- Mon Jun 29, 2020 9:00 am
#91126
On the basis I need every bit of help I can get, I'm looking at places where I can achieve some meaningful weight loss on the trials bike. I'm aware weight-loss on a motorcycle is an exercise in diminishing returns so some things are simply not worthwhile, others may be?
Already got alloy bars. I'm also ditching the rear subframe in favour of a plastic mudguard with a single loop bracket and one of those rubber taillights (or maybe make up something from alloy plate to hold the existing light).
I'd like to do a classic long distance trial at some point so it has to retain lights. I do have a thunderbird top-yoke somewhere but I'm not sure how much weight that will save over the casquette by the time I've fitted a steel yoke, headlamp, headlamp stays and a bracket for the speedo? i don't remember the casquette being all that heavy?
The front mudguard stays are steel. I suppose I could make them from alloy bar but again, not certain they'd be much lighter than the fairly thin guage steel tube I'm using now?
The bash plate is fairly meaty, 2mm steel frame with alloy chequer-plate. From the damage it took last time, I'm not sure if making this less meaty would be a great plan?
Fuel tank is a major weight source. I'm keeping my eye out for a dinky used tank that'll fit. I don't think I can justify the cost of a new alloy trials tank and I'd be terrified of throwing it about and damaging it. My understanding is that the tank on enfileds is a partly structural member? So it needs the bolts front and rear. I did have an idea that I could possibly make up a couple of alloy braces that run between the frame mounts and attach a more universal, possibly plastic/fibreglass tank to those. Or just keep my eyes open for a slightly battered trials tank coming up on ebay.
Alloy rims? Are they THAT much lighter? I've fitted a half-width front hub. I do have a half-width rear too but will it save much weight? Also compromises the ability to do a "field" tyre change, the QR wheel setup is handy!
I'm keeping the two lifting handles! Or maybe I should replace them with a webbing strap/bit of rope?
I could probably thin down the toolkit.
Make an alloy chainguard? Anyone got a picture of how to do one?
Looking at it with the mudguard removed, I think there is *just* enough room for a 4.00 tyre if I made a lower-profile chainguard. I'm wondering if dropping to a 18" rim would be a sensible idea? It would massively increase the range of tyres available and help gear the bike lower overall. That said, it would further compromise ground clearance which is already an issue.
Already got a very dinky battery, all the electrics are hidden in a tea-caddy air filter housing mounted on the left side of the bike.
Already has an alloy barrel.
Anything I've missed?
On the basis I need every bit of help I can get, I'm looking at places where I can achieve some meaningful weight loss on the trials bike. I'm aware weight-loss on a motorcycle is an exercise in diminishing returns so some things are simply not worthwhile, others may be?
Already got alloy bars. I'm also ditching the rear subframe in favour of a plastic mudguard with a single loop bracket and one of those rubber taillights (or maybe make up something from alloy plate to hold the existing light).
I'd like to do a classic long distance trial at some point so it has to retain lights. I do have a thunderbird top-yoke somewhere but I'm not sure how much weight that will save over the casquette by the time I've fitted a steel yoke, headlamp, headlamp stays and a bracket for the speedo? i don't remember the casquette being all that heavy?
The front mudguard stays are steel. I suppose I could make them from alloy bar but again, not certain they'd be much lighter than the fairly thin guage steel tube I'm using now?
The bash plate is fairly meaty, 2mm steel frame with alloy chequer-plate. From the damage it took last time, I'm not sure if making this less meaty would be a great plan?
Fuel tank is a major weight source. I'm keeping my eye out for a dinky used tank that'll fit. I don't think I can justify the cost of a new alloy trials tank and I'd be terrified of throwing it about and damaging it. My understanding is that the tank on enfileds is a partly structural member? So it needs the bolts front and rear. I did have an idea that I could possibly make up a couple of alloy braces that run between the frame mounts and attach a more universal, possibly plastic/fibreglass tank to those. Or just keep my eyes open for a slightly battered trials tank coming up on ebay.
Alloy rims? Are they THAT much lighter? I've fitted a half-width front hub. I do have a half-width rear too but will it save much weight? Also compromises the ability to do a "field" tyre change, the QR wheel setup is handy!
I'm keeping the two lifting handles! Or maybe I should replace them with a webbing strap/bit of rope?
I could probably thin down the toolkit.
Make an alloy chainguard? Anyone got a picture of how to do one?
Looking at it with the mudguard removed, I think there is *just* enough room for a 4.00 tyre if I made a lower-profile chainguard. I'm wondering if dropping to a 18" rim would be a sensible idea? It would massively increase the range of tyres available and help gear the bike lower overall. That said, it would further compromise ground clearance which is already an issue.
Already got a very dinky battery, all the electrics are hidden in a tea-caddy air filter housing mounted on the left side of the bike.
Already has an alloy barrel.
Anything I've missed?