The first Paragon is in the final stages of preparation for its debut in the next week.
Showing posts with label Velocity Stack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Velocity Stack. Show all posts
The Paragon...
Here is a sneak preview of what I was doing in the few moments I wasn't working on my thesis this semester. MLM's Devin Biek and I have set out to design and build a custom moped frame from the 19" wheels and swing-arm up to the polished aluminum tank and seat. Oh, and the pedal shaft... Our inspiration comes from 60's & 70's 50cc GP racers with a flavour of 20's and 30's record breakers. Don't mind those EBR's they're just on there for the mock up. More to come in good time...
Design Precedents:
Early Triumph racers
'65 Honda 50cc GP racer
The 1937 Excelsior "Manxman"
Italian 50cc racers
The famous supercharged Zenith "Super Kim"
60's Minarelli 50cc GP racer
Ivan Wicksteed's Brooklands record breaking supercharged Triumph Speed Twin
60's & 70's GP racers
Harley Davidson board track racers
I love this shot. And those handlebars...
Moped vs. Pitbike
Not so good on the turns, but Devin's carefully built and tuned setup put out more power than the motorcycle. Isn't this track fantastic? I can't help but compare it to a sort of Brooklands for mopeds.
Velocity Stacks and Garden Tractors
I experienced the unexpected thrill this weekend of a garden tractor pull in Shipshewana, heart of Indiana Amish country. While there were of course no Amish entrants in the event, the gray-hatted boys seemed quite interested, gathering around the machines as they prepared for their run in front of the adjustable weight.
Thrill might be a bit of an exaggeration; tractor pulls in general usually attract a very specific audience... That said, large tractor pulls are certainly a bit more exciting with a lot more power accompanied by massive wheelies, but my appreciation of small engine tuning was well rewarded with velocity stacks galore, massive carburators, and homemade exhaust systems--even if they were all four-stroke.
Thrill might be a bit of an exaggeration; tractor pulls in general usually attract a very specific audience... That said, large tractor pulls are certainly a bit more exciting with a lot more power accompanied by massive wheelies, but my appreciation of small engine tuning was well rewarded with velocity stacks galore, massive carburators, and homemade exhaust systems--even if they were all four-stroke.
While most of the smaller tractors retained there starters, all of the more powerful machines required this interesting dolly mounted starter. Since tractor engines are longitudinally mounted this device was simply wheeled up next to the tractor and a belt run from the electric motor mounted at the top of the dolly. The car battery at the foot of the dolly kicks over the started and the tractor fires to life, while the belt slips harmlessly off.
Whiskey Business 3
Our trailer minus suspension and with chunks out of the tire:
Motion Left camper in Louisville
Rally point on the long ride:
Idling on Story Avenue
After the long ride:
The Bandits raffle bike
...And its happy winner, Bengry from the Guns.
Long exposure shot of the fireworks over Louisville during Thunder, which I still done't quite understand...
Nate Bandit Welding a scissor jack onto our axle; it worked great all the way back to Goshen!
Max Mojo's loaner after he T-boned a car that cut him off; one of three bad accidents of the rally. Amazingly he was walking around the next day.
Blk Blk's bikes...
Some of the more interesting bikes of the rally:
Briton Bee's Modified Pinto frame with 15mm Bing, 65cc Polini and Motion Left Pipe hit 61mph a week before the rally:
Briton Bee's completely custom Gitane w/Motion Left Pipe
Hobbits were out in full force led by the Hobbit evangelist Peter, now of the Guns.
Motobecane with matching knee guards:
The infamous reverse triped:
More triped fun:
Shaw-built maxi with exhaust pipe crossbar:
And my favorite bike of the weekend belonging to one of the Hot'n Readys
The Puchavus ...continued
So, the Puchavus will come to life... someday. Actually, that day draws nigh. On Tuesday I spent all day working in the shop. I repacked my wheel bearings, and discovered that I don't know where my front break hub has gotten to. I hope it shows up, especially since I put a good deal of time into making it all shiny.
Peter and Sarah from the Ghost Riders came in and we went over to get some of their stuff welded and picked up my and Devin's frames. Good Lord! When Devin told Rex to put some hefty welds on my engine mounts Rex took him seriously... Their awsome.
