The Gyro Hawk: What was it and where did it go?

My thanks to Roger Crier of Birmingham, England (home of BSA Motorbikes and a lot of other great engineering) for reminding me of the Gyro Hawk.

A video and "info pak" featuring this machine were advertised in several magazines in the 1990s. In fact, I ordered the video and still have it somewhere. Along with the video came a copy of the 1967 article in Science and Mechanics about the Gyro-X. The video itself was not terribly impressive. I haven't watched it in a while but as I recall it was basically a machine--looking like the one pictured in the ad--making slow turns in a parking lot. No thrilling chase shots of a highway-ready vehicle. I didn't resent paying for thing as it clued me in to the Gyro-X. Over the years, a number of people have asked for more info on the Gryo Hawk but I don't have any. And as people have pointed out, the Roadhawk company is not reachable at the address listed. (There was phone number in the ad but I have clipped that to avoid bothering whoever owns that number now.)

If you can shed any light, please leave a comment. I have had an intriguing email from someone who may have spotted a Gyro Hawk and has promised to send pictures the next time they see it. Fingers crossed.
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31 comments:

  1. Hello Mr Cob. I am John Velazquez, Dir. of Marketing and Project Manager for Swinney-Ferreira Gyro Dynamics Inc. I want to shine some light into the Gyro X which Mr. Swinney (RIP) invented. We are now moving forward to build a new prototype of the car and a monorail system. We have already tested these inventions and they work wonderful. Have you seen the Gyro Monorail? We are the only company in the World who have successfully made it work. We also have international interest, which we will have to take seriously due to our government and their gread. Here is my question to you. Do you have any contacts that will want to help with the final steps on completeing such a project? If so please contact me at gyromonorail@yahoo.com

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  2. I ran across your blog on the Gyrohawk while looking for info on another gyrocar and it sparked a memory. I actually ordered the information pack from Roadhawk Enterprises a while back. Besides the article on the Gyro-X, the pack also included an equipment list with purchase agreement and promo booklet with plenty of action photos. If you're interested I could scan it all and send it off to you.

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  3. I enjoy this articles, thanks for sharing.

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  4. i saw your blog on the Gyrohawk while looking for info on another gyrocar and it sparked a memory. I actually ordered the information pack from Roadhawk Enterprises a while back. Besides the article on the Gyro-X, the pack also included an equipment list with purchase agreement and promo booklet with plenty of action photos. If you're interested I could scan it all and send it off to you.

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  5. Neat forum,

    Back in the early nineties I saw an ad for and contacted Gyrohawk looking for information on the technology -- I was following leads based on Alex Tremulis's work on Tuscan gyroscopic motorcycles and the Gyronaught XU1 gyroscopic car which included a gyroscopically stabilized motorcycle and the basis for Ford's Gyron concept car.

    I spoke to the creator of the Gyrohawk -- I believe it was just one guy whose name escapes me -- Like me, he'd had a fondness for Tremulis's work -- the genesis for the Gyrohawk -- and had even spoken with and corresponded with Tremulis before he died. He wanted about $10k for a Gyrohawk kit and seemed paranoid in revealing very much about the technology. I thought $10K was a bit much to spend on such flimsy material -- though I did like the styling and basic concept. I recall seeing the Gyrohawk listed in Kit Car magazine's roster of vendors but then it seemed to fade away.

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  6. I am also one of the many people who curiously monitors the progress of the Gyro Hawk.

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  7. I do not know who this Mr. Swinney was but he was not the inventor of the Gyro X. The inventor of the Gyro X was Tom Summers. I can print you copies of the Patent to prove it.I am the designer and builder of the Gyro Hawk gyro stable vehicle and at that time I was working closely with Tom Summers.

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  8. If anyone has questions about the Gyro Hawk you can put them in this blog and I will try to answer you about anything having to do with gyro stable transportation or flywheel balenced vehicles. I have one in my garage that is hovering on two wheels in tandem all by itself right now and have been working to build a practicle version for street use D.

