Thanks Nick. I'm so lucky to have a brilliant foundry near me.. I've started designing the engine cases for an 850cc bevel drive, four valve single, with a Supermono type dummy rod, It looks a bit like a Manx engine.
This thread is right up a lot of our streets, thanks for posting from me. Your love of the marque is obvious and I hope the finished product gets massive media attention. Have you had any thoughts of approximate wheelbase yet?
Thanks Chris, It's a bit of a Marmite project, I think folks either love the engineering side of it or hate the concept that it actually will not ride nearly as well as a regular motorcycles. Out of pride and the fact I'm rather disparaging of the HD brand, I'd like to keep the wheel base shorter than a big Harley - 1625-1650mm and if possible the weight - <700lbs but the weight of all the castings is starting to add up!
Ignore any disparaging remarks, the weight, geometry, wheelbase, etc don't matter. On this or any other forum when someone says they've built their own bike it normally means a race can and some stickers. This is totally different. Build the bike you want to build, but just complete it and ride it, don't let all that thought and effort go to waste. And remember, no-one's expecting you to create a world-beater. Honda poured millions into the CX500...
very beautiful work Chris. I've just been on the site, and coming from a bespoke vehicle background myself, I totally agree with figaro, if anyone criticises or starts banging on about statistics then they just missed the point of bikes like yours entirely. And this is proper special building- taking unknown quantities and making them work together, and thinking what if. Once again, lovely work!
Thanks for the kind words. I've redrawn the frame and this is what the bike will look like. The wheelbase is 1665 and rake of 28 degrees. I could have pulled the rake in and shortened the swing arm but I think this would make it even less rideable.
I think you have the proportions pretty good considering what you are working with - I would question the rigidity of the frame. Any chance you could brace the headstock top rails on to the front of the engine? The tank / seat unit shape will be critical but it has the potential to look fab, love the build
You're correct, there are a few anchor points available in front of the carbs that I plan on bolting to. I'll make the seat subframe bolt on also. I stuck a TZ750 seat on there because I had a 3D model on hand but I will make something bigger to hold fuel. It's getting exciting now because it will start looking like a bike soon. I'm thinking old MV for the bodywork.
I've not had the engine I'm using running but I've heard them run, they're unusual because they have and odd-fire sequence that consists of two banks of 120 degree firing cylinders but the banks are at 90 degrees, bit like two laverda jotas running out of phase There's one running on my website page: Crossbreed Cycles - Maserati V6 - latest project
No more CAD, I don't enjoy doing it but it's a means to an end. Full steam ahead with the engineering, I'm taking a week off work to make the frame. I've managed to trim the wheelbase to 1640mm
