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Post by roger on Feb 12, 2019 17:10:57 GMT -5
This is a build that was transferred from another Forum. The real dates of the build are in the quoted posts.
I thought I would start my blog a day earlier than planned. I need to get the information from Kevin to get my kit on order. I have a basic donor bike. It is a 2008 Suzuki Burgman 400. I got it as a salvage bike, but the motor runs great. I also need the speedometer and the housings. I figure Ebay will be the source that will provide what I need. As you might have guessed by the motorcycle in the background, I am a rider. Also on a personal note, I did thoroughly clean the garage after I stripped the Burgman of all user parts.   This is why I couldn't get it started. Both relays were no good. One obviously the other just wouldn't "click" when power was applied. I managed to get a pair plus the tip over relay for short money on ebay.  I removed the engine and started corrosion control mesures. Note the wire brushes and swirl marks on the engine.  Here is what I was getting rid of. There was a lot of this sort of corrosion on the engine but with the help of a dremel tool and some elbow grease, it all came off and cleaned up very nicely.   The engine looks pretty good considering the build up or corrosion on the case. If you look at the engine itself, you will see there is a great deal of difference between the older 400 engines and the newer models. The cylinder head appears to be thicker, and longer. The mount points are pretty much the same. The oil filter was moved to the left side. If you compare this picture with the photo of the "BIG BROTHER BUILD" you will get a better idea of the differences. I cannot rotate the throttle body without major rework. It isn't going to deterant to the build though. It will be a modification.  Note the absence of the Brake Caliper mount. The Mag/Stator leads have been relocated and naturally the oil filter cover is on the left. I have been ordering what I need and trying to second guess what might come up. The items I bought are necessary to have a reliable scooter. Among the items was a new Rectifier. The 2008 models had a recall on that, so I just bought a new one. Most Motorcycle rectifiers act the same way, some have higher amp ratings that others, but they all are there to convert electricity to DC (or so I am told) I just received the speedometer (an ebay purchase) I connected all the wiring and verified that it works. I also checked the starting circuit and ran a fault code through it for the O2 sensor. It returned an F1 code which cleared when I reconnected the sensor. It gave me a good feeling to see the gauge light up, and function properly.  You will also notice the radiator has the top and bottom tanks placed on the "LONG" side. The radiator measures about 12 inches X 9.5 inches. It is less than 3.5 inches thick including the cooling fan, and it is upside down in this picture.  The throttle body intake to the airfilter is routed to the left of the engine. It probably will not clear the radiator. If the radiator can be mounted to the right, then It may fit. There is a lot going on perched on top of this little motor. Seven sensors including the head temp. The throttle body has six connections.  Note the spark plug location. It dead center of the head, waaay down in the well. To do a tune up, I will have to modify the rear panel with an access point of some sort.  |
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Post by roger on Feb 12, 2019 17:22:29 GMT -5
I put my Eco-Exo "R" on order today through Exomotive in Roswell Georgia. Thanks to Kevin Patrick I will be receiving my kit in 10 to 12 weeks. I took my donor bike paperwork to the inspection station to see if it was sufficient to proceed with my order. I had to order the insurance companies appraisal and the rest was ok. The appraisal is on the way. Another thing I didn't count on was that Massachusetts doesn't accept a receipt from eBay as proof of purchase. They want hard receipts with addresses and amounts and so on. Good to know stuff. I have a few receipts on the way, so if you use eBay for parts you must request a hard copy of the receipt. If it is a major purchase, they want the VIN of the vehicle it came from. That's about it. The inspectors want to make sure everything you do is documented and you have receipts to prove what you bought. The bulk of the inspection centers around documentation and proof of ownership. The roadworthy inspection is easy in comparison. I will be waiting to buy anything more. I need to have the kit in my possession, then buy what it needs for completion. I will be posting the issues if any, I have during this project. More pictures to follow later. Roger I was sent my Ecopy of the assembly plans today. Thanks Kevin!!! I read through it twice already. I believe I am going to have a great time during the assembly process. I would imagine it gets easier after the 3rd or 4th build. I am prepping the wheels for blasting and powder coating. I removed the bearings (what was left of them) and ordered two new sets and the seals, along with a new set of Bridgestone tires for the front. The rear tire is new, so I figure a little scrubbing with soap and water along with an Armor-All wipedown will improve the looks. Thank you Erik for the link. That is a CLEAN build. I really like the interior work, also the attention to detail to the entire trike is a testament to your skill. Outstanding!!!!! The electric scooters and motorcycles are not known for their overall performance, when you combine aerodynamic looks, range, and top speed. The rear car tire on the scooter isn't a "bad" idea. While it isn't OEM it isn't a hazard either. My dad ran car ties on his old Harley way back in the early 50's, and a lot of guys install them on Heavy haulers still. I took a 10,000 mile cross country trip last summer on my Kawasaki VN1700. It took me across some very isolated landscape where the only thing between me and the next fuel stop was rattle snakes and sage brush. Before I left home I found information in the Vulcan Owners Association forum on which car tire will fit. I kept the information handy and would not hesitate to install a car tire in an emergency. I am going to look into the possibility of using a narrow set of radials for the front of the Eco-Exo after It passes the state inspection with the Bridgestone Hoops in place. I also might install one for the rear, but it isn't high on my build list right now. The main area of concentration will be to do a clean build while using an engine not within the design of the kit. It will require some modifications and rework, but I do not believe it will look much different than the display models on the Eco-Exo web site. I will be powder coating the frame after the dry fit. I will clean up and polish/paint all donor parts before they are installed There isn't much extra room to work with on the kit but there is enough, so I am tasked with making the best use it and making it look as neat as I can. Perhaps after I ride a few thousand miles in trike, I may do a few serious modifications. My primary goal: pass the inspection, then drive it!! There is a lot of FUN that follows. Perhaps after I ride a few thousand miles in trike, I may do a few serious modifications. My primary goal: pass the inspection, then drive it!! There is a lot of FUN that follows. Hehe, my philofophy is "buy cheap, buy twice". All parts on my project have street legal markings so there isn't really any need to upgrade your project after is has been approved. Building it in a rush may show many things you would change the next time you build one but it isn't likely this will happen  One thing to reconsider is a towing ring. I forgot to weld one on mine, just in case... Erik: The state of Massachusetts uses the SEMA guidelines to inspect kit built vehicles. Often times guys will do a project only to have their efforts and hopes dashed by failing the inspection. Having only DOT approved equipment does not automatically garner a passed inspection result. EVERYTHING I buy for this project MUST be accompanied by a receipt. ALL used donor parts MUST have the Vehicle Identification Number of the donor vehicle. It is a given that the parts must meet DOT (Department of Transportation) standards where applicable. Bottom line: No receipts, No registration. The safety inspection and having the vehicle pass the emission control standards are very important. Since I am using all DOT approved brakes, lights, horn and steering systems, I do not believe there will be an issue if installed correctly. This holds true for the 2008 donor Suzuki Burgman 400 emission system. It is complete and unaltered. My focus during this build will be to pass all phases of the inspection, to fail on a simple correctable item such as an undetected bulb being out isn't a big deal, but not having a receipt for a new working muffler is a "hard fail" to deal with. They do not accept eBay receipts of any kind. If I buy using eBay, I must contact the seller to insure they enclose a receipt from their store. Here is how the bottom line affects me: When and where possible I buy new parts, OEM quality. If I need used such as the extra front wheel, I get a written receipt from the business that sold it to me along with the VIN of the donor. What it all comes down to, nothing about this project is easy, or cheap. The inspector is not in the favor granting department by passing your kit built vehicle. If it passes here, it means it has been done right and not on the cheap. Buying cheap here doesn't just mean buying it twice, it's definition goes beyond that by a stretch. I am All in favor of a good bargain, I love a good sale, but cheap isn't The same as a bargain. My project will be finished to a very high degree both in appearance, quality of parts and safety. My background is rebuilding the old Honda GL1000 & GL1100 Goldwings. I know I have gone on a bit, but it appeared I may have given you the impression I was going to do a cheap build using bottom of the line parts. I can assure you, this isn't the case. There is enough money in the budget for upgrades from entry level equipment and parts. My focus still remains to pass the inspection to obtain my registration. From all accounts that I have read, the Eco-Exo trike kit is top quality. It deserves the same in parts. As time permits, after the big inspection I may alter some of the work I have done. It doesn't mean anything was done poorly, but I might find a way to save space, or make the engine conform to emission standards by installing a more compact system. Things that come to mind are a stereo system, custom color matched upholerstry and upgraded tires. They are not high on my list, but only things to consider. I will bear the towing ring in mind, perhaps two of them to be used as possible tie down points. Good suggestion!! Roger Having seen the bike build offs by USA companys on tv wonders if there is any regulations over there... Lucky to see you need to make good effort to make it roadworthy.I don't think the Eco-exo is ugly with stock parts at all and there is a minimum of accesoiries needed to make it look great. Just paying a little attention on those makes a lot of difference in appearance. Looking forward to your progress! br, Erik I agree with you, more is not always better, attention to detail will always be better. I personally think like you about the bike build off programs. Full of canned drama, the bike is never ridden because it is a show bike, there never has been a program where they show cased an inspection by the state. I can see why you would wonder about it. The reality is, they build a nice custom bike. The illusion is, they want you to believe everything they build is rideable. NOT!!!! TV is for entertainment value and anymore bears no resemblance to fact once you look past the characters. All of them are staged, from Pawn Stars, to Counting Cars, and OCC. Junk programming. Good observation on your end Erik! I always enjoy your comments and observations. Happy Easter!! Roger It's all in the details. I have read many threads over here and many projects look complex due to average wiring/tubing/hosing/routing etc. If you build without a deadline the over all qty will be so much better. If you managed to build her clean and straightforward it might please approval as well, in fact, I think it will raise the value of your project more as invested. Making a spachetti incident will easely reduce value. Build slow, take your time chosing accesoiries, colors and materials like high temp resistant wiring, spiral hoses,T-wraps, shrinking tube with inner layer of hotglue , water resistant switches, lighting etc. make choices why some materials fail or approve for your liking. Feel free to make shameless copies of other contributions of this forum. that's what a forum is for Happy easter to you too! Erik Here we are waiting, I managed to get a few things ready. My wheels are all ready for a hot bath, then some media blasting and off to the powder coating booth. I am not going to alter tradition, the wheels will be metallic silver. That little space on the brake rotor between the mounting holes and braking surface will be painted epoxy black then hardened chrome bolts installed. New skins are on the way... Bridgestone Hoop OEM tires!! That's is about it for now. Roger |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 1:26:18 GMT -5
