Cuban8 Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Does anyone take a model to the flying field by motorbike? Knowing how ingenious many modellers are, and with nice clean small-ish electric models that can be dismantled right down, I'm just wondering........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Jenkins Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 In my school days, I had to take all my models to the flying field on the back of my bicycle. It was a Moulton (the one with suspension and small wheels) with carriers at the rear and at the front. I could get up to 3 control line models onto the back with my box of fuel and control lines on the front. Eventually, I built a dolly to launch my combat wing on my own - I had a hook and pin set up to restrain the dolly once the engine was started. Once in the centre with the handle in my hand, a quick heave on the string attached to the pin and I was in business! I would think that with some of the wing bags available today, you ought to be able to have the wings on your back and the fuselage restrained on the back seat. If you had panniers, you could use them to hold the Tx and batteries. But then, I'm not a motor cycle rider so what do I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 When I still rode bikes I often wondered how hard it would be to make something to mount between the pillion footrest hanger and the grabrail for a fuselage and wing halves to slot into. Topbox for tx and batteries and you're good to go. I never did get around to trying it though. Of course you would have to remember the tailplane sticking out if you tried filtering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 When I rode bikes, Goldwings were the equivalent of drones. Too big to thread though traffic, occupant too stupid to realise others could. Mirrors a mobile fly killer. I have been known to simply strap a small model to the rear racks. 4 foot, under 40 mph, country road, 6, 7 miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Many years ago there used to be a hinged sidecar platform.You could ride along and lean the bike over but the "side car" stayed flat. I once rode all the way from Newquay in Cornwall to Great Dunmow in Essex with a controlline scale model (36" span) strapped to the pillion seat. THat was on a 350 ex WD Royal Enfield. I still have nightmares about that journey. At 50 miles an hour you got resonent vibration that could take all your fillings out and the beast had false neutrals between each gear. Going through London at 2 am.Not a soul in sight, (Speed limit?) I could go on but I can't bear the memories. This was in 1956 Edited By Peter Miller on 13/01/2019 19:18:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 When I rode motor cycle trials lots of competitors (like me) rode the bike to the event with an ex-WD dispatch rider's storm coat over my Barbour suit (it was a winter sport) but other, more affluent types carried the bike on a float ( a flat platform on a sidecar chassis. If I wished to carry models by motor cycle I'd go for a sidecar or possibly a trailer (they were illegal until relatively recently). Never actually saw a tilting sidecar but I never saw the point. I used to ride a 1949 ex-works BSA trials outfit solo quite frequently and coped perfectly well despite its being only about 3' wide. I took left handers with caution but I was more afraid of right hand bends and would lean it like a solo considering it safer than having the rear wheel lift Incidentally, we visited some old motor cycling friends over Xmas and Chis still rides her 1000cc BMW and Headingham sidecar as her normal means of transport. She's in her mid 70s. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Blandford Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 I had a Honda 175 with a (sloping) luggage rack behind the pillion seat. I made a wooden "wedge" that clamped to the rack, and provided a flat surface that extended the flat top of the pillion seat rearwards. Then I made a plywood box that fitted on this flat surface, and extended behind it as well. The box included a couple of bolts on the sides that could be extended down to locate into the wedge to hold it in position. I also strapped it down with bungees. The box was 1 foot square in cross section and 3 feet long with 2 inch wide slots down each side for wings and a fuselage would fit in the centre, with the tail sticking out the back of the box. Accessories and the Tx fitted under the fuselage. I transported a 60 inch span, 60 powered aerobatic model in it! The "wedge" included a couple of wheels so I could lift it and the box off the 'bike and wheel it to the pits! As the whole thing was much lighter than a passenger, it didn't actually affect the handling of the 'bike. Definitely surprised people when I arrived and assembled such a large 'plane and flew it! If you have a much smaller model, you should be able to do something similar, but would only need a small box for it, say 9 inches square and only 2 feet long. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKid Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 I usually just phone a friend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Kiwi, I love the photo, but not quite what I had in mind!Mike's pillion mod was what was thinking of and would be doable with a small electric model that can be dismantled. I like the Hobby King ME 163 and if the wings could be made detachable rather than glued in permanently, wouldn't need much of a container to transport it in. A mate has got one and it flys extremely well. I wasn't thinking about a full days flying, just a couple of hours during weekdays at my local club. Mixing my two interests is attractive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parkes Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 No experience of motor bikes, but in the mid 50,s I used to strap a C/L combat model to my back with string, the lines were wrapped around a National Health babies dried milk tin with the fuel odd props etc inside the tin and the tin carried in a saddle bag, I used this method of getting to the field (Perton airfield or East Park in Wolverhampton) by push bike for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 I used to put free flight models into a large carboard box which I attached to my back with two pieces of string. I used to ride the five or six miles to Forton Aerodrome from my home in Shrewsbury on my Raleigh Junior bicycle which my parents had bought me for passing my Eleven Plus exams! