Beachcomber's TR1 - now "Cafe-Creme" Boardtracker 'ish

beachcomber

TJ - Beachcomber
DTT SUPPORTER
OK, can't resist the temptation any longer.

My "spare" TR1 was going to be a dogs bollox Cafe Racer - sixties style, but that would then give me 2 of the same, only with one better than the other ! ::)

I've been admiring the work you guys have been doing with all manner of Japanese stuff - totally in your own style - but never the less with a definite theme.

There's been some fantastic TR1 / XVs on the boil here and elsewhere [ Virago specific ], but I didn't think I had what it takes any longer to "break the mould" as we did in the 50's and 60's. So, it's take the 60's blinkers off [ been on a LONG time ] and have a look at the possibilities. Then came Doc's Gold beauty - not quite my cup of tea with the big front tyre, but a fantastic machine and beautifully executed.

So why's the BC posting on the Specials thread ?

Swag's new find and proposals have really whetted the appetite to attempt [ maybe fail ] to do something a bit different to MY usual fare.

His talk of BMW forks was along the same lines I'd been thinking, as I had just taken the modded K1100 forks [ K1200S wheel ] off the bench to put the TR1 frame on. As they passed each other - the forks just looked a natural !

However, if I want to build something that has some of MY thinking involved [ usually a bit off the wall ] - I was contemplating all manner of front ends. Then today I was working on the Scorpio Reverse trike and needed to photograph some of the unwanted spares to go on E-Bay [ Christmas is a coming ]. And there was the lightbulb moment .. a complete Telelever front end from an R1150S.

I was nowhere near the TR1 at the time and could only imagine what might be .... but imagine the lower Telelever [ wishbone ] mounts attached to a framework around the Yam lump picking up with either an Egli inspired frame [ like Loeke's ] or maybe a Trellis.

The Beemer front end is super light and completely does away with rake variation [ make that trail - sorry ] on acceleration / braking.

I'm arranging to borrow a complete front end from AC and will mock it up when the motor's on the bench. Maybe, maybe not, but it's a start.

I've also got a good idea for the matching BMW 5 spoke rear wheel [ 3 spoke shown here ]. The irony is that if my bike were a shaftie - the rear wheel conversion would be comparitively simple.
Oilheadsuspension2.jpg
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

Couldn't sleep last night thinking about the possibilities and came up with this as a starter for 10.

No cad-cam here and the cut and paste as in print on paper, cut out with scissors and paste with glue !!

Thinking of Eaton style supercharger driven from alternator side vertical belt drive to just above the engine V. Early days and the thoughts are rushing round my head.

Complete Oilhead front end arriving Saturday from my pal Adrian........ we'll see.

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Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

That's my style of "cut and paste". Nice idea with a new round tube backbone frame, that would be awesome. If the swinger went through teh motor, you could do away with a frame altogether - think Britten.

K1200S front end would be even more radical and totally funky blend of girders and tele's. Just a thought.
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

teazer said:
That's my style of "cut and paste". Nice idea with a new round tube backbone frame, that would be awesome. If the swinger went through teh motor, you could do away with a frame altogether - think Britten.

K1200S front end would be even more radical and totally funky blend of girders and tele's. Just a thought.

Totally old skool me Teazer ! Or was that just - OLD.

Agree re: the 1200 front end - but we have 3 of the Oilhead front ends spare from the Reverse Trike project - ie FREE !!

Originally I was thinking as you say - round backbone a la Egli. But, I have this Eaton supercharger [ BMW Mini ] I've been wanting to use on my BMW Fighter - but there really is not enough room + drive problems. Imagine now the top tubes [ trellis ] coming down and picking up the Telelever rear mount, then cradling the engine around barrel height and round to the back, where I WILL have a traditional Norton / BSA style swingarm mount. Swingarm will have to be fabbed as I have my own ideas on wheelbase and fr/r weight bias.

Yes it will be a ballache if I want to take a head off whatever, but then we're talking maybe 6 bolts to drop the whole lump out.

My biggest headache is my now total lack of any machinery or even decent facilities. Yes, I can use my Pal's workshop and faciulities, but I don't want to take the piss too much - he has a business to run. Just be a bit slower that's all.

I'm also re-reading the Tony Foale theories on RAISING the powerplant [ thus COG ] a little to assist with flopping the bike from side to side - something Foale and others have had good results with. The Kobas Kay endurance racer had the powerplant raised some 4" from standard. Doesn't hurt with ground clearance either - the lack of which I've spotted on several otherwise nice conversions.

