Science fiction concept(s)

[TransformerRobot]

In this thread I'd like to share with you concept art and/or audio for a project I've been working on.

 

First off, I want you to take a look at 2 vehicle concept pictures I've done:

 

Example of the hoverbikes in the story.

 

Alternative example.

 

Does the second picture still look like a motorcycle, or at least, a motorcycle-like vehicle? If not, what can I do to make it look more like a bike?

Edited May 30, 2013 by TransformerRobot

[Moontanman]

Having been a motorcyclist for 45 years now i can tell you that picture in no way resembles anything i would recognise as a motorcycle...

[TransformerRobot]

I had a feeling I'd get that kind of response, but look at bikes from the 1930s.

 

 

And here's a bike from today.

 

 

See any differences?

[Moontanman]

Your first picture didn't show but since I am very familiar with motorcycles from the very beginning to today I have a pretty good idea what it probably looked like. Having said that your picture denies the rider the the most basic thing a motorcycle gives. I am betting you are not a regular rider....

[TransformerRobot]

I wish I was a regular rider.

 

What should I do to my own design to give the rider said most basic thing a motorcycle gives? Should I heighten up the seat or shorten the windshield? I don't want the idea of giving the bikes higher speeds (Of no more than 800 km/h) to send the rider flying off to his death.

[Spyman]

http://www.gizmag.com/hoverbike/18813/

[imatfaal]

I would go for something much more reminiscent of a motocycle. If you have a hover-bike at 800kph surely you can have a force-fieldy sort of thing rather than a windscreen

 

 

This would be more along my idea. FYG modern motogp bikes will do 210 mph (rossi has apparently been clocked at 217 in testing) - and that with no extra windscreens etc

[TransformerRobot]

Force field technology seems a little hard to believe.

 

Sure, we have this:

 

 

But how do we expect one that can defy g-forces? Has anyone come close to making such a thing?

[Moontanman]

I wish I was a regular rider.

 

What should I do to my own design to give the rider said most basic thing a motorcycle gives? Should I heighten up the seat or shorten the windshield? I don't want the idea of giving the bikes higher speeds (Of no more than 800 km/h) to send the rider flying off to his death.

 

What have drawn is not much more than a one man cage car. The essence of a motorcycle is it's contact with the environment. Speed and power are also important but on a motorcycle you are part of the environment not separated from it...

[EdEarl]

TROPHY is not a force field according to Wikipedia, "is a military active protection system (APS) for vehicles. It intercepts and destroys incoming missiles and rockets with a shotgun-like blast."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trophy_%28countermeasure%29

 

Magnetic protection from ion streams is not only possible, the Earth has been doing it for eons. But, ions are not missiles, brick walls, or another hovercraft.

[TransformerRobot]

Is repelling ions the same as repelling g-forces? It sure doesn't sound like it.

[EdEarl]

Is repelling ions the same as repelling g-forces? It sure doesn't sound like it.

No.

Energy opposes gravity, for example a rocket engine. In fact, gravity sometimes occurs in physics equations as negative energy.

 

However, magnetic forces can be used to oppose energy, but that must be done similar to mag-lev In other words, some magnetic material or magnet needs to be under the thing being levitated, which must also be a magnet or magnetic material.

 

Electrostatics can be used, but that force is very weak, which limits the size/area of the thing being levitated.

 

Both magnetic and electrostatic forces can be dangerous. Strong magnets can rip things away from us, such as a watch, and could injure someone with a metal implant. Electrostatics strong enough to lift something use very high voltages that might electrocute. Blasts of air from propellers and jet engines can also be dangerous. Hovercraft (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hovercraft) are relatively safe, but have difficulty with hills much less mountains.

 

Your best bet for a realistic hovercraft is a low flying short winged, ground effect vehicle. See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_effect_vehicle

Edited May 31, 2013 by EdEarl

[TransformerRobot]

The only other way I can keep them as hoverbikes is if I slow them down to 360 km/h or less. That couldn't possibly need a force field, could it?

[EdEarl]

The only other way I can keep them as hoverbikes is if I slow them down to 360 km/h or less. That couldn't possibly need a force field, could it?

Please explain.

[dimreepr]

 

There’s no need to keep the speed quite so low, it is science fiction. Star Trek props department had a good stab at it...

 

 

[TransformerRobot]

Please explain.

 

Would it be a low enough speed that the rider wouldn't fly off the bike?

[EdEarl]

Would it be a low enough speed that the rider wouldn't fly off the bike?

Riders fly off bikes that crash at speeds much lower, even a bicycle rider can fly off their bike. A friend of mine flew over the handle bars of his bicycle and got a really bad head injury that put him in a coma. He never fully recovered.

Edited May 31, 2013 by EdEarl

[TransformerRobot]

So did I, but I survived and was able to walk home.

 

Also, the idea of making the bikes GEVs doesn't quite sit well with me.

 

Would such a vehicle be able to do this?:

 

 

Or would it be as exciting as this?:

 

[EdEarl]

I have no idea what a GEV may be able to do, because I have not done any serious research on the topic and have not casually discovered it either. I only know there are GEV, and vaguely what keeps them above the ground. If you are not interested, that's fine; I have nothing to gain or loose. You started a thread and I replied because it interested me. It is up to you to decide what if anything I posted can help you.

[TransformerRobot]

It's okay, your advice is helpful. I just don't know how to make a GEV fast enough to be an exciting race machine, but not be too high in the ground (in case falling out of the air is more likely to kill the rider).

 

What would the bike need so that it can fly much faster at a lower altitude (like maybe 10 feet)?

[Moontanman]

TR, it wouldn't make any difference how far off the ground you were going if you fell off. I've been on a motorcycle at well over 150 mph, i felt no force trying to tear me off the bike. I was hunkered down over the gas tank but I did see the speedo sweep past 150, at that speed you don't look at the speedo much if you want to avoid objects that suddenly appear in your path and at that speed everything appears quite suddenly.

 

I'm not sure human reflexes are capable of controlling something much faster two or three hundred mph that close to the ground unless you were on an open flat course that you knew had no other vehicles that would be in your way and falling off at anything over 40 or 50 mph becomes a matter of luck and safety equipment to survive...

[TransformerRobot]

What if the riders underwent extensive physical training to have faster reflexes than people of our current time period?

[Moontanman]

What if the riders underwent extensive physical training to have faster reflexes than people of our current time period?

 

 

Well It's your concept for a fictional book, you can give your characters any traits you want but in the real world... no...

[TransformerRobot]

Would making their suits rubber help?

 

Or one of these?

 

 

In the meantime, while awaiting your response, I'll be working on a quick concept picture of the GEV mentioned earlier.

[Moontanman]

Would making their suits rubber help?

 

No

 

Or one of these?

 

 

In the meantime, while awaiting your response, I'll be working on a quick concept picture of the GEV mentioned earlier.

 

No, you will notice these motorcycles are going quite slow, the faster you go the more the vehicle changes, various counter intuitive forces come into play. You have to employ counter steering if you are going much above a fast run and at speeds like you are suggesting turns would be very wide and totally done by steering in the opposite direction from the way you want to go. I'm not sure how having a loop across the top helps you ate all, at any speed much more than a slow crawl it would just flip you end over end and destroy the bike and you...