31 October, 2010

Wheelie Machine

I've managed to get through a short list of modifications to the Trials bike this weekend. In no particular order:

I wanted to move the footpegs back, to get some weight off the nose of the bike. This side of the bike was the most difficult spot to get pegs to fit into, as the exhaust bracket, swingarm, rear brake lever, and kick starter all need to be friendly. As it turns out, I had a set of spare pillion foot pegs that pivoted up. This allows the kick start lever to clear. I mounted them to a stout piece of aluminum (the same 1"x5/8" piece I made the extended front leading links with) that mounts to the lower frame section:


I also had several spare rear brake foot levers, so with a bit of cutting and welding, I managed to get one that fit around the exhaust and was sitting in the correct location for my foot to reach.

The new handlebar was a spare Hodaka piece I had in the parts bin. Much wider, a bit taller, and fits standard 7/8" throttle and grips. I still need to route the throttle cable properly, and likely fit it inside tidy looking sleeve:


Looking a bit 4x4-ish, I've gained roughly 2.5" of ground clearance:


One of the big benefits of the new handlebars and rear-set footpegs, is a dramatic change on "corner" weights. In this case, the amount of weight on the front and rear wheel. With me standing on the bike in a normal riding position on the old setup, the weights were:

Front: 125#
Rear: 180#

With the new bars and footpegs, the weights are:

Front: 110#
Rear: 195#

I've managed to shift 15 pounds off the nose and onto the rear tire. The end result? Wheelies. It is very easy to lift the front tire up and over curbs now without much effort. I'm also much more comfortable standing on the bike, with a less crouched position.

C'

No comments: