'The Beast' - Reborn

[lowracer]

I got the dimensions for the Quad Boss fairing (the last pic I posted) & it is going to be too wide @ 40.5"
The widest that will work is 34". I dont want it to stick out too far.
Maybe I'll go with just a Std Lexan clear fairing like this one which is 32" wide?
-Lowracer-

 

[lowracer]

Ok,
I just pulled the trigger on the National Cycle ATV windshield & ordered it new for $54 + $20 shipping= $74
This will be the perfect width to fully cover my hands & all of my torso up to eye level.
Will post a review once installed & ridden a few miles. will also include rpm meter readings.
I also ordered a gallon of Lucas oil 2 cycle oil (meets JASO FC/FD & ISO GD, & exceeds API TC) for $25 which is recommended by Tanaka.
Stay tuned
-Lowracer-

 

[16v4nrbrgr]

I used Lucas in my last china girl. It works well I'd say, the motor performed well right up til it pooped, but the stuff seriously smells lousy. You might consider Yamalube, that's what I'm going to use on the Morini and Cag, because it's a synthetic blend that smells nice! lol SOme people argue that castor is faster, so why not use a blend? Supposedly it runs very clean and doesn't require teardowns for cleaning like with full castor. I love the smell of the kart track and that's a major deciding factor admittedly!

I wish I could afford Marzocchi forks, they're so nice. I've been looking at just using motorcycle forks since I've been steering more toward the moped genre. The bicycle ones are so much lighter though! The Suzuki K10 forks I put on my OCC weigh a ton! Once I put those on that bike I retired all thoughts of racing it, lol. My solution for poor man's high speed spring forks has been to grease them with Mobil 1, which makes the high speed damping reduced so you can hit bumps at speed without upsetting the bike. Stickier grease could be used for more damping if there's a bounce. I don't know how the guys with springer forks do it, my mountain bike turns into a pogo stick at 30 mph with Rock Shox Dart1 spring shocks and my pit bike with inverted steel spring triples hit hard before regreasing and sealing!

 

[Ludwig II]

What about friction damping, like those slotted blade things on old springer HDs?

 

[BigBlue]

I used Lucas in my last china girl. It works well I'd say, the motor performed well right up til it pooped, but the stuff seriously smells lousy. You might consider Yamalube, that's what I'm going to use on the Morini and Cag, because it's a synthetic blend that smells nice! lol SOme people argue that castor is faster, so why not use a blend? Supposedly it runs very clean and doesn't require teardowns for cleaning like with full castor. I love the smell of the kart track and that's a major deciding factor admittedly!

Well you could add some fuel fragrance to make it smell nice and pretty!
http://www.motorsportsracingfuels.net/index.php?categoryID=64

Chris
AKA: BigBlue

 

[16v4nrbrgr]

It's just a burnt oil smell that lingers! lol Friction dampers are a valid concept, they used them on old cars too. I was thinking about putting some sort of friction dampers on a Micargi cruiser to make it more speedworthy.

 

[lowracer]

I was using Yamalube but they sold out at my local motorcycle store & for 10.99 a quart I wanted to find a more economical alternative that still meets all the ratings.
I'm not too concerned with the smell...but I guess I'll give it the sniff test once I mix up my 1st batch of fuel.
-Lowracer-

 

[lowracer]

Heres a pic of the new pipe installed.
I havent had the chance to take it out on speed runs to compare rpm's, but it is lots quieter than the pocket bike expansion chamber from a few round the block test rides.
Not sure if I'm going to keep the header wrap on the pipes.
-Lowracer-

 

[lowracer]

I received & installed the fairing but on a different set of handlebars that I'll be switching onto 'The Beast'. I needed a thinner bar (25.4 vs 31.8) to better match the clamps included in the fairing kit. Its actually the handlebar that came stock on 'The Beast'. The clamps are solid & the position is somewhat adjustable. Here are a few pics on the wrong bike...
-Lowracer-

 

[16v4nrbrgr]

Nice, no more frozen nose.

 

[killercanuck]

Looks great on there, wow! Going to be some comfy winter riding, for sure.

Can you let us know where you found it for $75?

