Tricati project 2 - Update

[gary tompkins]

Hi all,

Progress has been slow the last couple of weeks, as it's taken me a while to track down some of the tools, materials and equipment I needed. However a couple of weekends and late evenings in the garage has seen the project take a leap forwards.

Finally got the back to grips with the mig welder on Friday night, and after an hour practicing on scrap steel was happy to tackle the real thing. Still no expert tough, and I think most of my welds would get 10/10 for strength but maybe 6/10 for appearance - I'm sure I'll crack it with more practice.

I lost count how many times I double checked the alignement, before finally committing to weld it in. It's well within the 3mm tolerance specified by Trike Design (nearer 1-2mm actual) so should steer fine on the road.

Picked up the wheels & tyres this week, so I had the chance to fit them today and finally drop the trike off it's temporary support jig. Felt a bit weird rolling it out of the garage on 3 wheels, but it's a Tricati for sure now and no turning back! :burnout:

Hope the photo's do it justice - I'm chuffed to bits :D

[gary tompkins]

Wheels are 17inch X 7.5J lightweight, multispoke alloys from Germany, fitted with 205/40/70 ZR tyres which gives a rolling radius about 15mm less than the original 170/60/17 rear wheel. I'm planning to swap the front wheel for a PVM forged 20 spoke design to match if I can stretch to the £500 it costs :eek:

I'm sticking with the original 15/39 final drive, so hopfully the smaller rear tyres (about a 5% reduction) will help it to pull the extra weight of the trike rear end. I've calculated it should pull an extra 300-500 at any given road speed in top gear, which is roughly the same as adding a couple of teeth to the rear sprocket.

Close up shows where i've welded the subframe to swingarm, which was cut down by about 300mm. It's only extended the overall wheelbase by about 15mm, so it'll still be a very short trike and may need a steering damper keep things under control :twisted:

[gary tompkins]

Final set of photos shows the mudguards mocked up in the final position on 1" packers. Had my doubts they were going to be wide enough to cover the 7.5" rims & 205's but they look fine.

The trike is still actually supported on the original rear shock and linkage, but this will be stripped out in the next few days. The rear subframe will then be solidly braced to the frame above and below the swingarm, after finalising the rear ride height position to lock up the rear end. This will leave the twin shocks attached the top wishbones to soak up the bumps.

[gary tompkins]

Well that's the lot for now - more updates soon

Good Nite all ;) ZZzzzz

[Lost Again]

Looks like it should be a giggle. Looking forward to seeing the finished item at the weekender if not before.
Thats if I make it to the weekender, doing the whole poor student thing at the minute so havn't been able to book anything. Should have it sorted by next wek though.

btw. run it for a bit with the pipes as they are, ran mine around for a few days last week with just the front pipes. Sounds very cheeky!

[BoozyBOB]

Looking good GT...
i have been welding for a long long time now...and if your welds are 10/10 for strength...they can be 2/10 for looks..(pigeon **** in the trade)..


do you need a special MOT...road worthy test for this project..just curious

[Pugi]

Thanks for the update. Very slick rear rims, but they don't match the bike at the mo. Maybe it'll look better with the front £500 upgrade? Which colour will you paint the bike eventually? Paint the rear mudguards dark to match the bike or the other way around, or something new all together?

[gary tompkins]

Bob,

Thanks for the vote of confidence on the welding. As you say strength is a priority anyway - the last thing I need is for the back end to part company at speed :eek:

Not sure on the SVA test at the moment - gotta talk to the DVLA & DOT, but it will need an mot (class3) when the time comes.

Ben,

I did toy with a Buell style underengine exhaust, with twin stubby exits where the downpipes finish on the standard system. I think I'll go for a set of high levels (sil's) to keep costs down, and may even pinch the ones off my other monster to get the trike on the road.

Pugi,

The front wheel swap will happen later in the build, as theres plenty of other things that need the £500 cash for more urgently. Paint... hmmm not sure yet, again depends what money is left over next year, but the colour matched dark option would be the most simple (and cheap) to achieve ;)

These are the wheels I may have to sell myself into slavery to get...

