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Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

2nd option for bars look great! Love how it ties in with the headlight.
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

Yep, looks like the second option is going to win the day! I will sit down and draw them up a bit better in the coming days, then I will drag the bender back out, look at the drawing, throw the drawing away and make it up as I go along probably... :mrgreen: Seems to work the best! :wink:

Probably still make some apes for it, switch them over whenever I feel the need.

Luke.
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

Muscle bike build thread is started if anyone is interested... Should be some very interesting bikes and ideas on there over the course of the next 6 weeks.

viewtopic.php?f=43&t=68143

Luke.
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

deven_science said:
For a true Caddy look, I'll just throw this out there, have you considered a steering wheel? It might make it look like a two wheeled car.
I never really got the steering wheels on bikes thing, if I did it on this, I would want to add a couple of universals to bring the angle back to the rider a bit. I will have a think about it...

Luke.
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

Been thinking more on the bars for this bike, my plan right from the start was the big ape hangers, feel a bit sad that they wont be going on... The problem with them is that they dont fit the Cadillac theme very well, but then again the Cadillac theme is a fairly recent invention, and since installing the air tank I have been having doubts about it fitting the Cadillac theme too.

I think the answer may lie in scrapping the Cadillac theme, installing the big headlight off a mount on the fork, building some monster apes, a big back rest/sissy bar off the seat frame with one of the '59 Cadillac lights mounted on it and that monster airhorn I have been chasing for a month... If when it is all done I think it can pull off the Cadillac badges, I will add them then.

Just letting you know where my head is at, as always, I am interested in your opinions... Let me know...

Luke.
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

LukeTheJoker said:
I just checked you link Freddy, that is one UGLY bike! :shock:

Luke.

Ha,gotcha! This is where we're on different levels. This is such a cool bike. A real work of art (bodywork, I mean).
Ok, steering wheel is a bit over the top,but it suits him well.

Btw,are you gonna connect the airhorn to the tank? Looks perfect as an aircontainer. Or ar you gonna have some pressure-issues?
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

wimpy said:
Ha,gotcha! This is where we're on different levels. This is such a cool bike. A real work of art (bodywork, I mean).
Ok, steering wheel is a bit over the top,but it suits him well.

Btw,are you gonna connect the airhorn to the tank? Looks perfect as an aircontainer. Or ar you gonna have some pressure-issues?
Dont get me wrong, I appreciate the effort that went into it, and the idea behind it, but just dont think it works for me... No disrespect to whoever built it!

The airtank will be the air supply for the airhorn, if needed I have a small regulator I can plumb inline before the fire-extiguisher valve to drop the pressure, should be able to "tune" the tone of the horn with it too hopefully!

Luke.
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

wimpy said:
Oh cool. If it works,a small YouTube-maidenvoyage-testride-with-sound is a must. :mrgreen:
Absolutely! :mrgreen:

It is nice to see it getting closer and closer to done, still many welds to do, everything is still only tacked together...
Almost out of gas for the mig, been a while since I had it refilled, a bit scared of what I will be charged! :shock:

Luke.
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

Hey Luke,
This beast continues to WOW me! Every time I see it, I think 'that's one Big Hoss of a bike!'

I completely understand the 'apes / no apes' dilemma, but unless you plan to run some VERY low gearing, you going to need the bars a little lower for leverage when you pedal. With them too high, it will be difficult to get 'pull' from your upper body. You'll be using your arms more and your chest less....hope that makes sense.

Either way, it's your bike mate and it looks GREAT!

Build on fella!

Cheers,
Dr. T
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

LukeTheJoker said:
The more I look at those photo's the less I like them, to me it is looking more Harley than Caddie...
Did a quick paint mock up of an idea I just came up with, the grey blobby thing is the headlight, it mounts off the end of the bars, in front of the forks.

Luke.

Totally agree about the Harley versus Caddie, I like the Caddie better and the headlight

Dr. Tankenstein said:
Hey Luke,
I completely understand the 'apes / no apes' dilemma, but unless you plan to run some VERY low gearing, you going to need the bars a little lower for leverage when you pedal. With them too high, it will be difficult to get 'pull' from your upper body. You'll be using your arms more and your chest less....hope that makes sense.
Dr. T
Also agree with Dr. T
But it's your bike so your decision is the best :D

Interesting to see you on it, not because your that big :lol:
But it definitely doesn't look as intimating to ride :D

Looking forward to what's next...
 
Re: Single sided stay/forks '59 Cadillac bike. APE'S MOCKED UP!!

Thanks for all your comments guys, still unsure on what to do but I made up some nice curved tubes yesterday when I had the bender out to try an ape hanger idea I have been working on, so I will at least try that, if it is too hard to pedal, I will make some others. (Probably use the same bends!) :D

For me this bike is a weekend ride, not an everyday machine for long trips, so I dont mind giving up a little practcality for style on this one. :mrgreen:
The muscle bike build off bike I am working on will be used more, but then again, it is single speed with apes, so dont know how practical it will be, but I will sit more upright on it and it will be far lighter so that should help. Also, I will be able to stand up on it for more grunt...
viewtopic.php?f=43&t=68143

I added a "how to" on succesfully using a cheap hydraulic bender if anyone is having trouble with thiers...
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=68228

More progress soon, thanks everyone for thier imput...

Luke.
 
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