By David Benda Via: redding.com
Redding resident Marv Swanson is an artist who works with metal. One could argue that the motorcycle Swanson built from the ground up is his most passionate piece of art to date.
Swanson's Armature 525 Swivelbike, which is outfitted with a KTM 525 engine, might be the world's first articulating rear-steering motorcycle.
"This is not a conventional motorcycle. It does things contrary to belief, like making a right turn with the wheel turned to the left; wow, what fun that is," the 44-year-old Redding resident wrote recently in a Cycle World magazine.
Swanson is showcasing his Swivelbike at this weekend's Big Bike Weekend at the Redding Convention Center. In addition to the orange-and-black Armature 525, Swanson also has on display the M-80, which has a similar frame but is powered by a smaller motor.
"(My work) is more of a heartfelt thing … to improve the riding and make it safer," Swanson said.
The unique design is the result of 15 years of research and development by Swanson, who moved to Redding six years ago from Southern California. Swanson is a welder who worked in the aerospace industry. Along the way, he's received support from SECO Manufacturing, Zytec Machines, Bill Emerson Motor Sport, Cliff Fisher Welding, Risse Racing and Phil Tight.
The Swivelbike motorcycle is designed for racing and gives the rider what Swanson likes to call "mechanical traction control". On a recent test run at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, Swanson got his Armature 525 up to 115 mph while taking 28 laps on the 2.3-mile track in two minutes, 38 seconds.
"Not super fast, but it was just the first day of learning the bike," Swanson said. More important, Swanson says, he didn't crash or slide.
"When you really go fast on a (typical) motorcycle, what will happened is you will have a major high side, which means you will slide the rear out," Swanson said.
Swanson contends because the wheels on his bike turn opposite of each other, the ride improves and the risk of slide is greatly diminished.
"Right now, it's a hobby, something I do in my spare time," Swanson said of designing and building motorcycles. "I want to see my bike developed by a manufacturer in the long run."
3 comments:
Interesting idea, but none of the photos, video or linked articles show the bike's articulation feature. Kinda disappointing.
I second the disappointment. Also
"It does things contrary to belief, like making a right turn with the wheel turned to the left"
That's how all motorcycles steer above about 10 mph, it's called countersteering. Did he mean that if you turn left it actually goes left?
HAY GUY'S
thanks for the intrest,its a whole new concept,we are do testing and riding.there is very little counter sterr effect,'turn left to go left'Also we will air video soon on you tube.you can actuly see the bike at cycle world garage,one thing about it is you will not have to lean as much as the conventioonal motorcycle.
THE SWIVELER-MARV
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