Finally getting round to putting my years worth of trike knowledge on here.
In December last year I finally let my hankering get the better of me and went and bought the first trike I went to see. Mistake No1
Anyway, trailered it home after deciding to dispose of the rear seat and change it into a 2 seater.
The limited local riding I did, showed up a couple of interesting points - the rear brakes were non existent, the front one was poor, the head wobbled at slow speeds unless held on to firmly.
Also, purely an observational thing for someone who never tricked before - cornering was very different, and took a while to get used to, especially on off camber bends!
Well after cutting off the seat, I started checking out the frame. It had been welded, numerous times ( not places) to the axle. The decision to remove the bench also came with a desire to shorten it somewhat - 300mm looked about right.
After hours spent cutting welds and welds off the axle, I realized the axle was actually bent! This was probably because the mountings were too close to the middle.
So I decided to lop the axle tubes and remake the axle with an offset.
This was the state of one of the shafts:
Welded box to the new tubes:
Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
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Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
Last edited by minimutly on Thu Nov 06, 2014 11:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Willgofar
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Re: Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
Nice tube conversion Minimutly. don't panic too much with the wobble at slow speed. this can be easily resolved with a flat profile front tyre. wider bars. and if need be a steering damper. your axle conversion may resolve the problem. (that also affects the handling).
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Re: Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
Split box welded to the tubes for mounting to frame:
One of the knackered shaft ends, meant I went looking for another axle:
I scrapped the backplanes, bought some new mini ones. They were crap, remade pattern, the shoes weren't in line:
This was the fix:
One of the knackered shaft ends, meant I went looking for another axle:
I scrapped the backplanes, bought some new mini ones. They were crap, remade pattern, the shoes weren't in line:
This was the fix:
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Re: Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
The master cylinder originally fitted was a horizontal which didn't look right (or work either, too long a lever, plus the wheel cylinders were too small - actually they were a different size each side).
So I made this to fit inside the frame:
And here it is in the frame:
Frame shots to follow, plus some stuff on how to safely fit 100mm wheels to reliant hubs
So I made this to fit inside the frame:
And here it is in the frame:
Frame shots to follow, plus some stuff on how to safely fit 100mm wheels to reliant hubs
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Re: Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
Shortened back end (I cut everything off from the main frame hoop back), new seat rails needed - what a job that was
Messy shot of the frame withe new king and queen seat, this was before the final axle mount frame was made
Ooo, and before I threw away the master cylinder:
Messy shot of the frame withe new king and queen seat, this was before the final axle mount frame was made
Ooo, and before I threw away the master cylinder:
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Re: Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
I didn't think much of the reliant drums, one was knackered anyway. So I decided to fit some metro drums I had lying around. This isn't that easy, the internal locating diameter needed opening up, which meant clocking up in the 4 jaw chuck, the flange face, being thicker, is stronger, and since I didn't want the extra width I decided to reduce it - more clocking up.
Once done, the drums were bolted to the drive flanges with two bolts and redrilled inwards to change 4 inch to 100mm. Really, this was the easiest bit.
This is countersinking the new holes for the 12mm rover studs:
The completed hubs, no more bent studs here:
More to follow,
Huw
Once done, the drums were bolted to the drive flanges with two bolts and redrilled inwards to change 4 inch to 100mm. Really, this was the easiest bit.
This is countersinking the new holes for the 12mm rover studs:
The completed hubs, no more bent studs here:
More to follow,
Huw
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Re: Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
Early frame construction. I originally thought this would be all that was required, however, I soon realized the whole frame was twisting when I was leaning on the handlebars - this, as well as being unacceptable, was probably contributing to the head shake I experienced when I tested it.(the original frame was less stiff than the new one by quite a bit I'd say).
Frame unbraced:
I've since substantially braced the new back end, as well as the main hoop where the air box used to be and the front behind the exhaust headers.
Without turning it into a Ducati look alike it would seem to be it. Certainly it feels a lot stiffer, and the lengthways flex it used to have is now almost all gone.
There's always stuff to learn isn't there, the next trike I build will have new tubes in seamless inch and a quarter, and I already have a downer bike and jig to build it on.
Huw
Frame unbraced:
I've since substantially braced the new back end, as well as the main hoop where the air box used to be and the front behind the exhaust headers.
Without turning it into a Ducati look alike it would seem to be it. Certainly it feels a lot stiffer, and the lengthways flex it used to have is now almost all gone.
There's always stuff to learn isn't there, the next trike I build will have new tubes in seamless inch and a quarter, and I already have a downer bike and jig to build it on.
Huw
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Re: Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
Urm....Eeeeek, what a mess !!!
Well done for sorting out what was obviously something that a blind man with a yellow dog nailed together. If you get time and the inclination, some bracing plates twix tube and flat plate would would help make everything a lot stronger and stop the dreaded flex dead in it's tracks. Plus if you drill them out they look trick as well.
Well done for sorting out what was obviously something that a blind man with a yellow dog nailed together. If you get time and the inclination, some bracing plates twix tube and flat plate would would help make everything a lot stronger and stop the dreaded flex dead in it's tracks. Plus if you drill them out they look trick as well.
This nation wasn't given to our forefathers, it was wrought over a 1000 years of bloody war and the efforts of those who came before.
Let it not be us who bears the sin, of giving it away to the enemy within.
Let it not be us who bears the sin, of giving it away to the enemy within.
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Re: Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
Nice work mini as rik says brace plates its good to put PICKYS up as others can scan over see what's missed also jogs your memory not to forget to do some thing .I missed one on mine rik spotted it strait away keep the PICKYS coming
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Re: Kawasaki gt750 hard tail
good job done there. another trike been saved and inproved