You won’t see them in the world of superhighways and wide avenues in the highly developed countries of the world, but in countries like ours, and in India, Indonesia, Vietnam and the like, the three-wheeled vehicles clogging the side streets and the by-ways are both indispensable and irritating. The Philippine version is of course the tricycle; the Vietnamese version is called the tuk-tuk, while the bajaj makes its home in Indonesia.

These vehicles are indispensable when you’re getting around on your own two feet and need to get somewhere (a relatively short distance away) quickly, but a nuisance when you’re in a vehicle (public transportation, a friend’s or in your own car) and you’re stuck behind them hogging the road as they putter along to their destination.

                                             Quite the contrast to the above...

Now, these vehicles are primarily used for quick transport within the inner city / neighborhood, and are built using inexpensive parts by their owners who aim to recoup their purchase price as quickly as possible. They are basically passenger cabs stuck to a motorbike, and are in general terms called “tricycle” – for their three wheels. But when somebody like Venture gets into the design process for a light, responsive and innovative vehicle, it becomes difficult to describe something that looks like their creation a “tricycle”.

                                             An inside look.

                                             Tilt system in action.

The VentureOne is designed by Swift Engineering, and conforms to the word tricycle only through the fact that is has three wheels. Other than that, this vehicle is playing in a wholly different ballgame. For one, it’s pretty flexible, meaning it actually tilts into a turn, just like a racebike, while the regular old tricycle just flexes all over its body. The tricycle usually uses an efficient, two-stroke, 50 cc engine, while the VentureOne uses an electric / hybrid engine that runs into the 100mpg figures (miles per gallon!). In speed and acceleration there’s no comparison – 0 to 103kph in roughly 6 seconds, and a maximum speed of 100mph (161 kph) makes fun of the tricycle’s performance.

                                             Estimated mileage looks promising.

Then again, the VentureOne costs around P800,000, while a typical trike runs to just 50 to P100,000. Besides, this vehicle is aimed primarily at the well-off and those looking for a secondary vehicle, not those who are looking to make a livelihood out of transporting people to their destinations. With this mission in mind, the BMW designed Venture is imminently attractive, replicating the feel of riding a race bike while fully enclosed, and at the same time showing off a design that’s part future – inspired and part practical evolution.

                                             This VW concept precedes the VentureOne,

The design takes into account the sporting nature of the potential buyers of this trike, with an engine low in the chassis to give a low center of gravity, improving stability, while the canopy consists of a lot of glass, giving an airy, open feeling but more importantly, gives good visibility out of all directions. The aforementioned “tilt” system also contributes to stability during cornering, as well as giving better control for the driver. Safety is also a primary concern, with the very nature of an enclosed canopy giving the driver and passenger an exponential increase in protection versus a regular motorcycle or tricycle.

                                             VW decided to go with a "reverse trike". the opposite of VentureOne's.

The VentureOne is a very nice concept, and while it is for those with disposable incomes at the moment, there is no telling when this type of vehicle will become more commonplace and thus attract more mainstream competitors into the market – enabling the less well-off to eventually consider this mode of vehicular transport / racing apparatus as a daily livelihood tool – who’s to say it won’t happen eventually? When that time comes, the frustrations attached to the tuk-tuk, the bajaj, and the tricycle will disappear, and the indispensability, plus a huge dose of fun, will probably go up through the roof.