The Segway Centaur: Two wheels good, four wheels better?

The purists will argue that it defeats the whole purpose, but you gotta admit there's a certain inevitability to the Centaur, a four-wheeled ATV which uses all the same gyroscopic balancing techno-stuff found in the original Segway HT (and can even balance on its rear wheels), but goes way faster and is apparently aimed at that very small subset of geeks who are also into off-roading. Just a prototype for the moment, but the Centaur could be weirding out mountain bikers before the end of next year.

[Thanks, Deviant]

[TheZodiac @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

why do you need gyros on an egronomically steady vehicle as it is. Dopes. :)

[Bill @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

That is SOOOOO photoshopped.

[Olav @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

would be cooler. Or, like James Bond, on the side. Now we're talking.

I'd like to know where there is going to be a Segway uni-cyle. I'd buy that!

[Maikeru @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

This will certainly make for easy endos and wheelies. I just wonder how much faster it can go than the existing Segway. If it can hit 35 MPH and be equipped with proper signals and basic front headlamp, then it can get the proper street licence that it's 2 wheeled cousin couldn't.

[possum @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

man, this was posted on http:/www.wasteofbrain.com months ago

[JoeShmoe @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

The picture makes this thing look fast, but the segways are not high speed off roaders, and this thing prolly isn't either.
Kamen should aim a bit higher I think.
Whatever happened to the Stirling engine? I guess it evaporated.

[t @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

A video is worth a million words.

http://wm.segway.na-central.speedera.net/wm.segway.na-central/conceptcentaur.wmv

No endo's or stoppies on this one. RWD segway HT enables it to "wheelie" when in fact you are just riding a normal segway.

Appears that the front 2 wheels are steering only. Nice motocross-looking suspension. I'd be interested. Somehow, it's hard to look cool while cruising on a segway. This has some street (and off-road) appeal.

Can we see it with knobbies?

[Stan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I had a special opportunity to get a ride on the Centaur last Sunday evening after SegwayFest 2004 in Florida. It is a real vehicle that proves the concept. This prototype can go just over 20 MPH.

The point of the balancing technology is that the machine can wheelie up on it's two rear wheels and then it is ridden just like a Segway HT - lean forward to go forward, spin in place, etc. Very, very cool!

Check out Segway, LLC's web page:
http://www.segway.com/centaur

or the Popular Science article:
http://www.popsci.com/centaur

[adam @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I guess the original segway had such mass-market appeal, and sold so quickly, that the orignal market is saturated and now they are focusing on niches!

It looks like a VERY fun toy, but really...what is it for? You can't take it on the sidewalk, there are no street-legal four wheelers to my knowledge. Since it is just a souped up Segway it would probably be more expensive than a regular Segway too. Other than as a toy, practical applications for this thing seem very limited. For people who do need an ATV, I imagine VERY few people would be better off with this than a regular gas-powered ATV.

It sure looks fun to play with, but not several thousands of dollars kind of fun.