Interesting modification ..

[Karl]

Checking out Ebay , I saw this one advertised;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sinclair-C5-complete-less-pedals-motor-runs-/230498950888?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Collectables_OtherTransportation_RL&hash=item35aacedee8

...looks like someone didn't like the handlebars being underneath their knees 

[MikeDX]

Funny, i thought the same thing!

Maybe you have to ride it Tron style?

[marcdonnelly]

I spoke to the chap selling the c5 with a different style of handlebars and he TELLS ME THIS IS HOW THEY WERE ALL MADE ( is he right any thoughts on this guys),i said nothing and just smiled to myself, also that some one had offered him £70.00 pounds for the rear light yes £70.00 he things it is worth hundreds and hundreds of pounds i said good luck....lol.

[MikeDX]

Not sure what to say about that Marc!

Good luck to him indeed

[radiomarty]

Saw a similar steering design at Brooklands on the prototype twin motor job - there were supposed to be two about (and he's based in Cambridge) This also had no pedals ??

[marcdonnelly]

its only just up the road from me whats it really worth and idea guys is it rare???

[MikeDX]

Saw a similar steering design at Brooklands on the prototype twin motor job - there were supposed to be two about (and he's based in Cambridge) This also had no pedals ??

I'm guessing they think pedals aren't needed if you got double bubble on the motor power!

[radiomarty]

This a quote from the guy that owned the one at Brooklands - It would seem that the rear wheels should be different so maybe a red herring but possibly worth a look :
   
   
I have a very rare prototype I might bring if I am not working that day.

It was one of two built as a design for an offroader C5.  Two batteries power two motors.  Fat off road wheels at the rear, and joystick steering rather than the bar under your legs. No pedals.

this is a communication from a few years ago with Peter Milner who worked at Sinclair.

Dear Michael,

Good to hear from you. From memory (which is not the best!) we built two
what we called at the time 'off-road' prototype C5s. They had joystick
steering, large section wheels and tyres (rears at least) and the prime
target market intent was the golfing community. The first vehicle was a
purely experimental conversion and the second was closer to the
specification we would have marketed. I don't recall what happened to
the first vehicle but the second finished its days (as far as I know,
because I delivered it) in Connecticut. At least one of the two (and
certainly the second) had a prototype dual-winding single motor offering
'low' and 'high' range.

Some documented information exists, including video footage of my son
driving one of the vehicles on Nuneaton golf course (and through a
perimeter ditch) but it is currently on loan to Roy Woodward (roy@disney
landparis.worldonline.co.uk) who hosts a C5 Internet page. I suggest you
contact him directly if you would like to follow up on this.

Let me know how things progress.

Best regards,

Peter Milner

[Karl]

Those handlebars still look horizontal, so I reckon this one on Ebay is more likely a homebuilt "special" . The pedals being removed is probably because the re-positioned handlebars must get in the way of your knees when pedalling. This can't be good news for the drivebelt/gearbox.

The owner of the Sinclair protoype shown at Brooklands said the other one was owned by a collector in the USA.

[coverman]

Tese twin engined versions wouldn't be road legal hence the pedals would be superfluous in terms of meeting the 1983 legislation

[Karl]

Tese twin engined versions wouldn't be road legal hence the pedals would be superfluous in terms of meeting the 1983 legislation

Agreed, but I think pedals would still be quite useful in reducing the strain on the gearbox and drivebelt. Even with two motors attached I still think pulling away purely on electric is unwise 

[coverman]

Pedalling from rest would certainly reduce the strain on the gearboxes