PAGE 2 I did a little more digging into the requirement(s) from Massachusetts to get a kit vehicle on the road. I was able to contact a person from the Motorist Assistance Center or MAC. He made a few calls and phoned me back. Here is what I must do to get it legally on the highway. 1. Go or the Registry of motor vehicles and request a documents inspection by the Massachusetts State Trooper inspection station, the fee is $50.00. 2. Bring all documents titles, bills of sale, receipts, VIN numbers, and the Certificate of Origin along with the COMPLETED kit to the state inspection center in my region. It must be 100% complete and painted. The State Trooper will access your documents for accuracy and insure the used parts are legally purchased, and the kit has the packing list, as well as legal documents. If all is in order he will issue a VIN to the kit and provide you with the documents to have the vehicle roadworthy inspection scheduled. 3. I must contact the RMV in Quincy Massachusetts to schedule the safety inspection to determine if the vehicle is roadworthy. If it passes, the state inspector will provide documentation for me to take to my insurance company (along with the rest of the documents) and purchase insurance. The insurance company will fill out an RMV-1 form with the vehicle's official VIN and designation. I return to my local registry with all paperwork and submit it for my Title, Registration, and number plate. 4. (it isn't over yet). Once I finish with the RMV, I have 7 days to get it inspected (again) to satisfy the states requirement for the annual safety inspection. That's it!!, I did learn one thing about the inspection process. The emissions on the bike are not tested. The requirement has been waived even though new motorcycles have 02 sensors and EGR systems. This is good news for me and makes the building process a lot easier. I even have the approval to remove the throttle body and install a carburetor if I decide to go that way... My decision to retain the original fuel system along with the air box has already been made. It is the best combination of efficiency and power, so my plans will be to keep it stock. That's it, I go to the powder coaters today with my wheels. They should be ready in a couple of days. Before and after pictures will be posted. Oh, I scored a very NICE OEM Burgman 400 plexi wind screen. It was a pull because the owner installed a taller unit. Got it for $40.00. My dash and gauge cluster is complete now!!! Everyone have a great week.. Roger I did a little measuring and found the 2007 and later Burgman 400 front calipers are not the same as the 2006 and older. It appears the newer Burgman AN400 calipers are nearly the same (or actually are the same) as the AN650 calipers. I ordered a pair of older calipers and I am in the process of cleaning them up and will coat them Yellow. My wheels are still at Nationwide powder coaters in Lawrence Massachusetts. They are reasonably inexpensive and hopefully they will turn out a professional grade product. I will post the results and pictures. They were well recommended and I have every confidence they will do a great job. Roger Hi Roger, Yellow calipers look great but are dirt magnets. You may reconsider a more conventional color like blue,red,black. seems like you have been spending time in serious research lately. It's good to know what you are up to! good luck! Erik Roger, In regards to tow rings, be aware that you should not tow a CVT transmission or damage will occur!!! Jimmy You must be clairvoyant. I was wondering about that myself. I will however, weld a couple of well placed tie-down loops, or hooks on the underside, right next to the cup holder and beverage cooler located at the mini bar LOL. MAYBE one small ring could be installed if there is room. Thanks for the information, you may have saved me some expensive repair work somewhere down the road. Roger I got the wheels back from the powder coating company. They did a decent job of them. I installed the rotors and polished the attach bolts. I have put things on a hold for now. I am heading down South to Georgia on Friday to attend my Daughters Wedding. I plan to make a holiday of it and enjoy the warmth of the southern weather. It has been a cold winter and a cold spring. The Mercury needs to rise in my body's thermometer a little. Erik, I settled on a nice bright shade of Dirt Magnet Yellow (LOL) for the rotors. I polished and sealed the attach bolts and they will look decent when attached to that deep purple frame and against the metallic silver wheels. I already have the new Bridgestones mounted and will install the new All Balls bearings and seals when I return. I will balance them at that time as well. I figure if I build something this neat, I should at least keep it clean. I thought about black as a color for the calipers and even red, but since the GRP panels are yellow, I would go for it and deal with the brake dust devil as needed. There is plenty to keep me busy between now and when my kit arrives., I appreciate all the new territory Jimmy and Edward are blazing and I am hoping for an early delivery, but will be content with the time frame as is. I have been long since needing (wanting) a machinist bench lathe. I found a very decent South Bend 9" at a tool consignment store. It needs the flat belt replaced and a replacement locking pinch bolt for the center on the tail stock, but those items are short money. The gears and bearings are good, it comes with a 4 inch 4 jaw chuck and the bit post. No quick change gears, but that may come later. The lead screw is in good order as is the apron and carriage assembly. It will come in handy for the milling on the axle and other work I need to do. Until later, take it easy guys Roger It is getting very close to getting my Eco-Exo-R. I have been in constant contact with Ed Van Belkom. We have been kicking around everything from aerodynamics to home renovation, and yes, Eco-Exo stuff as well. I should be hearing from Kevin Patrick with the final shipping details along with the bill as well. I am hopeful for a smooth delivery and smoother build once it arrives. From the last email I received from Scott, somwhere toward the 10th of June it will be ready to send. It is time to build my elevated platform and dust down the shop. I will keep everyone posted. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Okay, the email arrived the other day from Scott. My kit is all shrink wrapped and awaiting the final payment. It is all up to Kevin to do the paperwork and get the final payment wired to Scott at Eco-Exo. I am not sure how long it will be in transit but it cannot arrive soon enough. I had enough time to clean my shop and get things ready for the building process. Once I shelve all the parts and get the frame on the platform, I can officially start. More info coming Roger |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 1:29:15 GMT -5
 I went to the airport yesterday and picked up my ECO-EXO R kit. I paid $9.00 Processing fee for customs, but other than that it was duty free. I had to pay $50.00 to Delta Cargo for "FEES". I brought it home in the back of my Honda Ridgeline with room to spare. All and all, it was pretty painless to pick it up. The worse part was the parking and traffic. I hit the Massachusetts Turnpike at 4:00 just in time for the PM Commute. Pictures to follow, and "THE FUN BEGINS" If you are reading this, my donor bike is a 2008 Suzuki Burgman 400. I will be posting pictures of the problems and the modifications required to match up the equipment on the 2008 to the Frame.. Roger  Here is Kevin Patrick, the Executive CEO of Exomotive currently located in Roswell Georgia. Exomotive is the sole importer of the ECO-EXO to the US. [  Warren is the "Engineer" for Exomotive. The shop is small, but well utilized with every inch of space accounted for. When I visited, they were in the middle of a "Build". They still took time to discuss their business and address some of the details I had concerns about when I receive my ECO-EXO kit. Good Group of guys there!!!! |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 1:35:36 GMT -5
PAGE 3  Here is my very first "SNAG". The 2008 engine shock mount is located in a different spot than the older models. I need to cut the shock mounts off the chassis as well as the turnbuckle mounts and move them to the vehicle's left side 1-3/8 inch. This is approximately the width of the connecting link. As you view the picture you can see the offset is needed (to the photos "RIGHT"... I am not using the 2008 turnbuckle, but am using the 2008 shock. All lengths are identical between the 2003 -06 and the 2007 and later models using the newer style engine. I need to buy some 1-1/2" X 1/4" flat stock and also buy a good metal hole saw.  The suspension type rear mount "hanger" is from a 2003-06 Burgman 400. The 2008 required way to much work to make it fit. The over length (or width depending on how you look at it) is about 1-1/2" wider on the 2007 and later models. The engine hanger is this photo still had to be modified. The engine mount point was 3/8' wider than the hanger's inside mount width would accommodate. I removed the inner bushings trimmed 3/16' of an inch from each side. The fit was very snug and the modification only took a few minutes.  If you check out the rear tire, it aligns quite nicely with the center line of the trike. In this photo, the engine is mounted "Snug" but not tight. The engine mount/suspension bolts and all in place, and the shock linkage is haphazardly attached. The engine and shock assembly is supporting the frame.  I did a test fit to determine if the exhaust would interfere with the frame, or other rear parts of the kit. So far, other than the snag with the shock mount, the engine even though larger is not that much more difficult to install than the older model design. Note the upward angle of the muffler, it is very close to what it should be and what it looked like on the Scooter frame. As a note, the angle of the photo creates an illusion that the frame is lower than it really is and makes the muffler look as though it is dragging, but I assure you, it is mounted with plenty of clearance. NOTE: before I remove the engine to install the newer mounts, I will do a test fit of the newer style radiator. Ed Van Belkom is sending me a 2003 model radiator, but If there is a way to mount the wider radiator, I will do so, but will not beat myself up trying to get it to fit. So far, I purchased the following from the 2003 - 2006 Suzuki Burgman 400. 2 front rims with rotors and new bearings and seals both front brake calipers axle kit for front Brake pads for all 3 calipers rear engine hanger ***speedometer and associated plastics, frame and wiring pigtail from a scooter older than 2003*** Roger You are off to a great start! It should not be too hard to grind off the existing mounts and make some new ones and have them welded in the proper location. It will be a brush up for the other tabs you will probably be welding on for the new gas tank and GRP panels. It looks like it fits well so maybe you lucked out.  I had to cut the "factory" mounts out for the shock absorber system. I moved the entire shock, turnbuckle and linkage about 1-3/8 inches to the left side of the trike. This aligned the engine with the rear mount. The third mount shown is from Scott's fabrication for the older donor bike. Since it was not in the way, I just left it alone. If you notice, I welded a companion brace to the original shock mount. Instead of the support being 1/4 inch, it is now 1/2 inch. I am not sure but I believe the shock mounting hardware on the 2006 and older models is a larger diameter than the 2007 and newer. The support I made incorporates a smaller diameter hole and I simply welded a companion support on the OEM support provided by "Team Turner" Instead of it being 1/4" thick on that side, it is 1/2" The second photos shows it better.  |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 1:40:49 GMT -5