Ah sorry I digress - the reason I'm looking at a low Trellis frame opposed to GBFO round tube is so there is room [ just above the vee of the motor ] to sit the blower. Nice short route to intakes, and maybe downdraught Weber poking through "tank".

I've got plenty more paper and crayons !!!!!

You wouldn't believe I was an engineering design draughtsman in a previous life would you !
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

My brother in law rides a K1200S and would probably shit a brick while crying "Sacrellige!" if he saw a beemer front end strapped to some other bike. I on the other hand applaud you sir. I cannot wait to see you cafe bike done and I hope to see this idea come to fruition as well.
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

Ah so. OK with a big lump in the middle of the V, the frame is best if it goes around. Agreed. So how about something like a Sponson type trellis around the motor? What I really mean is something like an Aermachi Drixton or Metisse frame with tubes along the side of the motor.

And yes, raise the motor. It will look better and handle better.
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

Thanx for the input Teazer and the encouragement John.

I subscribe to a couple of BMW forums - and just love the metaphorical bristling of moustaches and "harrumphing" when I post my mods to the Fighter and Cafe Racer Airheads.

Teazer - I'm sure you've read the various Race /Competition chassis books as I have - but I still keep coming back to Foale [ not forgetting Willoughby ] for the the theory side.

And you are spot on with what's rummaging around my brain at the moment re: "wrap around" trellis. If you imagine the shape of the old Ariel Arrow beam frame but as a trellis and .......well I'm sure you have it in mind.

I did re-read the Foale theory on raising the COG last night - and it makes even more sense. In the end it's all a bit laughable [ vertical COG that is ] with my 230lbs of solid bone and muscle [ I wish ] swilling around ABOVE the motor !

Have you noticed how much quicker the larger / taller GP and SB riders get their bikes from side to side through a chicane ? Ground clearance won't be a problem for me then - if only I had the balls to use it !
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

It's bloody freezing here - brass monkey weather, so - log fire a roaring, glass of Schnapps [ or 3 ] and reading Tony Foale / Vic Willoghby's book again.

here's a pic of the Bimota BM2 chassis - something along the lines I was thinking of.

Foale was an early advocate of the simple - "steering head to rear pivot main member and triangulate everything" theory. I have a feeling his backbone tube chassis' actually pre- dated Egli. But then , my 500 Triumph engined sprinter was built in 1964 ;) ! 3" top tube doubling as fuel tank.

Was this the Spondon you were thinking of Teazer? Suzi TL1000 version. Photo from Keith Noakes' book. Taglioni's factory Duke frame was very similar - or is that the other way round !! ;)

img034.jpg


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Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

john83 said:
My brother in law rides a K1200S and would probably shit a brick while crying "Sacrellige!" if he saw a beemer front end strapped to some other bike. I on the other hand applaud you sir. I cannot wait to see you cafe bike done and I hope to see this idea come to fruition as well.

It WILL happen John [ Special ] - I've just got to be patient as it will involve a lot of outsourcing of parts I can no longer do myself. I'm seeing my pal AC at the weekend for a Christmas - "let's set the World straight for next year" meeting to schedule the Scorpio Reverse Trike, TR1 Cafe Racer [ his ] V8 Jaguar C Type rep. and generally shoot the automotive breeze. Then is my best shot at playing my violin and suggesting more of his time for more of my time !
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

BC The Bimota is teh biz but I was thinking differently - more around teh motor above teh crankcase like this
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or like a Drixton but heavily adapted
groene_cafe_racer.jpg


or this one by Tony Foale
Aer01.jpg


It's a case of taking a print of the bike and getting the crayons/magic markers out and seeing what works. I like to think of that as Analogue Photoshop.
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

Analogue Photoshop .........I love it, I'm going to pinch that and use it shamelessly !!!

back to biz.

The next stage is to get the R1100S front end back this weekend and take a few measurements. "Forks" are quite adaptable in relation to length etc., and the wishbone is fortuitously wider that the widest point of the TR1 lump !

I will try to get the direct line from headstock to swingarm pivot, and then create something from there.

Basically there's so many variations on the Bimota / Harris / Spondon theme, and then when you throw in Nico Bakker, Seeley and others - your head starts spinning!

Looks like the Blower could also be on. Drive will have to be taken from the clutch side, but shouldn't be a major problem. If not, I've got a couple of spare Turbos.