[Mand]

Al and I have just looking at your piccies, we think it looks ace. The only thing now is I have a fella at home that wants to trike something now - ANYTHING! :lol:

God help me..........

[gary tompkins]

So (copy cat) Alex wants a trike eh? :p

No problem, im sure Mand (loadsabikes) could always flog a couple to finance the project :lol:

Hmmm... a Honda V-Storm trike - now theres an idea :D

[slob]

Take a close look at the front wheel from a KTM Duke II next time you see one about. Look an even better match for the rears, not sure if it'll take twin discs though.

[GULLY]

Hi Gary
Your trike is looking :cool: I am looking fwd to seeing it on the road :burnout:

I like your camo welding mask

See you soon
Gully :twisted:

[Mand]

So (copy cat) Alex wants a trike eh? :p

No problem, im sure Mand (loadsabikes) could always flog a couple to finance the project :lol:

Hmmm... a Honda V-Storm trike - now theres an idea :D


I knew it was a bad idea showing him your project, he keeps whispering the words.... "mmmmm trike" (Homer Simpson stylie) under his breath. :lol:

[Lost Again]

Al and I have just looking at your piccies, we think it looks ace. The only thing now is I have a fella at home that wants to trike something now - ANYTHING!

My flat mates got a 20 odd year old CB100 N sitting in the garage that hasn't moved in a while.......

[Mand]

My flat mates got a 20 odd year old CB100 N sitting in the garage that hasn't moved in a while.......

I am NOT buying anymore bikes!!!!!!! Enough!

In fact the CCM has just been listed on ebay today....

[gary tompkins]

Worked my bollox off for 2 days this weekend, and managed to finish welding rear subframe supports. Rear monoshock and linkage has now been removed, so all the suspension is taken care of by the twin horizontal shocks and wishbones. Also offered up the high level pipes (on lone from a bumble) to get a feel for the finished look, and ensure nothing was welded on in the wrong place.

Raided a Mk4 escort for it's handbrake lever this morning, and have now gotta work out where to position it. It's going to be a nightmare finding room as the trike's so compact there aren't many options TBH :confused:

Latest photo's show upper 'A' frame mount to rocker arm pivot, lower brace to rear of engine, and a couple of shots of the pipes. Not sure about the belly pan as yet - waddya think? The sun even decided to make a brief appearance....

[Paranoid Dave]

gary, great work on that so far, cant wait to have a go ;) as for the belly pan, don't do it. The nakedness of the back of the bike does work with the tubular frame and blends into the bike quite well but adding that pan seems to make it look more like two ends stuck together. I'm not trying to say my belly pan is perfect but a smaller and less covering one like that would be better if you were set on using one. Maybe if you had it in silver or more engine matching you could get away with it?

just a thought.

[Mand]

I assume you having mudguards Gary? For the MOT?

It is looking ace! I can't wait to see it in the flesh (so to speak...)

[A Yerbury]

Gary you are a lovely man etc and up there with the UKMOC top ten but I'm sorry?! this is a shoddy car attached to a lovely bike!! (IMO) still, if it makes you happy, maybe take the stabilisers off in a few years yes?

A Verbosity.

[GULLY]

Hi gary
It looks like you have bean busy of late :) looking go mate.
keep the belly pan :D

see you soon
Gully :twisted:

[Plum]

Hey Gary...it looks good mate. Certainly very different.

Maybe i should trike my Hardly Rideable!

[gary tompkins]

Thanks for the feedback & opinions guys, it is appreciated - even yours Alex :p I guess we'll have to agree to differ, after all if it really bothered me that others may not approve, I wouldn't have attacked it with the angle grinder and mig in the first place?

PD, get where your coming from on the belly pan. Walked round the bike for ages on Sunday looking at it from different angles, and still think the naked look works better. The only minus point is the downpipes are really crappy and will need polishing - not a job I fancy being a lazy toad where Solvol is concerned :o Maybe a monza pan would be a better compromise?

Mand, yes it will have to have guards to pass Mot, and to give me somewhere to mount lights. See photo...

Plum, go for it mate - surely a HD couldn't handle any worse? :lol: