Fairings? Enclosures? Lights?

Slidaulth

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Okay, everything is kinda old on here. Lots of posts from before 2008, with regards to much of this and I see lots of short (3-4 responses) threads with no follow ups.

I am interested in a few things.

Newer information for light systems (preferably with turn signals and brake lights) that would run off either the white wire or a combination of the white wire, sidewall generator and a charging system to feed through a battery/line conditioner. There has to be something out there that would make a good system.

Also, fairings. Is this even the word I am looking for. I am thinking how cool it would look to have some sort of plastics product that covers/conceals the motor (maybe adding a layer of sound dampening) without blocking all the locking options for the bike. Something for the main body of the bicycle, maybe even something that goes from front fork tube to rear derailers. Something designed to allow air flow into the engine for cooling and exhaust maybe with some added benefit of ducting the air more efficiently. Just some thoughts. Anyone else thinking about this, has a link to any specific photos in the gallery?
 
There has been a whole lot of discussion of lights/power issues for MB's here. Perhaps the primary reason that relatively few threads go very long is the nature of the hobby - every build (nearly) is in some ways unique, and certainly every builder is. Thus, unlike modding cars or motorcycles produced in large numbers, instead we have literally thousands of prototype applications. Simply put, there is no one good answer, nor do I think it likely that such will ever appear.

Face it - the reality of this forum is that we have hundreds of folks spread across nearly the entire planet, with extreme diversity of resources and legal codes to deal with, a range of skills from utter neophytes who aren't sure what a screwdriver is and how it works to professionals who could teach graduate level course in mechanical engineering (at least as applied to bicycles). There are NO set answers to almost any of the questions you might raise.

As far as fairings go, they don't really get much discussion, because of one basic fact - they are a true pain in the arse to implement for prototype vehicles - and every one of these MB's is a prototype!
 
lights and fairings

I have been using a double halogen forty watt headlight on my bicycle and plan to put it on my motorbike when I get it up and around. It uses nickel hydride batteries that I can set up to recharge over night. It will work for over two hours and give a very strong output. I think that if you choose to use the white wire you are in for some grief because you are taking power from the spark part of the system and you cant generate that much light from such a small output.(the new L.E.D.s might do it but I don't know.)

As for a fairing I used to use one each year on my old "rain bike" It was made by a company called Zipper. It was supposed to lower my air drag, but I know that it kept my hands warm and dry and a good portion of my upper body in a lot better shape. It came with mounts for a dropped handle bar, so I will have to find another mount for my motor bicycle.
 
Fairings can be made using fiberglass cloth and resin cast over a foam form. Rigid building insulation is readily available in a variety of thicknesses and is an excellent form material. The foam dissolves in acetone and is easily removed from the fiberglass when finished. Here is a picture of one under construction.
 

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I have seen the topic of turn signals for bicycles brought up on several different bicycle forums (mostly non-motorized) and the same conclusion reached each time was that there were no really good ones already made. You would need to make your own.

There's a couple of very small & cheap bicycle turn-signal lights ($25) that turn up in Amazon searches but they're not particularly impressive. Many people particularly want something that is bright enough to work well in daylight--and there's nothing like that I've ever seen.

Also some place made a bicycle brake light that worked kinda neat--it had a weighted pendulum-activated switch in it. So the force from stopping would cause the brake light to light up. On the other hand,,, it would not stay lit after you stopped..... only the ones that worked by hooking to a brake lever would do that, but they were a lot more complicated to install.
~
 
The ebike builders are more into fairings than gassers. You might post a fairing thread in the electric subforum.
I have seen simple mini fairings made from dirt motorcycle fenders. They drill holes in them for flashlights to shine through. Looks a little like headlights in a Ducati or Sachs Madass.
I saw a full fairing made from sheet metal on an ebike site.
Some members take the tank and seat from a small cafe racer and mount them on their motorbike. Cafe racers don't have full fairings, but look speedy with the small, fastback seat.
Sounds like you can lay up fiberglass, hammer sheet metal or adapt something existing from another type of machine.
 
I have seen the topic of turn signals for bicycles brought up on several different bicycle forums (mostly non-motorized) and the same conclusion reached each time was that there were no really good ones already made. You would need to make your own.

I got gifted a 25 or so year old set of blinkers, and the problem I have with them is this.

They run off an 8 D-cell battery pack, and they're basically trailer lights, and if you know how trailer light bulbs plug in...

The motor's vibrations are enough to make them look like I have a blown fuse when I hit the blinker, and half the time they don't even kick on.

I'm thinking about using it's framework and replacing with LEDs soldered in, dunno how well that'll hold up though. Worth a shot!
 
I got gifted a 25 or so year old set of blinkers, and the problem I have with them is this.

They run off an 8 D-cell battery pack, and they're basically trailer lights, and if you know how trailer light bulbs plug in...

The motor's vibrations are enough to make them look like I have a blown fuse when I hit the blinker, and half the time they don't even kick on.

I'm thinking about using it's framework and replacing with LEDs soldered in, dunno how well that'll hold up though. Worth a shot!
The LEDs would work great, as far as I know. The main question I would have is if one rides in conditions where such a thing would be useful.

I could see it if maybe you rode in big-city/urban traffic a lot, especially at night. Everywhere else I'd think just pointing with your hand on that side would be about as effective.
~
 
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