Henryinva

Dude, I'd proceed with what your doing myself. Looks okay in my book!

__________________
"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight,
he'll just kill you!"

Shadow Shack

After it's stopped...no, no momentum. While it's moving, yes, there's momentum. It's the "while it's moving" is where it becomes more prone to locking up.

CofG is further forward, ergo more weight being thrown forward while braking. The arguement you buy is what I'm getting at. If you can admit that the redistribution requires more front braking pressure, then you're getting what I'm saying.

In a panic stop, the rider might apply the "usual" amount of pressure and when he realizes the bike isn't going to stop as efficiently as he might have been used to, he applies more pressure. Maybe he'll inadvertently apply too much in the process, hence more prone to locking up the tire.

It's the change in stance, I've never claimed it to be a result of the change in geometry.

Remember all the "high boy" hot rods with big rear tires jacking up the rear? It's basically the same thing here, the nose is already leaning down before braking, and dives even further while braking. Yes, the headlight is lower to the ground before braking since the front is lowered, and when it travels up to 4.6" closer to the ground (max fork travel) it's even closer to the ground while braking.

Really though, we should take this up in PM or elsewhere by now. The OP already returned and pretty much stated no regard for safety, so our entire debate on the issue of braking (and frame geometry) is moot.

So I'll bow out on that end of it and merely restate what I opened with here, in case that was missed along the way: I like the look.

Good luck with it.

__________________
"Ride Safe, Chop Safer"

3500cc worth of Honda: http://shadow-shack.20m.com

Jakeman

Oldschool, the build it lookin good, keep the pics comming. There are thousands of bikes out there with the same fork drop setup and they stop fine.

Shadow Shack

{EDIT} crud, that was supposed to be a PM...still getting the kinks out

__________________
"Ride Safe, Chop Safer"

3500cc worth of Honda: http://shadow-shack.20m.com

Fridgitator

Geometry debate aside, Please post your pix.
As for the debate, I recently bought a copy of 'Proficient Motorcycling'. I've barely started reading it, but it explains this and many other phenomena of riding physics in easy to comprehend terms. I highly recommend the book to anyone who rides.

Guba

Hey fridge, you have an ISBN number for that book. I just got a gift card to Barnes & Noble, they can order books if you know the number.

__________________
Some days beer tastes good...other days beer tastes better!

'07 Rebel 250

flitecontrol

Great book. The ISBN number is: 978-1-933958-35-4. I just bought a second copy along with two other books on riding from a guy on another forum. The book is used, but is in great shape (the bonus CD in the back has never been removed). If anyone is interested, I'll sell it fairly cheap.

__________________
I'm keepin' all the left over parts. I'm gonna use 'em to build another bike!

2001 Rebel 250, 1989 Vulcan 750

Guba

Thanks flite!

__________________
Some days beer tastes good...other days beer tastes better!

'07 Rebel 250

JunkyardDog

While I'm definitely concerned about safety, you have to draw the line somewhere if you intend to get anything out of life before it's over, as you won't get a second chance. Nothing is 100% safe, you just have to accept that. Riding a bike is not nearly as safe as driving a car under the same conditions, even for skilled experienced riders. Very few would argue with that. But it is fun, for those who enjoy it, and IMO, worth the risk.


Now. When you start rebuilding bikes, and changing the suspension and steering geometry, you are probably going to wind up with something that does not handle as well as a stock bike, especially under emergency conditions. Just how far you are willing to go depends on how much risk you are willing to take.

I have expressed how I feel about the Captain America bike from Easy Rider. I would love to own a bike just like that. And I would ride it. Out on the highway. But I wouldn't ride it in town, or anywhere there was stop and go traffic and intersections. IMO, it simply would not be safe to ride under such conditions.

I have also expressed my desire to build a chopper out of my 250 Rebel. BUT, I fully realize that would involve some serious compromises to it's handling, and that it would no longer be a practical motorcycle. If it were my only motorcycle, I wouldn't even consider it. But, I have several other bikes, so I could live with the Rebel chopper being something I wouldn't ride just anywhere anytime. For that I will stay with a mostly stock bike.


I have ridden all my life, and made it to 50 without any street accidents. Some people look at that,and say the longer you ride, the more likely you are to have an accident. I say that has to be balanced with the fact that since I've made it that far, I must be doing something right. I've never had an accident on the dragstrip either, though that would be a lot less likely to seriously injure or kill you than a motorcycle accident would.

One thing I sure don't want to do is reach the end of my life, and regret that I didn't do many of the things I wanted to do. Again, IMO, living in constant fear of doing anything even the least bit dangerous is not living at all, it's mostly just throwing your life away.


But that doesn't mean I'm going to go totally crazy with risk either. I am not a daredevil or thrillseeker. I would not ride a bike I felt I could not control, under the conditions I was riding it in. Jerry.

minibike

Hey OldshcoolJ, Please don't stop showing your build to us! It's the internet, you have to expect some posts to get a little irritating. Your starting a build that is alot like the one I did early last year. Low stance, retain some suspension, low cost, and most important, it looks cool. I lowered the front one inch and the rear two and half inches. It handles like its on rails all the way up to as fast it will go, works great in the curves, hard braking, bad pavement, or whatever. I rode this bike every chance I got through the summer and had a great time on it.

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