BEARUP machine

well,what can I say!

phuqin brilliant! i just kept shouting "y-y-e-e-s-s-s"

why aren't all bikes made like this?

I've a list of things that are better and only one thing that is neutral/poorer.

the bike is so light to steer! there are no vices - just gains.

you mostly notice how much better it is on the way up a rock or on the way down.

on the way up it doesn't take any effort to change direction, normally you wait to get to the top and then look to steer but it is feasable while on the face.

on the way down a rock ledge is even better. instead of that left/right/left twitch as you over compensate in a panic you just turn the bars....that simple.

stability wise it is every bit as good as before and on gentle downhill slopes in the ROAD I would slap the bars with my hands off and there wasn't a hint of wobble or weave.

another little trick was to ride up to a roundabout with the other riders in the group and keep 'feet up' not just down to 4mph but to 1 or 2 mph!

looking at holes and gaps in rocks you can go for them - it's never too late.

on the road section I felt that the bars didn't curve in enough as we went into tighter and tighter hairpins! Welsh backroads are often better than the green lanes and the green lanes are already sublime!

the only thing I became aware of that yopu need to watch is that with the handlebars 75mm away you tend to get stretched 'along' the bike when moving off? starting with your foot forwards will help but I'll see what I make of it when there isn't so much going on...I think you adjust.

so I am looking into changing the TCs to something like 12mm offset. it could be that 1mm less at 13mm would have been better than the 14s but we'll go for the two.

my biggest bugbear all weekend was the standard brembo front brake? I forgot just how crap it is!!! it is rubbish isn't it? oh you're all using it still- sorry!

so I need to rub down the paintwork around the offending leek
have the frame welded
get a narrower radiator made for part two of the project
cut out a fuel tank for my knees
buy some more 14mm offset clamps and then work out how to modify them
a different set of bars PLEASE!!! a set of SX replicas.
a new cone air filter
more changes to the forks now that we're back using them all the time!

the sidestand is an old SM item with a bit of frame 'diagonal' welded in but it is too long. it must be shortened.

I also had fuel spit out of the headstock while riding in a straight line at speed on the road AND with the fuel near only a 1/3rd left? this spit was from the auxillary tank pipes that breath up and around the handlebars three times before going down the headstock tube....very strange?

I need to weld the lovre mounts on as well - they have never been done. I ran it with a bare radiator

nissin front brake M/C fitted

get the electrics further sorted out
re-tighten the headstock bearings
spray the bike when I get it back from the welders
check the sags and dimensions as well as weight bias

I don't have a photo of the whole bike ready - sorry!


regards

Taffy

I know I need to send this mobile phone back for reapir but you know....how many other little jobs have I got to do!

so I've had some welding done around the fuel cap and sprayed this up and already it is leeking - damn! so aquick squirt of primer to protect it and I'm thinking of riding with the fuel lower down the spine of the frame fuel tank. but then why bother? I have the standard tank and the idea can wait right?

so I've disconnected this tank.

the inline fuel filter was too large anyway and was immediately looking full of some ugly stuff! it looked like the river mississippi!

the triple clamps I have bid for and got. they are new/unused but you can tell they are off a bike. ebay sales = liars as always!

I've cut a bit out of the sidestand after agreeing not to think I'm cleverer than Husaberg on this occasion so now it mimicks the OEM FE sidestand and that has a coat of primer on it as well.

the bracket had to be welded and supported into the right shape as this was the rael culprit. all good I hope but again - primared and no top coat...

each job I do is chipping the frigging paintwork as well and the petrol dripping out is doing the same.

for some reason the air filter cover is also leeking and I never tacked that! not my fault this time!

a Nissin M/C has been bought this week and fitted and the brake sensor for the tail light done at the same time.

my first ride was without louvres so these have been fitted - all new and do look good but sadly the yellow is OD'ing and its starting to ook like a phuqin banana.

the rad panels don't fit at present as the lower louvre holes are 20mm further forwards now. I'll ponder this but ride panel-less for now as that is how I have always ridden my Husaberg = no panels ) can't stand the width) but as I have 'some' form of public face to show I guess I must make the bike like "pretty" and take a photo of it some time soit can be rated on "prettiness"

the petrol tank is a better fit as I grind way more metal off the rear mounting pins and the rubbers and the tank slips down nicely now.

the trouble is, the carb hates the tank and I can't ever remember it being this bad before? the carb has to be canted over 5d to the left at the top and even that isn't enough. strange?