The photo below shows the new supports all welded in. I had to grind the originals off. I didn't want to grind the older ones down to the tube surface. I am not sure what the heat from welding would do. Mild steel is easy to grind and it with the awkward angle, I decided to just keep the weld beads but grind it down some and hit it with a "flap sander" on my grinder.   The BLACK engine support is from a 2008, the one I am using for the 08 engine is a "Slightly" modified 2003-06 support. The newer one is a little less than an inch wider than the older version, making it impossible to cut down and modify without cutting into the rubber inserts. It was easier to trim a little off the older version and proceed with the installation. Ed: Thanks for the kind words. Today I got the shock supports welded in. I didn't want to grind to much off the originals so I cut what I could and flap sanded the weld beads down but not even with the tubing. With the engine installed there is about 4-3/4" between the bottom of the frame and the ground for clearance. Once I get inside and then start adding the rest, I imagine the clearance will settle down to around the 4" mark. Anyway, there it is... Roger Nice progress! It's nice to see these construction pictures I didn't see in the other threads. Looks very straightforward without too much modifications. grtz! Erik Thanks a lot for the comments, more construction pictures to follow.. Roger |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 1:47:11 GMT -5
 I used a Dremel tool to clean the steering rack. It was in pretty decent condition but had begun to show its exposure to the weather. The small wire brushes worked great. I will no longer buy the brushes at Harbor Freight. They are very hazardous and not made to withstand the RPM of the power head. I wound up being pelted by steel splinters flying off the brush. It felt like being stung by a swarm of bees. I will say this, though, they did the job but.. very dangerous if you even "SLIGHTLY" go past the rated RPM of 3600...  I spent some time cutting the axles down. I am not sure I will use these though. I am going to buy some "Cold Roll" steel and make the axles out of solid stock. The OEM axles pictured here are hollow and when you approach the head end, the diameter of the bore in a lot wider than at the threaded end. I am not sure if these will hold up if torqued down and stressed as the trike negotiates a sharp corner. If anybody has any experience using these, please let me know. I had to turn down about 1-1/2". I have some concerns the head end will seperate from the shaft, sending me in a ditch somewhere.. Roger [/a][/a][/quote]   Okay, I found a suitable substitute to make front axles from. I made them from past donor motorcycles. One axle is a 15mm Honda GL1000 and the other is a 15 mm Honda GL1100. The GL1100 was about 1/2' shorter but was easier to work with. The GL1000 required a little "Fill welding" to fill in a factory made groove. Both axles are solid and they fit through the bearings and mounts. I simply did not trust the very thin hollow OEM Suzuki Burgman axles after I turned them down on the lathe. If you check out the picture you can see the inside bore. By the way, I tried to tap it with a 12mm X 1.5 Tap. I only scored the inside. The outside diameter is 15mm, so the wall thickness is about 1.5 mm. Not what I would call a wide margin for error. One big plus in having the Goldwing donor axles is the spacers, which is the perfect diameter to fit into the offside bearing seal. I will need to ad another spacer to take up the difference in length as the Honda Spacers were not entirely long enough to do the job. Anyway, I have a lot of work ahead of me and those "hard" bolts and nuts ain't cheap!!! Just spent $9.00 on two bolts.... Roger Hi Roger, Great progress, I'm a little confused through! Why are you turning down the axles? Are they for the newer model, did you not get the older ones with your replacement earlier wheels? Scott Scott I bought what I thought was an older axle. It turned out to be a 2007 or newer. So much for ebay. I was hoping it would fit, diameter was good but length was a problem. When turned down on a lathe it made the wall dangerously thin. Using the older axles or modifying a 15mm GL1000/1100 axle Iin my case worked well. Roger Scott Even with the older axles ( 03-06 ) you need to turn about .250" off so the axle rides on the shoulder and not the threads. The reason is to have a washer or two before the spacer so that the brake caliper rides in the center of the disk. You had to install the washers so the axle shoulder was a little too short on the other end. In order for it to work required turning down the other end about .125" to 250". But the axle is drilled in this area so it will be too thin in this area. I will have to go another route. |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 1:54:23 GMT -5
PAGE 4  So far the build has been pretty decent. I am very impressed with the welding job done by Scott's team. The engine sits in the saddle square and true with the frame. The modifications to the shock absorber system and the motor hanger were minor in nature. Making the new supports and welding them in place was expected. Right now I am getting the calipers mounted. The right side went right on without a hitch. The holes were properly spaced and the contours of the mount matched the caliper perfectly. I had to shim beneath mount bolt to bring the caliper in line with the rotor. I need to make a couple of axle spacers and move on to address some issues with the left caliper mounting. I have encountered some difficulty with mounting the caliper on the left side and have sent Scott a message asking for his advise. First of all, I have to say all the difficulties are not really serious ones and are quite minor in nature. It is part of the 'Building' process and the misalignment can be corrected. Here is what I found. The drilled holes on the caliper mount required reboring to align them to the caliper. Once I got them drilled out, I had to reshape the mount to match the contour of the caliper. Great!!?? Not yet, I installed the wheel with rotor attached and bolted the caliper in place. The lower bolts needed to be shimmed to square it with the rotor. After I snugged up the bolts I noticed the caliper top appeared crooked and was leaning into the rotor. I am going to attempt to straighten the mount to bring it to where it should be. I will try to tighten the mount in a bench vise and apply pressure to the entire piece, but have some concerns I will cause the axle holes to come out of alignment. I have a bench press and may be able to straighten it by applying pressure directly to the mount. Finally, I may have to make a slice along the inner weld with an angle grinder and 1/16" cutting wheel. This would allow me to temporarily place a small wedge in the slice and shift the mount to correct the problem. Before I do that, I am going to brain storm the issue a bit more.  The Right side caliper is pretty straight, or at least as good as I can get it using washers. I will make a permanent shim using a piece of properly sized flat stock, washers are soft and will chaff away potentially causing the bolts to loosen. Right now, all of my efforts are to get the axle spacers made. I scored a nice length from one of the Honda GL1100 front rims. It is the bearing spacer located between the NS and OS front axle bearings. Thats all for now.. Roger  I just thought I would see what sort of comments I will get if I decide to go with a flat windshield. Sort of like the old Austin Frog Eyed Sprite...   I shortened the top of the windshield bracket after this picture was taken. If you compare the photos in the above panel, you can see it angles inward. I have the front end attached, but naturally I must disassemble everything for the powder coating when that time comes. I bought some Grade 8 bolts and nuts for the Rose/Heim joints and will be buying more for the "A" arm pivots. Before anybody says anything, I know my ball joints are on upside down. This is just a photo op picture and not intended for my build progress. When I receive the package from Kevin I can position my seat and drill and attach my steering column. Everything is going pretty good. Heck, I may do a couple of these... Roger  The fuel injector is located just to the left (front) of the fuel tank mount. I had my fuel tank modified (work in progress) by a blacksmith shop here in Worcester Ma. Edlin and Son does about everything from fabricating large projects, to ornamental TIG projects. The tank will be TIG welded and the front 4 inches will be removed from the bottom half of the tank even with the side seam. This will provide clearance enough for the engine to move with the shock absorber system, and not contact the fuel tank. By the way, they will be leaving the original mounts in place. Roger quote timestamp="1372799856" source="/post/37211/thread" author="@roger32849"]  I had a "friends and family vote" for the windscreen, here is the winner. This is an odd combination of fitment. Scott sent the gauge cluster (by the way Scott, I tested the gauges, lights and wiring. What I tested was good. I couldn't test the speedo..) ANYWAY... to continue.. and the front trim piece and mounting frame. I already had the windscreen. I do not know the year of the donor the gauges came from, but the windscreen is a 2008. The mounting holes did not align, but that is a small matter corrected by a drill and appropriate size bit. It is a bit tall but no complaints. I am attaching a shot of the gauges with the clock and the Odometer illuminated... The first digit is washed out by the flash, but there is over 43K on the odometer... All is well and the build continues... Roger  [/quote] |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 2:00:21 GMT -5
 I received a very nice gift from Ed Van Belkom yesterday. He sent me his old radiator. I had to have it welded and new tabs installed and it fits with plenty of room. I need to do a little trimming around the rear tank cover, but, that is going to be beneath the aluminum cover on the roll bar.  This is a story in itself. The tank resting on relocated mounts. The 2008 mounts are much farther forward than the older tanks. I also had to move the rear mounts "back" about an inch. I raised the tank by over an inch and all mounts are clear of anything critical and support the tank quite well.  Here is the modification to the tank so it would clear the cam chain tensioner and the fuel injection system. The total capacity NEW is 3.6 US Gallons, the Capacity now is 3.0 USG. I installed/made a mock up throttle connector. I also cut the two throttle cables and made one long one. It was recommended by Ed Van Belkom that I use a tandem bicycle brake cable as my throttle. It was a GREAT IDEA... I made an adapter for splicing the cables.. Nothing more than an aluminum piece of "Round Stock" and bored a hole through it and taped it together. I will apply some water proof heat shrink tube for good measure. I didn't have a piece large enough to slip over the aluminum adapter.  I installed the radiator fill cap and connected the hose as well. Since I moved the fuel tank mounts, it seemed to logical to drill it out for the fill cap. There is plenty of room behind the radiator for the cooling fan. I will make the adapters to relocate it tomorrow.    I wanted to have a little more range of motion, so I replaced Scotts Misalignment spacers. I ordered 5/8" tall with 1/2" hole, then cut them down on my lathe. Here is the fit. By the way, I installed 10.9 (hardness) bolts. I am not sure what tensile strength it is, but was told these are equal to "grade 8" bolts here in the US. If anyone knows for sure, it would be good to know.  I thought I would try a short video of a quick walk around. So here it is.... Roger Wow Rodger Keep this up and you will be driving it next week! The tank looks great and you did a top notch job on the Misalignment spacers. How much more travel can you get? I have 2 7/8" total travel with my stock A-arms. I am glad the coupler idea worked as I will do the same to mine. I am going to get some sleep and start glassing the instrument panel and bonnet tomorrow or I will not be able to catch up to you going at your pace |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 2:03:56 GMT -5
