Today in the workshop .....

[Robotstar5]

Another trike job just came in for various bits and bobs plus "it feels funny, see what you think."

Bought sight unseen from Scotland, been sitting in his garage since November.

Well the first thing I thought was "It seems to be listing to port.". 30 seconds with a tape measure and the axle isn't central, it's an inch over to the left as you sit on it, and something's twisted as the swing arm pivot is an inch higher on the right than it is on the left. I don't think he's going to be getting any good news when I've had a good look round it.

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Mechanical issues aside, the seat and rear bodywork look so wrong to me, it would look OK if you ditched the axle and fitted a single rear wheel.

 

[addjunkie]

Mechanical issues aside, the seat and rear bodywork look wrong to me, it would look OK if you ditched the axle and fitted a single rear wheel.

Id be tempted to spend a few minutes, looking, then tell the customer to take it home as you are not prepared to be responsible for such a poor design / fab job. And to fix it properly you would need to start again!

 

[Cato]

I concur,

Are both axle tubes the same length? Or has it just been offset by a clueless muppet. It was fairly common to shorten one side to reduce prop angle.

They're the same length, consequently the UJs are fu excessively worn. I don't think there's any needles in the front.

The axle is bent, as is the swing arm, I'm not going to bother checking the frame. The welding is shocking. All three brakes are binding, NSR is almost locked. Brake pipes chafing. The list goes on. I had a look at the MOT history and it mentions a severely damage NSR wheel ten years ago, and it also shows that in 2006 it had 69,000 miles on it, then one year with "no mileage" then the next year it had dropped to 18,000 and it's now at 24,000. Pretty much a full house of red flags. Yet he saw fit to buy it without any inspection or test ride.

Unfortunately he's spent £2.5k on scrap.

 

[Cato]

Id be tempted to spend a few minutes, looking, then tell the customer to take it home as you are not prepared to be responsible for such a poor design / fab job. And to fix it properly you would need to start again!

That's exactly what's going to happen. 2 hours labour for inspecting it and doing the write up which will be sent by email and accompanied by video.

 

[addjunkie]

Unfortunately he's spent £2.5k on scrap.

Yes, but he now has the log book and a selection of components for a few build if he had the money or the skills. Though Im sure you are not daft enough to put that in writing.

 

[Farside]

Put the Tillotson back together and after a few decades of slumber we have smoke & noise(the good kind).

The workshop smells lovely now, I'm going to have a brew and breath in the atmosphere.

It sounds just like a Telefunken Yamaha RD350.

 

[Farside]

Another trike job just came in for various bits and bobs plus "it feels funny, see what you think."

Bought sight unseen from Scotland, been sitting in his garage since November.

Well the first thing I thought was "It seems to be listing to port.". 30 seconds with a tape measure and the axle isn't central, it's an inch over to the left as you sit on it, and something's twisted as the swing arm pivot is an inch higher on the right than it is on the left. I don't think he's going to be getting any good news when I've had a good look round it.

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Another one of those horrendous deathtrap kits.
If the users / builders of the actual trike had half a clue they could actually make something safe and reliable out of it.

 

[Morris]

Another trike job just came in for various bits and bobs plus "it feels funny, see what you think."

Bought sight unseen from Scotland, been sitting in his garage since November.

Well the first thing I thought was "It seems to be listing to port.". 30 seconds with a tape measure and the axle isn't central, it's an inch over to the left as you sit on it, and something's twisted as the swing arm pivot is an inch higher on the right than it is on the left. I don't think he's going to be getting any good news when I've had a good look round it.

View attachment 527484View attachment 527483

Many years ago a guy at work turned up with similar. He had bought it for his wife! It to was a heap of dangerous junk. I don't understand how they get MOT's.

 

[Cato]

Many years ago a guy at work turned up with similar. He had bought it for his wife! It to was a heap of dangerous junk. I don't understand how they get MOT's.

It must have been a phone in but not attend because there's no way it's deteriorated that far in a few months and Stevie Wonder would have a hard time saying he couldn't see anything to fail it on.

 

[Cato]

Yes, but he now has the log book and a selection of components for a few build if he had the money or the skills. Though Im sure you are not daft enough to put that in writing.

I'll be sticking to what's wrong with it. Recommendations on a course of action is a can of worms I'm leaving sealed.

 

[cheb]

Another one of those horrendous deathtrap kits.
If the users / builders of the actual trike had half a clue they could actually make something safe and reliable out of it.

Even if they did it would still be a trike.

 

[Farside]

Even if they did it would still be a trike.

Yeah, I know, disadvantages of car and bike.
However, I was giving serious thought to building one for my dotage years, as it would let me get out for essentials on the ice and snow.
I gave in to the more tempting idea of having some heat and a reverse gear, hence the Pensioner's Car sitting in the yard.

 

[cheb]

Yeah, I know, disadvantages of car and bike.
However, I was giving serious thought to building one for my dotage years, as it would let me get out for essentials on the ice and snow.
I gave in to the more tempting idea of having some heat and a reverse gear, hence the Pensioner's Car sitting in the yard.

Buy an old Landrover and fold the screen down.