Michigan Human Powered Vehicles
MHPVA members receive awards at the March 5, 2016 annual meeting in E. Lansing
Coming around the curve at the Waterford MHPVA Rally
Starting lineup at the annual MHPVA Rally
MHPVA members receive awards at the March 5, 2016 annual meeting in E. Lansing
The Michigan Human Powered Vehicle web site is for those interested in innovation and creativity in the design and development of human powered transportation – on land, water and in the air.
Related to human powered vehicles (HPV's), the Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Association (MHPVA), until it dissolved in September 2016, sponsored the oldest continuous competition for HPVs in North America, the Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Rally. The Rally continues to be held, but as an independent event at the Waterford Hills sports car racing track in Clarkston, the site since 1986. The rally has attracted as many as 50 competitors from numerous states and Canada. Events include one-hour time trials, top speed runs, a hill climb/coast-down, standing start kilometer, road races and a practical vehicle competition. Instead of the rally, the MHPVA has twice conducted major events.
The MHPVA itself was founded in 1982 (for more early history of the group click here). In 1989, the MHPVA hosted the 15th International Human Powered Speed Championships, with most events at Michigan International Speedway. Approximately 75 land and water vehicles came from all over the United States, plus Canada and France. In 2009 the MHPVA helped sponsor the Michigan Human Powered Speed Challenge at the Ford Proving Grounds near Romeo, Michigan. Fifty-four competitors came from all over the United States, plus Canada, France, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Mexico. Ten world records were set, including the farthest any man or women has pedaled a bicycle in one hour, six hours, and over 100 km and 100 mile distances.
Michigan HPV stories and past activities of the MHPVA (with some interesting human powered vehicles both on land and water) can be seen at http://mhpva.blogspot.com. The MHPVA had also from its inception has been a chapter of the International Human Powered Vehicle Association (www.ihpva.org).
The former MHPVA Facebook page at "Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Association" is also still active and please consider "Liking" it at https://www.facebook.com/mhpva
Also in Michigan is the Wolver-Bents Recumbent Cyclist (www.wolverbents.org) which is pretty much a "static" website about recumbents and Michigan. There also is a Wolver-Bents Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/wolverbents.
Michigan HPV/Recumbent Events
2021 Michigan HPV Rally - The 36th annual Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Rally will be Saturday and Sunday, August 21-22 at the Waterford Hills sports car racing track in Clarkston, Michigan (northern Detroit suburbs). Details about the 2021 Rally, including Rally fees, schedule of events, directions to the Rally, and a list of lodging information (free camping Friday & Saturday at the event track along with a listing of other campgrounds and hotels nearby) at http://mhpva.blogspot.com/2021/01/michigan-hpv-rally-aug-21-22-2021_18.html.
If you have any questions email mikethebike2325@comcast.net. Waterford Hills is a 1.4 mile track road racing track (left and right turns) and includes a hill. For a map of the track, visit www.waterfordhills.com/data/downloads/facilitymap.pdf. The 36th annual rally was to have been in May 2020, but was cancelled due to the pandemic.
MHPVA General News
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Results, and photos, of the June 2019 MHPV Rally (the 2020 Rally was canceled due to the pandemic) can be obtained by clicking on to "2019 HPV Race Results And Pictures" at www.recumbents.com/wisil/hpra.htm and clicking on "2019 Michigan HPV Rally HPRA Race results" and going to the photo links there.
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For more news about Michigan human powered vehicles, visit the MHPV blog by clicking here.