Ok guys another update. I did a lot of work the past week or two getting things finalized so that I could take it out and test it for real. High speed, corners, lateral strength of the bikes connection to the frame, engine performance and cooling etc. etc.
Both air intakes are done finally I just need to do the bodywork on them and paint them and then I think they’ll fit the vehicle a little better visually. In case anyone is interested, here is how I built them on a cheap budget;
Just carved them with a saw, file and sandpaper by hand and fitted them to the radiators;
This foam melts when you put epoxy on it so after the final shape is achieved I smooth and coat it with drywall mud, it’s cheap, dries fast and is really easy to sand and work with and protects the foam from the epoxy;
Here is the scoop mounted with the air intake tube for the motor and the cooling fan hooked up. I’m going to buy another fan for the other side, I think dual cooling fans will be pretty sweet sounding and cool really good too;
Here’s some better pics of the trike in the sun;
Final word for now; I tested the trike out this weekend and was very pleased with it’s performance. The engine ran perfect, stayed cool, ran hard and strong. Gears shift effortlessly and smoothly! Everything worked perfect except one little concern I have… The steering is great until you get over about 50 or 60 mph where it sort of starts “chasing cats”, in other words I think it’s just an adjustment issue with the toe, steering box, alignment, and shocks. We did a couple adjustments while we were out there and it improved slightly so I’m confident that I’ll get the little bugs worked out soon.
Back Tire: After testing and some much anticipated burnouts I brought the trike back home and pulled the rear wheel off so I could powder coat it and put the 205/40/R17 car tire on it. I think that will also improve the handling performance and traction quite a bit. Can’t wait to feel the difference!!!
VIDEO!!
Here’s the test video we did this weekend! Sorry for the shaky video but we forgot the tripod, we’ll bring it again next time.