Aerotrunk project

[low&slow]

Vetter Challengers seek to develop vehicles that get over 100mpg, can go over 70 mph into a 30 mph headwind and can carry 4 full paper grocery bags on board. My streamlined 1999 Ninja 250 can easily do this. (For more information on the Vetter Challenge check out motorcycle designer Craig Vetter's website at Craig Vetter, designer and inventor of the Windjammer fairing,Triumph Hurricane Motorcycle and fuel economy motorcycles )
But streamlined motorcycles aren't for everyone so in my pursuit to show how to make motorcycles more efficient and useful I decided to work on another, less radical project. I decided to limit my modifications to a few simple tweaks and see if I meets the goals of the Vetter Challenge with my 2005 Ninjette.

I started by raising the gearing from stock by installing a 15T countersprocket and a 41T rear sprocket ( vs 14/45). It has been my experience that the Ninjette can handle up to 15/37 pretty well. I then made a taller windscreen and fully faired in my front wheel. Now I was ready to make a detachable trunk that would further reduce my aerodynamic drag and give me lots of cargo capacity.

First I cut out a 1/2" plywood base with slot for the rear grab handle to pass through that the aerotrunk can be clamped down by pushin some slats of right size to force the base down tight. I decided on a 29" for the length. The width was 16", a bit less than my shoulder width. The front bulhead is just under my seated shouder height at ~ 18" at the sides and arching up to 21" at the center. The rear bulkhead narrow down to 12" wide, 14.5" at the sides and arching up to 15" in the center. I then cut a loading opening in the front bulkhead 10" wide x 15" high. If you decide to make your own aerotrunk make so that it is just shorter and narrower than your torso as you seat on the bike. If it sticks out past your body profile it will likely increase the air drag rather reduce it.

After attaching the front and rear bulkheads to the base with glue and screws, I skinned the aerotrunk sides with some very thin plywood veneer (~1/8", commonly called doorskin"). For the curved top I installed a wooden lath for a central spine. Then I hot-glued some treated sign paper to the spine and the top of the sides as a form for a layer of fiberglass. After glassing the top, I used some fiberglass strips to seal and reinforce the edges. Then I painted it and mounted on my bike using the inner wood slat clamps a long bungee cord hooked on the lower edges of the front loading opening, passing around around the foldout hooks at the seat sides.

The aerotrunk easily holds over 3 full paper grocery bags ( probably could stuff in 4 ). I made a cover for the front opening out of some coroplast. Initial testing shows I'need to refine the inner clamp so that bouncing doesn't make the them come loose. Fortunately the bungee cord backup is very secure.

I'll test out these mods soon and report how it does fuel economy wise. Previously I've done around 80mpg on my 100+ mile testing loop before the mods. [/URL][/IMG]