PAGE 5 Cheers Roger. Superb build diary and love the photos.very informative and gives me a really good view of the installation and the quality of kit supplied and the work your putting in. I'm currently trying to source a cheapish donor vehicle and trying to sell my other bikes to finance a build of my own. the reason I ask about the rear bushes is that on another forum someone was having issues with the rear end steering itself when you either accelerate or slow down while cornering possibly due to lateral movement in the drive train. I don't think this was an eco exo though but I'm sure it was a similar installation. I'd be interested to know what that was but sure it wasn't a Eco-Exo, The 2 bolt fixing is maintained, the main bolt is through a hardened bush and needle roller bearing bolted solid to the mount, and the second on the Burgman used a bolt thought a rubber doughnut into the chassis tube, but this is removed and again bolted solid to the mount, so not flexing can found there,,,, Flexing has been mentioned before on the front from pictures, but when you look harder you can see this is the just a elusion and in fact it's the uprights pivoting as they should,, Scott I read Scott's answer to the bushing question. I have not heard of anyone having any problem with performance or mechanical issuues that could be attributed to engineering or design. I personally would not want to stray to far off the design path, but here I am installing a 2008 engine in the kit. It is still a 400cc, but the engine design necessitates a LOT OF REFABRICATION AND BUILD ENGINEERING. In some ways the newer engine is a plus, in others, well... Let's say I have been sharpening my pencil and doing close tolerance component installations. I appreciate the engineering that went into the kit, perhaps Scott and crew will redesign some of the mounts to make it ready for the 2007 and newer machines with fuel injection. As a note, I have the fuel tank mounted, the radiator is also in place and bolted down. There is plenty of room for the radiator hose connections to the engine. I found a place for the overflow and filler neck. All of this fits nicely beneath the rear cover. The throttle is connected and soon I will be starting on the electrics. I appreciate everyone's comments.... If you are considering building one of these, order the kit, in the time after you make the order until you receive the kit, you will find your donor. I would sincerely recommend you look for a carbureted Burgman 400, you will not have everything you need, but the kit is designed for the earlier Scooters.. So no engineering. Or rework. Roger |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 2:13:38 GMT -5
 Brake manifold and routing the lines Roger  Accelerator pedal and cable modification for Eco-Exo R Roger  How I installed the 2008 fuel tank to clear the throttle body and cam chain tensioner. Roger ive gotta congratulate you on a superb build. are you expecting any need for a brake bias valve or do you think the front/back braking will be farely well balanced. Thank you very much for your comments. More videos to come. I cannot caculate the bias just yet, but If there is much bias between front and back braking, I will install a restrictor or proportioning valve to balance the braking between front and rear. Roger Worcester Massachusetts I don't think that's street legal. On the tR1ke and Rocket the balance bar in between the brake valves need to be blocked to prevent one will change the brake ratio. a proportioning valve is adjustable while driving. Its not illegal to have it. It just needs to be lockable after its adjusted and not remain adjustable. Just a quick note.. I am examining the brake manifold I installed. It will be a permanent part of the build. As far as a balancing valve goes, it naturally will be installed only if needed, and it will be a "set and lock" type. Some are simply a static pressure reduction and are not adjustable. I really do not expect the brakes to be a huge issue, the balancing part will be trial and error. I will be working on modifying my wiring harness today. I think what I need to do is connect what I can first and then find mounting spots for the electronics and run the harness to them and modifying as I go along. It doesn't matter where I mount some electronics, but items like the ICU and Rectifier have to be where they will be protected or function optimally. As I go along, I will do more photos and post them. Roger |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 2:16:13 GMT -5
Modifying a harnass appeared not very hard to do. It took me a considerable amount of time (200hrs) on my Tr1ke to make it as desired. If you can manage to find a good place for your connectors and electronics it's basically only extending wires from there. Once you found a dry location you can extend your sensors leads to there (at first I reconsidered to keep the sensor leads original but the connectors will get dirty when unprotected=errors) Just find a decent way to finish the loom. There are several options worth reconsidering. Looking forward to your brake setup grtz! Erik I started marking locations for my electronics. I made some right angle hangers and riveted them in place. Next I will cut and splice the harness where needed. I am hopeful of a good outcome. I am a firm believer in using marking tape. Today I ordered a 3/8 X 24 banjo bolt and 3/8 X AN-3 fitting as well as a 10mm X AN-3 banjo fitting, I will run length of stainless steel tubing with AN-3 female fittings and appropriate sized banjo fittings between the master cylinder and brake manifold. I found a nice brake reservoir on eBay. It is 100 ml or 3.3 US ounces. It has a right angle supply line and is anodized black with a clear window for checking levels. That's it for today. Roger Worcester Massachusetts |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 2:20:15 GMT -5
PAGE 6 I have been gone from the boards for a a bit. I was involved in the remodeling of my kitchen. It needed to be completely gutted from the floors up. It is finished except for a little paint work around one door and I believe I can put that off until the late fall. I also took time to for for a 3000 mile motorcycle ride down the "Blue Ridge Parkway" and also rode the "Tail of the Dragon" the infamous Tennessee route 129 from Deals Gap to Maryville. It was 11 miles and 318 turns. Actually the bark of it was worse than the bite, but managed just fine. The update I intend to do today is just to get things back on track. I have been working on the wire harness and actually removed a lot of unnecessary wiring including the ABS and grip heater wiring. I somehow accidently circumvented the brake safety,so will go back and see what I did wrong. At any rate, the wiring is intact and all systems with that one exception work as intended. I managed to start the engine on gasoline (petrol) instead of using starting ether. Once I purged the air from the fuel injector system, it ran quite smoothly. It surprised me actually since I was expecting something of a three headed monster to get it to start.... especially after taking the wiring harness down the butcher trail. I also took time this summer to order the steering adapter and a few odd connectors for the Fiat Ignition switch. What a lifesaver Scott is... Thanks again... It was exactly what I needed. right now I need to finish the mods to the harness and install a few tabs here and there, mount a few items and then it goes to the sandblaster and to the finish coating process. Still uncertain whether or not it will be enamel or powder coating. I am actually leaning toward the powder... so we will see. Cheers to everyone out there with their builds and I look forward to reading your posts.. Roger Baker Worcester, Ma PS: You really didn't think I would post a video that showed the 35 tries before I got it running would you.. Wow you have been busy lately LOL!!! sounds like a great ride! It is nice to read your loom is getting sorted. Finishing a loom is great progress and from there it's close for a testdrive and dissasembly. Looking forward to more pics! greets! Erik Here is an update for my build. I have nearly all the tabs welded on. My ancient welder is just about to give up the ghost and roll over on me. A new Hobart may by in my future. Anyway, I installed tabs for the hood, the brake reservoir, the rear turn signals and hugger. I removed the tilt feature on my seat because the ideal angle was about 1" of front lift, so I made static tabs at 1" and called it a day. My wiring harness is 99% done and it will be removed for wrapping and waterproofing. What I need to do now is install the belly pan, the tabs for the battery compartment and engine compartment wall. I am about to measure and cut the aluminum today so it is in a manageable length. Right now I have a 4' X 8' sheet. When I move it the dogs go wild, it makes a noise similar to thunder... All things considered, I will be taking it to be coated next week. I plan on getting the big push on to do this completion before it gets wicked cold here. My color will be gloss black with the yellow Gelcoat panels. Some of the smaller details I will paint with a good quality rattle can paint...I am talking small stuff like nuts, bolts, clips and so on... I will be clear coating some of the mild steel bolts, but when color is required on the smalls, it will be spray paint like Duplicolor or similar. My rims, brake calipers and smaller items are all done and once I get the frame and hardware done the reassembly should be a snap. I also do not have the luxury of taking it out for a "PRE PAINT" ride. The build is taking place in my basement and I need to carry it out in various pieces...My first ride will be post assembly and coating. Thats about it... I have all my paperwork ready for the inspection once I hear from Kevin at Exomotive... Roger Today I stripped the chassis of everything and did some finish welding. I also did some grinding and polishing. The original shock and linkage mounts were removed and new ones installed, so had to dress up the area where they were welded. I cut and bent the floor pan and have it installed with CLECO's. It needs to be trimmed and filed down a bit, but other than that, it is looking like a "go" for coating pretty soon. My shop really needs to be shoveled out. It is like I am buried beneath an endless pile of wiring, parts, and grinding slag. Tomorrow may be a shop maintenance day. I will post more pictures.. Roger |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 2:25:43 GMT -5
 The CLECOS do a pretty good job of holding the aluminum in place. As you can see, I need to trim the edges to fit then file the edges smooth. The front nose needs to be tweaked a little. It actually looks worse in the photo than what it really is. The light really isn't to flattering.  Trying to do this singlehanded is possible but. I will be glad when my son arrives home from University. He is a big help with the heavy lifting and awkward loads.  I just separated the engine from the chassis and pulled the chassis forward on the assembly platform. I will be removing the engine and placing it on a shop float so I can take it into the garage. Nice working area! good progress here! On my projects i need to clean the garage on a daily base LOL!! good luck! Erik |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 2:32:28 GMT -5
