Forget The CB750's, CB900C Trike Ideas!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Grinder74

Paddle shift would add some cool factor.

Not sure if it would lead to quicker shifting, but I'm sure it's cool.

[Angel And The Wolf]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Not sure if it would lead to quicker shifting, but I'm sure it's cool.

Yes, but if you'll notice, the fingers of the left hand operate the low/high shift paddles, and the fingers of the right hand operate the 1st through 5th main transmission paddles. Foot clutch,1st gear low range, foot clutch 1st gear high range (not faster, but) foot clutch 2nd gear with the right fingers at the same time as back into low range with the left fingers (this, is faster than the two toe motions required sitting on the bike, or the two separate motions required to do this with the hand on the shift levers. And you could shift both levers at once anytine you need to go from one gear and one range to another gear and anothr range.

[Angel And The Wolf]

I'm not sure if it can be done, but if the gears can be changed in the main transmission and in the Sub transmission, but If I could, I would re-gear both transmissions to create gearsets where each upshift combination would be a 120% change. This would eliminate the wasted overlaps from 2 HIGH to 3 LOW, 3 HIGH to 4 LOW, and the identical ratios of 56 HIGH and 4 LOW. evenly spaced gears would allow all ten gar combinations to be used, and give a much wider ratio from 1 LOW to 5 HIGH, which would be useful with the higher weight of the trike, on take off, and give a lower cruising RPM (with proper aerodynamics). Max Torque is at 8,000 RPM, and Redline is at 9,500 RPM. The new ratios would go from Redline in one gear combination to Max Torque in the next gear combination.

[Angel And The Wolf]

Yes, I know that with every upshift, I lose horsepower at the rear wheel, and that the acceleration decreases with every upshift, but with these gearsets, once you reach redline in first gear low, you will always have max torque to max hp under your foot, in ten steps.

And, if you are not in a hurry, shifting at, say, 3,000 RPM will always drop you into the next higher gear combination at 2,500 RPM, and if you leave the Sub transmission alone, into the next higher main transmission gear at 2,083 RPM.

[Angel And The Wolf]

I was a little worried about the new ratios interfering with each other, but as you see, there is no switchback in a motorcycle transmission, just straight forward five paths through the gearbox.

[freebeard]

The Fiberfab Scarab used a VW front axle and a generic motorcycle. The brochure this is the cover of had a drawing of the frame. It was convertible from a trike in the winter to a bike in the summer.

Use any VW torsion beam axle with rack and pinion steering. It's a common sand rail part.

[Angel And The Wolf]

Thanks. Here is a quicker version:

[freebeard]

but... but... but.. Ackermann.

(Re-temper the steering arms after you heat and bend them)

That would have been my 2nd suggestion. I like the Tromfenwagen style front fenders. They would improve any rat rod VW.

[Angel And The Wolf]

Ackermann works off the center point of the rear axle, and if the bike rear wheel contact patch centers on the same point, Ackermann is preserved. My design would do this. The converted VW above doesn't.

[freebeard]

That would have been my point. I still like those front fenders, though.

Heat-bending steering arms is not recommended