HD Sportster 1200C conversion to trike

[Andy from Sandy]

As I fit one of the wheel hubs and attach the disc I feel some play. I put the wheel on and now it is very apparent there is play in the bearing. I tell Cindy of yet another problem.


wheel hub as supplied

wheel hubs after 15 years of dirt removed

I fit the one on the other side and it has no play.

Another email to Steve but unlike the calipers we are not looking to have them assesed but would like to return them for a refund.

With that we find and order new ones.

Now the trike is standing up for itself so to speak I look to get the spacers for the differential set. Again as everything is covered in paint nothing is as it was during the mock up. That work was a waste of time and could of should of been left until now.

The top spacer that sets the alignment of the belt pulleys has actually worked out fine and after a few test spins of the pulleys the belt is running in the middle of the front pulley. A little further in than when it was a bike so that is good.

The one on the left hand end is now way too thick with me adding an additional 2mm to the overall length by moving the hanger to the end of the differential housing. being made of aluminium I can sand it down.

The bottom spacers need remaking. They are made of steel so I go and see my engineering man and get new ones made. I think this is the third go at this. If you force the bottom spacers in you are likely to rack the differential. Without the ring I had made for the belt pulley side forcing the bottom spacer in here could push the hanger into the pulley.

[Andy from Sandy]

I fit the handbrake lever and pillion peg...


DSCF1724 - handbrake mount

I put in the rear screw...

a bit of a gap.

lever and peg

The peg mounting bracket is touching the handbrake mount so I take a grinder to the handbrake mount to create some clearance.

I am told I should be appreciative of the solutions provided to the problems largely of Casarva's own making.

Half shafts fitted.


half shafts fitted

The brake calipers are fitted. The shoes over hang the disc. I have read it isn't a problem but it will be a slight reduction in braking efficiency.

After bleeding the brakes one of them is binding badly and I cannot turn the wheel.

I will leave it for now and wait until after I get the engine running.

Before fitting the exhausts I changed the exhaust port gaskets but I have not done it totally correct. These things are compressed steel wool and damage very easily. I have got some concerns over how they look but at £8 each I will hope they don't leak. The method of fitting in the manual uses the header to push them in and everyone else fits them first.

The way the trike is on stands the rear muffler is hitting the frame. Putting the wheel on and compressing the suspension the bottom wishbone clears the muffler. The trike will have to be jacked up carefully if the muffler is not to get hit.

Cindy sends an email of her concerns that on uneven pot holed roads the muffler may get hit. She is assured this won't happen. Well it has been noted.

The tank is on and connected up but the design is a secret for now.

All of the existing wiring is connected up. A new fully charged battery is installed. The maxi fuse is installed and I turn on the ignition.

The lights, indicators, hazards and horn all work as they should.

I turn on the run switch and the fuel pump primes. I press the starter button momentarily and the engine turns over. The fuel pump primes again.

I press the start button for only a short period and the engine bursts into life.

After filling the garage with exhaust fumes I kill the engine. It is raining so a trial run will have to wait for now.

Handbrake cable is fitted and adjusted. The cable as supplied needs to be cut down which is fine but when done the end needs careful cleaning and deburring. I didn't do this so when the outer is pulled away from the half shaft the inner jams. After cleaning up the end the cable now works.

I hope 2 cable ties is good enough for the MOT for securing the cable out of the rotating parts?

The mudguards are fitted with Silkasil SG-20. It is cold now and so will, according to the datasheet, take quite some time to fully cure. After that body repair aluminium mesh is stuck over the wing carriers with more SG-20.

Wiring of lights. I am using connectors. If this lot has to come off for a differential bearing change you will not be best pleased if you soldered it all in place.

Ready for weighing and MOT.

Sorry no pictures for now as Cindy wants to do a proper reveal soon.

[Andy from Sandy]

I now find the brake calipers are leaking from the bleed nipples. On closer inspection the plating has gone where it makes contact with the caliper. I buy new bleed nipples and it seems to of cured it. After a short test ride the calipers are leaking but I don't know from where.

The caliper that won't release properly is full of brake dust so something is a miss there.

On the basis of other parts that got returned for a refund Cindy sends an email about the fault and asks for a refund.

This is met with a rude and sarcastic reply. Steve will not tell us who the supplier is so I will do a search for something that looks similar.

They will need to be returned so that they can be sent to the supplier for testing.

