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Escooter or Ebike in RV7A baggage area?

Captain Avgas

Well Known Member
I have an RV7A with a sliding canopy and I’m very keen to take either an electric scooter or electric bicycle with me on cross country touring. I think it is pretty obvious that they would need to be of a folding type to fit in the baggage area.

I tour a lot around Australia and in regional areas the airfields are typically 3-5 kilometres from the town, and sometimes more, so some electric transport would be great to get me into town, get me around town, and get me back to the airfield.

I’ve been looking on-line at various Escooters and Ebikes but it is difficult to find one that is a serious transport option and yet folds compactly enough to fit in the RV7A.

Has anyone on VansAirforce had any success in fitting a folding Escooter or Ebike in a sliding RV7A ?
 
Brompton

We have been routinely flying this year, with a pair of Brompton Type M, folding bikes. They are not electric, but 6 speed, light weight and extremely well designed. We bought the titanium frame options and with the travel bag, they each weigh 27 pounds. Both fit nicely in the baggage of our RV-14a with plenty of room for personal bags. Joe Bob gives em 5 stars!:D
 

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We have been routinely flying this year, with a pair of Brompton Type M, folding bikes. They are not electric, but 6 speed, light weight and extremely well designed. We bought the titanium frame options and with the travel bag, they each weigh 27 pounds. Both fit nicely in the baggage of our RV-14a with plenty of room for personal bags. Joe Bob gives em 5 stars!:D

Brompton now has an electric version of this bike.

Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10
 

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I bet you some One Wheels would fit back there. I'm debating between a One Wheel and a folding scooter. I like to skateboard/snowboard so a One Wheel would be great but I don't like the range on them.
 
https://www.inmotionworld.com/product/folding-electric-bike-inmotion-p1f

Bought a P1F from inmotion, suits my needs pretty good: practical range about 30km, weighs about 13kg, speed up to 30kmh... and fits nicely across the -6s cargo hold :cool:
Cons, light and small stature helps, as does good pavement.

Dan, is your RV6 slider canopy the standard design or does it have the Super Slider mod or some other mod with increased access to the baggage area. Is it difficult to get the Inmotion P1F into and out of your baggage area over the seats. Would it be possible to get a photo of your Inmotion Ebike actually in the baggage compartment...that would be terrific.

I note that the foot rests on your Inmotion appear to be extensions of the front wheel axle. That would mean that you would have to twist your feet with the wheel as you went around corners. Do you find that to be satisfactory. Any other comments would be appreciated. It does seem to be an interesting option.
 
I bet you some One Wheels would fit back there. I'm debating between a One Wheel and a folding scooter. I like to skateboard/snowboard so a One Wheel would be great but I don't like the range on them.

Jereme, yes I'm sure a "one wheel" would definitely fit but I'm 73 next month and I've got to be realistic...the "one wheels" and "electric unicycles" look just amazing but I think I'm past that stage. As Clint Eastwood famously said: “A man’s got to know his limitations.” I'd certainly consider an Escooter but I can't find one with proper front and rear suspension and pneumatic tires that will fit in my RV7A baggage compartment. I need something that will fold down to a length of less that 1000mm (and preferably shorter). That's proving to be difficult to find. What folding scooter do you think you could get into your RV7A ?
 
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Bob, I have the Supertracks on my sliding canopied -6. Those are fantastic and should be mandatory on any slider install ;)

Very easy loading, standing on the ground, of either my normal folding bicycle or the e-scooter.

The saddle could also be quickly removed, a 10s affair, and by tilting the handlebar slightly to the right as in the pict, the e-scooter fits nicely across.

Your remark re the foot rests is correct in that when turning, the lower leg/foot will twist as well. Doesn't work in tight turns where I'm slow and put the foot down, and takes some getting used to. Just steer with the arms/hands, and rest your feet forward to enjoy that Harley feel :cool:
My version came with a foot rest bar which can be installed directly on the frame. Did not install it as: didn't want the additional weight and bulkiness, and requires more folding of the legs.
Still talking foot rests, I know unscrew them from the axle every time to prevent scratching any of my panels, a 30s ops.

