FF Web blogs

Motorcycle News - Grand Designs PDFs

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:55:18 +0100

Here's PDFs of the Motorcycle News article on weird and wonderful PTWs.

Quasar restoration

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:33:51 +0000

An introduction

Hi All

Just become a member

I have been interested in Quasars since the beginning (late 70's) when a guy living opposite me owned one.

A stroke stopped me from buying Paul’s when it was up for auction (and the price) but I have kept in touch with Mark since then attending one gathering and lending a hand at the Quasar Garage whenever I have visited Mark.

So what am I doing on this list?

1) I have built more Quasars than anyone else (OK - OK so they are only models)

2) Mark and I currently own the SOLO QUASAR and with the blessing of the Newell family I have undertaken to restore it to its former glory.

CG limitations - incorrections dispelled

Wed, 02 May 2007 17:23:05 +0100

It seems it's about time I fended off Arthur Middletons attempts to 'correct' my comments on the limitations of low CG motorcycle designs.

I beleive the original article spoke for itself if properly read and understood, but some have asked for a clarification upon Arthurs comments - so here it is.

Panniers for a Burgman AN400Y

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:47:43 +0000

Can anyone tell me who makes hard panniers for a 400 Burgervan

website confusion

Sun, 21 May 2006 20:34:45 +0100

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out this site. Is there a page like a forum where a message is sent and others can reply to. Does my blog go out to everybody or only people who want to see my blog. How can I upload a picture of a FF project.

Safer bikes

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 11:12:13 +0100

I'm passionate about having a choice in everything and that includes bike safety. I bought a BMW C1 4 years ago and I still think it is a brilliant concept and really enjoyable ride round town. I needed to travel further two years ago so bought a Honda Silverwing scooter and I'd love to see Honda bring out one with a safety cell like the C1. The BMW C1 should have been exempt from the helmet law as its safety features are more akin to a car and it is just stupid to wear a helmet in a belted vehicle. The increased weight on a non-professional driver's neck will cause severe neck injuries in an accident. BMW spent millions developing and crash testing a bike that would encourage non-bike riders to get out of their car. The UK DOT wouldn't even tell BMW how to apply for exemption stating "we will not consider any de-regulaton of the helmet law". So, while the C1 protects my head, neck and torso in an accident, they think just protecting your skull is sufficient. With this stupid stance, bike safety will never move forward. There also appears to be great resistance from the biking community as they don't want any new safety laws to take away bikes in their existing form. I don't believe having a choice will stop production of bikes as they are, it will just create a new market for current non-bikers.

Mexican FF

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 19:39:03 +0000

Here's a good one. I particularly like the illuminated skull.

I James Background

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 13:49:12 +0100

I am a Mortgage Broker based in The Forest of Dean. In my youth I rode a Lambretta Scooter until I was 22 years of age. At age 62 I have returned to scooterring by purchasing a new Honda Silverwing in June 2005. Before I took delivery of the Silverwing I undertook refresher training. I have since taken things steady and now am getting to grips with the bike. The enjoyment derived is tremendous. I attended Peter Billington's open day and was quite impressed with his comfortmax. I would like to say that I am an all weather biker but I may winterise the bike when the road salt appears.

Low CoG limitations reply

Sun, 02 Oct 2005 18:38:52 +0100

Low CoG limitations reply. This is a reply to David Botting's paper with my comments inserted.

Limitations of low CG design

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 08:26:49 +0000

Please find attached a written article covering some of the less favourable aspects of low CG design. The article is in part written as a reply to the theories put forward by Royce Creasey in 'Feet First - The Physics'.

Acceleration
The average sports-tourer has nowhere near the amount of power to make wheelies a serious disadvantage. It is only over a very narrow rev range, between 500 - 1000rpm, at peak power and in first gear that such bikes are able to lift the front wheel from the ground (not the same as continuing a wheelie).

This = just a split second. Provided that a modicum of skill and throttle restraint is applied in first gear, the front wheel can easily be kept on the floor without serious loss of acceleration, and who needs to accelerate THAT hard anyway? It is wildly unlikely that a ‘looping’ situation would occur without the direct intention of a wheelie.

Middleton Link and 3-in-line STV

Tue, 06 Sep 2005 22:00:07 +0100

3-in-line STV: A prototype to test the concept, built mid 2002.

Made from a Suzuki 80 step through (free) and a couple of 10” scooter wheels (20 euro). The idea is to test if any of the supposed benefits can be achieved, and what problems there might be in applying these. Middleton Link is a solution to a bump steer problem in this concept.

Benefits are: increased contact patch to unsprung mass ratio, increased contact patch to tyre width ratio, effectively reduced unsprung mass for a given contact patch area, contact with the road with at least one steered wheel on sharp bumps, second tyre running in drier road surface under straight line braking conditions, lower propensity to front wheel traction loss in cornering, potentially lower frontal area and un-steered suspension. Actual mass of the complete system is less than a single Kawasaki GPZ500S 16” front wheel and tyre.

Quasar Meetup

Sun, 04 Sep 2005 07:26:20 +0100

The 2005 Quasar outing will take place in Hastings over the week-end on September 10th/11th. The format will be similar to previous years with us meeting up on St Leonards sea-front on Saturday afternoon from around 4:30pm onwards and moving on to Bo Peep pub for supper. There will be a ride-out on Sunday morning and we'll finish up at the Six Bells at Chiddingly for a late lunch.

All Quasar owners, Quasar enthusiasts, or owners of other Feet-first machinery are invited to join us.

First components for Hossack forked VT500ED FF

Mon, 02 Jan 2006 22:10:52 +0000

It will be a long slow process, but I'm going to try to document the building of my FF machine on this page.

The machine will be built round a folded aerolam tub, with a cradle under and partly round the engine, continuing into a triangular cross-section box containing the fuel tank and carrying the seat, sweeping up at the rear into a backrest bulkhead, with the swinging arm pivoting at the back of the central box. A tunnel will be formed through the box containing an extension drive shaft. The machine will be about 10 inches longer than standard.

The first two drawings attached show the Hossack style front fork, and the main aerolam spar of the fork as a developed sheet ready to be cut. The drawings are all but finished, and will shortly be going for quotation for NC milling with an old client who has machines capable of cutting the job. It is possible to cut four sets of uprights from an 8x4 sheet of material, so I will have three spare sets that I may offer to the group.

Adding a Volvo seat back to an AN400K3

Sat, 20 Aug 2005 15:04:03 +0100

I've posted a load of pictures to Flickr of my attempt at adding a Volvo seat. Click on each picture and you'll see lots of annotations describing the detail.

After much hacksawing, cursing and abuse of power tools, I now have a Volvo seat
mounted on my Burger400K3. Lessons I've learnt:-

- I'm crap at this metalwork stuff

- I should have listened to Royce, the Volvo 340 seat is the best. I was seduced by the fake leatherette of the seat from a bigger model but it doesn't work so well in this application. The problem is the mounting mechanisms on both sides are a good 4 to 5cms lower relative to the seat.

Fitting a Volvo Seat on a Burgman

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 18:16:50 +0100

As you can see from the photo, it is possible to fit a Volvo Seat on a Burgman!

This is the next stage in making my Burgman more of an FF. I got the seat from the Volvo Breakers on the A1 near St Neots for a mere 25 quid. It's a leather seat so won't need recovering. I had quite a choice and eventually plumped for an early 7 series instead of the usual 340 seat because of the leather, the filled in head rest and the fact that the lumbar adjust and the rake adjust are both on the left hand side. Not only that but it's got a heated back and seat base.