blueswade

As I mentioned in another post, the bike frame and Ford rearend are connected together as one now, so the only suspension movement is at each rear wheel. I had the bike out yesterday for a trial run ( still snow here but it's slowly leaving), the ride was awesome, very smooth in the rear, it was a little rough up front with the original Venture forks. I don't know if this bike has had the progressive springs put in or not, and I'm unsure of the condition of the fork oil etc. Will have to investigate that.

No problem, I removed the original swingarm completely, and made solid arms coming back to the thunderbird rearend, which I welded in place, and with braces etc. So the bike frame and ford rearend are joined as one, the only movement is in the independant suspension, and of course the front forks for suspension. This allowed me to make up a drive shaft that stays at the same angle all the time.

Sorry for the late response, but I was in Florida for a few weeks with my second gen venture. The brakes on the rearend needed to be completely redone, and I wanted to be able to use the stock venture brake caliper. I can still put the Ford rear brakes on any time. Another reason is the trike frame I built can totally be removed with eight grade 8 bolts, and the two swing arm connectors that I had lock nuts made for.

A couple pics, took it to a local machine shop, they cut it down and inserted a round puck like piece, then drilled the center out to fit the original shaft from the bike, then welded them together, drilled and tapped for the set screws on the outside of the drive shaft. I had it done this way for easy removal, when the set screws are out, the puck like piece slides back inside the shaft, so I can get it out of the bike U joint, then drop it down off the oringinal Ford rearend.

Hey Yammer Dan, right now the shaft drive brake is the only brake, will see how it works out when I can get her out in the spring. And yes to the fiberglass work, I want to do something different then the other trikes you see out there.

I've used this site many times for help, information, etc, for everything to do with my second gen 2011 Royal Star Venture, awesome bike. Bought this bike when I got back into motorcycling 2 years ago. First I would like to thank everyone that answer questions and make this site just an awesome knowledge base for the Yamaha Venture, first and second generation. I would like to share my winters project with all who are interested. I decided in the late fall I was going to build a trike, researched many kits etc, all to expensive for a winter project. So I decided to do a home build with a 1984 Royale Venture, and the rearend from a 1995 Ford Thunderbird, the results of which I have attached pictures. I got alot of ideas and inspiration from this site. All of you who post. I thank you again, without this knowledge I may not have done what I have. I still have a ways to go, I'm looking for the right rear car body to finish the rearend off, something different, on the lines of a 32 Ford Coupe, something with nice round fenders. Anyway we'll see.