A Kiwi build from scratch

You Kiwis seem to have knack for doing some pretty amazing work at home without resorting to buying everything you need and simply assembling it. This will be one of a kind for sure...Bravo Zulu and keep it coming!

noice work BUT what is the reasoning having the swinger pivot so far back from the c/s spocket ? you could have it a lot closer,what you have now is going to give some pretty serious chain slack/jacking issues

xb33bsa said:

noice work BUT what is the reasoning having the swinger pivot so far back from the c/s spocket ? you could have it a lot closer,what you have now is going to give some pretty serious chain slack/jacking issues

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thanks, but that is as close as you can possibly get it. the primary case on the other side is rather large and that is your limiting factor!! I made the cradle for the pivot as small as possible and mounted it as close as I dear as not to have the motor rock into it. Will take a snap from the other side to give you a clearer view.

goldy said:

You Kiwis seem to have knack for doing some pretty amazing work at home without resorting to buying everything you need and simply assembling it. This will be one of a kind for sure...Bravo Zulu and keep it coming!

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Thanks goldy, not to shabby for a dentist! There is nothing currently on the market that I want. I have an idea in my head that I am running with, the new Norton is at the top of my list, but I really want to run a V Twin. I looked at all different types of engine, and kept coming back to the Harley. So cant buy it, better get with the doing and make it! I have to say goldy, what a collection of scooters you have, very nice in deed sir!!

xb33bsa said:

noice work BUT what is the reasoning having the swinger pivot so far back from the c/s spocket ? you could have it a lot closer,what you have now is going to give some pretty serious chain slack/jacking issues

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here in lies the problem of clearance

i see with the outboared location it is already close,carry on its gonna be great !!

Finally got it bolted, placed, strapped chocked together. The first time everything in its place, not 100% happy with the front, and the length is sneaking out again :-\. So, keep on with this style, or break the front down and shorten it up a bit more. Could only see losing about 10-15mm tops though. Will have a think before I go pulling it down.

the way that swinger is narrow up front it could be shoved forward quite a bit .it would require of course an inboard location of the left side swinger spindle locating boss

xb33bsa said:

the way that swinger is narrow up front it could be shoved forward quite a bit .it would require of course an inboard location of the left side swinger spindle locating boss

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Have looked into this, was going to make a bracket that would in fact be the rear engine mount and swingarm pivot all in one. That was until the swingarm turned up and started doing some measurements and calculations. It could go forward, but the only way of doing it would be to machine the surface of the engine case flat, weld a alloy spigot into it and then tap it out to size. If you didn't do this, and plated it instead and then tapped into that to take the swingarm bolt, you would in fact push the swingarm out a minimum of 15mm, possibly 20mm to the right, and then you run into the problem of chain alignment, because this arm is designed to be bolted onto the side case, but has all ready had previsions to do this, so then you need to reduce the size of the pivot on the swingarm, and now the hole is getting deeper and deeper. The only way to move this any further forward that I can see is to in fact go and purchase a Buell engine, which I don't think is going to happen. I have to make do with what is there and work around the issues I encounter. I have a few people that are interested to see the final product, and may look at getting a frame. I need to try and make this as easy as possible.
The chain slack problem I have thought about,this is why I am looking at running a 19 or 20 tooth sprocket, not a normal 17 or 18 on a 530 O-ring chain, this will hopefully remove some of the draw from the chain in relation to the length of the fulcrum from sprocket to pivot. Only one way to find out, but I think it should be OK

this one's got a forward and inboard lh pivot: http://www.bikeexif.com/dp-customs

can't you move the front wheel back a bit more? as long as the wheel doesn't hit anything at full compression there's no need to have it any further forward than that requires.

brad black said:

this one's got a forward and inboard lh pivot: http://www.bikeexif.com/dp-customs

can't you move the front wheel back a bit more? as long as the wheel doesn't hit anything at full compression there's no need to have it any further forward than that requires.

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thats a nice bit of work on that. I was trying to not cut the swingarm up at the front, and to get this up that close, this is what you would have to do. the front is allready at 23.5 deg, the head stock cant be pulled in any further. might have to re look at the complete thing again.

Well after a couple of nights to think on it, here is the result. Back to square one, but I have a new plan, and will see how this one pans out. Time for some new bearings for a start

carry pn then but you need larger dia tube for the frame this time as well....

My first reaction to that swingarm was why is the pivot so narrow and after looking at the chaincase I see why. Seems to me sitting 10,000 miles away that the trick is to change the frame on the left side so that it is way narrow at the rear to allow the pivot point to fit inboard of the chaincase.

xb33bsa said:

carry pn then but you need larger dia tube for the frame this time as well....

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will do, just what was lying around, and this is why I didn't want to buy anymore at this point. what size do you make your frames out of?

My dad allays used to say, "if it was easy, everybody would do it ". So pulled the frame apart, going to utilize a more 'common' approach with the frame design, so version 3.2 on the drawing board now. Have an idea for a new swing arm pivot, ordered some new bearings off Amazon, so will have to wait for these to turn up before I can start on that end of it. Pulled the front head stock in 15mm to start, and should be able to get another 5-10mm out of it, new swing arm pivot should be good for at least 50mm reduction, so heading in the right direction I think with an overall length reduction in the area of 75mm. Half the fun is in the build !!!

I really hope this works

you just milled away the majority of the thicker cross section which was thicker to be stronger to take lodes :-\ do you tram the head on your mill regularly ?

xb33bsa said:

you just milled away the majority of the thicker cross section which was thicker to be stronger to take lodes :-\ do you tram the head on your mill regularly ?

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When I was setting up the swingarm last night, I was talking with a friend of mine about it. I said ‘I guarantee as soon as I post pictures of this there is a guy on the forum that will say you just cut away all the strength out of your swingarm and then throw in a engineers terminology to justify his statement’. I’m two from two!!
Also, a lode is a deposit of metalliferous ore, I do believe you mean load, with an A.
Thanks,

Well been a bit busy with work and the family, so haven't had much spare time to tinker. Have machined some new spigots/sleeves what ever you want to call them, installed some new needle roller bearings (x2) inside the arm plus the original Buell bearing on the other side. Still need to finish machining these down to take the 18mm pivot bolt, but you get the idea of what I am doing. once I get all this machined down to fit, I will build a cage around this and bolt to the back of the engine and incorporate the rear engine mount here too. this should make this nice and short, so should address a number of my issues