... And the Landing Gear Is Non-Retractable

... AND THE LANDING GEAR IS NON-RETRACTABLE

Depending on your point of view, the vehicle pictured here is either the world’s most expensive street-legal tricycle, the most perfectly aerodynamic Honda SL175 in existence, or a 500 lb.

conversation piece with triple disc brakes. Its builder, Chuck Ophorst of Bellflower, Calif., showed up at our office with this strange but beautifully detailed creation and took us for a short ride, during which gardeners dropped their hoses, shoppers their grocery bags and other motorists their jaws as the yellow craft sped by.

The trike, which designer Ophorst calls a Feora, was built as a combination art/ efficiency project and, two-up, manages to get 85 mph, 80 mpg and reasonable if not stunning acceleration out of a stock Honda SL175 Twin. Ophorst plans to install a larger engine soon, probably a 500 Single, which should liven things up a bit. The engine sits in the rear of the pod, behind the tandem driver/passenger compartment, and drives a Mitchel spun aluminum wheel by chain. The machine has an aircraft-like triangulated space frame of 1020 drawn steel tubing, rack and pinion front steering, dual roll bars and automotive style foot pedal layout with a lefthand shift knob. Total frontal area is only 10.5 sq. ft. with a very low drag coefficient of 0.15. Cockpit ventilation and engine cooling ducts lead from the high pressure area at the front of the pod.

The Feora was quite comfortable to ride in, exhibited only a slight predictable understeer in fast corners, and accelerated about as fast as the econobox traffic around us. Most remarkable, though, was the high level of craftsmanship in the welding, glass work, and mechanical detail throughout. Ophorst spent a lot of time and money on the project and figures he could build and sell more of them for between $10,000 and $18,000 a copy, depending on volume of production. Interested parties can write him at 1 5729'/2 Blaine St., Bellflower Calif. 90706 or call (213) 634-3768.