cowpuc

Flat out beautiful!! Thats the kind of stuff the makes it VERY HARD to even stop for gas or for dinner:cool10:.. Thanks for sharing Midnightrider!!!

Basically the front of a car with a motorcycle frame/engine/swingarm/rear wheel bolted on to it? Could be an interesting build... I think it was something like "My Trike Life" out of Florida Prairie.. Neighbors a truck driver and wont be back home now for a few days.. I will have to wait till than ask him if that is correct...

Dave,, my bud who I have been helping with the project, bought the "Kit" from a company out of Florida,, as I recall (may be wrong on this too) he told me the name of the Company was "My Trike Life" or something along that line.. The info on the axle I wrote was a quote from my neighbor - Dana 44 spider gearing, toughest rear end ya dee yada as stated to him buy the "My Trike Life" people.. Dave also said that when he spoke to the company intitally about purchasing the "kit" they told him that Paughco is one of their suppliers (of course, Paughco is HUGE - have used their stuff for years myself), dont know for sure if Paughco is where they accuired the rear axe - its very possible they have connections with the manufacture... I wasnt involved in the purchase of any of the stuff,, just helping my neighbor with a project he bought into and found out it there was a lot more to it than he originally thought.. I do know that the axel was sold to him with the understanding that it was in fact a "DANA" cause he was braggin about it to me.. I KNOW it doesnt look like a Dana car pig BUT trust me,, I also do KNOW it is a fully functional rear differential,, with spider gears... All that said,, I am sure it is possible its a Chinese clone.. I watched them buggers literally "copy specs" on a BBR Pitbike at the Dealer Expo (Dealer Tradeshow) in Indianapolis back in 2001, the next year that had an identical bike to the one BBR had built,, BBR kit was 1650 Dealer Cost, COMPLETE BIKE from China that "matched" the BBR kit was $235 (had to buy a shipping container full though).. Bottom line,, copying is what they do and I KNOW they copy everything....

Lots of Prayers Up today while installing my last sump pump (hopefully), Blessings Down.. Nite Neverland

WOW Cowboy,, those are GORGEOUS!!! Indeed,, that Diamond Cut feller is talented!!

Will do Randy!! If I am understanding this correctly Camo, you are saying that you want to end up with your bike set up like a quad front end - sort of like a Spyder?? Using the front spindles and a-arms ONLY right??? Never owned a Smart Car or a Miata so I am not familiar with the type of front ends they have on them.. It seems it would be difficult to incorporate a Strut Style front end - it would almost have to be a style with upper and lower A-arms.. Something to think about is steering geometry, in building choppers thru the years one of the most critical issues that I had to watch was the amount of trail that the rake on the neck produced.. The longer the forks, the more important it was to come out with very little positive trail. I did an 18 over at 46 degrees one time (longest Chop I ever built) that I actually had to do the neck twice cause I built it the first time at 3 1/2 inches of positive trail - I ALWAYS had GREAT results at that figure - end results on those figures resulted in a front end that would "flop" at speeds under gyro action on the front wheel (still VERY stable at speeds over a couple miles an hour).. Pulled it down to 1/2 inch of positive trail on the second try and it came out perfect.. You probably all ready know this but if you fall into negative trail, your bike will steer like a grocery cart front end - wooble wooble and be unridable.. Now,, all that said,, in car language we are talking "caster and camber".. To little caster will give you the same results as negative trail.. It would steer like a high speed garden tractor.. To much and it would be very lazy and unresponsive in its steering.. It makes me how on earth one would go about figuring out the geometry of combining the neck angle on a bike with the necessary geometry in a car and have it come out correctly,,,, I am sure someone on here is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more intelligent about all this stuff than I am and perhaps they will respond with some other thoughts:backinmyday: It is a differential Prairie I surmise that after he rides it once he will find out why you and I are both preaching the same message on tossing on some rake triple trees Brian:backinmyday: I thought the same thing when I looked at the rear pulley on that axle Brian,,,, I actually counted the teeth on the new = 70, count on the (counted them myself too) = 68.. A HUGE factor in this was the size of the tire package he got,,, way to tall (gearing up), is exchanging them for a 60 series.. TOTALLY agree on the 1200 kit.. First words out of my mouth when I saw the tire width and lifted the axle into place (HEAVY) was the suggestion of dropping on the 1200 kit, torque cam, 1200 clutch W/ diaphram spring.. Its actually his wifes trike so Daves like,, she dont need no moe din a 883.. Prairie its a US made Dana 44 spider gears differential - CNC machined solid steel gear housing, Timkin bearings,, a real gorgeous piece of equipment (REAL WORK OF ART!!),, suppose to be the sturdiest rear end on the trike market today.. It operates just like a car,,, spin one wheel and the other goes the other way They do offer limited slip but not really sure that it would be a good idea on a trike,, maybe fun for off roading but not sure how that would work out on pot hole invested, gravel covered, ice covered roads of Michigan.. Personally,,, I would LOVE to build a locker to keep up with the likes of those guys on the Urals off roading and be able to ride cross country....

