suspended leaning trike

[mickal1025]

weight update

How much does it weigh?

now its 68 lbs back and 64 lbs each front so 196 lbs no rider. thats heavier than i thought. with me on it. 101 lbs back and 165 lbs each front for a grand total 431 lbs. no windshield yet and no cargo box.

 

[mickal1025]

i removed my control arm and made and installed a longer one then took it for a test ride. its better but not good enough. now i am thinking of getting a steering box of some kind that will let me gain a mechanical advantage. ideas anyone?

 

[mickal1025]

put some bar ends on the outriggers and beafed up a couple of the idlers. need to get a couple of cogs for the idlers so i can't put the front peddle chain back on yet but took it for a ride anyway. better but still not satisfied

 

[mickal1025]

rack and pinion idea

if i mount a rack and pinion box on one side of my trike (as pictured) to control the lean, will i gain the leverage i want? the brake-throttle controle would likely have to be moved to the r&p steer lever(not steering wheel). opinions?

 

[mickal1025]

or maybe a home made solution. (see pic) a day or 2 of spare time but nearly free. i've got steel for bracket, extra drive chain, control lever but will have to look for a chain cog. i'm thinking this will dirty up the look of the trike but i'm more interested in function and usability. i think with the right sized cog this may be a very good fix. comments please. stop me if you see a flaw.

 

[AussieJester]

i'd guess about 145-150 lbs i can lift it but its a grunt. what i need is a bathroom scale to put under each wheel or take it to the city dump were they have a drive on scale. it won't matter unless the motor breaks down away from home.

Would have to weigh more than 150lb suuuurely, my trike is 165lb and not nearly as much metal in it...?!@?#!?

Been meaning to ask also, what was the reason behind making the rear so long, in particular the section from the rear shock mount to the front of the egine? The way im looking at it the weight of the engine is a far whack along the rear 'swing arm' which isn't reeeeally the optimal setup suspension wise. If the motor was moved closer to the pivot it would greatly improve the suspension i think?

Nice job either way mate, sorry to read the steering isn't right as yet, best of luck with rectifying this though, im sure your next run will be much improved also...I Look foward to video of the trike in action too mate ;-)

KiM

 

[mickal1025]

Would have to weigh more than 150lb suuuurely, my trike is 165lb and not nearly as much metal in it...?!@?#!?

Been meaning to ask also, what was the reason behind making the rear so long, in particular the section from the rear shock mount to the front of the egine? The way im looking at it the weight of the engine is a far whack along the rear 'swing arm' which isn't reeeeally the optimal setup suspension wise. If the motor was moved closer to the pivot it would greatly improve the suspension i think?

Nice job either way mate, sorry to read the steering isn't right as yet, best of luck with rectifying this though, im sure your next run will be much improved also...I Look foward to video of the trike in action too mate ;-)

KiM

hey Aussie, you missed the post at the top of this page its 198 lbs now, if setting the bathroom scale under each wheel (one at a time) is at all accurate. are you saying i should have removed the extra 7" between the motor and shock mount? or that the motor should be below the swing arm?your likely right (i'm no engineer) but at the time i was more worried about my peddle chain line, it has to run through the swing arm to keep the chain from changing length with suspention travel. thanks for posting, i was begining to think no one ever would. the camera will do a short video if i can get someone to follow me.

 

[AussieJester]

. are you saying i should have removed the extra 7" between the motor and shock mount?

Exactly, the less unsprung weight on suspension the more effective it will work, removing that 7inches would move the engine closer to the pivot point thus reducing the unsprung weight on the rear...your turning radius would be reduced too... It's no biggy really its a road going bike not a downhill race bike i was just curious is all i thought you may have had something planned for the space there

KiM

 

[mickal1025]

Exactly, the less unsprung weight on suspension the more effective it will work, removing that 7inches would move the engine closer to the pivot point thus reducing the unsprung weight on the rear...your turning radius would be reduced too... It's no biggy really its a road going bike not a downhill race bike i was just curious is all i thought you may have had something planned for the space there

KiM

no plans for the space unless i put my cargo area there. shorter turning radius would be nice. maybe i should put some miles on it before i get to crazy with the changes. so far i have not rode it where i plan to ride it the most, thats on back steets and back roads to get me back and forth to work. but if i can't corner as quick as a car i wont be happy.

 

[Alaskavan]

Don't be thinking that no body's following this thread, just because we don't constantly jump in. You're working in uncharted territory (for me at least) and I don't want to clutter the thread with suggestions which are not based on any personal experience. You PM'd me asking a bit about the engine, that's something I know a little about: I would change the oil after the first ride, again after a few rides, and then I would taper off the frequency of changes. Look at the old oil when you change it. Once there are no flecks of metal in it, I think you can relax a bit. But do remember that these things don't have a filter.