BO15 Cyrus the Virus

[Psychographic]

Strip it down or is it an easy return and exchange? Painted, powder, or anodized?

It's probably powder coated. I'll either try to strip it all, or sand parts of it exposing some of the bare metal.

 

[Psychographic]

Well it's not powder coated. I sanded the face of the left crank using 500 grit wet with no effort at all. It looks much better. Now I have to decide if I want to just do the face of the right crank or try to do part of the chainring too.

 

[Psychographic]

While working on my shifter, I've noticed quite a bit of slop in it. The spring that holds the detents has about 1/8" of play in it. I thought I was putting the spring in backwards, but it won't fit the other way. Have I lost a spacer, or is the shifter built to have a bit of play into it?

The green arrow show the space that allows the spring to move back and forth.

 

[el Diablo Guapo]

Looks like fun!

 

[Psychographic]

WooHoo! Look what was sitting on my porch today!

The front wheel showed up before the vendors predicted handling time. It was due to be mailed today as it had a 20 day handling time. So now I'm excited to get a tire on it and checked the progress of said tire. In four days it has left Denver and then circled back to Denver!

 

[kingfish254]

Pat and Vanna would be envious of that wheel!!!

 

[Psychographic]

I haven't accomplished much lately, I've been pretty busy.

I have worked on the shifter a bit, I think I have a design I like. It's 1/4" aluminum rod, bent around some BB cups to make the curves. I also drilled and tapped an aluminum spacer for what ever knob I get to mount to. The coupler has been drilled and tapped for a 4-40 set screw to hold the shift rod from wanting to rotate. The ball is from the dollar store to just get a feel for the size. I wanted to make it longer, but the throw is about 180 degrees. Any longer and it would be poking me when all the way back.

My locking brake lever arrived yesterday. I think it matches the dual rear close enough.

This is the start of my rotor trueing gauge.

I picked up two more of the 5mm spacers and made guides for the shift cable.

 

[Brian macumber]

Love those bars

 

[Psychographic]

I've got the rotor trueing gauge working. It's simply two pieces of 1/2" x 1/8" bar stock. One piece has a 90 degree bend along with a hole drilled and a 1/4"-20 nut welded over it. The second piece is just a support to keep it square. A long 1/4"-20 carriage bolt is the guide with a knob screwed onto the end. The extra nut tightens the bolt to the frame, this will be replaced with a wing nut.

I plan to use a hose clamp to hold it to the axle housing.

 

[Psychographic]

I did my best to true up the rotors. These little scooter rotors are not easy to true!

My rivnut tool arrived yesterday, so it was time to mount the tank and start running my rear brake lines. The mounting bolts for the tank also hold the dual cable guides. Drilling through the shifter mount, and frame was a bit of a PITA due to the tight spaces. After a lot of drilling and grinding, I got them pretty cleanly run.

I left the left side plate off the shifter mount, so I could access everything the best I could for drilling for the cables. After I had it pretty much done, I put the side plate in place, and realized I might have a 1 step forward, 1 step back. The plate doesn't cover the hole and cable on the left side. Time to contemplate cutting off the shifter mount and using 1" tube for the frame of it, or trying to rework the side plate.

 

[Psychographic]

No more 1 step back. I decided my easiest fix was to make a new side plate. The top is the original, the bottom is the new one with a step in it for clearance. I bent it in a vice, then used a 1/2" tube to make the curve.

You can see to the right of the point, where the hole is exposed on the original.

The new plate covers it nicely.

 

[Captain Awesome]

No more 1 step back. I decided my easiest fix was to make a new side plate. The top is the original, the bottom is the new one with a step in it for clearance. I bent it in a vice, then used a 1/2" tube to make the curve.

View attachment 128431

You can see to the right of the point, where the hole is exposed on the original.

View attachment 128432

The new plate covers it nicely.

View attachment 128433

Nice save!

 

[el Diablo Guapo]

Looks like a ton o work!

Diggin' the pointy deatils

 

[Psychographic]

I'm pretty sure I've got the cable routing figured out. I'm using silver braided cables that are going to be a bit like jewelry on the trike. I wanted it noticeable, but tucked away and clean.

I mocked it up using some scrap pieces of black cable.

I also found a small length of 5/8" tubing, just enough to add a little more sexy to the frame. I spit it lengthwise and bent it around a motor case. Once it was tacked in place, I made patterns, transferred them to sheet metal, and welded them in.

I'm starting to get nervous about how much time is left.

 

[Brian macumber]

Looking forward to see this in paint.

 

[Psychographic]

Looking forward to see this in paint.

Me Too!!!

While leaning too far into a turn on one of the test rides, I got sucked into one of the back tires. I knew I was going to need fenders, plus it gives me more surface to paint. With the false confidence from the success of fabbing up the tank, I'm going to try to make a set of fenders. I've drawn up quite a few ideas, and at the last minute while cutting up some posterboard, I've got my design.

The problem with making fenders, both the fender and it's mount(s) are going to have to be strong. I know I'll wind up leaning on them at one point.

 

[OddJob]

What about something like this tractor fender. Shows off the tire well, provides a guard between you and the tire, and is mostly vertical so you won't have a lot of lateral 'bob' on it or worry about rubbing if you do 'lean into it' a bit.

 

[Psychographic]

What about something like this tractor fender. Shows off the tire well, provides a guard between you and the tire, and is mostly vertical so you won't have a lot of lateral 'bob' on it or worry about rubbing if you do 'lean into it' a bit.
View attachment 128744

The way you sit on the trike, and how you lean when taking a sharp turn, the tops of those inner fenders would need to be about 12 to 24" high to prevent you from simply leaning over it and on to the tire.

Good idea though.

Refined the shape and think this will be it. I brought the front to more of a point It fits the angles of the bike much better.

 

[Captain Awesome]

The way you sit on the trike, and how you lean when taking a sharp turn, the tops of those inner fenders would need to be about 12 to 24" high to prevent you from simply leaning over it and on to the tire.

Good idea though.

Refined the shape and think this will be it. I brought the front to more of a point It fits the angles of the bike much better.

View attachment 128747View attachment 128748View attachment 128749View attachment 128750

How wide are those tires? Could you start with trailer fenders and save a bunch of shaping?

Too flat?

 

[Psychographic]

How wide are those tires? Could you start with trailer fenders and save a bunch of shaping?

View attachment 128754

Too flat?

They are 18.5" diameter, 7.25" tread width, and overall sidewall to sidewall width is about 9".

I didn't have much luck finding something that would fit at a decent price. I'm also enjoying making stuff by hand. I'm looking forward to trying to tackle making them.

I'm sure I could run those through the English wheel to round them out, and then through the stretcher to give it a larger diameter. But that's almost as much work as making them from scratch, without as much satisfaction.

Where did you find those?