My next project - Tadpole Trike

[Dockspa1]

That looks like it would kill my metal back getting in and out but I bet after you give it that extra 4", it will make a big difference. The way I would have to get into it now, would be to back up and fall in. Ha Ha! I think you are cutting yourself a little short there Van. You not only had the guts to start cutting up a brand new recumbant but you brought it to the table step by step including all the photos. That in itself is alot more detail than a lot of the builds here.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Zomby Builder]

Stretch

Hey Van that looks like you will have a better chain path if you can move the motor back 4 inches too. Shorter chains are less prone to noise & will have more clearance over the frame. Also will stretch less.

 

[Alaskavan]

Doc, it is a little tricky getting in and out. And yes, before the fairing, backing up and falling into it describes it pretty well. But, ahhh, it's soo comfortable once you're in.
Zomby, yes, I think it did improve the chain path.

I got some time to work on the trike this afternoon. I looked around, and was lucky enough to find a piece of 1/4" plate aluminum. It's not 6061, but it should do. It was some work to cut it.




I also moved the seat braces to the top of the seat rails. It's amazing how much more room this gave me around the engine.






Unfortunately, the trike is too wide for the passenger seat configuration that I had planned. I'll just have to wait and see how it evolves. (The trike is building itself, eh Rif?)

 

[Papasaun]

Awesome Van, just Awesome. But I gotta disagree with you, That is one heck of a work of art! And it will NOT take a back seat to any other builder on this site. Workmanship counts right up there with creativity, and you got it going on. The Vision to adapt that engine to that frame is also considered, creativity, I love it (even if its too close to the ground for this old guy to climb out of)!
If its building itself then,,, keep giving it what it wants cause its looking great.

Papa

 

[gone_fishin]

i'm dyin' here, she's beeyooteefool!!!

 

[Torques]

Awesome Van, just Awesome. But I gotta disagree with you, That is one heck of a work of art! And it will NOT take a back seat to any other builder on this site. Workmanship counts right up there with creativity, and you got it going on. The Vision to adapt that engine to that frame is also considered, creativity, I love it (even if its too close to the ground for this old guy to climb out of)!
If its building itself then,,, keep giving it what it wants cause its looking great.

Papa

Affirmative.

 

[mickey]

i'm dyin' here, she's beeyooteefool!!!

Word. Its like a fantasy rocket sled.

 

[Large Filipino]

You know we probably ALL were here thinking "Dang. Van's gonna have to call in that aluminum welder again" to move your engine back. And you got the extremely simple idea to just add a plate.
That,my friend,is genious.
I'm with Papa on this. Your bike brings tears,man.

...you planning on putting that seat above your engine sitting on those two poles,huh.
What a view that would be!

 

[Alaskavan]

Access and Egress

Well, I didn't get much accomplished today. It took forever to get a chain tensioner on there. I'm not satisfied with it, but it's enough for now. I also moved the seat braces again. The passenger seat is back in the plan. I need to wait 'till the suspension seat post gets here, so I can pick a donor bike frame with the right diameter seat tube.


When I got tired of working on the tensioner, I looked at this. It's actually more convoluted in person, and I'm allergic to electricity.


So instead, Remembering Doc's comment about getting into, and out of the trike, I added a little something to make that easier.

 

[azbill]

nice way to do the tilt !!!
this bike just keeps getting cooler