Now these things cost arounf £35 so I can't see a supplier that must turn over hundreds of different caliers wasting time testing them but I have no choice.

I find that Audi A4 C5 calipers are much the same thing and the carriers for the same car look like what I have been supplied.

New calipers and carriers fitted and brakes bled.

There is brake fluid weeping from the banjo connectors. After checking what I can tighten the bolts to I tighten them a bit and then a bit more. One side is now good but the other isn't.

The surface on the caliper doesn't look so good so I flatten that off with fine paper.

After ordering copper crush washers find the manufacture wants aluminium ones to be used with their alloy banjo connectors so place an order for some of them as well.

I cannot get a socket and torque wrench in so remove the caliper to tighten the banjo bolt. The spec is 20 to 25 ft-lbs (27Nm to 33Nm). Using Newton Metres I set my torque wrench to 30. Once I start to tighten the bolt I feel afraid that it might snap. Once I get it all back together I am relieved that the leak has stopped.

After a few little bling bits and changes to the foot pegs the trike is finished.

It has passed its MOT and is now officially a trike, taxed and ready to go.

Pictures will follow soon.

The epilogue

I was accused of asking lots of repetitive and irrelevant questions and alot of other things beside. If you feel after spending £6000 you cannot ask as many questions as you like as many times as you like or criticise what has been supplied then I would suggest you don't go to Casarva. In one exchange of the many email exchanges with Steve he adds "Without prejudice" to the subject in his reply. Perhaps Casarva have had disgruntled customers who have threatened legal action?

It might make interesting reading to publish the email exchanges Cindy and I have had with Casarva and let the reader make up their own mind.

In summing up the kit is questionable, although the welding looks very good to a layman. The design is no good from a maintenance point of view to the differential.

I would suggest from my list above you find as many parts as you can as you will save quite a lot of money.

If you have the skill then getting the cradle square on your bike frame will not be an issue.

If you have the skill I will pop round and you can measure up and make the complete thing yourself!

If you want to convert a Sportster in the way I did then first change the engine mounts. If the cradle is then skewed like mine was atleast when Casarve do the remedial work you will be able to change the mounts if required.

Have the handbrake fittings added last so you know it will work first time.

With what I know now I wouldn't mind building another trike.

In my travels I have only seen one Casarva trike on the road. Since joining this forum I have only read of 2 having Casarva trikes. Where are all the people who have these things?

[Andy from Sandy]

[Deep Diver]

Looks good and a great paint job

[Andy from Sandy]

Thank you.

The painting was done by Sam Hubbard from AP Customs.

His work regularly wins awards.

Cindy wanted something that was not real if that makes sense. The peacocks could of been made to look lifelike.

[old git]

looking really great nice overall stance, paint top class, now just ride,ride,ride

[Andy from Sandy]

Thank you.

So far it has only been ridden to get its MOT.

Deep Diver mentioned it might need a steering damper but I don't know how to know if it does and it might also need the rake angle increasing to lighten the steering.

On my drive I did get some steering wobble but when I took it out to ride properly it didn't happen.

That is Cindy's plan. I get to ride solo now.

[Kawazuki]

Some observations, You are retired now - just imagine the frustration a working person would feel finding these 'faults' piecemeal over many months. The powder coaters should have masked machined surfaces, bearing surfaces, holes and threads - they should know better - a finish build fit should be no worse than a dry build fit - that's why you do it! Why is diff filled with grease? surely diff oil is what should be used? That skinny front wheel looks weird against the 'chunky' back end IMO? The handbrake thing is just plain daft, as you say EVERY hog has the pipes in the same place so why would you want to toast yourself - and why should you have to wear gloves!
Whilst I sympathise with the experience, I don't find it surprising. A big performance parts supplier I know well offers kits of products that will always require a degree of fettling and new products will ALWAYS be prototyped on a customers bike - and they pay for that privilege LOL! But the prototype is always done 'in-house' so the tweaks and the fettling isn't experienced by the punter and it works correctly when rolled out of the door - that is where this company has fallen down IMO + maybe your expectations were too exacting? Nothing ever fits brilliantly in niche market products in my experience - just too low volume to adapt as it could be a run of ............... one!

[old git]

yes i agree on the front wheel,i did extra work to fit wire wheels,but it is a mater of taste at the end of the day ,and should not take away from your sense of achievement.after all you fought to the end and won.well done i am still sorting out niggles on mine but enjoying every Minuit .