The Chopper Compendium

Thanks!

This build is just being ridden now.

I have a new project on the works.

Will not be as fast this one.

Use any idea you want that is what I and the place are about.

I would not care if you lived next door and built a bike that looked just like it. Imatation is the biggest form of flattery.

And Thank You!

As I've just discovered this forum, I've had a lot of fun reading up on some of the threads,
but your build thread just got my full attention, and read it thoroughly from the beginning.

That's an awsum build you did, the drawing of the girder layout showed how the trail
is pulled back to a reasonable level, how much is it, 3, 4" ??

How does it handle with that much rake? The most I've ever done is 50, and that
didn't feel too bad to me, but I had too much trail in it, about 12".

You have my complete admiration for your craftsmanship and engineering skills.
I want to pick out a couple pix and post 'em in my shop, some hard choices there!
Aloha from Maui,
Willy

Thanks!

A girder with 60 degree trail needs to be close to zero trail to limit the flop. Like a sugarbear springer is made. The wheel no longer turns on its axis when turning. It instead lays over and turns on the outside edge of the tire. So, a good 60 degree rake girder will be close to zero trail. The reason to simulate the girder is to see the action of the legs and make sure the girder does not go into negative trail at full extension when it leaves the ground and close tolerances upward so it does not hit anything when compressed. The trail goes from 1.25 almost to ride of 1.75 almost then to 2.25 almost trail. It would be nice to run zero exactly but, that could only be done a fixed leg front. Same set up with trees and legs for fixed leg but, bolted straight to the trees instead of having a shock.

The rules change for a girder past the 45 to 50 degree point and you need to start moving the trail out towards zero when going over this rake number. As Gary says thou a trail number is not fixed and as long as not negative trail any number between 2 and 9 will work just fine.3.5 being the number used for decades and a great place to start. If you build a front end and are anywhere close to that number it will work like a dream. A drop rocker springer like sugarbears or a 50+ raked girder needs more towards zero for the lightest steering possible. A 9 in trail the front end would be a lot heavier thou and I would need to add a steering dampner to counter act the flop but, would still be rideable.

As with any 60 degree rake bike there is a heavyness to the steering. But, you ride it about 20 ft and you know how much you need to carry when turning. Then you are off with no fears.

I can run 10,20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90,100, mph one handed and no force just holding on with it but never no handed.

My other build is La Puttana you may like it also?

My next will have a springer built for it have donor bike already but, no funds as of yet to start the build. Soon as some cash flow arrives I will build the next one.

I am just glad I made my deadline of 3 months with it. It was a goal I wanted to be able to do!

I can turn it around in a 4 way intersection not duckwalking it!

i look forward to seeing your take on springers my fav frontends

Great info, never seen it explained so clearly before, and it makes sense to me.
Have done some layouts on an old copy of ACAD 3d, but still prefer to just lay it out on the shop floor with chalk and take a good long loook at it...
When I was taking my mech. engin. courses back in the early 60's, there was one course called the "Mechanics of Machinery" that I just loved.
The professor had worked for John Deere for 20 years, then went back to school and picked up a PhD in Mech. Engin. and was one of the
best Engin. professors I ever had! I ended up working for him in the Engin. Dept. shop to help pay my way through school. In class we would work through
the theory of some particular machine's movements, then actually assembly a model of parts and see if it really did work that way, I loved it!
Thanks again for responding so thoroughly!
Aloha,
Willy

PS, Have you run into any problems in your State getting it registered ? We regularly get some guff here when we try to register a heavily modified bike.

Here in OHio if I use a bike with a clean title not a salvage title from the state of OHio I never have to get it inspected.

I reuse the neck that has the vehical ID#/VIN and just get plates for the bike. The insurance is the same for the bike as it was because they do not know it was built or modified.

All the police want is a legal plate and insurance and because the neck was reused it means it was the orignal frame of the bike and stamped on the neck. Also no other part of the frame is able to be registered because the VIN is on the neck. Meaning they get what they want and it can not be used to make 2 bikes legal. I carry the registration and insurance papers with me just encase and can point at the sticker and VIN stamp to prove it is what the registration says it is.

http://www.dwrenched.com/2014/09/dwrenched.html

http://www.bikebuilds.net/kawasaki-91-n ... omize-it_1

Cool pages, well done!

On your brass bushed links....

Are you running these bushings dry, or do you have some way to apply a lube?

Neversize and oil impregnated bronze.

They do not move as much as you think just small rotations.

And they are the expendable part of any frontend springer/girder whatever.

Just press them out

Put new ones in

Just like rocker bushings on a springer

Good info there....
Many Mahalos (Thank You's)
Willy

Very nice work, perhaps we will run across one another next season, your just a state over.

I hope we do I look forward to seeing it in person.......

Look Forward to riding with you Friend!

Thanks!

Nathan, I just read the whole build, awesome job man. I like a lot of the features and techniques you used, but
here are a few that stood out for me.
When you changed your mind about reusing the axle plates, good job, and I liked the way you offset the new axle plate and the mount when you welded them,
much better weld penetration than a seal weld.
I like the skeleton look to the frame, which is exaggerated by using the panel insets.
The forks and frame flow nicely, similar curves.
The seat design fits perfectly.
You dropped the headlight lower, and set it between the legs.

Recycling the gauges was over the top, super nice touch there.

Keep posting man. I don't get to follow all the time, but when I can catch up, this is better than... Hmmm, most things I can think of...

Thanks GOOD Friend!

None of this stuff I do would not been possible for me without you, this place, its members, and the Handbook.

I try to do the best I can and you guys always set me straight if I am wrong.

I thought Santa went down the chimney? He rode his sled in here.