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hess Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 I tried it. I took one of these, figuring that it was small enough to fit on the seat behind me on my Deauville, which has a fairing that should reduce the wind on it: **LINK** It took me ages to get it held down tight enough to hold it, but not too tight to damage it. I drove sedately to the flying field, but when I got there, the wing was broken off by the wind force. I would conclude that it's a complete non-starter to use a motorbike for transporting your plane to the field. Sure there are lots of theoretical solutions, but it'ss simply too inconvenient and the risk of damage is too high. The nearest equivalent solution that I can think of, if you can't use a car, would be an elctric bicycle and trailer. An electric bicycle is my preferred means of transport for journeys up to around 20 miles (round trip). The lower speed is unlikely to do wind damage and a dog trailer will allow you to more or less throw your plane in as long as it has detachable wings. If anybody needs any advice about electric bikes, I have a lot of knowledge and experience in that area, which I'm happy to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Blandford Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Posted by Dave Hess on 14/01/2019 11:25:07: I would conclude that it's a complete non-starter to use a motorbike for transporting your plane to the field. See my post above, I disagree. I regularly used my motorbike for transport, when I was at university, and in the end I took the 'plane in the box home, which was a trip of 104 miles. The 'plane was perfectly OK. It does need a 'plane designed to fit in the box. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Thanks gents, food for thought. Clearly, an exposed airframe is a non starter, so a simple, practical container that the model (after dismantling) can fit into, mounted on the pillion/rack will have to be made up . I'm only talking about a small foamy type model, perhaps a flying wing, for a couple of hours fun, rather than my big stuff. Or......this could be my big chance to get into drones - they come in nice strong boxes from what I've seen, and will easily strap to the pillion...........................I jest Haven't got the bike yet, rather fancy the new T-100 Bonneville. Will let you know if anything comes of it. Edited By Cuban8 on 14/01/2019 13:50:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 My first RC plane was a Cambria Capstan glider which i used to take to the local slope on my Moto Guzzi V50, a long while ago and I can't remember how I strapped it on. Re leaning sidecars I seem to recall when the 125 rules for learners was brought in there were some leaning 3rd wheels that could be added to turn an motor bike into a motorbike and side car as any size sidecar could be driven on a provisional license, http://reddevilmotors.blogspot.com/2016/02/sidewinder-learner-sidecar.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Not motor bikes - but many years ago a clubmate converted an ice cream vending type pushtrike (trike with 2 front wheels & a large box between them) to take a couple of power models + ancillaries. A different clubmate that I used to fly comp thermal gliders with made a trailer for his pushbike. When we met at our practice site he used to bring a 2 mtre glider + either an open class or 100" glider + an electric winch with car starter battery & the bits that went with the winch - all in the trailer. I brought a hand tow winch, bungee launch kit, 2 stop watches, notebook & pen plus a couple of thermal gliders in the car. Edited By PatMc on 14/01/2019 14:40:50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Bikes work for me, I ride regularly as part of my other hobby time. We have a couple of tag-a-longs which the kids sit on for family rides. So, I'd happily stick an electric conversion on a regular bike and tow a trailer full of kit behind me. Might work for foamies without any issues. I think you'd need some careful packing to avoid damage to a bigger heavier IC effort. Those 'two front wheel' type ice cream bikes sound like a nice cheap DIY route, but I've never seen a use one, and a brand new trike is silly money for what you get. OTOH a cheap kiddies trailer from halfords hooked on to an ebike would make light work of the job and wouldn't cost the earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Got tickets for the MCN show at excel in Docklands in Feb so will have close look at them. Purely for gentle fun riding. Got all the crazy stuff out of my system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Get a Jap bike and don't break down. But on post, the 163 mentioned above, 900 mm span, could go in a box, and with a proper clamp down to a top box carrier, edge on, would be stable and in the rider's wind shadow. Assuming a touring bike rather that a GP lookalike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Posted by Don Fry on 14/01/2019 17:04:53: Get a Jap bike and don't break down. It would be easier to tell you what didn't go wrong with my Yamaha 350 (YR5) and the Honda 400F I had suffered from a self destructing fuse box, the 2 Moto Guzzi's were quite reliable, and I understand the modern Triumphs are every bit as good as their Far Eastern brethern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Posted by Frank Skilbeck on 14/01/2019 18:33:17: Posted by Don Fry on 14/01/2019 17:04:53: Get a Jap bike and don't break down. It would be easier to tell you what didn't go wrong with my Yamaha 350 (YR5) and the Honda 400F I had suffered from a self destructing fuse box, the 2 Moto Guzzi's were quite reliable, and I understand the modern Triumphs are every bit as good as their Far Eastern brethern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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