For anyone considering the Inmotion P1F, have a go on a demo ride before committing. I'm quite short at 172cm, weight about 72kg depending on how much beer I had the day before, and the small size of this e-scooter makes it perfect for me.
 

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Bob, I have the Supertracks on my sliding canopied -6. Those are fantastic and should be mandatory on any slider install ;)

Very easy loading, standing on the ground, of either my normal folding bicycle or the e-scooter.
.

Would it be possible to load the Inmotion into your baggage area if you did not have the Supertracks mod. I spent 11 years building my plane and to be honest I’m a bit reluctant to do any more mods now. Also, if you removed the bike seat, would it be possible to lie the bike down flat on the floor instead of it being upright.
 
Saw you

We saw you at Point Roberts a few weekends back. Looking into the Bromptons after seeing yours.

We have been routinely flying this year, with a pair of Brompton Type M, folding bikes. They are not electric, but 6 speed, light weight and extremely well designed. We bought the titanium frame options and with the travel bag, they each weigh 27 pounds. Both fit nicely in the baggage of our RV-14a with plenty of room for personal bags. Joe Bob gives em 5 stars!:D
 
Would it be possible to load the Inmotion into your baggage area if you did not have the Supertracks mod. I spent 11 years building my plane and to be honest I’m a bit reluctant to do any more mods now. Also, if you removed the bike seat, would it be possible to lie the bike down flat on the floor instead of it being upright.

A fly in the ointment for those of us in Australia is that the inmotion scooter would be classed as a motorcycle, thus will require a motorcycle license, rego, crash helmet and so on. And you know how happy the Australian Police are to keep us on the straight and narrow.

After much research I concluded that the best solution is the Brompton, about 4000AUD. The electric version is not available in Aus, but you can electrify it with a Swytch conversion which would add about 2000AUD to the price, but if you preorder at the moment you can halve that.

So all up you would be spending about 6000AUD. When I looked at it all I figured that was a lot of Uber rides.

Peter
 
As far as loading anything without Supertracks.... good luck to your back :D
I’ll try to remember if the P1F fits laying down next time at the hangar (yes ladies, and gentlemen, hangar with an a ;)) right now sitting on that comfy home sofa should be no problem.
As for heaving any load over the seat backs, count me out. I’m some younger than you are, but my back has probably been alive quite a few years before I came to be :D

or so it feels...
 
A fly in the ointment for those of us in Australia is that the inmotion scooter would be classed as a motorcycle, thus will require a motorcycle license, rego, crash helmet and so on. And you know how happy the Australian Police are to keep us on the straight and narrow.

After much research I concluded that the best solution is the Brompton, about 4000AUD. The electric version is not available in Aus, but you can electrify it with a Swytch conversion which would add about 2000AUD to the price, but if you preorder at the moment you can halve that.

So all up you would be spending about 6000AUD. When I looked at it all I figured that was a lot of Uber rides.

Peter

Hi Peter, good comments. The problem with small electric powered transportation devices is that the developments in technology have exceeded the developments in legislation. This is not just a problem in Australia but everywhere in the world. In Australia each State has its own rules regarding electric scooters. In some States they’re legal and in other States they’re not. But that’s the same in the US. There’s no national uniformity. It’s a very complex issue. In the State of Victoria where you and I live I believe that the Inmotion would be defined as an electric scooter, which is defined as a “wheeled recreational device”. In Victoria electric scooters are legal as long as their power does not exceed 200 watts and they are restricted to 10kph. The problem for the authorities is that while most of the electric powered transportation devices may be illegal to ride in public places, they are not illegal to sell and they are selling in enormous numbers. The end result is that the police just tend to turn a blind eye to them unless the rider is acting like a complete hoon.
 
Jereme, yes I'm sure a "one wheel" would definitely fit but I'm 73 next month and I've got to be realistic...the "one wheels" and "electric unicycles" look just amazing but I think I'm past that stage. As Clint Eastwood famously said: “A man’s got to know his limitations.” I'd certainly consider an Escooter but I can't find one with proper front and rear suspension and pneumatic tires that will fit in my RV7A baggage compartment. I need something that will fold down to a length of less that 1000mm (and preferably shorter). That's proving to be difficult to find. What folding scooter do you think you could get into your RV7A ?

