Brian's hydrostatic chopper build.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Lvogts

Shops clean and your foot pegs are done.............i did mine first and my other buddies then i finished on your two so the welds are perfect...........they are as good as i can make them..........i think with the rubber inserts, they will work perfect.............i hope you like them.........they were fun to machine, and i'll be happy to of put some of my handy work on your sweet bike...............enjoy.............

Leroy, I love them! I couldn't be happier!

I'm about ready to mount them on the bike so whenever you get a chance to send them to me, I'll have them mounted the day I get my hands on them.


Thanks again,
Brian.

[Brian]

Today I worked on the internal steering stop and making the handlebars. I needed to install the stop plate before making the handlebars so I knew if they would hit the tank.

My frame neck has two tangs that stick up into a round plate that mounts to the bottom of the top tree. (the stop plate mounts in the pocket on the top tree that I had to have machined bigger)

This is what the frame neck looks like. Notice the two tangs sticking up...


This is the stop plate that needs to be screwed to the bottom of the top tree...


Before being mounted... I had to drill and tap the four holes. (notice my transfer punches near the top of the picture)


And after... I used red loctite on the 4 screws.



Now it was time to make the handlebars. I used 1.250 tubing for the main part but I have it neck down to 1 inch near the ends so my hand controls will fit.

Here they are with Todd sitting on the bike...


Front view...


I'm really happy with how they turned out. I think they fit the bike perfectly.

I still need to finish mounting the rear fender. I got sick of working on the back of the bike for the last 2 days so I took a break from it and worked on the front end today. I'll finish mounting the fender tomorrow.

Now, If I just had a headlight to complete the look

Later,
Brian.

[x4158]

ever thought about some little alien lights like these?



(just kidding)

MH

[Brian]

Originally Posted by x4158

ever thought about some little alien lights like these?

(just kidding)

MH

Hahaha...

Jeff was just saying tonight that he might reuse them on his 2 wheel drive trail bike. He is keeping my headlight now. I just ordered another one a little bit ago and I'm pretty sure it's identical to the first one I had.

Brian.

[Jeff]

Hey, Where do you think I got those alien headlights?

[Jeff]

I have the pictures so I'll post them. Brian can explain how it went...Jeff

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Jeff

I have the pictures so I'll post them. Brian can explain how it went...Jeff

The first picture is of Scott. He is the guy who tig welded my frame, machined the pocket on my top triple tree, tig welded my handlebars and tig welded Jeff's oil tank for the 2WD bike. He was the one who was going to bring my wheel to that retired wheel machinist but tonight he decided to give it a try for himself first...... and he always seems to get is way when working on projects. He even smokes those little cigars (as seen in the picture above) like Leroy's tire guy, "Cigar Johnny" smokes... It must be that magic smoke that Leroy was talking about!!


After using a carbide burr in his pneumatic die grinder and removing a bit of material where the tire was getting hung up it FINALLY popped on!! I couldn't believe it... after messing with that wheel/tire for 2 years and MANY hours it was finally on AND completely beaded!! That was the main reason why I stopped working on the bike in the first place. Jeff and I spent hours upon hours working on that wheel and if it wouldn't go on then my swing arm was worthless because all the dimensions were based off that particular wheel and tire combo. Anyway, long story short..... It's on and now I can finish the bike not having to worry if I'll have a rear tire when it's finished.

Thanks again Scott and Jeff!

Brian.

[Todd]

YAY!!! Sorry i fell asleep last night, Must still be getting over this cold.

[Lvogts]

Hey Scott, send me one of them magic cigars, I'm fighting my front steering pistons.................lol...............


SWEET!!

I KNEW IT COULD BE DONE.............AWESOME...........

YOUR ON THE DOWN HILL SIDE NOW...............THAT'S SO COOL...........

[Brian]

Tonight I took it easy and didn't fabricate any new parts. I finished grinding and sanding the plug welds on my handle bars and mocked up my hand controls. I need 2 things to complete the front end of the bike.... 1 brake line and a new throttle cable. (the one I have is too short) I also need to make spacers that will fill the void where the Harley Davidson "switch boxes" would normally be. I have a plan for that and will post pictures of those when they're finished. It's too hard to explain right now. I also finished mounting the rear fender. All my friends told me I had to make it "strut less" so I needed to make a heavy duty fender mount so it could support the fender without struts.

Fender mount.... (looking down from the top)


Side view... (notice I also put one mounting bolt on the side near the bottom, on the swing arm)


Another angle showing the hand controls...



Tomorrow night I should have pictures of Leroy's foot pegs mounted and it should have the front fender on it too.

If I had to do it all over again, the back bone would be at more of a downward angel and the swing arm would be a little shorter. This is the first bike I've ever built and there wasn't any blue prints available for a diesel chopper so I guess I didn't do too bad. I'm starting to like it better the more I look at it! It should be cool when it's finished!


Brian.