Design+Industry Strike Trike Straddles the Line between Supercar and Superbike [w/ Video]
There’s a good chance your first ride was a tricycle. And there should be no mystery as to why they’re so popular: They combine the simplicity and maneuverability of a two-wheeled vehicle with the stability of a four-wheeled vehicle. Trikes are pretty much the optimum mobility solution for tykes on the go.
But what about the transportation needs of adults? Sadly, three-wheelers get pushed to the periphery for us mature audiences. However, trikes seem to be experiencing a bit of a renaissance among designers and manufacturers. This group of three-wheeler true believers includes the Australian firm Design+Industry, which has unveiled the racy looking Strike Trike seen here.
Unlike the Big Wheel you grew up hooning up and down the driveway, the Strike Trike has two wheels in front and one in the rear. They’re attached to a tubular spaceframe chassis that’s wrapped in a stylish semi-enclosed body with a removable roof panel. The tip of the nose sits well above the front splitter, and there is a set of “tusks” leading down to the lower body, while a pair of wedge-shaped kick-ups on the front corners house the auxiliary lighting. It’s very Formula 1-esque face.
And its looks aren’t the only facet that loosely resemble an F1 car; drop the hammer and you might feel like you could take on Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. Thanks to the 194hp 1.3L four-banger borrowed from a Suzuki Hayabusa (plus a 6-speed sequential transmission), the Strike Trike can purportedly blast to 62 mph from a dead stop in 3.5 seconds. No projections on top speed have been offered, but we’re betting it would be deep into the triple digits.
Design+Industry says the Strike Trike meets Australian Design Rules, and that it’s hoping to begin production as soon as next year. No word on price or the possibility of a lefthand-drive model for export markets (*cough*United States*cough*), but even if not a single Strike Trike is built, we still love the thinking behind it. Who says there should be an age limit on the fun and freedom of trikes?
Source: Design+Industry