Today I hauled the chassis up out of the basement and into my garage. I boxed up all the parts that are going to the powder coating place and placed them next to the chassis. I am ready for the coating (gloss black Ed, it goes with yellow and especially with red LOL). Anyway, it goes there in the morning. Starting on Thursday I will be gone for about a week and a half. When I return I will be picking the completed pieces up and assembling them. When I get it running enough for a test ride, I will do so with a video camera. I am curious about the brakes and naturally acceleration and steering. That's about it for now. Roger Worcester Massachusetts Yea, rub it in why don't you  Thanks for the phone conversation today. I guess my frame will be black as Roger put too many holes in making it silver. I hope I get where he is soon. Within a week or so I will have mine at the painter also. You worked pretty hard to get where you are so one attaboy from me! I fought the morning traffic and managed to get to Nationwide PowderCoaters just fine. They will deliver the pieces to the blasters for a gentle pass with the blasting media. I removed the intake adapter for my air filter and installed a sweep elbow instead of that sharp 90 deg welded one. I also remade the platform for my electrics and brake manifold. Instead of 1/4 inch aluminum I used a left over piece from my floor pan. It is much thinner and in better shape. Ed, you can really do a patriotic color scheme. How about a royal blue chassis with white trim and stripe accidents. I almost went with purple, but common sense prevailed slapped me back to planet Earth,...... It will be gloss black. You will not regret it.... And thanks for the kudos and attaboy. Tomorrow I clean up all my tools and replace the broken bits and pieces and get ready for my drive down south. I am having a great deal of difficulty contacting Kevin from Exomotive in Roswell Georgia. I hope he is okay. I have left messages on his phone and also sent emails but still nothing... Does anyone know if there is a problem or if he is alright?  I plan to stop when I get in that area.... That's it for now... By the way Erik..... I try to clean up my shop when the clutter prohibits a safe working environment... You know, like gasoline being stored next to the welding area and so on... LOL. SERIOUSLY, before I started the project, I painted the floor, resurfaced my cabinets and bought new hand tools and a power tool or two.. One of which was a small lathe,.. It is an Atlas 6-18. Most of my problem is slag and grindings... They get everywhere... So, when I clean up... I do touch up paint and get things looking fresh again... Cheers everyone..... Roger Roger I think Kevin is at the Caffeine and Octane Car show that was on Sunday, October 6th. I know red is the color for the body panels and that will not change. I know I like any shade between silver and black for the frame so until I get it to the final welding stage which is right around the corner I still have a little time for my final decision. Right now black is still up there but maybe a dark silver would look good too. Decisions, decisions but I am sure at the end it will turn out correct. Look at the round I went with the A-arms only to come back to the original idea I had in the first place. Don't worry Roger there is logic to my madness! Well tomorrow I pick up my frame from the powder Coaters. Total price was $350.00 plus $90.00 for media blasting. I gave them the frame, bottom pan, the "A" arms, hoop suspension, the brake and accelerator pedal and the rear fender brace with luggage rack cover panel. There were 12 items total. Good price. I may be in for a winter setback. I am scheduled for an MRI this Friday. Rotator cuff issue. Hopefully it is not serious, but if it is, then the winter is best to have it corrected. I will know about a week after the MRI what is what. Well, until the surgery ( if that is to be) I am going all guns blazing full speed ahead. Get the heavy stuff done first then "tinker" after that. I see Erik got a nice shinny new blue toy. Welcome to the Eco-Exo build. If I can help, please let me know. Well, that is about it for now. Roger Hi Roger, Best wishes to your shoulder issue. I hope the fix will be easy on you. I'm looking forward to some updates. Does the blasting include Schooping? Spraying a layer of zink before coating is worth considering. I had oval wishbone tubes on my tR1ke which could be dremeled in acceptable tolerances before pushing the poly bushes in. I haven't checked my Exo wishbones yet but it is worth the effort. check my tR1ke thread how I dealt with fitting the bushes. Yep new the toy is in tha house! I'm cleaning up the donor column parts now and I'm orientating on the front end for a while br! Erik I have swooned on a sloop but never schooped on a trike. The price included media blasting, mild chemical cleaning for degreasing probably with linium XS then powder coating. I am in the process of assembly. I am taking it a little slower than I originally thought. I want to make sure it all is in good order for the final assembly. I sent a brake line back to the manufacturer to have it shortened. I miscalculated the length when I added a 90 degree banjo fitting to route the line in a more direct path. It will be returned within my time frame. I am also finished making my tunnel. It is 2.5" high 30" long and 3" wide. It runs from the cross brace in the front to just past the seat mount brace in the rear. I opted to have it open beneath the seat. "Why not"... My calipers are being disassembled and I will have them powder coated a medium red. (thanks for the suggestion Erik) The bushings required for the "A" arms are all installed and I have the temporary assembly bolts holding them in place. I should receive the grade 12.9 hard bolts today or tomorrow. I was considering stainless steel but after thinking about it decided to go with the hard stuff rather than using stainless. I did install my floor pan with stainless steel blind rivets. Sort of a must to tie dissimilar metals together. I will be posting some pictures today if I can manage the time.. Until later.. Roger Baker Worcester, MA |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 13:27:52 GMT -5
PAGE 7  Just a quick snapshot of what the trike will look like when powder coated.  Here is another quick shot...  THIS IS A VIDEO DEMONSTRATING THE INCREASED TRAVEL DISTANCE WHEN USING FACTORY BUILT MISALIGNMENT SPACERS. MY TOTAL TRAVEL WENT FROM AROUND 3 INCHES TO EXACTLY 6 INCHES. THE SPACERS WERE TAPERED AT THE CONTACT POINT OF THE BALL IN THE ROSE/HIEM JOINT. AND  THIS VIDEO SHOWING THE SUSPENSION AT THE NEUTRAL POSITION OR WITH NO WEIGHT ON THE WHEELS.  The steering rack and column installed along with the brake master cylinder and manifold.  CLICK ON PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO What I did was to bend the 6061 aluminum into a 3 inch wide by 2.5 inch tall tunnel to route the wiring, cables and brake lines. |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 13:34:40 GMT -5
Sweet!!! Good travel on the wishbones here! I'm looking forward to the loaded test results soon! May I recommend to use bicycle tire repair kit rubber on the parts that wear the gelcoat. I CAed them on washers which works like a treat. you may have to add then under the fender brackets too I enjoy your vids! br, Erik Sweet!!! Good travel on the wishbones here! I'm looking forward to the loaded test results soon! May I recommend to use bicycle tire repair kit rubber on the parts that wear the gelcoat. I CAed them on washers which works like a treat. you may have to add then under the fender brackets too I enjoy your vids! br, Erik Your not the only one on that  Roger's videos are great as it save a lot of time describing what is happening by actually seeing it! Keep up the great work Roger as you will soon be on the road. KEEPING IT SIMPLE isn't as simple as it seems. The build as it comes from the factory is a dead no brainer. Almost anyone with a tool box and a few power tools could knock one of these out in 60 hours. If you follow my build or Eds build and then compare the results with the rest of the MEV population, we are pretty much an artistic group and that is ALL of us that are building or have built and MEV. WHAT WE have is the means to express what we want our finished product to look like from body modifications to alternative engines and to the donor vehicles that make them all "go". Everyone of us is a "Product improvement committee (of one). We share what we do with the rest of the community make suggestions for improvements, recommendations based on our own build experience. I have done many frame off motorcycle rebuilds, but even though I do the same bike! it is always a different experience... One thing is a constant factor though..... The more thorough I am, the better the product in the end. If what I wanted to do is simply knock out the Eco-Exo it would have been done by now...,but to be honest, the kit deserves a better effort than that. It is a sturdy, well made chassis and capable of more that it is. To unlock some of its potential, modifications are needed and that's where keeping it simple looses it's way and the fun begins. Personally speaking, my build needed new motor mounts, a modified engine hanger, modified fuel tank, older instrument cluster, and radiator. As a matter of fact, the entire running gear mount system Needed to be modified so a 2008 engine could be installed. American axles needed to be made for the front wheels, the wiring harness is a nightmare because of fuel injection, and finally SOME donor parts are only found in the UK. In short if I wanted to keep it simple I would have, but what's the fun in that. Roger Worcester Ma Personally speaking, my build needed new motor mounts, a modified engine hanger, modified fuel tank, older instrument cluster, and radiator. As a matter of fact, the entire running gear mount system Needed to be modified so a 2008 engine could be installed. American axles needed to be made for the front wheels, the wiring harness is a nightmare because of fuel injection, and finally SOME donor parts are only found in the UK. In short if I wanted to keep it simple I would have, but what's the fun in that. Roger Worcester Ma I do intend to build my Exo very close to the original concept. Scott did a great job on his demo version but a few details may have to be "fine tuned" I do believe the carbed version donor parts will be a drop in fit. Too bad only broken or high milage are available over here so I went for a younger version dealing with acceptable NEEDED modifications. There are several bike engines made for decades which could have been a better choice for kitcar use and may come very cheap and in high quantites. In fact, the lower power bikes dropped in value very low which makes bringing the unused parts to a breaker instead reselling is worth reconsidering. If I am having problems to find low milage carbed An400 Scott will have to make some changes in future. However, kitcars tend to be designed to the designers point of view and not to the costumers wishlist and that's something the costumer has to deal with. Quite often the builder takes the short route to make ends meet but right now 2 out of 3 active posters completed their Exo to their individual wishlist which is great. I think the main thing is that the builders are happy with the kit they got and are tailoring to suit their needs. I hope know one thinks otherwise as I am very happy with mine and am glad I was able to put my own twist on it to suit my needs. So long the design,integrity and strength is not compromised I cannot see a problem with any of our builds. Cheers Edward Today I had to make a brake reservoir adapter for the Wilwood master cylinder. The fittings that accompany the reservoir scrape the inside of the bonnet and that is with NO HOSE attached. The factory fittings are about 1/2" to long. I made a right angle aluminum fitting that allows about an inch clearance. Today was busy, I attached my headlights, fit the 3 relays for high beam, low beam, and starting circuit. I soldered the connectors to the switch console and installed the upper cover for it. Since I have no use for the wiper switch, I removed it and capped the opening. This makes room for a killer stereo huh Ed!,.. LOL.... The brake reservoir and over flow reservoir for the radiator were also attached. I bought a 30 amp self resetting circuit breaker for my headlight power lead and also the 12 ga wiring. I need to take a trip to the breakers yard to scavenge a few connectors. I have a couple but it will be freezing soon and slogging around with a tool box in the yard isn't my idea of fun. That's about it for the day. Fun stuff.. Roger Worcester Ma Wow a full day Roger! You just might have it running before the snow hits the ground. The stereo is the icing on the cake but you have to have the body to support it. Keep up the good work. The calipers look great and I will follow suit with mine. |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 13:45:15 GMT -5