 

[lowracer]

KillerCanuck,
On eBay there is a seller (drstech09) who gets new returned items & resells them for about half the original price. In each listing, he mentions why it was returned & the condition. This one was perfect & even had the original hardware still sealed so it wasn't ever installed. It rained all day today & probably will tomorrow, but I had time this morning to swap the fairing from the pedal bike to the motorized bike. I'll just need to adjust the tilt angle of the fairing for optimal aerodynamics & height. I'll snap a few pics tomorrow & post them up. I'm really looking forward to test driving the bike with the fairing installed especially since it really cooled off here in SC.
-lowracer-

 

[lowracer]

Here are the latest pics I took this morning after installing an adjustable stem to better raise & lower the fairing & get the fit just right. I still haven't had a chance to take it out for a test ride since its been raining & nasty outside.
I'll play with the height of the fairing some more & the angle of the fairing into the wind.
-Lowracer-

 

[Ludwig II]

How long before you develop a bad case of leg shields?

 

[lowracer]

Ludwig2,
I finally got to take the bike (with fairing) for a quick loop around my block.
Today it was raining all morning but finally stopped & just dried out. I checked the temperature outside & 48 degrees F. Fired up the Tanaka 47r after some modest choke action & followed with a warm up.
This fairing is slick.
I got it set up with more of a backward angle for aero, but think I'll need to stand it up a bit to raise it & lower the bottom.
I do wish it extended down to shield my legs like in your pic.
When I tucked down, the airstream flowed over my head, but if I sat up, I got nailed in the face with cold air. All the while my legs are out in the air getting cold.
The still air behind the fairing is impressive at hiding the wind & reducing the chill (windchill). All them motorcyclists riding Gold Wings know whats up.
Now I cant wait for a sunny dry day to return to actually take this puppy on a 60 mile day. I got my tach meter wired up & ready to do some testing & recording (with fairing).
-Lowracer-

 

[Ludwig II]

One comment I used to get from people who tried a screen and then took it off was that "crosswinds knocked the bike about". That wasn't my experience, rather that I was isolated from the buffeting affecting the bike, where previously the bike's movement wasn't noticed because I was being battered at the same time.

Legshields are useful, but need to be big enough to actually work, as in this nightmare from BSA (I think it was designed on a Friday afternoon after they'd all been down the pub)0.

 

[lowracer]

I had a neat bicycle years ago called a Lightning F40.
It was basically a Lightning P38 with a full fairing (fiberglass nosecone, fabric body)
I improved upon it, removing all the fabric & cutting coroplast all ziptied together & seamed with some wide black electrical tape.
The bike was pedal only (recumbent) & could hit 40 mph on the flats.
Just my head popped out, it also having a small lexan fairing to direct air just over my face & head (wish I saved a pic to share). Een the wheels were covered. Crosswinds were a real challenge on that bike...
Somehow I doubt that this front only fairing will be a threat to overall handling ease..
-Low-

 

[16v4nrbrgr]

Ok, you inspired me.

Not only about rack mounts being cool, but also about this windscreen business.

It gets cold around here and I'd like a wind screen for this bike. I have some experience working with Lexan making headlight covers as well as other things. I think tomorrow I'm going to get a sheet of Lexan polycarbonate and make a windscreen for my electric dirt bike that's in enduro-style. I have some black edge trim I can put around it to make it less of a face hazard with a lid.

The leg shield thing had me thinking today because I need to add panniers to my dirt bike for batteries. I might put them up front on the sides of the battery compartment to serve as leg shields and as panniers. I like to hop onto the bike fast and I think I might get snagged on back panniers and faceplant. lol

Here's roughly what I'd like to make.

 

[max350]

You can use a 1950 century"mopedstrut" that moped riders used in Sweden



http://www.militart.se/product.html/strut-klassisk--gammal-mopedstrut-2?category_id=19

 

[lowracer]

I took the fairing for a ride yesterday for about a mile. I haven't been able to do long distance testing but from what I can tell from intial short test drives is that the fairing doesn't affect handling & the added weight over the front end is beneficial to higher speed handling. really would like to extend the fairing down to cover my waist, legs & feet kinda like on a vespa scooter. Once I kick this cold I've had for the past few days, I'll get back out & hit the road for some serious miles with the fairing.
-Low-