Feet Forwards Motorcycle - Rationale

Rationale

Modern motorcycles are simply well-developed motorized bicycles, and as such have drawbacks. Chief among these are:

• Safety - riders involved in an accident are at significantly higher risk of injury or death compared with car drivers.
• Weather - motorcycles do not offer the advantages of an enclosed car in poor weather.
• Convenience - conventional motorcycle riders need to wear a helmet and protective clothing.
• Efficiency - motorcycles have a relatively tall profile that reduces aerodynamic performance.
• Skill - motorcycles riders need training and practice to become skilled at riding.

Likewise, in dense urban environments, the car has a number of drawbacks:

• Road occupancy - a car takes up much more space than a single person, and most cars transport only one person. Similarly the area occupied when parked consumes considerable space.
• Environment - a car uses more fuel than a motorcycle for the same journey. It is also more expensive in terms of resources to build in the first place.
• Journey times - a car is generally a lot slower than a motorcycle for city journeys due to congestion.

The FF motorcycle is an attempt to marry the advantages of bikes and cars, while avoiding the drawbacks of either. However any FF STV has no roll stability so actual benefits are overstated by some proponents when comparing a FF motorcycle with a motorcar. In addressing these issues, most FF designs arrive at a low-slung faired body, with the rider in a reclining position.

A number of FF concepts have been tried, but so far a commercially successful design has not appeared. There has been a revival of interest in the motor scooter as a means of personal transportation, and in some respects these vehicles have some features in common with FF motorcycles.