Might I be the only one who thinks the NE5 could benefit from increased rake?

[KilroyCD]

I've been doing some thinking, pondering the overall look of the NE5 versus vintage Whizzers. Despite the obvious differences, one thing struck me, and it is the rake of the front fork. Many of the vintage Whizzers seem to have a bit greater rake to their forks. I think the NE5 (and WC-1) would look better if the front fork had a bit more rake, maybe no more than two inches or so greater than the current set up. I think the different geometry would not only make it look better, but the longer wheelbase may also slightly improve the ride quality. Unfortunately there is no quick solution to this other than retrofitting a Schwinn-style springer (which would open up a whole set of challenges to hide the front of the wiring harness).
Wouldn't it be great if someone came up with an aftermarket steering tube with modified top and bottom plates for the Whizzer to give it more rake? (Hint, hint, Quenton )

 

[ren]

Unfortunately there is no quick solution to this other than retrofitting a Schwinn-style springer (which would open up a whole set of challenges to hide the front of the wiring harness).
Wouldn't it be great if someone came up with an aftermarket steering tube with modified top and bottom plates for the Whizzer to give it more rake? (Hint, hint, Quenton )[/QUOTE]

I find this very interesting. I've made preperations in hopes some day I could find a springer I liked and was durable enough. If you look at the pictures of my Whizzer you will see a leather tool bag behind the headlight and a leather Whizzer electrical cover under the fuel tank. The tool bag isn't for tools, it has my wiring run into it nice and neat from the back side, and what isn't in the tool bag is hidden by the Whizzer leather electral cover under the tank. There is the ability to move the tool bag (up, down, in, out) for the installation of a springer. Wishful thinking? Hope not.

Randy

 

[Hal the Elder]

Yeah! Increase the Rake!

An increased Rake would also increase the Caster, making it more "self-steering".

To add to that "Kustom '50's" look that I really relate to, I would also have Bobbed Fenders, Riser Bars (like the ones I'm lookin' for), and a Louder Muffler than the Hi-Flow.

VINTAGE HAL

 

[alberndt]

Gentlemen, regarding the rake of the front end, I have a late 40's Schwinn WZ frame Whizzer and yes it has more rake than the 2 "newer" schwinn springer front bicycles that I have had. I have also measured it against the NE5 and my frame sits lower, is a little longer, overall length of the bicycle. When I mounted the Whizzer motor company kick stand on it, hard corners caused it to almost touch the ground, I took it off and went to the drop down stand mounted from the rear wheel.
As a side note, I put a new NE5 engine on it and absolutely from day one have had no problems at all, no oil out breather, no hard starting, no nothing with over 700 miles. Now knock on wood, if it all goes to **** I fix or buy another, more money than brains.

alberndt

 

[Quenton Guenther]

Hi KilroyCD,

Would you believe I just got off the phone, and the discussion was about.......you guessed it, a special [very special] re-designed front fork, and plans to have it made in America [remember the job we save might be yours]if possible. During a lot of recent talks with American companies we are finding a lot of really nice hard working companies are willing to cut their prophit margins to keep busy. In several cases we had American companies bidding on the same job and the good old "free enterprise" system won the day. In fact in one case we accepted 3 bids on the same manufacturing project and one bid was 50% of the other 2.

Have fun,

 

[srdavo]

Wouldn't it be great if someone came up with an aftermarket steering tube with modified top and bottom plates for the Whizzer to give it more rake? (Hint, hint, Quenton )

Have you looked at the Schwinn OCC Stingray fork?
that is exactly how their tripletrees are put together.

 

[Quenton Guenther]

Hi srdavo, It looks like they extended the bottom plate and simply tilted the top tree. If a similar system were used on a Whizzer I would think it would need to be thicker to handle the extra fork weight, and the additional weight of the motor. Do you know the O.D. of the Schwinn fork tubes? Might be interesting to campare.

Have fun,

 

[srdavo]

It looks like they extended the bottom plate and simply tilted the top tree.

That's exactly what they did.

Do you know the O.D. of the Schwinn fork tubes?

nope...... lots of OCC motor bikes here...someone will chime in.

 

[Hal the Elder]

Hey Dave:

As a matter of historical interest, the phrase: "It's Crackers To Slip A Rozzer The Dropsy In Snide" was never attributed to any author.

I first saw this phrase in a 1950's or 1960's issue of MAD Magazine, and only when I included it in one of my MotoredBike posts did I give it a fictitious author: "Sgt. Rundquist".

Maybe it was Alfred E. Newman who said it, or Melvin Furd!

HAL

 

[srdavo]

Hal,
Thanks for clearing that up for me.