Interest in plane-able motorcycle????

cgrab

cgrab

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cgrab
I have read a few articles about the Suitcase Cycle conversion done by Captain Larry Shapiro. His company at Santa Monica Airport converted over 1000 motorcycles so that they would fit in a small plane.
http://www.check-six.com/Suitcase_cycle/Suitcase_History.htm
Here’s a how to on the assembly of the bike and how it fits in a plane.
http://www.hemmings.com/hmn/stories/2013/04/01/hmn_feature9.html
Suitcase Cycles closed in 1974 and Captain Shapiro died in 2001. I have not been able to contact his son Jeff Shapiro to see if the original tooling is available to restart operations. The Honda CT90 is the bestselling vehicle in the world so there are plenty of cycles available for conversion. I can't say what the final cost would be but I think under $1000 if there is enough volume.
So, two questions:
Would you be interested in a plane-able motorcycle that could carry two people at roadway speeds and weighs less than 200 pounds?
Does anybody know Jeff Shapiro or what became of the Suitcase Cycle tooling when they closed their doors at Santa Monica?
 
I'd be interested in it but the CT90 is a tad heavy for smaller planes. Maybe some sort of new generation 50+ cc motor on a folding chassis.

Heck, I play hell getting my road bicycle in the Arrow.
 
The world has moved on, some of the electric bicycles and scooters are pretty slick. More expensive then a Chinese CT90 clone but lighter and no fuel to deal with. Probably be better off rebranding something electric that already exists. Slap a Sportys sticker on it and quadruple the price.:lol:
 
I haven't found an electric that can carry two at road speeds. I've seen way too many bikes get run off the road for not keeping up with traffic.
 
cgrab said:
I haven't found an electric that can carry two at road speeds. I've seen way too many bikes get run off the road for not keeping up with traffic.
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A CT90 isn't going to pass that standard and a 250 four stroke single motorcycle might not pass that standard depending on how heavy the riders are and how aggressive the traffic. Which is probably why these things fizzle.
 
A friend of mine had 2 ST90s, which are very similar to the CT. He had modded the hell out of both of them and was bragging about being able to hit 54mph. Around here that's barely doing the speed limit on many surface streets. The biggest problem I see with using those as the base is the fuel system though. I sure as hell wouldn't wanna be inside a small plane sharing the air with one of those bikes. You'd be choking on fumes the whole time. Seems like a safety hazard to me as well as simply not enjoyable.


Oh, one other problem with the CT. It's not street legal in many places.
 
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Actually there are a couple of quick procedures to stop the fumes from leaking.

- switch the fuel to the off position and run the bike until the carburetor bowl is empty and the bike shuts off.
- Plug the vent hose coming from the fuel tank.
- Confirm the fuel cap is tight.

No fumes, no leaks.
 
As somebody who owns many motorcycles, including a couple I can fit in the back of my VW GTI, the fuel cap always leaks.....even on my new bikes. If I fill my Ducati to the top and ride, there will be a couple trickles on the top of the tank. Same goes for my Hondas and Kawasakis. Take a bike from 30 years ago, with a cap that's simply held on by a couple tabs and an old cork gasket......not something I'd fly with. My old car still smelled like gas when I sold it from transporting the little bikes in exactly the manner you describe.
 
StinkBug said:
As somebody who owns many motorcycles, including a couple I can fit in the back of my VW GTI, the fuel cap always leaks.....even on my new bikes. If I fill my Ducati to the top and ride, there will be a couple trickles on the top of the tank. Same goes for my Hondas and Kawasakis. Take a bike from 30 years ago, with a cap that's simply held on by a couple tabs and an old cork gasket......not something I'd fly with. My old car still smelled like gas when I sold it from transporting the little bikes in exactly the manner you describe.
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Point and case acknowledged.
I can see the older bikes definitely having this issue.
I'll attribute my prior experiences to sheer luck. Newer model bikes with a decent seal and no tip overs.
I'm surprised the Ducati doesn't have a nice tight rubber seal. I was thinking the government would require the bike manufacturers to follow suit with passenger cars when it comes to gas cap seals.
 
Never saw a bike run for long that didn't get bugs, grease, dirt, and Odin knows what else stuck all over it. Not something I'd like to put in my nice clean airplane.
 
One could always pick up a cheap pressure washer for such occasions. Also the nice thing is the bike I mentioned has a carrying (case?) bag.
 
48dodge said:
I believe this is the one from Top Gear where they were driving drunk people home in their own cars. Seems kind of steep for what looks like a doodlebug
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Ha! Actually I think you're right. They do that here in Scottsdale AZ!
 
No, too heavy. Plus gasoline, always sumping to fill the tank than draining back into the plane, it's a hassle; but the biggest issue is weight. There are a lot of good choices in battery assist bicycles now, they typically cost between €1100 & €1500 for the top end ones. All the pedal cabs in Amsterdam all now have an electric front hub, and they smoke down the street.

No, that old Honda had its place in history, but that time is gone. Yeah, it's still a valid choice for a crowded city commuter, but not to load into an airplane.
 
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