Florida-based Tortuga Trikes is launching a new trike targeted towards the niche but fast-growing sport of trike drifting, which originated in New Zealand in 2009 but is picking up speed around the world.
The Tortuga Trike is equipped with a 6.5-horsepower motor that runs on every type of gasoline. The motor delivers torque directly to the rear wheels, allowing the bike to move at a top speed of 30 km/h. The developers of the bike opted for rear-wheel drive rather than front-wheel drive as this allows for more advanced drifting techniques.
A full tank of fuel is sufficient for around 20 hours -- around 65 to 80 kilometers -- of drifting.
The developers of the Tortuga Trike are trying to raise funds on Kickstarter to scale up production of the bike.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Trike Drifting
- There is a growing demand for trike drifting, which can be addressed by introducing more powerful and durable trikes.
- Gas-powered Trikes
- There is an opportunity to create more gas-powered trikes with torque that allows for advanced drifting techniques.
- Crowdfunding for Niche Products
- As the Tortuga Trike developers did, crowdfunding platforms can be leveraged to scale up production of niche products like gas-powered trikes.
Where This Applies
- Recreational Vehicles
- The recreational vehicle industry could expand to include more gas-powered trikes designed specifically for sports like trike drifting.
- Automotive Industry
- The automotive industry has an opportunity to develop gas-powered trikes that can be modified for sports like trike drifting.
- Crowdfunding Platforms
- Crowdfunding platforms have an opportunity to be the go-to source for niche products like gas-powered trikes designed for trike drifting
