Funny three wheeler..!!

[Chupaca]

And they want to bring it back... http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/cla...-reliant-robin

[SPWmike75]

Ah, the Reliant Robin. The guys on Top Gear can't get enough of this thing. Apparently, it was made during the 70s as cheap transportation for miners. Since it didn't have four wheels, it was classified as a motorcycle, with and insurance rate to match. Gotta love that British engineering.


If you think that's funny, the guys on Top Gear converted one into a "Space Shuttle" with similar results.

[Bob Denman]

Bad ideas just never die easily...

[MidLifeCrisis]

The space shuttle episode was one of my favorite. The car finally found its purpose.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[harrypottar]

In 1959 the law in the UK changed restricting motorcycle learners (permit holders) to motorcycles 250cc and under, today that restriction is 125cc. With out passing a test you could not take a pillion rider either. There where a lot of scooter and motorcycle riders that took the test to ride larger bikes and to take their girlfriends ridding.

Those couples eventually married and started families, by the early 70's there where lots of young families that had motorcycle a license but not a car license. A three wheeled Robin Reliant was classed has a motorcycle so they where a cheap way to get into a covered car type vehicle and became very popular. I remember my uncle having one because he did not have a car license. They where made famous by Mr Bean and a comedy show called only fools and horses.

I had a second hand Bond Bug when I was at university, it was three wheeled just like the robin, bright orange and the whole front hinged forward. Great little car but murder in the snow, cars would leave double tracks, then you would come a long riding the middle snow trench.

brings back some found memories, but dangerous has they where all fiberglass and flipped real easy.

harry

[PistonBlown]

Mentioned this on another post the other day: my mate had one of those things - three times he gave me a lift in it and three times I ended up having to help him push it back onto it's wheels after he tipped it over. Each time we were not going particularly fast (its not like you had the option) but somehow it tipped onto it's side.

[Bob Denman]

So, you've got the, "Been there; crashed in THAT"! pin to prove it?

[OJ UK]

The Reliant Robin was quite a late model in the company's history.
The company started producing a light goods van in 1935.....surprising how many modern
'custom' trikes look quite similar!
8ctw_49.jpg
This model was still being made with various body options
into the 1950s.
Lulu2a.jpg
So it could be driven on a motorcycle licence it had no reverse gear until licensing
regulations changed in the early 50s. This change enabled young families of the time
to own a car and thus in 1953 the Regal was born!
Mk5a.jpg
It was really the first practical four seat 3 wheeler car manufactured although it did have
competition from another maker, Bond, which was eventually bought by Reliant in 1960.
In 1973 the Robin was introduced .
gre33n2.jpg
All of the models were available as light goods vans. The company survived until 2003.

Further back I mentioned the Bond company. Frankly their cars were horrendous!
Hugely under powered, (197cc 2stroke motor!) uncomfortable and very unattractive....but they were very cheap!
index.jpg
You will not believe how they were started!!


So not exactly a V8 then!!

[Bob Denman]

The only GOOD thing that I see in that kickstarting procedure?
The potential for hilarity; is enormous!!

[Oldmanzues]

If you drove them at a "sedate pace", they not to bad. Sport car handling, they did not have.
Handling was kind of like the orinial M-151 mil jeep. Bad part of flippping a M-151, you either got thrown out of the way, or under it when it down with no roll bars. Great off road, thou
Oldmanzues

[PistonBlown]

Ahhhh the bond Minicar.

Now my mum had one of those. I remember her saying that it had no reverse gear so you had to get out push it backwards. She also said she once drove right across London only to have the steering wheel come off in her hands as she turned the last corner into her parents road.

No wonder she preferred going on the back of my dad's Norton Dominator:-)