I also got Devin to show me how to port my engine. We raised the exhaust mainifold and opened up the intake mainifold to 17mm to match my carb. Then I went in and smoothed it all out and shortened the piston skirts.
Next, I found a bent piece of aluminum piping, and (after removing the bushing from my carb and shimming it up with a coke can) had a pretty sweet intake manifold, although it is monstrously long.
Then Devin had the fabulous idea of putting a velocity stack on the carb instead of the normal filter. A velocity stack is a horn shaped piece of metal that smoothes the air flow going into the carb and apparently (from what wikipedia says) manages to reclaim some of the vaporized fuel which is pulsed back out the carb when it is running at full throttle. (The main thing is that it just looks awsome and will probably make my carb louder than my engine...)
This is what I'm making my velocity stack out of.
Yesterday I went in and began putting the frame together. I also went out and got a toggle kill switch which I mounted on the speedometer plate.
I just placed the order for the chain and Simonini exhaust(expensive!) So I'm hoping thos will be in by Sunday... maybe. 2.25" Savas... well, we'll see.
The Carburator with its velocity stack and rediculous intake is going to be the most conspicuous part of this bike. I don't think people are even going to notice that its a Batavus while they wonder who the tard is who mounted his carb 12 inches from the cylinder. Plus it's only going to be a 50cc bike! Myabe I'll run a kickstand, but I'm pretty sure I won' run pedals at all, seeing as I don't have a pedal sprocket hooked up. I'm just going to pick up some pegs which should be a lot more comfortable. Right now without tuning I'm hoping for low to maybe mid 40's for Whiskey Business.
Peter and Sarah from the Ghost Riders came in and we went over to get some of their stuff welded and picked up my and Devin's frames. Good Lord! When Devin told Rex to put some hefty welds on my engine mounts Rex took him seriously... Their awsome.
I also got Devin to show me how to port my engine. We raised the exhaust mainifold and opened up the intake mainifold to 17mm to match my carb. Then I went in and smoothed it all out and shortened the piston skirts.
Next, I found a bent piece of aluminum piping, and (after removing the bushing from my carb and shimming it up with a coke can) had a pretty sweet intake manifold, although it is monstrously long.
Then Devin had the fabulous idea of putting a velocity stack on the carb instead of the normal filter. A velocity stack is a horn shaped piece of metal that smoothes the air flow going into the carb and apparently (from what wikipedia says) manages to reclaim some of the vaporized fuel which is pulsed back out the carb when it is running at full throttle. (The main thing is that it just looks awsome and will probably make my carb louder than my engine...)
This is what I'm making my velocity stack out of.
Yesterday I went in and began putting the frame together. I also went out and got a toggle kill switch which I mounted on the speedometer plate.
I just placed the order for the chain and Simonini exhaust(expensive!) So I'm hoping thos will be in by Sunday... maybe. 2.25" Savas... well, we'll see.
The Carburator with its velocity stack and rediculous intake is going to be the most conspicuous part of this bike. I don't think people are even going to notice that its a Batavus while they wonder who the tard is who mounted his carb 12 inches from the cylinder. Plus it's only going to be a 50cc bike! Myabe I'll run a kickstand, but I'm pretty sure I won' run pedals at all, seeing as I don't have a pedal sprocket hooked up. I'm just going to pick up some pegs which should be a lot more comfortable. Right now without tuning I'm hoping for low to maybe mid 40's for Whiskey Business.
Burt Munro
What can I say? I recently watched "The World's Fastest Indian" with Anthony Hopkins. What a fabulus story.
Here is the real man in action.
"Anybody can buy a fast bike and go fast. I think it's far more enjoyable to make a slow machine go fast. Riding it is only a hundredth of the actual esxperiance needed, I think myself, although it can be pretty hairy at times too, you know."
Here is the real man in action.
"Anybody can buy a fast bike and go fast. I think it's far more enjoyable to make a slow machine go fast. Riding it is only a hundredth of the actual esxperiance needed, I think myself, although it can be pretty hairy at times too, you know."
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