I hear ya. I was thinking something like this. You can get foldable ones but I haven't looked too much into them. I like the idea of going gas powered because then you won't have to worry about charging them, if you run out of fuel you could probably mix up some Avgas and a tiny bit of oil in a pinch, and if you have every seen these things ripping down the street they are fast! Downside is you are carrying fuel in the cockpit, something I'm not a fan of and they are loud as heck! If I decide to go with something I want to sit on I would opt for a Brompton. They are basically the best fold-able bike a guy can buy.
 
As far as loading anything without Supertracks.... good luck to your back :D
I’ll try to remember if the P1F fits laying down next time at the hangar (yes ladies, and gentlemen, hangar with an a ;)) right now sitting on that comfy home sofa should be no problem.
As for heaving any load over the seat backs, count me out. I’m some younger than you are, but my back has probably been alive quite a few years before I came to be :D

or so it feels...

Dan, you've been very helpful. Can I ask a big favor. When you're next at the hangar would you see if the Inmotion will lie down in the baggage compartment with the bike seat either on or off...and take a couple of pix. I have an Aero Classic baggage cover that I really like because it hides my goodies and also keeps things in the baggage area from flying around the plane in turbulence. So I'm a bit reluctant to remove that. But I can see from your previous photo that the Inmotion will not fit under that cover if the bike is in the vertical position.

I truly do understand your comments regarding the difficulty of getting the Inmotion into the baggage area without the Supertracks mod. However, difficulty aside, do you think it could be placed into the baggage area over the seats without the mod. If I can get the Inmotion into the baggage area and lie it down and try it out on a trip then I can make the decision to add the Supertracks mod. It's the chicken or the egg problem....I need to see if the thing fits and works before I worry about doing a serious mod on my plane when there might be no point.
 
Bob, sure can do... but I won't be going to the hangar until mid next week.

I think you could slide the P1F (or any other Folding Transportation Device) between the top of the seats and the canopy, but it would be a PIA... after removing or folding down foot rests/pedals/saddle/handlebar, you'd have to step on the wing with the FTD (or have somebody hand it over to you once you up there), then probably knee down on your seats and then slide the xxkg of your FTD into the cargo bay, all whilst trying to avoid the handlebar or anything else becoming entangled in the harnesses, or scratching anything...
 
We have two full sized road bikes that fold in half and fit in the back seat of our 10. They work great. We’ve had some great bike/flying trips this summer!

An avid cyclist and planning on taking a bike with me on flights I’m deciding between 7A and 14A. I’m encouraged by your post that a 7A can suit my mission and be less expensive. Just wondering if you have any pics of bike bag in aircraft? I am curious the amount of baggage room left.

Thanks
 
ok Bob, went to the hangar today and had a fit of the P1F laying on the floor. Works no problem, but only with the wheels facing forward, and the saddle removed (which is a 5s affair), see attached pict, excuse the mess, left is rear, right forward.

a bit reluctant to do any more mods now

FWIW I had the Supertracks fitted in about 6-7 hours, taking my time, and I like things to look good.
 

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Dan, thank you very much for fitting your Inmotion bike into your baggage compartment lying flat and taking a photo for me....much appreciated. It’s certainly a tight fit. I can see now that I’d need to do the Super Tracks mod if I wanted to realistically put a folding bike into the baggage compartment.

Incidentally, can you remove the battery from the bike for recharging. I have no power at my hangar so having to remove the bike from the baggage compartment to take it home to recharge it would be a pita.
 
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Bob, you can't remove the battery for charging... so for me its either charging in the airplane (and yes, I'm sticking around during this time which takes about 2-3 hours), or taking the P1F out of the cargo bay, ride it to my van which is usually some 700m away, and toss it in for home charging.

My P1F seems to suffer from some self-discharge, which means I will recharge it the night or morning before using it.

I've ridden the e-scooter for about 60km now, and still quite happy with it. As a word of caution, having no suspension, one better watches for potholes and such. Short grass and level gravel roads are no problem.
 
I’m interested to know if one of these would fit in the baggage compartment of an RV-8. Looks highly doubtful since it is considerably narrower. Anyone venture to take a guess?

