The Sinclair C5, an untapped resource?

[Whosthedaddy]

Bear with me on this one.

The mind is always going nineteen to the dozen and although I may not get round to doing things in the immediate future, I do normally get round to it in the not too distant future.

I still have yurnings for a homemade jet powered bike but that can wait for the meantime, but sourcing some more information and some random googling another idea has come to light.

https://www.caranddriving.com/features2/300/Sinclair%20C5.jpg

Does anyone have any previous experiences with the bad boy that was not the C5?

How are they steered, it looks like a bicycle set up?

Do you think that you'd be able to fit a small bike engine in place of the dodgy and quite frankly slow electric motor. The pedals should of course make bump starting it easier. But in doing so would it then become a trike? And being a small 3 wheeler what license would you need?

Anyone that's built or ridden a trike, what are they like to handle on the road, steady as a rock in the corners or like a Reliant Robin and end up rocking and rolling from side to side.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[ms51ves3]

If you source an engine it could be quite a cheap build.

Clicky

I'm not sure about the laws on trikes but I did see a trike with a 49cc engine and it said you could drive/ride it on a CBT. So as you have a full bike licence you should be able to drive/ride it with the licence you have.

[acwman]

Hunk of junk in my opinion. Great idea, but being so low down on the road gives another meaning to 'sorry mate I didn't see you'.

The frame work on a c5 is quite flimsy, and getting it to go any faster than what the c5 was designed to do would be pretty dangerous... Going round corners and stuff.. you'll be on two wheels..then upside down...probably with a car ontop of you aswell

Used to be quite collectable.. and decent ones years back were changing hands for alot more than what they are on ebay now for!
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BMW R1200GS & Honda Fireblade 929RR
Bikes owned -Yamaha R1+akrapovic, Ducati 749S, Power Commander + Termi's,Buell XB12R - with race kit, GSXR600-K4 Titanium Scorpion end Can, ZXR400, RS125, Cagiva Mito, RS50, RG125, ER50, FS1E. https://www.bikepics.com/members/acwman/

[Kickstart]

Hi

The C5 was designed to take advantage of a law change ~20 years ago allowing 14 year olds to ride bicycles with a top speed of 15mph and which could also be propelled by an electric motor without the need for a helmet / licence / insurance / etc.

Replace the electric motor and replace it with a petrol one and I suspect it would become legally regarded as a motorcycle / trike (not sure which, think there is something in the legal definitions which depends on how far apart the wheels on one axle are). So helmet, insurance, licence, etc needed. As well as a numberplate. So that would mean complying with various rules for on various lights, etc. Although given the age of a C5 it might be old enough to be exempt from some of those rules (eg, indicators).

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[306_abb]

Have you lost the plot?
Its a fucking pedalo with wheels!


well I guess what ever flots you boat!


*I shall get my coat*

[Whosthedaddy]

[306_abb]

[ms51ves3]

[Whosthedaddy]

[ms51ves3]

What size engine would you be thinking of putting in it?

[panrider_uk]

They were low and hard to see by other road users.

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[acwman]

Well.. If you must

https://www.jetpower.co.uk/c5home.htm
____________________
BMW R1200GS & Honda Fireblade 929RR
Bikes owned -Yamaha R1+akrapovic, Ducati 749S, Power Commander + Termi's,Buell XB12R - with race kit, GSXR600-K4 Titanium Scorpion end Can, ZXR400, RS125, Cagiva Mito, RS50, RG125, ER50, FS1E. https://www.bikepics.com/members/acwman/

[Whosthedaddy]

I know that you can always shoe horn a big engine into a little space.

Currently the engine is off set and powers just one wheel like the small micro car that JC tested on Top Gear. That was powered by a small 49cc moped engine, but a single cylinder lump should have enough grunt to get off the line and to a semi decent speed.

https://www.solarnavigator.net/inventors/inventor_images/sinclair_c5_frame.jpg

I don't think that 60 would be too fast, so a 125 or bigger?
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Finglonga]

[TheShaggyDA]

Given the complete lack of suspension, I'd not want more than a C90 engine in it. I think a better alternative would be to build trike from scratch, using a scooter rear end. It'll have the engine, transmission and suspension all in one unit, leaving you handle the front end however you like. Two wheels in front and one at the back is better for stability than the one at the front, two at the back, too.

Or, add a chainsaw motor to one of these :-

https://www.industrialbicycles.com/images/Bananapeel1.jpg
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

[sagalout]

[panrider_uk]

Found this for you

https://www.c5alive.co.uk/

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[thx1138]

One was on display at our clubs show last summer, for some strange reason.