We've come a long way, baby!

[trikebldr]

If the rally was in the KC area I might consider riding something like this to it! Looks like it might need to make water stops every few miles! Dig those highway pegs! They double as power steering!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyw_smJ8VcE

[cushman eagle]

trikebldr,Thanks for posting that video As far as range I do not see ANY form of comfort, ,Thus I do not know if I would even make it to a water stop.

[hank43]

Steam powered, but where does the heat come from to make the steam?

hank43

[cushman eagle]

I think they had a kerosene burner that boiled the water. The picture shows a chimney up the center of the bike,right behind the rider.

[trikebldr]

I would like to see some more details of this bike, myself! I have already figured out that he is using oscillation cylinders rather than having any kind of valves for feeding steam into the cylinders. A very simple system, if not terribly efficient.

That "tank" is probably housing the boiler and the firebox under one wrap.

[hank43]

Hmmm,,,,,

1700 owners have a problem with engine heat. Wonder what it's like sitting on a steam boiler? How would you rate your mileage? MPG of water, or MPG of fuel?
I think that this design does nothing to conserve water, once turned to steam, then used to drive the bike, the steam just goes into the atmosphere?

lots of questions that I'm not qualified to answer, but it does spark my interest. Theoretically, there is no limit to steam power I've heard. More steam, more power up to the point that something explodes I guess. Once worked in a an old factory in Ohio that was pretty much run on 2000 pound steam pressure. Scary stuff when a flexible steam line broke on a press that had 48 inch rams. Everyone just pretty much scattered as the line would whip around in the air........ If the steam hit a cardboard box, it would slice it in half.
Steam pressure was used to raise the press platen, and also to heat the molds in the platen. Flexible (woven SS I think) lines used to heat the molds. Platen ran off of super heavy walled steel pipe. A 1/2 inch pipe was closer to about 2 inches in diameter! I was a journeyman electrician in that shop, couldn't wait to get another job in IT. My wife was a journeyman tool and die maker at GM, she loved this heavy noisey, and dirty machinery, and to this day, likes to use her milling machine and other power tools we have..
hank43

[trikebldr]

Doesn't conserve water....? Sure it does1 It simply send all that steam back into the sky to be come rain clouds and fill our lakes and reservoirs again!

Electrician, huh? My main bread and butter was as an electrician, too, at a cement plant. Hated it, but it paid well enough to support my racing. So cool to learn about each other and what we have in common besides our rides!

Never worked in a factory around steam, but I have studied locomotives and know how dangerous steam can be. At 2000psi it's like a laser and can cut you in half like butter. I've seen what a diesel fuel injector can do when it snaps and squirts at 2600psi. Diesel mechanics have to be careful about that all the time. Can't imagine the noise it must have made!

I'll bet that the guy on the steam bike doesn't ride it more than a few hundred feet at a time due to heat!

[cushman eagle]

I have no idea of the range of the Roper,but I was at a local restaurant years ago,and along with a bunch of other antique cars that came in, was a Stanley Steamer.I asked the owner of the range,and if I remember right it was 20 miles on water and 40 on kerosene.

[hank43]

Doesn't conserve water....? Sure it does1 It simply send all that steam back into the sky to be come rain clouds and fill our lakes and reservoirs again!

Electrician, huh? My main bread and butter was as an electrician, too, at a cement plant. Hated it, but it paid well enough to support my racing. So cool to learn about each other and what we have in common besides our rides!

Never worked in a factory around steam, but I have studied locomotives and know how dangerous steam can be. At 2000psi it's like a laser and can cut you in half like butter. I've seen what a diesel fuel injector can do when it snaps and squirts at 2600psi. Diesel mechanics have to be careful about that all the time. Can't imagine the noise it must have made!

I'll bet that the guy on the steam bike doesn't ride it more than a few hundred feet at a time due to heat!

Yeah Trikebldr, that factory was a rubber products company, among other things they made bumper guards for Buick cars, refrigerator door gaskets, and door gaskets for the auto industry. This whole place was about 150 yrs old, and started life as a Barrel factory. Got into rubber products during WW1 I heard, making stuff for the military. Everything was wired in 12/2 romex and rubber zip cord. All 3 phase and no fuses or ckt breakers on anything. Touch anything electric and received a mild shock, as everything was covered in lamp-black, which is nothing more than carbon dust. One of the ball mills on sitewas on 2 floors, ran off of 2300 volts 3 phase, and developed 600 HP. It had fuses, but you didn't want to change them when they blew! We were completely re-wiring the plant when I left. Plant is closed now. The most dangerous place I ever worked! Oh yeah, and no unions.

hank43