 I temporarily installed the power source from a battery charger to check the operation of the headlights. CLICK ON PHOTO FOR VIDEO   I trimmed the upper switch cover to match the contour of the support bar.  Wiring from the headlight switch assembly. I took the picture before I added a sleeve for weather protection. I am going to be installing an 8 pin plug set just in case I need to do some maintenance. PAGE 8  I just got the calipers back from the powder coating guy down the street. He has a small business and gives personalized service. If anybody needs his business information I will be more than happy to provide it. ANYWAY..... I am about ready to add some brake fluid, bleed the air, adjust the parking brake and do the last minute stuff that needs to be done....... I am very happy with the progress so far. Thanks for suggesting the RED Erik. It does look very nice...... Roger Worcester, MA   Just a quick couple of pictures of the progress. I finally painted the radiator black. It looks better in person than with a flash photo... I am also dealing with the rigors of electrical rewiring. I have the turn signals all installed. The rears are connected, but the front ones are not yet. The Engine control module and fuse box are located on the left side beneath the black panel. It keeps the "VISUAL" wiring clutter down to a manageable tolerance.   The turn signal brackets are almost finished. I need to install a small gusset to hold it steady. The signals are visible from the front and side. The bracket is not what I wanted for a permanent mount, but given the circumstances and the choices of lighting that is DOT approved, I am somewhat limited to my choices. None the less the brackets will be finished tomorrow and they will look a little better than the bare metal that you see. This morning I added the gusset so the bracket wouldn't vibrate so much. I might eventually install smaller diameter headlights and will reduce the size of the brackets or make new ones. They are simple enough to do. I finally got a new welder last month and "WHAT A DIFFERENCE"..... Roger Worcester, MA  Here is how the turn indicators will look mounted with the "L" bracket behind the headlight bucket. link The radiator is all mounted after the paint job. Next is the antifreeze for it and it will be a done deal. |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 13:56:04 GMT -5
link link The overflow bottle and radiator filling tube are securely mounted as well as the rear turn signal wiring. So far everything is going well with the final assembly. I am trying NOT to get caught up in the details. Everything gets looked at and wrenched and looked at and wrenched again..... So OKAY.. Maybe I am getting caught up a bit. BIG DAY! link ROLL OUT AND FIRST START UP VIDEO. (Double click on picture for video) I finally got the Exo-Exo-R off the assembly table and on the floor. I did the test ride without the benefit of the right front fender in place. The hood and the tank cover were in place. I ran it afterward until the cooling fan came on. I found I had not sufficiently tightened a radiator hose and it started to drip. I tightened the clamp and problem resolved. I also have a small oil leak from the filter area. Not much I am going to do about that until I change out the oil. Dry Weight on the front tires was within a pound of each other, weighing in at 110 for the left and 111 for the right. The brakes felt a bit unresponsive but solid. I imagine it was in part due to new pads, and the rotors not being absolutely wiped dry of any lubricant. All things considered they worked good and I had to bring the pedal up about an inch and a half. I am considering ordering the aftermarket clock set. I am not to pleased with the stock unit. I will have to see though. Anyway, the handling was light, not wobbly at all, not the least bit sensitive nor did I notice any tendency to pull left or right.... for the record, the head lights, and controls function as they should. The turn indicators including the emergency flashers all work. The horn even blows. I have a "Lucas" style tail light assembly ordered. I will see if that will work on the back as my brake, and tail light. I started cleaning up the garage and stowing the lesser used tools. The assembly table has found a resting place in the back garden. It will be my new potting table.... Best regards to Scott in England for doing a great job on the frame and GRP pieces.... and for sending all the odd bits and pieces. Also my hat is off to Kevin at Exomotive for allowing a visit this summer. I owe a special thanks to Edward Van Belkom, without his expertise and our 3 to 4 hour phone calls, I wouldn't be at this point. The assembly was not overly difficult, I kept it as simple as the modifications would allow. This will be a fun time this summer. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Nice progress! Just another step forward to street legal You did a great job Roger. Thanks for the kind words and having a new friend along the way. The great thing with the builds we are doing is that the frame is sound and we now have the data for any new builders that decide to put a later year engine it or like mine having a front radiator. Most of the engineering in making it work is done so all they need is the measurements that we came up with and along they go. Working with you and those short 3-4 hour phone call are of great joy and am always picking up something that you said in my build. I hope you fly through the inspection as I cannot see anything in your build that we did not cover in great detail during our calls. Best of luck, Ed link When I get the wheel sensor for the speedometer I will install the gauge console and start to work on the tail light mount. Everything considered I am about finished. link I had a wiring issue concerning the temperature gauge. As you can see, the gauge set is from an older Burgman and as such is completely analog, no electronics, just plain old fashioned electrics... (Good stuff). The stock wiring routes everything through the Engine Control module, but the wiring diagrams do not give a clue to which wire is connected to the temperature gauge. I rerouted the gauge wiring to bypass the Control Module and connects it straight to the sensor. The sensor still provides feedback to the control module, but also allows the gauge to read properly as well.  lin I bought this Lucas Style tail light. It takes the 1157 bulb, and has a chrome housing. It is from EMGO which probably means it is from China. It isn't bad quality but it isn't as good as OEM either. I am going to restyle my back end a little and then make a decision on what to use for lighting. To be honest, the Light shown above is a bit small, but it is bright. More to come. It has been an interesting time with this build., I had a major kitchen renovation to do, floors sanded, walls painted and so on. On top of that, my daughter got married in Georgia and I took a couple of vacations to get away from it all. There is more to building an Eco-Exo than just taking parts off of a scooter and bolting them to the kit... But not that much more. Welding mounting tabs, and modifying the wiring bundle were the difficult parts. If I had an older donor scooter to start with, it wouldn't have taken from June until now to get to my current stage of completion. There are three kits in the US that I am aware of, Jim Cox in Texas, Edward Van Belkom in Oshkosh Wisconsin, and me (Roger Baker) in Worcester Massachusetts. While we all have the same kit, all three are different. Jim Cox used part of the scooter plastics to make a custom bonnet and side rail covers... Edward van Belkom fabricated his own bonnet much on the same theme as Jim Cox and both moved the radiator to the front. I kept the basic design.. I like the way the bonnet is shaped, but might incorporate a housing made of carbon fiber or GRP to house the gauge set and also mount the windshield. It is like the old saying, "no one of us is as smart as all of us" and I learned a lot from Ed, Jim and Erik in the Netherlands. I always felt I had a friend I could ask if I had a problem. So, thanks to all the Eco-mev owners that are active on the blog.... And again, thanks Ed you blazed a lot of trails in your build and you never hesitated to offer assistance... Great wiring diagrams, engineering methods, and ergonomics in the seating area. If ANYONE needs assistance, the experience and expertise offered on this forum is extremely valuable..... From Scott Turner, Stuart Mills on down to the actual owners. Thank you EVERYONE!!! Roger Baker Worcester Massachusetts |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 14:05:43 GMT -5
link The purpose of this video is to demonstrate the ability to cross platform years when it comes to the Suzuki Burgman/Skyway scooter. I have a pre-2003 speedometer that I got from Scott Turner with my kit. I bought a 2006 speedometer wheel sensor and I have a 2008 wiring harness. As you will note, the wiring color codes are the same, just the plug and receptical are different. In the end, I extended the wiring harness from the wheel sensor, removed the 2006 plug from the sensor harness and installed the 2008 plug to mate with the 2008 wiring harness. Everything was completely interchangeable. When I removed the spacer from my left from wheel and installed the sensor, the axle bolt snugged up and tightened down. I am off to the parts store to buy some 1/4" wiring loom. The above is a Video, double click and it will play. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts PAGE 9 link I got the speedometer tested on this run. It was a good ride, but need to tighten down and align the steering a bit... I got up to 35 MPH and one handed the Exo and held the video camera with the other hand... It was quite cold out on this run. -9C or about 15F. The motor started but it really balked at it. By the way, the road is 27 feet wide. You need every inch to do a "U" turn. DOUBLE CLICK THE PHOTO FOR VIDEO Roger Worcester, Massachusetts link Ed Van Belkom and I have been swapping videos and photos for the last few months. We check each others quality control measures and in general cause each other to spend more, more time, and money and rework to acheive a quality build. We are two "Senior" guys that have a considerable amount of building experience behind us. We are not dead yet and have only just begun to raise "Cain" and terrorize the neighborhoods in our Eco-Exo Reverse trikes. We will continue to post after our builds and let the rest of the MEV owners know how we are holding up. So far, So good. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts link   I spent a few hours designing and building the tail light adapter for the rear fender. It is a little heavy but that is okay. I need to wet/dry sand it and it will go out to the powder coater. It is made from 1/8" thick 3" wide flat stock. I have a little welder in my basement and decided to go for it.... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Tomorrow is the big Prep day before the Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving is somewhat of a two edged sword. There is the huge dinner and all the guests, but then there is the prep and the clean up. At the end I am worn out. So, to all that celebrate, "have a great kick off to the holiday season" and if you happen to be a non participant, I wish you peace, Happiness, and a warm fire. Roger It has been a few days since Thanksgiving and we are all feeling like beached whales. The event is behind us for another year. Next is Christmas and we always celebrate with family and friends. So, to everyone happy holidays, merry Christmas happy new year. Okay, building stuff...... I did an alignment on my Eco-Eco-R. In the process I found the left attach point for the steering ball joint spaced about 5/8" (16mm) misaligned. This caused me to have to extend the adapter on the steering rod OUT to make up the difference... I will have to correct it temporarily by making a longer adapter to insure I have sufficient thread bite for steering. I also took the last of my parts to the powder coaters to be finished. Among these was the tunnel, the rear cover for the engine, the tail light bracket and front turn signal mounts. I also ordered the carbon fiber vinyl covering for the side rails and to cover the panels being used to cover the side gaps on the speedometer housing. I am about finished and should be able to go to the vehicle Registry before Christmas to make the appointment for my inspection. I have been posting videos on the forum, and you tube showing test rides and walk arounds, progress and so on. If anyone has any questions I will be more than happy to provide any assistance I can manage. Your comments are always welcome and appreciated. Thank you Roger Worcester Massachusetts link << Double click to see Video. |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 14:12:34 GMT -5
