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kapri
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« on: July 25, 2014, 01:08:53 PM » |
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Does anyone on here own one ? Question is why are they so easy to wheelstand and do they all do it ? It's that why most are built so long ?
I understand the weight all hung out the back doesn't help and that the torque of th engine is multiplied by the gearing but it's hardly a torque monster is it, what's it make , 40/50lbs per foot? multiply that by gearing in 1st , say 4:1 by axle ratio 4:1 and that's still only around 400lbs with maybe 210lbs of rider and another maybe 210 of trike forward of the axle ?
What are they like handling wise compared to a 'standard' trike ? I've been caught out with a high power Beetle swapping ends when turning right quickly.
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Olds
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« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2014, 02:03:50 PM » |
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Ask Lunatic. Is there a standard trike ?  PM sent.
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« Last Edit: July 25, 2014, 02:15:55 PM by Olds »
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Getting older but no wiser! Just using bigger hammers. The answer to most problems, fire and lots of it.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2014, 02:26:32 PM » |
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Mr Loon's the chap to ask about custom Beetles in general & his Dad has a triked one. TrikerPete's built a couple, (& may have another in the pipeline at the moment). ByzMax has experience of them too. Chris Ireland, who used to trade as "Desperate Dan" & also edited/part owned BritChopper magazine, used to do Beetle trike kits, called the Preying Mantis. Early versions had the fuel tank at the back with the engine, but later ones used a long thin tank under the front of the frame to keep the weight forward. Plainy Janey's Dad, Jacko, has one & brought it along to our pitch at the Basingstoke transport festival last year. He lives in Frimley, near Camberley, Surrey & I'm sure would be happy to chat if you want a look at one.
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« Last Edit: July 25, 2014, 06:53:31 PM by Manky Monkey »
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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kapri
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« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2014, 03:58:44 PM » |
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As pointed out by Olds I forgot they actually make good torque , twice what I was basing my calcs on, OOPS Although I've a lot of experience with VW engines I forgot that the poor bhp is at very low revs , approx 3800 and the breathing is the limiting factor. I used to run a 1776c beetle lump ,making around 120bhp , back in 1988 and first started playing with Cal Look Beetles before Volksworld had even starting being published.
So the Beetle isn't a mystery to me , nor it's handling quirks, rather it's application in a trike and associated problems that I'm interested in. A mate local to me built what's now known as a Swedish style trike back in 1977 , based on a very similar chop built by another mate Terry 'Hoot' Howell of the old Custom Scene chopper shop in Chichester.
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kapri
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« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2014, 04:03:42 PM » |
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Here's link to the old Custom Scene website . Andy see if you can spot Pop Brown in there with his chop ! Some early chop history in there . http://www.customcity.co.uk/Pictures.html
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kapri
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« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2014, 04:48:15 PM » |
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Sorry, reading that back again it sounds a bit arsey or bragging, not meant to be, just trying to fill in some of my background so you can see it's teh trike 'effect' I'm more interested in. 
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Olds
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« Reply #6 on: July 25, 2014, 05:39:04 PM » |
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 Think that you are on the right lines with reversing the engine but not going with the extra trans case. Always seems like an added complication to what could be a simple but effective design. Keep it simple. Simple works.
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Getting older but no wiser! Just using bigger hammers. The answer to most problems, fire and lots of it.
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Plasticpig
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« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2014, 05:49:26 PM » |
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I have a swing axle box and shafts sitting in the shed at the moment. Idea's so far have been rear-engined reliant, mid engined, or with the extra dummy box as in Swedes.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2014, 06:18:27 PM » |
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Some great photos in there Kev -the 70s always looks cool to me! I had no idea Kris was into bikes.
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BikerGran
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« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2014, 06:34:10 PM » |
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Plainy Janey's Dad, Jacko, has one & brought it along to our pitch at the Basingstoke transport festival last year.
Was talking to him about it a couple of years ago and he said he didn't ride it on the road cos it's lethal!
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You don't stop havin fun because you get old - you get old if you stop havin fun!
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kapri
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« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2014, 06:41:55 PM » |
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Some great photos in there Kev -the 70s always looks cool to me! I had no idea Kris was into bikes.
I know most of those guys back from the day, didn't realise how lucky I was at the time but used to hang out at Jagos / Custom Scene a lot. I bought my first full project Capri from Kris , he needed to sell it to pay for taxing his Old Iron Fordson van. I think the Consul Capri was only 11/12 years old at the time
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kapri
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« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2014, 06:46:37 PM » |
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Plainy Janey's Dad, Jacko, has one & brought it along to our pitch at the Basingstoke transport festival last year.
Was talking to him about it a couple of years ago and he said he didn't ride it on the road cos it's lethal! A tuned Beetle can be as well , I don't have a T shirt but something best not to talk about in polite company 
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #12 on: July 25, 2014, 07:00:42 PM » |
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Was talking to him about it a couple of years ago and he said he didn't ride it on the road cos it's lethal!
-that was Loony's Dad Bobbi. Janey's Dad's the guy with the big Mexican moustache.
I saw Kris's old Fordson, "Old Iron" last weekend. It was driving the other way through South London when I was going to the Detonators' party.
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« Last Edit: July 25, 2014, 11:00:38 PM by Manky Monkey »
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #13 on: July 25, 2014, 07:02:24 PM » |
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Janey's Dad, Jacko.
Loony & his Dad, Dave.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #14 on: July 25, 2014, 07:04:15 PM » |
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Plainy Janie.
Some crazy BikerGran person.
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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