My Land Speed Buell/Sportster Year # 2

[isiahstites]

Originally Posted by Milehog

The Speed Channel had Jason Britton take a 600 cc crotch rocket to Bonneville. The fella's a top stunt rider but had no experience on the salt. It took him several runs to make a top speed of 129 mph. He was astonished at how difficult it was, in fact, he admitted it scared him.

I saw that show, I thought he was running a 750.

I think it was a rental bike as well.

Scott

[Milehog]

OK, did a little home work. It was indeed a GSX-R750 rental that Jason took to Bonneville.

[isiahstites]

Originally Posted by Milehog

OK, did a little home work. It was indeed a GSX-R750 rental that Jason took to Bonneville.

There were two things that were great about that show:

#1 Seeing Jason's face after have some of the often served humble pie that Bonneville gives out for free.

#2 Seeing footage of my friend John Noonan doing 240 + mph on his Busa while the bike was wagging it's tail like a dog.

Scott

[isiahstites]

Thursday after work I spent about an hour and half stripping the bike to what you see in the pictures below. I removed everything so the bike could bolted down to build table. I took pictures from all angles so you could see what the current neck looks like and what the new one will look like once it's finished.



















Here is what's left after cutting most of the back bone, neck and down tubes off.


Here is a pic of the neck jig that I started to set-up. I didn't get much farther than this as I could not find the right set of centering cones. I will get back to the set-up Monday. I will determine the desired stretch of the back bone and move the chassis forward to neck jig at that measurement and then center the chassis on the table and bolt it down in place and then I will center the neck jig and bolt it in place. This will allow me to start mocking up the back bone and down tubes to the new neck position.


This a shot of the back bone after being cut. I was shocked to find out that the 1 1/2" tubing had a 1/4" wall thickness. I found a piece of tubing the same o.d. and i.d as the existing back bone I just have not figured out how I am going to bend tubing that thick.


I will be back to work Monday making the slugs for all of the new tubing to mate with the old tubing via a rosette weld.

Scott

[isiahstites]

After I got off work today I went down to the shop and machined down these slugs which were orginally 1" o.d. and I needed .750 o.d. to fit the inside of the downtubes. I am not much of a machinist, but they will work.



Here they are in the downtubes, I started to drill the holes to weld them in place but it was time to go as the guys at the shop had worked a full day so I will be back at it Wednsday to make the slug for the backbone and to bend the tube for the backbone.







Scott

[isiahstites]

I got the slug for the back bone turned down.



I got the holes drilled to weld the slug in place.


I got the new back bone bent and in place. I had to use a 16 ton press to bend it, the 1/4' wall is a complete pain in the ass.


I am off Monday so I plan on heading to the shop for part of the day to complete some more. It has been kind of frustating working an hour here and an hour there, but it's getting done slowly but surely.

Scott

[claydbal]

scott---------never, ever clean that shop. you wont be able to find a damned thing.

[isiahstites]

I got the back bone cut to fit the neck. I decided on 38 degrees of rake as the trail was better at 38 than at 40. I stretched the frame 4 inches and it is about 4 or 5 inches lower.







Here I have the bike centered and locked down to the table. I set up the laser to create a plane so the center of the neck, back bone and rear axle could all be found a centered.







Look in front of the brush handle at the end of the table you can see the laser on the table and on top of the center line of the table.




Here are all of the pieces cut, drilled, bent, massaged, tweaked, fish mouthed and a bunch of other things that took me forever to complete. Oh, it's almost time to weld!



Everything is tacked in place and ready for final welding.



Here is my friend Dusty TIG welding the frame. I decided to have him TIG weld it rather than me MIG weld the frame. He is a much better welder than I am so it will be piece of mine when I am speeding down the track!




Here is the frame back at my house all welded up and ready for some more modifications.




I will be adding some gussets to strengthen the neck as well as a motor mount and steering stops.

Scott

[terp84alum]

Scott,

As a fellow Sporty owner, you are my hero. Can't wait to see some video.

[Electric Head]

This is going to be even more wicked than it was last time! Is the fuel tank going to mount around the big gap in the frame in front of the engine?

[isiahstites]

Originally Posted by terp84alum

Scott,

As a fellow Sporty owner, you are my hero. Can't wait to see some video.

Thanks bro, I am thinking of doing a chopper with a sporty using this same style of frame and wheels and make it to go play with the sport bikes but yet can be viewed as a chop.

Video to come hopefully in the next few months.

Originally Posted by Electric Head

This is going to be even more wicked than it was last time! Is the fuel tank going to mount around the big gap in the frame in front of the engine?

Thanks Electric Head, I think it is going to be a lot better. The plan for the fuel tank has not been figured out yet, however in front of the motor has crossed my mind as well as under the seat and moving the battery and oil tank up front........who knows?? Time will tell!

Scott

[isiahstites]

Put the front end on today along with the rear wheel to see what she looks like with her new modifications.

I knew the front end was going to stick up out of the triple trees, so I am looking into lowering the front end a little bit. The legs do not have to be level with the triple trees althought I would like them there. I have seen lots of guys run them like mine are now, however I will be attempting to correct it as it will allow me more flexibility when mounting my fairing.

I really like the new stance of the bike!

Scott

[claydbal]

Originally Posted by isiahstites

Put the front end on today along with the rear wheel to see what she looks like with her new modifications.

I knew the front end was going to stick up out of the triple trees, so I am looking into lowering the front end a little bit. The legs do not have to be level with the triple trees althought I would like them there. I have seen lots of guys run them like mine are now, however I will be attempting to correct it as it will allow me more flexibility when mounting my fairing.

I really like the new stance of the bike!

Scott

looks great, those fork legs sticking up lend themseles well to clip ons!

[Electric Head]

The clip-ons are going to be below the top of the steering head I would imagine.

[isiahstites]

Correct