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  9. Believe it or not,
    I have met the creator of the GyroHawk and still
    know and talk with him.
    Also,Alex Tremulis was an incredible artist and designer but it was his close friend Tom Summers who was the genius behind the Gyro aspect of their vehicle which was cover material on a major science magazine back in their day.
    Tom was mentor to the designer of the GyroHawk.
    It is real,it is amazing and it is not dead.

    As for being paranoid,I believe he was merely weary and somewhat suspicious of the number of people that were looking for something for nothing,in one way or another.

    I firmly believe that the gyroscope is the most overlooked and under-researched mechanical technology on Earth.

    Look up Eric Laithwaite on YouTube and see how "receptive" scientists can be to new ideas.
    He was one of the most venerated scientists in his country till he made one simple lecture to his peers discussing his new work.

    Never confuse scientists with science...
    never confuse Christians with Christ.

    Try not to jump to conclusions based on superficial observations or second hand information.

    For the record,
    I traveled from one side of America to the other to see the GyroHawk and I was not disappointed.
    The technology is real and is amazingly strong.
    -garron

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  10. Hello,
    You might be interested in this. It's a small model of at gyro monorail that someone built and posted on youtube. The first time I have ever seen a gyro stabilized device like this running.

    YouTube site

    Web site

    Also, I enjoy your website and would like to build my own gyrocar someday.

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  11. I found the Tom Summers Gyrocar Patent online:
    http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3373832.pdf

    Lots of background and insight here.

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  12. I have been working with with the owners of what was the Gyro Hawk for 15 years, it has been through several evolutions and is very promising in it's latest evolution, as a commuter it never needs to be plugged in. I have weekly contact with owners and am able to make introduction to interested parties. Bike is ready for production but needs some $ to get
    rolling regards
    eric xguru@email.com

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  13. Good to be digging history about old transports and getting what is essentially precious information...the information market getting equipped with the internet is easy to find every and any information surely.

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  14. I love reading this article. things for the information. looking more from your blog.

    _____________________________
    Fender Flare | Bushwacker | Best tops

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  15. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  16. I really like this model. I will keep in touch and waiting for your next updates.

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  17. I really like this model. I will keep in touch and waiting for your next updates.

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  18. Old Gyro hawk video
    http://a2xtreme.com/gyroweb.MPG
    xguru@email.com

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  19. Really so great.i enjoyed this post so much and got lot of informations

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  20. It's really great that I noticed this post. Thank you very much again for sharing this interesting article.

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  21. Feb, 2012
    Not sure if this is related to the Gyro Hawk, but there are certain similarities. Dan Ryker was the builder of the Gyro Hawk in Oregon, after a series of meetings with Tom Summers in the early 90's. Tom wanted to use rear wheel steering. Dan was also nuts about Tesla. Dan wanted to build an electric version, so if not related, the similarities are quite a coincidence.
    http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/12/even-on-two-wheels-the-thrustcycle-will-never-tip-over/

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  22. Video of the Gyro Hawk in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKcWfD6kT1w

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  23. Move over Thrust Cycle, you are now "LIT" up by the competition!
    http://litmotors.com/c-1/
    You can reserve one for $250. It will be interesting to see which Japanese car manufacturer buys Lit out.

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  24. Looks like I was off on remembering David Ryker's first name, but I definitely remember his black belt leg kick! I am glad these videos got posted, now just add some pretty girls and get more hits.

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  25. This is easy to arrange, whether in Hawaii or anywhere else you wish to spend less. It is not just for insurance but included the paphos car hire as well as the usage of these websites.



    Lone Mountain Truck Leasing

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  26. pr 20.01.2018

    Is there anyone interested
    or already working on a kind like Giro Hawk..

    I don't speak about Lit or Honda ore some chines.

    I mean in europ? ? ?

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