Sorry I know this is a -7 specific forum but had to ask.
 
I do not want to sidetrack the thread but in 1960 my father bought a little bike called an Aluma Cycle to carry in the baggage area of his Apache. It was so little I learned to ride on it when I was 3 years old' I have been on two wheels ever since. It would be cool to find a vintage kind of thing like that and restore it instead of buying something new.
 
I’m interested to know if one of these would fit in the baggage compartment of an RV-8. Looks highly doubtful since it is considerably narrower. Anyone venture to take a guess?

Sorry I know this is a -7 specific forum but had to ask.

These appear to be increasingly popular in some segments of the pilot community....:)


.
 

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One Wheel and Electric Unicyle in RV-6

On a recent cross country I flew with a friend in my RV-6 tip up with both a One Wheel XR and an Inmotion V8 electric unicycle in the back. The back area was full with those two machines (~28lbs ea) and some backpack camping gear. We used the electric vehicles to ride into town and get around.
 

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Because I started this thread I thought I might update everyone on the direction I finally took in my search for a personal mobility device to fit in the luggage compartment of my slider RV7A.

In reality there are so many variables and considerations between RV models that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

I have a standard slider. A Meske tip-up slider, or a Supa Track modification will provide more options due to better access to the baggage compartment but the standard slider provides virtually no realistic options for putting your local transportation fully in the baggage area.

In the end I opted to purchase an E-Glide G120 electric scooter (sold in the US as a Levy Plus). The stem folds but even so it will not fit entirely in the baggage compartment (too long) even on the diagonal. I accomodate it by detaching the rear of the passenger seat and placing the scooter in the plane longitudinally with the front wheel resting on the base of the passenger seat. It is then held in place with the passenger seat harness. The advantage of this arrangement is that the scooter, which only weighs 11kg, is very easy to lift in and out of the aircraft.

The scooter is very robust (I've already done 1000 km on it now and no problems) and will comfortably do 30 kph on a flat surface. It's good for about 40km on a full battery. It's a great device for getting from airfields into regional towns. You can buy escooters that fold up into smaller spaces and one of them might fully fit in the baggage compartment of a slider....but the escooters that fold multiple times into a small space are invariably flimsy machines.

The downside of my arrangement is that I cannot take a passenger and the scooter at the same time. But for cross country travelling on my own it's just great.

So, here it is.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ntuoai0716qrah6/Video 10-11-20, 17 27 31.mov?dl=0
 
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Because I started this thread I thought I might update everyone on the direction I finally took in my search for a personal mobility device to fit in the luggage compartment of my slider RV7A.

In reality there are so many variables and considerations between RV models that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

I have a standard slider. A Meske tip-up slider, or a Supa Track modification will provide more options due to better access to the baggage compartment but the standard slider provides virtually no realistic options for putting your local transportation fully in the baggage area.

In the end I opted to purchase an E-Glide G120 electric scooter (sold in the US as a Levy Plus). The stem folds but even so it will not fit entirely in the baggage compartment (too long) even on the diagonal. I accomodate it by detaching the rear of the passenger seat and placing the scooter in the plane longitudinally with the front wheel resting on the base of the passenger seat. It is then held in place with the passenger seat harness. The advantage of this arrangement is that the scooter, which only weighs 11kg, is very easy to lift in and out of the aircraft.

The scooter is very robust (I've already done 1000 km on it now and no problems) and will comfortably do 30 kph on a flat surface. It's good for about 40km on a full battery. It's a great device for getting from airfields into regional towns. You can buy escooters that fold up into smaller spaces and one of them might fully fit in the baggage compartment of a slider....but the escooters that fold multiple times into a small space are invariably flimsy machines.

The downside of my arrangement is that I cannot take a passenger and the scooter at the same time. But for cross country travelling on my own it's just great.

So, here it is.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ntuoai0716qrah6/Video 10-11-20, 17 27 31.mov?dl=0

Thanks for the update Bob. I was wondering if one of them folding scooters would fit or not. I'm seriously considering fabbing my own with one of them two stroke engines. Them things can get seriously fast!
 
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