MAKING A TRIKE
Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:05 pm
Had a lot of help from you good people already, thanks, so time to get the project up on show. Bought a non-running 78 GoldWing from this old chap in Dudley, (UK)
apparently not been running for some years and has had 11 owners, mostly I presume unable to get to grips with the snags. Only has 22,000 miles on the clock and looking at the discs may be true. Has had added lights and stuff which IMHO contribute to the 'electrical problems' it was advertised with. It's in a sorry state. Afraid to say I parted with £700 for it, purely on the basis that the throttle slides moved freely and the engine turned easily enough in second gear.
Had to send long suffering wife off to Machine Mart to buy the crane to get it out of the Transit, and son in law Mark helped it out.
finally got it home, to Tarvin, village near Chester, the wet end of the UK.
had it here for some 4 weeks but have to play at being Grandad or risk the wrath of wife, so time limited on it.
Plan is to check it runs, take engine out and clean up it and frame, build a rear frame to take a Ford Capri axle, and join the bits together, using the drive from the swingarm and the swingarm as the front rear suspension pivot. the seat and upper rear frame to be supported on the original shocks.
Any comments on this plan would be greatly appreciated, I am new to GoldWings (only just learnt how to spell it) and haven't done much bike work for 30 years.
Electrics are a sorry mess. Been building bikes and cars and stuff for over half a century (sorry, I am old, and sadly, not getting younger) and not seen anything quite so grim.
Using an old car battery, turned on the ignition and the starter engaged, the solenoid shorting on the frame. Smoke rising from 2 or 3 places assisted decision to disconnect battery and have a closer look.
Took out the carb drains and a foul smelling green stuff ran out. Wonder what happened to the petrol. The drillings in the drain plugs are stuffed hard with grey silt so if it ever runs the first job will be to overhaul the carbs. Looked in tank, big mistake, foul and rusty!
The new crane makes a great bike stand. Removed radiator, nothing looking nice at all!
Back wheel and drive unit came out easily enough. Removed the tank, will probably have to cut the side out, clean it up and replate it, unless anybody has a better idea. Tried to post another picture but found that 5 is enough, so will continue later.
I need all the help I can get from you people, so don't be shy!
apparently not been running for some years and has had 11 owners, mostly I presume unable to get to grips with the snags. Only has 22,000 miles on the clock and looking at the discs may be true. Has had added lights and stuff which IMHO contribute to the 'electrical problems' it was advertised with. It's in a sorry state. Afraid to say I parted with £700 for it, purely on the basis that the throttle slides moved freely and the engine turned easily enough in second gear.
Had to send long suffering wife off to Machine Mart to buy the crane to get it out of the Transit, and son in law Mark helped it out.
finally got it home, to Tarvin, village near Chester, the wet end of the UK.
had it here for some 4 weeks but have to play at being Grandad or risk the wrath of wife, so time limited on it.
Plan is to check it runs, take engine out and clean up it and frame, build a rear frame to take a Ford Capri axle, and join the bits together, using the drive from the swingarm and the swingarm as the front rear suspension pivot. the seat and upper rear frame to be supported on the original shocks.
Any comments on this plan would be greatly appreciated, I am new to GoldWings (only just learnt how to spell it) and haven't done much bike work for 30 years.
Electrics are a sorry mess. Been building bikes and cars and stuff for over half a century (sorry, I am old, and sadly, not getting younger) and not seen anything quite so grim.
Using an old car battery, turned on the ignition and the starter engaged, the solenoid shorting on the frame. Smoke rising from 2 or 3 places assisted decision to disconnect battery and have a closer look.
Took out the carb drains and a foul smelling green stuff ran out. Wonder what happened to the petrol. The drillings in the drain plugs are stuffed hard with grey silt so if it ever runs the first job will be to overhaul the carbs. Looked in tank, big mistake, foul and rusty!
The new crane makes a great bike stand. Removed radiator, nothing looking nice at all!
Back wheel and drive unit came out easily enough. Removed the tank, will probably have to cut the side out, clean it up and replate it, unless anybody has a better idea. Tried to post another picture but found that 5 is enough, so will continue later.
I need all the help I can get from you people, so don't be shy!