Ah well - this is for next year once the Cafe Racer and Fighter are finished, I'll just have to satisfy myself with the planning stage for now - and collecting a few parts !
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

Happy days - the BMW Oilhead fork wishbone could have been made for the job. Just got back from AC's workshop and we had a mock up of the front forks, Telelever wishbone and associated bits. Knitting up a suitable frame is not going to be a problem, so I'll use the Christmas holiday downtime to fine tune some of the ideas swilling around in my brain.

Definitely a trellis type frame, or rather definitely NOT an Egli type top tube. I want to keep that area on top of the Vee free for blower / turbo.

The very good news is that my good old pal Adrian is impressed with my plans and has pretty well said he'll help out with in-house fab and machining.
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

I started to sort out my garage and trailer / store ready to move up to my shared hobby workshop.

While I was moving everything around I came across this BMW K1100 frame and offered it up to my new TR1 donor. Now imagine the frame with a few trellis rails a la Duke and the Oilhead Televever front end and we're getting somewhere.

With a few datum measurements taken, looks a definite possibilty and will be handy as I have a V5 [ chassis ident ] for the frame which will make it much simpler to legally put on the road.

Just need to suss a suitable alloy swingarm and the basics are all there.

Picture035.jpg
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

Whilst sorting out stuff ready to go to the workshop, I came across TWO Turbochargers I'd forgotten all about ! They came with an AlfaSud hill climber I bought [ 1100cc ] and is complete with management system, blow off valves and various pipes and manifolds. That sorts out the dilemma of Blown [ mech supercharger ] or Turbo I guess !!

Gathering a nice pile of goodies now, and at last some sort of directional plan / theme.
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

beachcomber said:
Whilst sorting out stuff ready to go to the workshop, I came across TWO Turbochargers I'd forgotten all about ! They came with an AlfaSud hill climber I bought [ 1100cc ] and is complete with management system, blow off valves and various pipes and manifolds. That sorts out the dilemma of Blown [ mech supercharger ] or Turbo I guess !!

Gathering a nice pile of goodies now, and at last some sort of directional plan / theme.

Pics or it didn't happen!!
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

makegooddecisions said:
Pics or it didn't happen!!

A picture is worth a 1000 words ........................ the recently discovered flight case with turbo goodies is just to the right of the BMW Kay Fighter, just in front of the TR1 and to the right of the Tesco shopping trolley with my soon to be fitted [ Fighter ] 4 pot caliper / 5 spoke wheel conversion and just under the Le Mans road sign !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With any luck whatsoever, the next pic in this garage will be of shelving and a TR1 with everything else up the new workshop.

I have room for about 5 bikes + other storage at the workshop and my plan is to have bays for 3 - 4 bikes to be worked on simultaneously.

Yes I KNOW - finish one thing at a time, but due to my funding arrangements I never know which part for which bike will come up next !

Trust me, when I've moved in and got back under way the pix will be flowing.

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Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

While my move is going on, I've had lots of time to sit and think / plot - not good.

The "Special" is wavering between a Special as you guys know it - and something along the lines of the Willow / MonsterCraftsman boardtracker 'ish style.

There's many pros and cons, my biggest concern with the modern "Special" style is my inability to carry out my own machining etc. - meaning I'd have to pay for it, and that's not a cheap option in the UK if you are short on helpful mates !

Either way, I have decided that the TR1 powerplant will be turbo'd and I've chosen a somewhat strange / unique layout for the turbo / carb [ Weber 40 DCOE ]. IF I go down this route, I already have a couple of suitable suck thro' Turbos [ IHI ] and a mate - just clearing his garage out - has found a couple of spare 40 DCOEs ! They're not complete, but they are FREE ;D

Realistically that leaves the major expenditure as the frame and Tank - I have everything else in stock ....wheels, forks, engine / ancilliaries.

There'll be the cost of the exhaust and intake plumbing, but that's about it other than paint and detailing.
 
Re: Beachcomber's TR1 - Special [ NOT Cafe Racer ]

makegooddecisions said:
Pics or it didn't happen!!

here's the first couple of items rescued from the depths of my garage - 2 x IHI RHB5 |Turbos, and the two 40 DCOE carbs that my pal gave me. I've just bid on a pair of 40's with scrap bodies to get all the prts I'm missing from these, covers, clips, etc., then I'll make one good carb from the lot and the best of the parts from the turbos to make one. There's another box of manifolds, braided hoses, Micro Dynamics ECU controller and parts I haven't even got to yet! I think there's pretty much everything I need now and I'll start designing the system proper in the next 4 weeks.

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