opt for the dual-rear-wheel trike setup, I suppose ...)
However, the optimal setup is to go quad: vimeo.com/2892307 (!!!☺)
Richard Guy
All very exciting - especially two seater version - apart from the price, which is nutty... You'd get a Caterham for much less
Irina Sigal Davis
Milton-
You are absolutely correct, we are taking special preorders for the DiamondBack. Just send me an email diamondbackdivision@gmail.com with your information.
Thanks Don Davis
VoiceofReason
An economy model would also be cool. Something like with a small diesel motor that would boost MPG to well over 100mpg. The 1300cc superbike motor is cool, but too many people won't need a better power to weight ratio than a supercar.
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