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AquaJet
Jet Bike!
The
Jetbike has been dubbed a "water
chopper" by Popular Science
magazine and a "high tech Harley
for the water" by many motorcycle
industry personnel. Dual Front
and Rear Steering. The Jetbike is
the only personal watercraft
offering both a front and rear
steering mechanism. All other
personal watercraft are steered
only through the side to side
movement of a steering nozzle
located at the rear of the craft
that does not give the operator
any steering "feel" or "feedback"
from the water.
Except when jumping waves or at
rest, the Jetbike's front and
rear body hull surfaces plane on
the surface of the water,
maintaining two contact points at
all times. The Jetbike lets the
rider "customize" steering with
its combination of a steerable
front ski and a steerable rear
nozzle. This provides better
directional control at high
speeds and makes for very
aggressive turns with exceptional
handling. Where other watercraft
run flat on the water's surface,
the Jetbike skims and dives,
playing above and below the
surface.
The Jetbike's unique ballast
system actually causes the craft
to "sink" under the rider as he
applies his weight to the craft,
making it easier to remount the
craft. When the Jetbike is at
rest in the water, it is
partially submerged, making it
easier for the rider to mount,
compared to all other personal
watercraft, which force riders to
completely climb up and out of
the water to get back on the
craft, as in the case of all
other sit down watercraft.
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Also,
the engine, pump and other
systems are positioned to be at
the lowest center of gravity in
the craft. This, along with the
ballast system, acts like a keel
in a sail boat, helping to keep
the craft from rocking from side
to side with a rider on board.
Additionally, this system will
not allow the craft to capsize,
or roll upside-down, unlike all
other personal watercraft which
are nearly impossible to roll
back to an upright position
without help. The Jetbike is self
righting at all times. Additional
Braking Safety. The Jetbike is
designed to slow down and stop
more rapidly than other personal
watercraft.
The substantial increase in total
draft area and drag causes the
craft to slow -- thus creating a
natural water brake -- as the
Jetbike sinks faster in the
water. Because of the Jetbike's
narrow plan view, releasing the
twist throttle results in an
action similar to that of a
braking system. Integrated
Headlight and Tail Light Safety
System. The Jetbike is the only a
personal watercraft to offer a
headlight (patent pending) to
enhance rider safety during the
daylight. When on, this headlight
makes the Jetbike more visible to
other boating traffic, thereby
enhancing safety. A
rider-controlled tail light (or
break light) tells those
traveling behind of the Jetbike
rider's intention to down.
Other Features. The Jetbike
features lightweight unibody
construction, a twist-grip
motorcycle throttle and a power
source currently configured as an
in-board, low center of gravity,
mid-mounted two-cylinder 90
horsepower (or optionally 12
horsepower) water-cooled engine
and accompanying axle flow jet
pump. The Jetbike is designed to
offer on-demand acceleration and
speed capability of 45 to 60 mph
without sacrificing
maneuverability. The rear under
section of the Jetbike
incorporates an inlet opening
through which water flows for the
jet pump. The engine is located
at the lowest point in the hull
of the craft, and is cooled by
water supplied by the pump.
Both the exhaust and cooling
systems of the Jetbike are
designed to eliminate back flow
or flooding of the engine
compartment. Additional safety
features include an automatic
throttle release that immediately
stops the engine if a rider falls
off, and a secondary ignition cut
off switch, connected to the
rider by a tether, that serves as
a backup device to shut off the
engine in the event of the loss
of a rider due to a spill or
fall. The Jetbike features a
removable, replaceable planing
surface on the hull for racing
purposes, the use of either 2 or
3 cylinder engines and other
performance enhancing
features.
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