Hi Roger, It's looking fast standing there already LOL!! Nice seat modification. You may have a look at the Kreidler seat and rails I used which turned out to be a drop in fit with exellent leg room. br, Erik You will have to excuse the wooden mock up seat. My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to see what a lower seat would offer. I ordered a fiberglass kart seat similar to a Tillett. I will see how it goes. The items I had at the powder Coaters were finished and I collected them yesterday. Today I will try to get as much done as I can. I noticed it snowed last night so it will not be warm inside the garage. The front shocks remain somewhat of a problem. In order to fine tune a suspension the internal valving and dampening must be altered. The shocks provided have 114 pound springs. My free sag is around 3/8" and when loaded it is 1-1/4", but in the test rides I have taken, it is quite stiff, telling me the internal valving may be to restrictive for the load. I may opt for a longer shock going from a 13" to 14" with a softer spring and better internal valving. Ed Van Belkom is actively pursuing this issue and I may follow his lead based upon his findings. Erik, thanks for the post, and suggestion. I have enjoyed this build and really want to be able to drive it this summer. I managed to do a respectable job with the build by reading your blog and discussing problems with Ed in Wisconsin. Team Turner has always answered my emails and been proactive in problem solving. So Scott, if you are reading this, thanks for everything. Best regards Roger Worcester Massachusetts I actually went to youtube and checked out the Kreidler Kart. Neat little machine. Who would have thought someone would make a street legal Go-Kart. I do like your choice in the seat from the F kart Erik. I already bought the Tillett clone XXL and did the measurements so it will be somewhat of a drop in as well. I finished making the rear spring cover and will install it tomorrow. I also mounted the rear lights and license plate mount as well as the other newly powder coated items. Pictures to follow. My build is coming to a close..... Next step is getting it through the legal system. Roger Worcester Massachusetts Your taillight looks super! You fellas keep wanting to get lower and lower on seat height! Problem with me is the coolant lines going forward. I need at least 1" between the seat and crossbars so I am stuck with what I have now. I know about the wiring loom but Roger was able to flatten his so he des not have that problem. Then again I am 5'7" so that helps in my department. Roger you have been tackling problems from the start but you seemed to have solved them all and have a beautiful trike to show of you effort. You know as much as I there is nothing in the states that is close in price for what you have now. To go the extra mile is not for anybody else but for yourself, as you are cruising the back roads saying man! I am so glad I installed this or that. That is what brings a smile on my face every time I finish a project.  link 2013 Honda Rukus tail light mounted on a custom made mount bracket You can not get closer than factory on that one. Well done! I bought a go cart seat similar to the Tillett brand. Heavy duty fiberglass and somewhat padded. I fabricated the base mount to bolt to a pair of slide units so I can have a little adjustability fore and aft. Today I will head to the hardware store and get a few feet of 3/4" square stock to make the supports for the back of the seat. At this stage, I am not sure if I need to install brackets for the thigh support or not. I am thinking "Not". The reason for he seat change is the new seat allows me to sit into the trike lower which naturally would lower the CG, but the plus in all of this is my thighs clear the bottom of the steering wheel allowing increased freedom of movement to go from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal. Once this is installed and coated I disagreeembly will be finished and I will be giving my work a thorough punch list inspection before submitting it for the state authorities scrutiny. I still have to tuck a couple of sub wiring harness's in place and secure them. I plan to do a lot of tweaking and adjusting to get the ride comfortable and to insure what I have done as the builder is safe and reliable. As much as I liked the small headlights and turn signals that are mounted on Scott's demonstrator they will not pass inspection in Massachusetts. We share with California the distinction of being the leader in vehicle safety and emissions controls in the entire USA. For this reason, all lighting from front to rear is 2013 Department of Transportation certified. This is the same for brake lines, pads and calipers, rotors as well as the horn. Other items such as wheels, tires and exhaust and other OEM Suzuki parts are naturally in useable condition and will pass the inspectors eye. One of the things that will not be inspected or tested is the emissions system. It is not done on Motorcycles here, but I have all sensors, EGR system, and filters required to pass should they decide to make an exception. I have purposely gone the extra bit to insure I have no problems. I will make my appointment for inspection next week. I will post the date.. Roger Worcester Massachusetts. I got the seat mount brackets fabricated. The mounts were easy enough to make and the seat is quite sturdy. The entire seat is fiberglass and quite heavy duty, but I reinforced the back with 3/4" square tube. It sits quite comfortably and does exactly what I needed it to do. The seat is going to be sanded and coated today. Once installed it will officially complete my project. As a footnote, I am keeping the original RCI seat close at hand, just in case this faux Tillett seat fails in the long run comfort test. Completed video to follow. PS: It is 10 degrees F or -12C.. Not to conducive to working in the garage.. Roger Worcester Massachusetts |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 16:25:01 GMT -5
PAGE 10 link I went to the Registry of Motor Vehicles today and got the forms to fill out for my inspection. Got to return tomorrow to pay the inspection fee ($50.00) and schedule an appointment. The above picture is the completed project... (Still needs the harness installed). Will wait until after Christmas to make the appointment. To everyone: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Roger Worcester Massachusetts Just a flash update.. Thanks for the comments Kevin and Erik I really appreciate it...... Today I returned to the vehicle Registry and paid my $50.00 fee for the VIN inspection, got the paperwork all filled out and officially stamped. Right now all I do is wait until after Christmas to make the appointment. I went through all my receipts, bills of sale, import documents, titles, Certificates of Origin and gift letters. I made copies of everything......... EVERYTHING!!! Included in the packet are over 200 photographs of the build in various stages of completion. The folder is over 3 inches thick. I am confident I have all paperwork in order and I am hopeful the State Trooper that does the inspection will recognize the effort and quality of workmanship that went into the manufacture of the frame, GRP pieces as well as my part in the final assembly. I spoke to Kevin Patrick at Exomotive today. It sounds like business is picking up and things for 2014 look very promising. Kevin also informed me that there are 2 new USA buyers for the Eco-Exo-R. One in Utah and the other in the North East (not sure which state). They have yet to receive their kits but If you guys need any assistance I would be more than glad to help out. With that, it is time to settle in for the night. Roger Worcester Massachusetts Good luck Roger. Talking with you almost daily I know you will pass with flying colors. You are just a few stitches away from success. Edward I called the Massachusetts State Trooper inspection center to make the appointment for my inspection. The officer I spoke to naturally wants all legal documents, receipts, photos, and serial numbers of donor vehicles. I am hoping he doesn't ask for something unexpected or Unobtainable. As far as the mechanical inspection goes, I am not really worried about that save one concern about the front fenders. They may prove to be to short, but those I can replace if that becomes necessary. Based on the outcome of the inspection I may have to cough up about $500.00 for sales tax, $15.00 for registration fees, $25.00 for plate transfer and $75.00 for a title. None of the fees are optional, but if it means getting on the road I am okay with it. I will be posting the outcome of the inspection whether it is good, bad or ugly. Roger Worcester. Massachusetts Man, did you luck out and get the inspection so quickly. Good luck on Monday. I have my fingers crossed for a great outcome. Edward |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 16:32:13 GMT -5
