Britten

[justinrhenry]

A true gent had the good fortune to meet the man in a pub on the island in the mid ninetys thanks for sharing.

[triangleforge]

Thanks for sharing that link!! 

Watching it makes me wonder yet again... Why haven't more of John Britten's (and for that matter, Michael Czysc') ideas made it into race & production bikes?

I'm particularly interested in fork design. Tubular forks have some real limitations compared to the Britten & MotoCzysc designs (which should be MUCH easier to tune for different flex characteristics front to back & side to side) or hub steering as done by Bimota and others. I've seen nothing but rave reviews from the test riders who've gotten to put them through their paces, but outside of Britten's runs at Daytona, hardly any teams are willing to think outside the tubes.

Is it a matter of rules? Patents? Traditions?

[Speeddog]

~~~SNIP~~~

 Traditions?

Mostly that.

Riders are very much tuned to expect how telescopic forks perform.
And they're essentially conservative.
In reference to the 'rider psyche': http://www.motomatters.com/opinion/2013/01/03/why_price_caps_are_the_best_way_of_cutti.html
Relevant comments start in paragraph 5.

Britten's front end is a 'Hossack' style, though nobody else, AFAIK, has done one in CF.
More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_fork

[Curmudgeon]

 

Riders are very much tuned to expect how telescopic forks perform.
And they're essentially conservative.

Tried quite a few alternate systems myself and can't get on with them. There's a good possibility that decent tubes just give the best feedback on that front contact patch. Note that not even BMW currently races with any of their goofy front ends although that would be good for PR. After all, you won't find an F1 car with FWD or AWD. Some things just work.

[Speeddog]

I rode this bad boy for about 10 minutes in ~1987.
Felt OK, but didn't push it at all, as repercussions from dropping it would have been severe...

[DucHead]

I rode this bad boy for about 10 minutes in ~1987.
Felt OK, but didn't push it at all, as repurcussions from dropping it would have been severe...

        

[ducpainter]

I rode this bad boy for about 10 minutes in ~1987.
Felt OK, but didn't push it at all, as repurcussions from dropping it would have been severe...

Why can't I see it?

[Speeddog]

Why can't I see it?

I think I fixed it.... posted it from my phone, sometimes it doesn't cooperate.

[ducpainter]

I think I fixed it.... posted it from my phone, sometimes it doesn't cooperate.

Yup. 

[triangleforge]

Just up on MCN:

Exclusive: MCN ride the Britten V1000 | First Rides | Motorcyclenews.com

[bigiain]

A friend (and a missing-in-action member here):


Lil on the Britten

[lazylightnin717]

I rode this bad boy for about 10 minutes in ~1987.
Felt OK, but didn't push it at all, as repercussions from dropping it would have been severe...

I was 2 years old in '87.

What in tarnation is that?

[Raux]

I remember seeing that in the magazines during HS.
RADD MC²
I had to look up the details to refresh my memory. Yamaha 750 based

I was into the Yahama Genesis bikes, can't remember if that was the same time frame.
The Honda Hurricane was another.

The the RADD front end was certainly very cool

[Speeddog]

I was 2 years old in '87.

What in tarnation is that?

Here's a more recent prototype, with more pics:
 http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/gsx-radd-hub-center-steered-motorcycle-suspension

[BellissiMoto]

Best video I've seen in weeks.

Britten is a hero, an absolute genius. I wish the world didn't lose him, but I am equally disappointed that nobody followed upon his work.

I mean only now do we have the Panigale, which is only 5% as revolutionary as the Britten was 20 years ago.