I've fitted a new cone air filter as the old one was 10 years old and fraying near the shock. it had been through hell on the dirt, a place it was never designed for but it MUST continue to work there while I work through the design.

a new rear tyre ahas been fitted and spokes tightened as well as the head stock bearings slightly tightened.

I'm going to weld my modified old gearlever up and use it as well soon, the one with the two stage tip so that it can be kicked up while sat down on the bottom (original) part and then when stood there is another bit on top but sticking a further 10mm out and this I get my foot under when stood. should be handy again that as I am definately leaning forwards at present.... more on this to follow.

I have fitted a new set of SX replica aftermarket bars and done new grips etc at the same time.

I've also lowered/leaned off the jetting.

sags and baances ned to be done so as conclucions can be drawn. luckily I have a few standard bikes here upon which to draw comparisons!

next ride report after the weekend.

regards

Taffy

some time in the future!

regards

Taffy

work continues on the BEARUP project machine!

I have had the triple clamps sent away and a set of steel cups are being made. the holes in the top and bottom yokes are being bored out considerably off-centre by 2mm and the steel cups pressed in. the bottom clamp from below and the top from above so that it all compresses up. also with round bushes it is numpty proof. they'll be here soon!

the bike has been back for yet more welding and this causes real problems because the bike's paint is really messed up. all I seem to do is get the bike back in time to primer the bare frame and then go for a ride for the weekend and then find I have twice as manyjobs as when I started! :furious:

this is the latest photo of the bike in the yard (below).

as you can see the thing is way too yellow now! this is a dummy run for the test seat, all I've done is sat it on the bike. unfortunately the seat got to me too late for the latest test run which was at a MX track called Easttrax near Kings Lynn.

the bike behaved superbly all day and we didn't change anything. we finally rode the bike with just the fuel in the frame and the nose of the seat taped down with duct tape and it was just s-o-o-o-o-o-o light!

anyway, I did some more work before and after to the forks working on the theory that the shim stacks are too strong at both ends and this seems to have worked. the forks are the best they have ever been!

my next ride was out to a green lane near Newport in Essex and there ther's a lane with high banks to the side, under the shade of the trees where you can ride a bike off the trail and like a trials bike. so I got my old favourite slim tank and filled it with that plumber's insulation foam. I let it set hard and then went and got the Bosch jigsaw out and started to slice it all up. the fact that the foam warmed up, went soft and then acted like a glue all over the frame should be ignored

so, started one Saturday morning to cut it up in little lumps, then more and more and below is what I finished with!

now I'm not saying that this is the basis of a fuel tank, for you to think that is yet another UHE misconception (a bit like the one where you all think: if it's pretty its a success and if it isn't then its rubbish!), what I am finding out is the outside parameters of the space we all need as we duck under trees, cower as we balance diagonally across a bank, lean forwards as we assail a hill etc. got it?

the bike rode like a ballarina, not that I've ridden a Ballerina, I mean I'd like to ride a Ballerina, but it rode like a Ballerina....all twinkle toes!

anyway, the regulator/rectifier has packed up since and now I have no lights, the sidestand has been welded and "re-arranged" I hope for the last time.

I have the radiator being welded as well but this seems to be being done by a numpty, the return questions are all wrong, well, everything is wrong I reckon but as nobody else is interested in it I must stick to the task.

the idea is to narrow the original radiator as the rider is going to sit quite a long way forwards and so the rad MUST be narrow. it will be very tall and only just miss the exhaust and the underside of the frame. at the same time I want the turning circle of a trials bike as well so i need lots of steering lock!

I'm beginning to realise as well that the vertical forks need a lighter fork spring and I no longer use up all the suspension - even on the roughest track. now I know I've stopped racing but this is something else?

regards

Taffy

Cheers Cypher!

I was in your neck of the woods two weeks ago during the RAC. CHIRK, Pontfadog etc.

