A Motorized Mountainboard That Works

[Gomer]

Copied from the Wackyboards thread.
Wackyboard Blog! its alive!!

Since you're the go to guy here at SF for unusual under-the-radar equipment, thought you might have come across some unique individual spring shock trucks on boards.

Thought this motorized board's independent spring/schock system looked interesting:

Moto X Boards: MX Boards: MXB: The Newest Technology In Off Road Boarding: Sacramento, CA

Looks like a lot of lean off the center wheel. The handle appears to be primarily throttle -- maybe brake too.

Edit: In theory, the standard (gravity) mountainboard truck could be modified to have 4 independent axles each with its own spring shock. RTC is provided by the compressed spring (lean side).

YouTube - MotoXBoard - Motorized Mountainboard...

YouTube - motoXboard Road Trip

seems like it tips side to side from the center wheel...

weird...

It's a scooter.

It does lean from the fixed center drive wheel. Like all scooters, the lean angle and balance is controled by the handle. That is why scooters can have no steering resistance and still balance.

Trying to balance a scooter with no handle is very difficult because there is nothing resisting the tilt angle. Scooter trucks want to go the maximum angle on either side and not return to center. All the balance is controled witht he handle.

The balance is easier to maintian with a handle because the length of the lever (the handle) is further from the fulcrum. To paraphrase Archemedies "give me a scooter handle long enough and I can balance the world on a scooter".

The shock absorbers are only there to vary the travel length of the axle to absorb shock from impacts of uneven surfaces. They look like they provide some steering resistance by limiting the tilt angle. But, they do not return the truck to center because they are mounted on pivoting axles.

Wow, gotta give it to you - that was a good find. That is as good a board design for off-road as I have seen to date. I won't even call it a scooter after seeing the videos.

Although some steering control is achieved through the handle, , you see how weight shift plays an important part in controling the board in the video.

There is something about having the handle mounted behind that allows the rider to control his balance (with both arms up) in a more natural way. It looks like the lean steer and the handle steer are so interdependant that the degree of their control is seamless.

Scooters with handles in the front always seem like you are "driving" rather than "riding". I guess it is the difference between front and rear wheel steering. Also, with rear wheel steering, you lessen the chance of turning the wheel too far and face planting.

There's not much I'd change about that board unless there were some way to make the handle more articulated so that it could travel with the rider when he moves up and down. Until then, they need to get some tube steel and amke it look better. I realize it is a garage built deal but it can stand a little styling.

Binding don't seem neccessary. The suspension systems seems a bit like overkill to me but I've not ridden a motorized board in the dirt so I don't know. Mountainboards don't have that much travel in their suspension and they do all right.

It seems a little odd at first to have the drive wheel spinning so close to your calves. I quess you would always wear long pants when riding.

If a battery and electric motor could equal or lessen the weight of a gas engine and had a comparable range I'd prefer it to a gas engine.

It looks fun. I would ride it.

I would still like to see an electric hub motor on the drive wheel. Here is one that produces 3000watts. That ougtht to be enough.



I realize battery technology is not advanced enough to have a light weight, long-lasting battery right now but someday soon it will be. I think it would improve (or aleast not make worse) the weight distribution or the motor and it would be quiet and not smell.

Personally, I don't care about the environmental aspects of electric motors over gas. I don't believe in global warming. It is just nicer to have a quiet motor than doesn't smell when you are riding in the woods.

[Gomer]

I just spoke to one of the partners, Jim Rose, that make this board. He is the "test pilot" you see riding in the most of the videos.

The dirt track they are riding with mountainboarders is Snow Mass and was recorded in 2007.

Jim is a really nice guy and took the time to discuss his board with me. I invited him here to talk about any questions anyone else has about this board.

They have aspects of the board patented so they are able to get this board out for people to see.

If you want to buy one go online to their web site at Moto X Boards: MX Boards: MXB: The Newest Technology In Off Road Boarding: Sacramento, CA or give Jim a call at 916-257-2373. They are hand building these boards so they are a little pricey at $1,095. That's really that much when you consider the cost of a good electric off-road skateboard that can't do anything as well as this board.

I'd buy one right now if I had the cash. Screw gravity.

[Eric Briner]

this is a test

I just spoke to one of the partners, Jim Rose, that make this board. He is the "test pilot" you see riding in the most of the videos.

The dirt track they are riding with mountainboarders is Snow Mass and was recorded in 2007.

Jim is a really nice guy and took the time to discuss his board with me. I invited him here to talk about any questions anyone else has about this board.

