Technical Paper
Starcar on the Road
1999-10-19
1999-01-5625
Starcar 4 is now a road vehicle, ready to be licensed as a motorcycle in the State of Colorado. The vehicle at present is a bare chassis resembling a three-wheel dune buggy. Six people have tested the vehicle so far, and all have pronounced it fun to drive. The vehicle is capable of acceleration up to at least 0.87 g’s, at which point it lifts its nose in a stable “wheelie”. The turning radius is tight, and the vehicle can U-turn on streets measuring 36 ft from curb to curb. Drivers quickly become comfortable with the joystick steering except near zero speeds, when the front wheel tends to flop to one side or the other. The ride is pleasant but stiff at the light weight of the bare chassis, and the steering at road speeds is stiff as well, though not uncomfortably so. The only negative findings are that the steering forces are high at parking lot speeds, and the chassis is about 85 lbs heavier than projected.