I hope that that is all in hand Frazer. the petrol leeks appear to have been caught now but I'm relaying this story three months behind as an 'as it happens' story!

with the leeks stopped we can move forwards at least.

Huscan
it would be daft, plain daft to change the rake 5 degrees! maybe +2.5d and -2.5d from a given angle but not 5d from the correct angle. that would change the wheelbase by 4".

anon
anyway, the bike is perfect as is. I do have one regret and that is that I didn't lower the spine of the frame from the start. but I feel that to have overcome what?....... 10 things on a small budget isn't to be scoffed at and we still have miles to go.

I knew I would be judged on how "pretty" the bike was. I find it really really funny. I feel like a pretty bird being stared at at the disco and realise just how shallow people are.

instead of asking me how it handles people ask for photos......

sorry folks but I did say clearly at the beginning what you would be like and you haven't failed to disappoint me! they say this is one of the more eclectic sites but the maestros are disappointed with the students......

can we talk about gearing please? LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!

regards

Taffy

huscan said:

Canams' ingenious system is actually 6 degrees.


Useful for MX, Desert, flattrack, ice racing, roadracing or even trials Geometry.

I looked up the meaning of "daft" absurd, preposterous, ridiculous, ludicrous, farcical, laughable;
idiotic, stupid, foolish, silly, inane, fatuous, harebrained, cockamamie, half-baked, crazy, cockeyed

Click to expand...

29 degrees? jeez! 31 degrees????
and then they entered the ark 2 by 2 said Noah............

Nah! it can't work because we have learnt in the mean time that offset has to change with head angle.

IF and it is a BIG IF

"IF" they had had these cups and different offsets (somehow) then it could have worked. too many things changed at once. as the head angle changed so did the wheelbase and the weight distribution. that's phuqed up.

that's why nobody else did it. even today, nobody does it. it has to be micro-managed byt he manufacturer first and left for the idiots after they have bought it. we still manage to wreck their work - almost without trying.....

handling has moved on from a 70s mag that says you can do ice speedway, trials, MX, etc etc.

regards

Taffy

well I now have the radiator and have fitted it. what a pallava that was!

the guy that did it was....well useless!

he didn't follow instructions but luckily the boys at steelcraft have gone in behind him and sorted it. sorted it so it will fit and so I can try it!

basically the rad was too tall and wouldn't fit between the frame and over the exhaust headers?

here is the bottom view

just misses the headers now. could be made a little better for flow if it presents a problem?

the top view shows how close it is under the frame. it misses by 2mm


the rad inlet is touching the tank and will have to be dealt with. doesn't look much but I bet the interference is by 3mm or more but as both parties have flex it looks 'ok' from here. not good though!


cock ups multiply in this photo

the tank didn't go near enough to the frame to give the rad mounts support, the cap is Japanese style when I asked for european style.

however the fact that the rad just touches the forks on full lock is down to me. but when trying to design it I spent all my time getting the specialist to understand the functions of a rad! it reached a point where I just said do it!

you can't see it but the brackets were welded 7mm off centre so the rad is 14mm wider one side than the other. easily repairable though....

the brackets are 7mm wide - so he measured to the wrong edge of the brackets. I could take it back but he's a Londoner with attitude. he'd just screw me on some job cost technicality....

anyway, I'll be trying it in the next few days. still with the wrong cap on. still with the tank on and no attempt yet to use the 'fuel in the frame' etc yet. the lock will be just about passable.

we'll see how it goes.

regards

Taffy

this week I got back the triple clamps that have had the offset changed from 14mm down to 12mm.

the reason this all took so long is because I bought a set of "CNC milled 11-14mm offset clamps 125-530cc" and had them anodised a nice iceberg blue.

they looked perfect, I knew the offset I needed was at best 14mm nd at worst 11mm. THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER.

really? no.

disaster!

having bought and collected them, paid the extra for the bar clamping parts (so why advertise them separately then?) which the clamps were no good without anyway, I started to fit them up.

alas I got a shock when the wheel spindle shot through the right leg.

the phuqin things were for a supermoto and a 2014 onwards at that with the TC fork leg centres a further 10mm apart than the usual.

the advert was clearly wrong but in the end I settled on all my money back and just lost on the anodising. little business v big corperate - you have to back off.

anyway, I bought another set of second hand but 'new' unused 14mm yokes.