INDEED!! I feel the pain of that all the here in Michigan!! Thoughts and prayers for full recovery Wade! Puc

Dingy, I sent my Team donation down to B2Mom with another member,, I had to bail on the meet cause I had to "bail".. The person who volunteered to transport it for me is a good long standing member here so I am sure it found its way into the proper hands.. Just wanted you to know that I honored my commitment to the team on behalf of the St. Judes kids:backinmyday: Puc

Thats terrible,, thoughts and prayers for all involved.. We lost two of this weekend.. It was annual Blessing of The Bikes and two guys lost their lives on the way to it.. One of them was the result of hitting one of our Michigan motocross track pot holes... Sad, really really sad..

One of my neighbors, Dave, decided to go the route of building a trike out of his wifes 05 Sporty instead of spending the big bucks on buying one finished.. My other neighbor, Larry, and I have built up several "performance" Harleys now together and, in his words, "make a good team" so he "volunteered" us to help with Daves project.. The "kit" is one out of Florida, uses a Dana rear axe (GORGEOUS PIECE OF WORK), custom swing arm (REALLY A WORK OF ART!!), came with a raw glass body - not really that impressed with it, 235x15 tires on Cragers.. The kit is sold as a "Bolt together project",,, yea right.. If you have ever contemplated doing one of these please note that this is NOT a beginning bike builders type of deal.. After Dave got the package home I headed down there.. Noticed right away on the rear axe this bright yellow sticker that says something like,, after aligning yada dee yada and so on, the mounting blocks have to be welded on the axel - this being just an example of the multitude of advanced building understanding this project entails!! After we get all the fitment done, we will spend some time on the road with it, pull it all back down for fiberglass finishing, powder coating, painting, weld touch ups if needed (amazing how much a person loses with age - sight, shaky hands, achey backs dont make for those real pretty welds of yesteryear).. I have also been hounding Dave about the NEED for raking it out - man those sporties are shorties.. He wants to ride it once with the stock rake to see what its like before putting more cash into raked triple trees.. Anyway, starting from placing a running/riding 05 883 Sporty on the bench to the point of having the swing arm mounted, rear axe on as in pics was about 5 hours of time for the three of us, and two of us are pretty experienced builders.. May not look like we accomplished much but there is LOTS of tinker work involved,, like taking the differential apart to do the new belt fitment,, and on and on... NOT COMPLAINING THOUGH!! It is a GREAT project and a whole lot more fun than this continuing project of bailing water.. AND ITS FLIPPING POURING RAIN AGAIN,, ARGGGGGGGGG!! Here's some pics,, got some vids too I will be sticking up on youtube for anyone who might be interested in this madness.. Another interesting day.... Puc

Prayers Up, Blessings Down... Nite Neverland

Hi Roger and :wel_ani3Tay::wel_ani2Wa::BLUE: So glad you found us and that you are enjoying you Venture!! Hope to see you on the road someday while we are out there excercising our minds (I love that - perfect way to put it brother!!!) Scott - Cowpuc (or Puc)

What are the thoughts on planning something for September,, ride season is winding down,, we could work around as many schedules as possible - do it on a weekend - to include as many as want to come.. Lets plan it so we can spend as much of our time as possible inside the museum (I have heard it is unreal - definitely worth being inside from open till closing).. This really sounds like fun you guys!!!

