Hi,
I've started my custom chopper. I thought everyone may enjoy seeing something different. 30hp yanmar power, variable displacement hydrostatic pump to a 60hp eaton hydraulic wheel motor. no front forks, all done through side swing arms. dual closed loop hydraulic steering, air bag rear, monoshock front, 330/30r17 tires, front and back. waiting on parts.........will update with pictures as progress is made.......thanks and enjoy
Welcome to the forum mate! Your project looks like a real interesting one, thanks for posting the pic's too.
I bet a few on the forum will be real interested to see how your project goes along. Many of the members here like to see things done with a different approach.
I've always wondered how a hydraulic or even a diesel electric system would go on bike. A diesel electric conversion has already been done, so can't see any reason why a hydraulic system wouldn't work if you have it all planed out, and you have good HP to play with.
I'll make sure to keep updated posts and pix. I'm waiting on parts right now, the wheel motor will be here the end of this month. pump end of next. It's been fun so far.......Lot's of unknowns left.........Like how well is it going to steer............lol........probably not something you want to take your driving test with............lol............Well, momma's making me clean the shop today.........she's sick of me dragging metel shavings in the house on the bottom of my flip flops from the mill............
Hey great stuff, Crazy Chopper It will be interesting to see how this bike comes along. I take my hat off to you guys with degree's in tube bending. Shaping up to be a work of art mate
Stuart. M1030M1, Honda NC700S, Grom!, Toyota Corolla 1.4 Turbo Diesel. Favouring MPG over MPH.
Funny you should mention the tubing. It has been a challenge keeping everything stright and true. I am not using a cnc bender. I am using a hand bender mounted to my bench. I am an electrician by trade so pipe bending comes with the job. I'm sure years of conduit bending has helped make this job easier.........bending everything the same has been hard but keeping it there while welding it has been more of a challenge. There is no real way to jig everything, specially with one off pieces.........the tubing wants to go back to it's stright mill shape with the slightest amount of heat...........keeping all the bushings lined up so the 1'' pin will slide back to hold everything together has kept me on my toes.........I'm going to order the sleeves that the ball joints press in so I can finish up my front spindle by this next weekend............Thanks for the replys.........BTW.....where the hell is everyone from........all the "cheers" and "mate" are taking me for a loop..........and whats "looks like the dogs" mean...........I'm from Iowa, USA.........anyhow..........good talking to everyone............
I'm in electronics but had to qualify as electrician and yes, I did the whole conduit bending thing too. Our tube is about 3/4" dia if memory serves.
Sorry about all the slang and expressions used. By way of explaination 'Looks like the dogs (bollocks)' derives from (correct me if I'm wrong) the older saying which was 'It's the cats whiskers'. Both mean something is 'top notch' or 'great'. Somehow it got twisted about and applied to dogs.
'..Mate' is short for 'shipmate' and comes from us being an Island race here in the UK. The guys from Australia use this as a term of endearment as well. It don't mean anything else And cheers is usually said when raising a glass or toasting someone or something. Like the Italians would say 'Salute!' We just use it as a kind of 'sign off' I guess. The Bar room sitcom 'Cheers' was named after this.
Stuart. M1030M1, Honda NC700S, Grom!, Toyota Corolla 1.4 Turbo Diesel. Favouring MPG over MPH.
Well Howdy Pardner!
Good to see some action on this side of the stock tank. It's been a while!
Intersting build you've going there.
I'll bet that will be one honery bronc to ride the first time out of the chute!
Need a Bronc Buster?
It's a good thing we're not neighbors. My wife is already threatening to have me comitted. All I need os someone to colaborate with...
I'm gathering parts to build a diesel replica Malcom Newell Quasar.
Only bigger for my 6' 2" frame.
Keep us posted as you progress.
(Now where'd that emicom go of the smiliee eating popcorn?)
Curtis in Texas
It only cost a little more to go first class,
You just can't stay as long...
Way to go Curtis! I wanted to build a diesel powered Quasar years ago but there weren't any suitable engines (small footprint and sufficient power) at the time. IMHO the Quasar was ahead of its time. It still looks modern today. How about posting a separate thread sometime with preliminary details such as engine, preferred driveline etc.
About the pipe bending. I used 1 1/4 inch X 1/4 inch wall mechanical (seamless) tubing which is really really difficult to bend. I built my own bender which uses a 15 ton hydraulic jack. By the "feel" of the jack, it took about 10 tons to bend the tubing. I wanted to build a frame with a good safety margin that can withstand the harsh diesel vibrations.
As a note of interest, back in the 1930's, Indian had a problem with vibration on one of its prototype four cylinder models. They took the bike to a physics professor in Syracuse New York. He determined that using thicker downtubes would push the vibration frequency up out of range. They used thicker tubes and presto - problem solved. That was a significant factor in my selecting the thick tubing. The vibration level of my three cylinder Daihatsu is somewhere between a well tuned British twin and a BMW at 3000 RPM (static test)..
I am using custom made motor mounts that I cut on my cnc mill, I have had thoughts on the vibrations of the engine. This yanmar engine I chose seems to run very smoothly, only noticable roughness is engine running below say 900 rpm. I am bolting the engine right to the frame, no dampers of any sorts. I'm bolting the engine to the frame at 7 different points at this time. I used sch 40 tubing for my build, I looked at the DOM tubing that your talking about and felt it was overkill for my build......I'm trying to keep it under 1400 lbs. I have worked with DOM tubing in the past and do agree that it is a bugger to bend. If my frame was not as complex as it is I'd used the DOM tubing, and probably will on my next build, which I've already started to think about. ( Dual rear wheel drive, counter rotating 600cc two strokes!!!) Most frame builders that I know have used the lighter will tubing. Others do use the DOM tubing. Most the parts fall off them custom POS V-twin harley type bikes due to vibration long before any problems with the frames. I started thinking about this build using aluminum tubing. Due to the vibration issue I canned that idea about the first day.........I've tossed the idea of titatinum tubing also. Too many choices............but hey.........all this fun keeps me out of the bar.......
I'm working on getting the trubocharger and innercooler/radaitor mounted and piped in now...............it's coming along nicely............hope everyone enjoys
AND AS A PROUD DAD THIS IS MY SON.......HE'S 5 YEARS OLD.......HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE IN DAD'S SHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks like an interesting project....good luck
It will be interesting to see how this bike comes along. I take my hat off to you guys with degree's in tube bending. Shaping up to be a work of art mate 