I noted that they came with a nice fat 30mm stem and went out to the shed to find one of the older stems (pre 2003) and noted that they were imperial in those days at 1" and 25.4mm in new money. Ah! this could be the bit of luck I was looking for!

the engineer was persuaded that the best way of altering clamps was to press in shouldered cups from the bottom of the bottom clamp and the top of the top clamp. the resulting pressure should keep everything tight. by making perfectly round holes the cups couldn't be put in the wrong way or half-cocked.

so the precision work was done by the CNC and holes bored forward "eccentrically". the result was 12mm offset clamps.

a reminder why I fitted them?
as I was turning into corners the bars weren't dropping in and around. I didn't notice at first but after I got used to them I noticed that i was pushing forwards on the top bar and pulling on the bottom bar!

this means more trail was needed.

anyway, last weekend was my first ride with the bars and they worked a treat. the slower and tighter the corner - the more the bars tip in. grip of course is excellent. the steering should be heavier, if it is - i haven't noticed it.

the forks work best with less than the normal rebound setting.

WHAT IS NEXT?
next is to get this extra narrow radiator made to fit better. it won't look much but it has to be functional and do it's job.

also, I am having problems moving my feet. don't laugh! after studying my feet, footrests, my habits etc I have drawn one or two conclusions.

feet need to be flat on both edges of a footrest. if they are on one edge, the cleats dig into the boot sole and the feet can't be turned in or out.

the answer is either going to be to move the footrests forwards or to tilt them forwards a few degrees? trouble is.....which?

also, with a look at the usaberg frame, you can see that to take a footrest forwards means also taking it downwards as well!

so if I weld the footrest hangers 40mm forwards and 40mm downwards then the rider has dropped down....that isn't what was wanted. so the cheap answer is to stack two pairs of footrests.

an extended brake hose hase been fitted (will have to market these) and at last the cable isn't a nuisance. a Nissin M/C was fitted at the same time.

on the fuel leek front well, the fuel last leeked into the back of my modified ignition module and all the compound (rubber silicon something?) fell out. this is currently being repaired and a standard I.M is back on the bike.

another problem has been the fuel tap off the frame, I've ended up using a peugeot scooter remote fuel lever and this works but we've had the under seat auxillary tank off and on so often that we overtightened it one day and had a petrol leek. this is now I hope patched up. frame tabs had to be bent to syncronise the tabe and the face of the plastic so they sat together flush.

not sure when I'm next out.

regards

Taffy

below is a photo of the right side of the much welded radiator.
note how the top tank is now vertical.

the rad cap was welded on in such a way as the two tangs are angled to avoid the arc of the forks.
the front rad mount is also designed to miss the arc of the fork turning. I'm looking for 'almost' trials type steering lock.

the rad isn't protected behind the downtube of the frame but not even mud is getting there thank goodness.



note the Husky rad louvres - one per side.
note that the gap to the inside of the rad shrouds would now be 60mm or more except that I have zip tied the bottom in a little

would have liked some vertically ribbed sides but it is what it is.


tight fit
the fork misses the cap by 1mm
misses the rad by 1mm
misses the mounting rubber by 2mm

cap pressure had to be lower or higher than the OEM Husey but I'm not too worried.

no leeks and and no whispers of vapour since I went to the Japanese system so all is good.

I could have done with even more lock, like stupid lock: just to see what can be done! but after spending £500 I have the rad I needed.

the split welding is
left: first tank
right: added tank
both tanks kinda then got the chop and lent backwards

the inlet fosset had to be slimmed right against the top left tank, then the rad could come back about 4mm.


now you can see the problem...
just 2mm between the bottom tank and the headers.

could end up welding around here sometime......

anyway, the fuel tank appears to have stopped leeking!
yep but don't hold your breath!

we are now having electrical troubles which I must sort first! on February 4-6th 2015 I'm doing the legendary Dragon Rally and riding from South-East Wales to the North-west Wales in a day and then back again on the Sunday.

I must have lights and a functioning bike!

this therefore isn't the time to finally go to the trials set-up but as soon as I get back - I will.

merry Christmas everyone and here's to a great 2015 for you all!

regards

Taffy