xs11 chopper/driveshaft update

[Crooked_Fender]

Nice work!! Looks very cool. What kind of frame is that?

The frame started life as a stock 81 xs1100 special. All that remains of the stock is the steering neck and engine cradle. Everything else was hand made by yours truly.

[Crooked_Fender]

Hi Fender,
well, if you insist on taking a suspended bike back in time 70 years to when most bikes came with rigid frames,
your extended frame and exposed drive shaft modification is definitely the way to do it.
Congratulations on a great engineering job.
Some touches remain?
The exposed drive shaft would show to a better advantage after seeing a polishing wheel?
And the front fender also stiffens the fork. How about getting the stiffness back by installing a T-kat fork brace instead?

I was thinking of painting it like a barber pole. Or I guess I could polish it too. I am definitley finding out about the fork stiffness (or lack thereof). It still tracks straight, but she jerks around quite a bit on any real bumps. A fork brace is next on my list for sure. I also need to get the right speedo on it. The one on there is mainly for show. It's a 2:1 I had laying around.

[Cobia]

Fender,

I was wondering how the single backbone tube affects the rigidity of the frame vs. the stock wishbone, knowing the shortcomings of our these frames when it comes to handling in the twisties. Is that single tube enough?
I mean, the bike looks awesome. Love the bars and the tail light. Where's the tail light from?
Congrats again.

[crazy steve]

GEEEZ.... worrying about the single backbone and lack of a fender or fork brace?? This is a hardtail guys, and I'm pretty sure you'll reach it's handling limits long before either of these come into play. And if you're trying to find it's limits in the twisties, I hope your life insurance is paid up...

I will agree with Fred that the driveshaft needs a bit of 'finish', but that caused me to see one thing you probably should address; the 'shaft-to-FD spline is open. Are you running this 'dry' (I hope not, as I don't see it lasting long if you are), but if not, what keeps the grease in? You need some sort of 'boot' over this to retain the lube; maybe a small car axle CV boot would work?

I particularly like your battery and wiring boxes; nice detail.

[Crooked_Fender]

The handling is actually pretty good. I chalk that up to a combination of factors. It's lighter and the center of gravity is much lower so it has a more balanced feel to it. I also put the progressive springs in the front forks. Crazy Steve is right, I would drag the pegs or the rear wheel would kick out long before I would tweak the frame. The backbone is .120" wall 1.25" od tubing with a 1/4" gusset at the neck joint. Pretty solid all around.

Also, the splines on the shaft are greased. It does kind of come out, but even if I put a boot on it the grease would still come out. Even on the stock swingarm the cover tube doesn't technically keep the grease in the splines, just catches it before it flies off. I can re-grease pretty easily in this case so I just keep an eye on it.

The tail light is an extended lens sparto that I powdercoated black. Was pretty cheap if I remember correctly. Needs a brighter bulb or led's though. Makes me nervous a little.

[Tdog]

Cool

Hi
Nice job on the frame. Solo seats like yours fit/look better with a single backbone.
Regards,
Tdog

[Cobia]

Fender,
Giving your bike a second, maybe tenth look, it strikes me that your frame design is probably the best one I've seen to display the XS11 engine. Everything is dedicated to carry and show off that engine.
Ditto, ManitoulinLad on that.
I agree with Fred on dressing up the driveshaft, and wonder if you get any vibration from the clamp, being that it has the uneven weight distribution from the adjustment mechanism.
I don't think the TKat fork brace will help you much since you're not going to be carving twisties or even going much over 80mph with your bike.
And as Crazy Steve pointed out, outstanding treatment with the diamond plate work, deck, battery, and switch plate. Nicely done.
Nate is lucky that he gets to lay eyeballs on it!!
We don't usually like ppl deviating from stock, and then one like yours shows up to shake the tree.
Welcome to the hood.

[crazy steve]

...Also, the splines on the shaft are greased. It does kind of come out, but even if I put a boot on it the grease would still come out. Even on the stock swingarm the cover tube doesn't technically keep the grease in the splines, just catches it before it flies off...

Maybe something like this:http://www.mcmaster.com/#push-on-caps/=8vntvf

The 1 3/4" - 1 13/16" pliable vinyl looks like it would work. 25 for less than $9; just cut a hole for the shaft, push it over the shaft from the u-joint end, then push it over the OD of the input collar. Save you from having to clean grease off the bike or worry about crap getting into the splines...

[rb240tuner]

That is an awesome bike. I have a 79 Special that I am considering to make a hardtail out of but I have never seen what it looks like until now.

[cywelchjr]

The handling is actually pretty good. I chalk that up to a combination of factors. It's lighter and the center of gravity is much lower so it has a more balanced feel to it. I also put the progressive springs in the front forks. Crazy Steve is right, I would drag the pegs or the rear wheel would kick out long before I would tweak the frame. The backbone is .120" wall 1.25" od tubing with a 1/4" gusset at the neck joint. Pretty solid all around.

I'm not a hardtail guy, and generally get upset when someone cuts one of these bikes up, but I have to say, this one has some real class. I can appreciate something done right, and I actually wouldn't mind taking that one around the block once or twice. I'm not sure I'd want to go much further but I have a bad back.

Also, the splines on the shaft are greased. It does kind of come out, but even if I put a boot on it the grease would still come out. Even on the stock swingarm the cover tube doesn't technically keep the grease in the splines, just catches it before it flies off. I can re-grease pretty easily in this case so I just keep an eye on it.

I'd be more worried about grit and stuff getting in there and grinding away at that joint, and that would not be good rather than about the grease coming out, and I am pretty sure that is the main reason for the pretty much sealed assembly in stock form. I'd want to put some sort of a boot on something on there to keep as much stuff out of that joint as I could, just because I wouldn't care to have to keep replacing FD's and driveshafts. I would try to fab some sort of housing with a seal rather than a boot though, since you have a stationary part and a spinning part, but with the hardtail it shouldn't be moving up or down or anything so I would go with a bit of polishing in the right spot and try to some up with a seal or something (maybe a collar to increase the diameter so you could get the shaft in and out? But I would be real nervous about having that joint hanging in the wind so to speak.

[crazy steve]

...I would try to fab some sort of housing with a seal rather than a boot though, since you have a stationary part and a spinning part...

Cy, both parts spin. That 'collar' is the same as the pinion splines...

[Crooked_Fender]

You guys are very kind and I appreciate the compliments more than I can say. You are right about the splines. After doing a little research it occcured to me that the v-max has a rubber ring seal covering that joint. The shaft I'm using has a circlip ring on it to retain that seal so I will probably go that route. Thanks for calling it to my attention! I would hate to have to replace that shaft, it was expensive. Oh, and I don't get any vibration from the hose clamp as far as I can tell.

[Ken Talbot]

After you look after that, any thoughts on what you might do for the crankcase breather? I see for now it is just open to atmosphere so it is obviously breathing fine. Maybe some sort of small chrome filter on a very short bit of hose so you can keep the bugs from crawling inside?

JAT.

Gotta say again, it sure does look sweet...

[Lunatic]

that is awesome

that is an awesome machine
YOu really shoudl post photos of it at The Horse Backstreet Choppers forum also. Good owrk!! Very inspirational for others.

[jwhughes3]

How does the sissy bar get used with solo seat?

Do they squash fender down sitting on it or it it just for show? Like the bike, love the seat, but the bar looked odd to me.

I really like the look of the pods.

John