AND,, obviously one who should get a new pit crew:rotf:

You mean you REALLY do have a weather machine..... Careful how ya answer that one brother,,,, lots of folks reading this who might not as easy going as ol Pucster about this crazy weather we been having... :rotf::rotf:

:wow::wow::wow::group cheers::group cheers: AND I MEAN WOW,,!! That is one gorgeous motorcycle Barry - CONGRATS BROTHER!!! Showed the pictures of it to Tippy.. She says with all those buttons and controls and the gizmos you have listed,,,,, makes her wonder if it could be programmed to do housework and cook:rotf:... We gotta meet your wife someday,, she sure sounds like a really great person Barry just like you!! Congrats on both your blessings!!

WHAT A BLAST JEFF!!!! Just a few minutes of computer time chatting with you usually leaves me cracking up,, I cant imagine being surrounded by 5 generations spanning 100 years of people who you inherited your sense of humor from and NOT laughing my guts out like you said you did!!:cool10: Congrats to your Grandma and to your whole family for doing that for her!:clap2: Puc

WOW!! BEAUTIFUL PICS B2Mom!! Thank you soooo much for posting them up!! Some very familiar smiles in there I would have LOVED to seen again and some new ones I would have LOVED to have met!!! And double WOW,, on the final donation count,,, OUTSTANDING!! :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2: Sorry we had to miss that once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of your last drive, it sure looks like you all had a GREAT time!!:cool10: Puc

All my fine feathered friends who got the joy of making it down to B2's party drive/ride safely out there!! Though we didnt get see ya'll we are still thinking of ALL of you as you travel home... Michigan folks,,, looks like ol FlyinFool is going easy on ya for the return trip,, its actually in the 50's here right now and the sun is just a beamin!! Tip and Puc

Ya know Bongo,,, its entirely possible that that box could become very valuable.. If the new owner takes really good care of it and sticks it back on the auction block at a future St. Judes auction, you probably should buy that back.. Do I smell the potential for a hunk of cardboard to become one of St. Judes biggest $$ producers... :stirthepot: Yea,,,, well done Bongo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::95::95::sign13::sign13::sign13::sign13: OUCH,,, ANNIE ANNIE ANNIE!! :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:FROM TIPPY AND I!! OUCH OUCH OUCH,, I FEEL YOUR PAIN ALL THE WAY HERE IN MICHIGAN!!! HEAL FAST AND FULLY!! YOU ARE IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!! PUC PS,, OUCH

My sincere and utmost apology there Don,, I misread your post,,, I thought you were gonna run that new Glide with open headers so it would sound fast and add to HP/weight ratio... In no way was I trying to be one of those "lets pick on Freebird about riding a Harley" people smarty pants guys.. Why do I feel like I just dug my own grave a little deeper:confused24: Seriously Boss,, IMHO your on the right track with your project!! After ya get it all done to your liking, you might consider getting a race tuner for it (get the Screaming Eagle - I know they are expensive BUT the calibration parameters are awesome - adjustable every 200 RPM on both jugs).. Get it to a good Dyno guy.. I helped with a very similar project as yours not to long ago (2010 Ultra), fattened up the rear jug just a little bit along with the converter routine,, it made a HUGE difference in passenger heat too...

Know first hand what its like to face hard times... Thank you Boss for posting this up,, got er done.. Lori and Angel, hope it helps somehow - you guys are in my thoughts and prayers! Puc

Lord willing and the creek dont rise (literally), Tippy and I will be somewhere between Sacramento California and The Dalles Oregon (you west coasters - NOTICE that even a lowly ol Michigander knows that its "The Dalles" NOT "Dalles":stirthepot: Oregon) on that date Fool.. Now dont be gettin a poochy lip on us Jeff and start beating on that WWWWM (Wisconsin White Wash Weather Machine)!!:bang head:

Looks like she lost about 70 pounds too Don!!!