The Jade Warrior Drag Bike

I remember during an indy car race. I believe Bobby Unser projected some day we would see indy cars with drivers laying head first on their belly. Needless to say the other announcers doubted it. This was 20 years ago maybe. Crazy!

Ralphy
 
I wonder about the stability of the Jade Warrior. It appears that most of the mass of the "bike" is way to far to the rear. Seems like the bike would have a strong tendency to spin around and go down the track backward.

Towards the end of the war, the Germans had a crash program to develop a small single jet engine fighter. The pilot was laying down, it gave the pilot a great advantage staying conscious during a high g maneuver. A flying version was produced only a few months after the initial concept, an amazing reduction in development time. It did have combat success, but so late in the war and too limited in numbers, it just achieved status as a curiosity.
 
mrvette said:
:eek: That's nutz, going head first?? hit anything at all, and he dead from a broken neck......no chance at all.....:surrender::cussing:
Click to expand...


I remember that same type of argument used against rear engine dragsters when Garlits introduced the first one. How many front engine slingshot cars do you see now?

But I bet the rear weight bias for handling is a reason this design didn't take for motorcycles. My initial reaction was Wow! Cool! ---But what about front end float and the lack of gyroscopic stability with such a tiny front wheel.

I don't know though, I never saw this before. But there's got to be a reason that almost 30 years later we don't see more of them.
 
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