xs1100 Trike

[Dennis]

Friday night I masked up the wheels in anticipation of painting.



Did a coat of semi-gloss black in the shop.  Not a good idea with the doors closed, so after painting I let things air out for awhile.



Met up with Jeff on Saturday to finish the caliper brackets.





The calipers fit great.



During the sunshine on Sunday, I got some more painting in.   I have couple coats of clear planned.



In between painting I worked on the parts for bolting the differential to the (yet to be fabricated) frame.  I need a fairly large piece to weld the tubes to, and I figure I will be fabricating some kind of fender and rack mounts, so I opted for 2" x 4" box steel. 

The small bracket with the male nub sticking up lines up with the whole in the 2" x 4" piece in the middle so I won't be relying on just the U-bolts to hold the differential in place.   The small bracket will be welded on the differential.



I won't commit to where I am going to weld on the brackets until I have everything lined up, leveled and squared.  This is approximate.



Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Dennis]

The 2" x 4" steel block is only 1/8" thick on the walls.  Since these are the points where the frame tubes will be welded (the top and the bottom of the 4" wide part), I was concerned there could be too much flex.  I decided to weld in a brace right about where the tubes will be joining.



All ends will be capped.  I have the first one fitted and tacked in place.



Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Dennis]

I don't want to commit to the length of the driveshaft (which will determine how far aft my wheels and tires will be), without having a really good idea of what it will look like.

Bare rims were just not enough, so I took the plunge and got tires.  These are so 70's ish.



If I get a mock up tonight, I should be able to get Jeff to finish the drive shaft on Saturday.  Its all done but for cutting the length and inserting into the universal joint piece which he has already machined and shimmed, and is just waiting for the overall length to be determined.

Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Dennis]

I spent some time at Jeff's on Saturday.

He had this piece made a month or so ago.  It is the GMC differential yoke.  You can see where he's fabricated a shim.



This is the Suzuki drive shaft. 



We cut it to the length I wanted and stuffed in the GMC yoke.  He welded it and the did some really cool heating and shrinking to make it true.

I actually spent hours in the shop today building a jig for the neck tube.  It not finished, and the parts that are would be hard to describe, so I'll hold off photos until it makes more sense.

Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Dennis]

Mocking up before I committed to the drive shaft length.  I actually ended up about 3" longer than the photo.   The neck tube will NOT be where it is in the picture.  Its just there to get an idea of the rake I want.



With the tyres, the narrowed differential looks cool.



Peace & Grease, Dennis

[fast1]

  Are you going to build it with a 16 inch front wheel and is that it? How the heck is that rod standing by itself? It's going to be wicked cool! CHEERS.

[Dennis]

I am planning on using the stock 19" front wheel.  The one in the mock up is the rear wheel because that is what I had kicking around.

The jig for holding the neck tube is not finished.   When finished it will allow me to position the neck tube at various positions fore and aft, and up and down (and left to right, but that's for precision, not getting "the look").   I can say that now I am wishing I had gone for the super short drive shaft.  Its amazing what a couple inches here and there can do for the overall geometry and style of a project like this.

I am getting stoked now that I can envision more with each mock up.

Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Dennis]

My plan has always been to use the stock XS1100 forks with extended tubes.  Spoke to Franks Forks today.  The US price is $450 which is reasonable.  6 - 8 weeks from time of order.  I don't plan to finish this spring or summer (no race for the Show 'n Shine).  Soon garage season will be over.

My quandary is that I am pushing the limit for the front fork angle.  Stock motorcycle trail is no more than 35 degrees resulting in an except able trail.



While lots of choppers and chopper style trikes have long forks at high angles, the higher the angle, the more wheel trail there is and handling starts to really suffer.



There are various remedies, but they all revolve around the same concept: modifying the front end to reduce trail.  In the diagram below its been done with raked triple trees.



I have read lots of trike forums and articles and they pretty much all concur that keeping trail down to about 2 inches makes for a nice handling trike.  If I still want the front wheel further out front (very important for the chopper look), then I really should be looking at ways to reduce the trail.

Girders and  Earls (a.k.a. Leading LinK) are common home fabricated front ends for trikes, but most are ugly (this is the best looking one in my mind)



Spending the bucks for an extended and already raked front end kit may be an option (like Alwyn's Chopper). 

Another way of keeping the angle within tolerable limits and still having the front wheel out front is simply by raising the neck tube.  This is pretty common also.





The best looking trike out there probably handles like a turd.  Too bad its just sooooo cool looking.



Peace and Geometry, Dennis

[Dennis]

I've spent way too much time researching the fork issue since my last post.  Currently I am leaning towards a Harley Wide Glide.  The pros: 16" front wheel, tons of parts available including raked triple trees.  Prices for used stuff and aftermarket is pretty cheap actually.  Franks Forks $450 US for extended tubes for my Yamaha 37mm tubes, plus delay, plus shipping isn't looking very attractive anymore.

Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Dennis]

Mock up with Mustang gas tank, 43 degree rake, drive shaft sorta in place.



Further to my last post about fork angles etc, placed a bid on Ebay and scored a determining win.  Harley Wide Glide, 10" over, fork brace, dual brake caliper for $300 US.  With shipping, taxes and tariffs, USD 425.   Less than the Franks Forks extended tubes for the XS1100.



Peace & Grease, Dennis

[fast1]

   Shovel heads in the 80's had aluminum wheels that would be a good mate to your rears--a little heavy but they can usually be found for cheap, betcha' Keith has or knows of one. You're going to need Jeff again as the Harley has a 1 inch shaft versus 7/8 on the Yammie. Mock up looks great! Actually seen video of Russell Mitchell riding the Exile trike and seemed to ride okay-it was for a build off. CHEERS

[Dennis]

   Shovel heads in the 80's had aluminum wheels that would be a good mate to your rears--a little heavy but they can usually be found for cheap, betcha' Keith has or knows of one. You're going to need Jeff again as the Harley has a 1 inch shaft versus 7/8 on the Yammie. Mock up looks great! Actually seen video of Russell Mitchell riding the Exile trike and seemed to ride okay-it was for a build off. CHEERS

Great minds think alike.  The AMF 16" mag wheels used on Harleys in the late 70's early 80's would be a perfect match for my rear wheels.   Gonna hit ebay again.

[Hans]

I'm pretty sure the bottom cool looking trike doesn't steer the front wheel, it just flops it over and hopes for the best.  Keep up the work, looking interesting.

[Dennis]

   Shovel heads in the 80's had aluminum wheels that would be a good mate to your rears--a little heavy but they can usually be found for cheap, betcha' Keith has or knows of one. You're going to need Jeff again as the Harley has a 1 inch shaft versus 7/8 on the Yammie. Mock up looks great! Actually seen video of Russell Mitchell riding the Exile trike and seemed to ride okay-it was for a build off. CHEERS

Great minds think alike.  The AMF 16" mag wheels used on Harleys in the late 70's early 80's would be a perfect match for my rear wheels.   Gonna hit ebay again.

"...betcha' Keith has or knows of one..."

Yup.  Great match.



Peace & Grease, Dennis

[fast1]

  Fantastik, a stiff nylon brush and a hose will make the white letters really white. CHEERS.