Wow, that is cool! It must have made a lot of people do a double-take with nobody on the bike. It must have made you feel good to build that for him. Thanks, Kurt
Thanks sgtlemargic: Yes it did make us feel good. We became good friends with Larry. I was at a bike show when I met Larry. I had been manufacturing Motorcycle Sidecars for years. I built 450 units. I had the idea for his design in reverse about ten years earlier. Check out the picture. It was my idea to have a sidecar with two wheel and when I turned the handle bars a push pull rod would steer the sidecar front wheel. At the time I was living in New Hampshire. I made a trip to the Motor Vehicle Department and was told if there where 4 wheels I would have to register it as a car. I stopped working on the idea. When I moved to South Carolina in 1988 I brought the plug, or model of the body with me. Over time I ended up tossing it in the land fill, but the idea was still alive in my mind. So when Larry asked if I could build it little did he know I already had the design figured out. I thought that the Larry and his sidecar project would be of interest to a few of you guys. Thanks, Johnny Sweet
Has anyone ever converted any of the later alloy motorcycle wheels to accept timken-style tapered roller bearings? It seems to me one of the challenges for using motorcycle wheels up front is their straight roller/ball bearings that don't accept side loads very well. As I ponder this in my own mental project, it seems a sticking point....
Back in the 70's when I was manufacturing Motorcycle sidecars the guys with the BMW bikes always bragged about having taper bearings in the front wheels. I'm not sure if the newer BMW's have them, but it would be worth a look see. Just thinking out loud I wonder if they set the bearing clearance by using shims. I just don't remember. Later, Johnny Sweet
If you have outer race dimensions, bearing o.d. info is available. These documents from Timken are really extremely useful: Automotive Aftermarket Bearing Specification Guide Automotive Aftermarket Bearing Interchange Guide Automotive Aftermarket Bearing and Seal Application Catalog (1989 and older) Automotive Aftermarket Bearing and Seal Application Catalog (1990 and newer) Automotive Aftermarket Bearing and Seal Buyer’s Guide Automotive Aftermarket Seal Interchange Guide Automotive Aftermarket Seal Specification Guide
This is a concept that I have had for some time. I call it Sidecar Cycle. My thinking is to remove all the crap on the motorcycle. Start by building a frame that covers both the motorcycle and sidecar frames. Suspension design, and power selection is almost unlimited. I've looked at using a 20-25 HP vertical engine. I would place a Harley engine in it, but there is so much corruption when it comes to used Harley engines. It would be my luck that what ever I picked up would be stolen and when I registered the dam thing the law would show up and take the engine. The design is different, but in reality it's the same as any bike and sidecar, as far as the wheel stance is concerned. Later, Johnny Sweet jsweet450@yahoo.com
Kent Fuller tells me this wheel is adaptable. It's from a Honda Shadow, and I found a pair of new ones (17 x 3 in.) on eBay last year for $150/pair. It's one of the few late-model big bikes with a single front disc, so it has a car-correct look about. And, it accepts an available Honda disc and a lightweight caliper. Re: your question about adapting the MG wires to the Anglia spindles. I'll be fitting the MG splined adapters to the Anglia hubs. Actually, Fuller will do the work; he's done this sort of thing countless times. If I didn't have him as a good pal and shopmate I would probably not undertake this project. Mike
I started the build in 2002 and finished in 2004. It has a Honda 6.5 hp engine thats popular on water pumps to lawnmowers. Pull start. Its more go-cart than anything and I use a Comet Industries Torq-A-Verter to put the power to the axle. Wheels are of a 60s Honda Trail 90. It will run 50 mph with the current chain sprocket. Heres a link to a local Saturday car show I took it to. http://www.cncpics.com/2011/January-2011/January-8th-2011/15681510_zERKi#1175432887_VakK8
Your correct, but he has four wheels and not three. I had all the molds for the body and figured I would design mine around the three wheel concept. In the picture we had of the four wheel design they claim he's a Florida State Police. Take a good look at him. I don't think so!. It's a great design, and I was told that he drives it around at the different bike shows in the East.
When I went on the factory tour last summer, they had 20 or so in the main building, apparently a limited number were built to celebrate the company's centenary (if I remember correctly). I was very impressed with the pedal cars but they were ever so slightly out of my price range at around £2,500.00, http://www.morgan-motor.co.uk/pdf/pedal_car_brochure_and_postcard_reduced.pdf
continuation of my last post..... If you look closely at the reflection on the floor you can see the pedal cranks and the enclosed chain drive.
Awesome, thanks, Mike. I'll have to look into that. I may even have one somewhere. Any idea which years and specific models? Shadow line, as you know, is a varied offering from Honda. I guess I'm just ignorant of the MG splined adapters - got a pic? I originally thought of a simple spindle-mounted wheel, and the Anglia had many wheels machined for it. I wish now that I'd brought an Anglia axle back with me...maybe there's a way to get one now....I really want two of them for different projects!! EDIT - Quick eBay search shows the Honda Shadow VT1100 Aero (at least the one I saw that was a 2002) front wheel to be identical to the ones you posted, Mike. I see the bearings are not tapered (many listings for new bearings), but they look big enough that you might be able to find some tapered rollers to fit. I do like the idea of using the Honda brakes as well - lightweight & easy to get parts for. EDIT 2 - I found a listing that says only the VT750 & VT1100 Aero wheels are like this. So that helps the search...found a place with 3 of them at $125/ea.
MGB outer wheel bearings have the same ID as early Ford. MGB inner wheel bearing ID is 1.537mm (.060") bigger than early Ford. That means MGB hubs should fit early Ford spindles using MGB wheel bearings with an adaptor sleeve inside the inner bearing - unless there are spindle length issues. I mean early American Ford: I don't know if Anglia bearings are the same.
This is a TriMagnum. Plans were sold by RQ Riley. It used a VW front axle & whatever large cc motorcycle engine/frame.rear wheel you could acquire. RQ Riley has updated & now sells plans for a diesel hybrid three wheeler. The new plans use carbon fiber over foam.
maby a dumb question but is it possible to buy a cyclecar kit some where ore som blueprints fore building your own .
Look up JZR, BRA, TriKing, and there are a couple of other kit builders of 2F-1R cycle cars. I have a Honda CX650 powered JZR and really love it.
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