They have aspects of the board patented so they are able to get this board out for people to see.

If you want to buy one go online to their web site at Moto X Boards: MX Boards: MXB: The Newest Technology In Off Road Boarding: Sacramento, CA or give Jim a call at 916-257-2373. They are hand building these boards so they are a little pricey at $1,095. That's really that much when you consider the cost of a good electric off-road skateboard that can't do anything as well as this board.

I'd buy one right now if I had the cash. Screw gravity.

[BluegrassSurfer]

Would be interested in seeing the patents held (curiosity not mock).

[Eric Briner]

Thanks for the props.to the motoXboard. To answer some questions listed, We use a 5.5 HP four stroke motor for necessary torque to pull the board thru loose dirt and up hills while maintaining a respectable top speed (about 25mph). We tried electric but resulted in smoked motor and batteries. Battery tech. is moving in the right direction. 2 strokes don't have the bottom end we need. The long (satellite) wheel travel allows the board to blast thru six inch,or more, boulders, unthinkable on a mountainboard. For better understanding it is important to note that the center (drive) wheel bares ALL of the combined weight of the board and rider.The outer wheels barely contact the ground until a turn is initiated or an obsticle is struck. Yah it's ugly. We're working on that also. To this point the goal has been purely functional. It goes (mostly) anywhere.
Thanks again

[Gomer]

Thanks for the props.to the motoXboard.

Thanks for coming on the forum.

I see the need for the motor and how it influenced your choice. The more power the better in every circumstance as far as I'm concerned.

I'd still like to try that big ass 3000watt hub motor? That is if I had all the money and time in the world to experiment. The problem with a hub electric would be that you couldn't have a clutch. There is something wierd about engine braking on an electric motor that I can't get past. It doesn't seem American.

A centrifugal clutch would work with a standard electric motor but then the motor would take up space on the platform.

Good job on the application of the centrifugal clutch. It was smart to band break the clutch too but I agree with Jim, a caliper on the back wheels would be better.

That top speed is great. 25mph on an open board in the rough is fast.

Aww, it's not that ugly. Beauty is as beauty does. Time, money and other technologies will work out the aesthetics.

[oldnbroken]

You don't believe that global warming is happening?
Why?

[arubadub]

Wahhh!! Did I read "The long (satellite) wheel travel allows the board to blast thru six inch,or more, boulders, unthinkable on a mountainboard" ??

Blasting through 6 inch boulders sounds great to me. This means instead of having off road tours on quads and buggies, they can start introducing off road MBX tours!! Ohh yea.

[Gomer]

Wahhh!! Did I read "The long (satellite) wheel travel allows the board to blast thru six inch,or more, boulders, unthinkable on a mountainboard" ??

Blasting through 6 inch boulders sounds great to me. This means instead of having off road tours on quads and buggies, they can start introducing off road MBX tours!! Ohh yea.

Yes you did read that.

I agree. This thing would be way more mobile in the woods than a sit down ATV. Just think - you could lift it up to put it ina truck yourself instead of having to ramp load it. And, with that light weight advantage, you could also pull it out of whatever situation it where it might get stuck.

When I saw it go in the videos all I could think of is the military applications. Could you imagine a force of soldiers following tanks in the battlefields on MotoXboards?

Of course the main problem would be the hand controled steering. It would be nice to have hands-free steering so that you could fire a weapon. Although a mounted machine gun on the front with trigger mechanism on the handle would work.

I'd like to see a trailer developed to carry munitions, drones or even camping equipment for the family or hunters.

[Eric Briner]

Electric would be ideal if not for size versus cranking amps and amp hours. You would have precise control of accelleration, dynamic breaking and not to mention, reverse. In order to get the power we need, the battery needs to be the size of a microwave oven and it takes two. There might be an application for street use, and maybe ice.
The military application is a great idea. It might work well in Iraq. You could armor plate the engine side cover to use as a prone shield.
As for global warming, I believe it's happening, I don't think it's caused by Briggs and Stratton.
You guys are awesome. Thanks for starting this forum.This stuff is evolutionary history. Seriously.

[Gomer]

Electric would be ideal if not for size versus cranking amps and amp hours.

Yeah, I know, Just thinking of the future and for on-road use. I'd like to see an on-road version of your board.

As for global warming, I believe it's happening, I don't think it's caused by Briggs and Stratton.

It's only happening in the twisted mind of Al Gore and other liberal politians trying to exploit a manufactured crisis to gain power and money.

I think it would have a lot of military applications. Why march when you can ride? And, with a trailer, it could out do this goofy two-guys-moving-a-mattress robot.

YouTube - BigDog New Improved 2008 Version - Sexy...

Have you caluclated your MPGs

Give DARPA a call.

[Eric Briner]

100_0263.jpg

100_0260.jpg
This is a trailer we built for a two year old son of a friend.

[Gomer]

This is a trailer we built for a two year old son of a friend.

That is so cool. I like the roll bar with the hand grips for when the going get bumpy.

I wish I could weld.

[Gomer]

There is a blue and a red one here. Are both model available? What are the specs on the motors?

[Eric Briner]

To keep costs down, we powder coat with whatever leftover color batch is available (usually black). The power plants we've tried are Honda OHV and OHC models, Briggs, Robin (suburu) ,Honda clones, and Tecumseh. All are four stroke 5.5 or 6 HP horizontal shaft units. They all work well but they're all big, about 200cc. We're looking at smaller motors with automatic transmissions, however, cost is a b. The robo dog vid rocks. That's some insane genius right there.

[Gomer]

The robo dog vid rocks. That's some insane genius right there.

Yes it is. DARPA comes up with some wild stuff. I'm sure there is much more we'll never know about.

I think about your board a lot lately. As I said before, you have overcome several problem inherent in off-road riding. But those soultions affect some of the problems with on-road riding as well.

The two biggest break throughs I see that you have had are the center-wheel drive and the rear-truck steering.

Jim described the ability of the center wheel to be raised and lowered depending on the road composition - lower for soft surfaces and higher for harder surfaces. I imagine the center wheel height also has to do with rider preference assuming the boards steering properties are affected by the center wheel height similar to the way the caster wheel works on a Freebord.

I could see some application of the work alot of people are doing (including Sony) on self-balancing technology begun by Dean Kamen and his invention whose name shall not be spoken. Wouldn't it be cool if an on-road version of your board could self balance (when you wanted it to) and haul ass on the center wheel? I could see the thing jack up on a an actuator for big speed and lower down when slower five-wheel carving was needed.

I've not seen any patent applications for your type of rear wheel steering. The concept may not be patentable however your application to your board would be accepted by the USPTO, I think. There is nothing like it that I've seen.

Once people understand the importance of what you have discovered I believe it will change the design of every kind of stand-up scooter.

The problem with front-steering scooters are two-fold. First the geek factor. There is no way to look cool in the praying mantis position and your center of balance is all thrown off. Second the sudden stop syndrome. You turn a scooter wheel too far and you are going to face plant because of over-steer. The problem is lessened with two front wheels but leading wheel steering is too sensitive for a short wheel base and it just doesn't "feel" like lean steering.

Nore importantly, your rear steering design allows a more natural sideways stance (knees bent, arms up, head up, head-shoulders-hip turn sequence) and full range of leg movement.

I looked closer at the rear truck shocks. I noticed that the springs on the rear shocks are different from the from the front shocks and unusal to to what I know from my limited knowledge of shocks.

I wondered how you controled the steering with the long travel shocks on all four wheels. Are the rear shock springs designed to stack up at a certain angle? It seems like that would work to limit the turn angle and provide some leverage to turn at the minimum radius.

I like the black paint. I may have to save up for one of your boards.

I'm not kidding about contacting the millitary about your board. Wouldn't a nice military contract or some R&D grant money be nice?

[sk8norcal]

I've not seen any patent applications for your type of rear wheel steering. The concept may not be patentable however your application to your board would be accepted by the USPTO, I think. There is nothing like it that I've seen.

i am not seeing the difference between the front and rear shocks??

Once people understand the importance of what you have discovered I believe it will change the design of every kind of stand-up scooter.

really? you mean motorized only, right?

i don't see this for kickscooter...

[Eric Briner]

Yah, It's not a scooter. I did experiment with different shocks. I found some that can be tuned well enough for our purpose. Generally, the front shocks are set stiffer for frontal impact while the rear are set somewhat softer for steer, depending on rider preference. Other than that, the front and rear are the same. Here's a copy of my initial concept back in 1990.IMG.jpg

[Eric Briner]

[sk8norcal]

YouTube - motoXboard 110.5

i know what ur saying,
i ridden exkate powerboard,
acceleration is annoying cuz you have to counter it by leaning forward...

a handlebar/stick in the rear or front (or rope in front) helps this out...

you monowheel drawing reminds me of all the
segway like monowheel skateboards out there...

wackyboards: }self balancing