I thought I would detail the outcome of my inspection. After paying the $50.00 fee and renting an open trailer, loading my trike, it began to pour down heavy blowing rain. Any attempt to keep things dry was futile. I arrived at the inspection station on time and was given the courtesy of being allowed into the maintenance garage as a priority. The inspector had nothing but good comments about the build and design. He walked around it several times and asked a dozen or more questions. No problems, no issues and nothing negative at all. This inspection is not necessarily a roadworthy test but more of an inspection for completion. Lights, horn, directionals, seatbelt, gauges, brakes and so on... Here is the outcome: he could not assign my VIN number because I needed two additional documents. Documents are the only means the inspector has to prove ownership and to assign a value. The documents needed were both for the donor engine. Even though I had the transfer of ownership on a copied form, the inspector wanted the document to be on an original form. Both have the identical information. When it comes to paperwork I believe all government entities are unwavering and undaunted in their appetite for it.... It seems more is better. It made little difference that I had the title in hand and a receipt......so, last Friday I drove the 150 mile round trip to the company I bought the donor engine from, paid $120.00 for the properly signed original form and returned home. The other form... Again for the donor engine .. Was the insurance companies appraisal for the totaled Burgman Scooter at the time of loss. I called the insurance company and they reluctantly agreed to send me a copy. It arrived on the 27th of December. Often times things are not easy nor do they always go as planned... As disappointed as I was I thanked the State Trooper for doing the inspection and for taking extra time in an attempt to contact the insurance company and Exomotive to comply with the states requirements. All totaled, I spent about an hour in the facility . At the end, I loaded the trike back onto the trailer (fought the rain) and returned home. I made a few phone calls and started the process to obtain what the inspector needed. I now have all documents in hand and I am currently waiting for Kevin Patrick to be contacted by the inspector before I make any attempt to have a re-inspection done. I am confident things will go well in the end. This type of inspection is a first for me and the State Trooper admitted it was a first for him as well. If asked what I learned from the inspection process I would have to say this: when you schedule your inspection go there with a 100% completed project with 100% of the paperwork that is 100% completed. Also expect the inspector to be 100% unwavering in upholding the states requirements for allowing a vehicle to operate on the states highways. Hope for a good inspection result but prepare for failure. Roger Happy newyear!Bummer the process didn't go as easy as inspected but fortunately it had nothing to do with the Exo build so no rework needed yet. Seems your on track now and get this sorted in short time notice. good luck! Erik Thanks Erik, Happy New Year to you as well. Everything has a learning curve, starting with what we learn from infancy to present time. Only the very lucky or the very talented are the exceptions to this rule. I do have to admit that in this case I wish I were lucky enough to have the necessary documents on my first visit to get the VIN assigned. I have everything I need but I found a small discrepancy in one document so I requested a correction. It is on the way. When it arrives I will make an appointment for the follow up. One good thing, the inspector will not need do a complete re-inspection. He just needs the documents he requested and if he is satisfied, then I will be all set with the VIN assignment so I can get my project on the road. I will post the re-inspection date and the results. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERY ONERoger I have my inspection scheduled for 1:00 PM today. I had a few conversations with the inspector and others within the system on processes and paperwork requirements. I am all set with certificates, titles, receipts, transfers of ownership papers and insurance docs. The inspection process requires verification of all key paperwork and with 4 time zones in the US it is possible to need to verify information as faraway as Los Angeles... (3hours difference). I reserved a flatbed trailer at the local U-Haul dealer. The weather will be clear and sunny, but cold... Very cold!!! Like in the low teens (F). At the end of the day, we are looking at this build as a motorcycle not designed to be operated during extremes like Icy/snowy surfaces. We will see how it works. It started right up yesterday, so I do not expect it to have any issues in that department, but I don't know how the inspection area will look as far as ice or snow. Well, that's it.. Here goes try Number 2...Roger Worcester Massachusetts Good luck - sounds chilly over there! But then....it's wet over here Martin Good luck Roger! I have a good feeling about it today. Thanks everyone, I have the Eco-Exo-R loaded on the rental trailer and tied down. It is darned ccccccold out...... The temps are in the single digits with a -15 deg F wind chill factor.... Still the engine on the trike started without any problems and I am hopeful the inspector will assign my VIN today. The good news is the "polar vortex" is keeping the weather dry.. No snow... No rain, and providing bright sunny skies in spite of the low temps. Let's see what the day brings. I have paperwork in hand and ready..... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Good luck this time Roger br, Erik |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 16:40:00 GMT -5
PAGE 11  link I thought I would post a quick photo of the upgraded light assembly. The addition of the number plate along with the VIN number assignment makes a statement all of its own. It says, "I am Finished, Now let's go for a ride". I went to the insurance company and transferred my old plate to the Eco-Eco-R along with insurance. I have the proof of insurance (RMV-1 form) and all I have to do is write a check to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for taxes, title, transfer and plate tag. It was officially designated as a SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED VEHICLE ..... Three wheeled Vehicle .... TRIKE. It is all about the money now...... Which will be the final stroke of the oar in the completion of the paperwork. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts CONGRATULATIONS!! Great to see a new vehicle has born today. It was a great build to follow. I'm looking forward to your driving report! Best regards, Erik Hi Roger, firstly let me introduce myself. I am the silent forum wise but very hands on partner in the Eco-Exo production team, Scott being my youngest and most pedantic offspring. I have been following your progress with interest and have been keeping my fingers crossed for a successful outcome. The vehicle looks brilliant and you must be proud of your achievement. For us it is great to see the first approved eco-exo in the states and hope there will be many more to follow. Hope you get lots of fun out of cruising.  Stuart (aka Grandad) ps I that another donor I see in the photo. Thanks to you both.... It was great fun to build. Along the way, I met people that I have established a wonderful friendship with and I have hopes to meet in them in person. My final step in the process is to take place tomorrow.... At the registry.... Pay taxes, and receive the registration paperwork. It is a feeling of supreme satisfaction knowing that I managed to meet or exceed the requirements of one of the toughest states in the USA for motor vehicles. The Eco-Exo-R kit was flawless in design. Every weld was solid, all parts fit as designed. The 2008 Suzuki Burgman Engine fit with minor alteration and minimal cost for required linkages, mounts and hardware. I see you noticed my 2004 Burgman in the corner. If I chose to build another I would first look for a donor that has a NON SALVAGE title. I actually enjoy riding the Burgman, but would part it out to do another build. It has a good Massachusetts roadworthy title so the paperwork nightmare I experienced with this project would not be there. As a footnote, it feels great to have the first Eco-Exo-R on the road here in the USA. When the temperatures here get above freezing I will post some driving videos and let you know how it does. Again, thanks for your encouragement and kind words. I wish you every success in your sales market especially here in the States. Now to terrorize the neighborhood with my new toy.... LOL Roger Worcester, Massachusetts |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 16:43:36 GMT -5
Well Done Roger, Excellent work, congratulations on being the first US builder on the road,,  Enjoy,,  Cheer Scott Thank you Scott.... It was fun and also a first for me. Now that I know how to build one.... Perhaps another one could find its way into my future. Thank you Roger Congratulations Roger It looks even better with the plate on! It is great to have you as a friend to work on our builds together even if we are a 1000 miles away. You did a top notch build and I am eating my heart out as we speak! Edward Ed: You too will revel in the in the pleasure of doing a CUSTOM supreme-O Eco-Exo-R. Don't eat your heart, finish yours and we can go on a cruise one day. Thanks again for all your help and encouragement. You are a good friend to have in the trenches......loads of thanks for everything... Roger The trip to the registry was uneventful. I paid the taxes, license transfer fee and title fee. They did not allow me to keep my old number plate so I had to turn it in. A new one was less money... So, I didn't complain. It wasn't quite the in and out process I was hoping for, but considering the stack of paperwork I had... All went quite well. I have the new number plate installed, the registration is in my pocket and the title will be arriving in about 4 weeks. (Normal for Massachusetts).... It is legal to drive..... Roger Worcester Massachusetts |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 16:48:03 GMT -5
great! it took me about 9 months to get my tR1ke approved and insured until winter came in. in April I'll make the 1st metres in it which would take 14 months in total, 2 months longer as build time. I've been quite unfortunate with outsourcing labor and I'm amazed at the pace your Exo went through approval. br! Erik Erik When it came to the build, I was already well into a dialogue with Ed. He placed me on a very good track to completion. I happen to be fortunate enough to retire early. This gives me ample free time. Naturally I was in the garage with the trike. To be honest, between Ed and myself It was "engineered by consensus". I did not outsource any labor except powder coating. All work was completed by me including the welding. The process of getting it through the inspection system requires a thorough understanding of what is required as far as documents. I was short two docs.. But was able to have them mailed within about 10 days total. Without getting to deeply into the how of things and the process of getting it done... I saved every scrap of paper, and when I got used parts I made sure I had the donor vehicles VIN associated with that part... Good thing because the inspector wanted it all. As far as the trike went, the inspection was done by the inspector and I was NOT allowed to observe or even be in the same area while it was being looked at. I cannot tell you his standard except it took about half an hour and I was out of there with my VIN TAG and associated paperwork. For the record I received the trike kit in June and I finished in December. Even though the certificate of origin says it is a 2013, kit cars in Massachusetts are granted their year of manufacture when they pass inspection. Soooooo..... Mine is officially a 2014. That's it.... Roger MAIDEN VOYAGE REPORT!!!! This morning I went out and got my trike dirty. Yep, I went down the road and around the block and onto the freeway. The steering and handling are pretty good. I need to center my front wheels with the steering wheel. It is only slightly off though. It will be a minor tweak. Other than that, it ran great... Fantastic throttle response. I had to be careful, there was a lot of black ice on the road, and it was salted. I will rinse the trike off with a cloth and clean water later. I cruised very comfortably at 50-55 MPH along the rural roads. They were a bit bumpy in places.. Frost heaves and manhole covers didn't help either, but were not a huge deterrent to driving. When I got onto the freeway it was only for about a half mile. I floored the throttle on the acceleration lane and was at a quick 65 MPH BEFORE I merged into traffic. I tickled the throttle a bit more and was at 70 MPH with plenty of power and speed remaining. Since the exit was rapidly approaching, I lifted my heavy foot from the throttle and cruised down the off ramp to a service road and coasted to the light at the bottom of the ramp. I did a left turn and headed back home. The ride was less than 10 miles, but was sufficient enough to shake the bugs out of it, or at least one or two. The temperature gauge stayed within the normal range and when the fan came on (or thermostat opened) the temp dropped to below mid way.. All lights, gauges, brakes and so on worked as designed. No problems... All I will do is center the steering wheel with the tires, wash it off and go out again. And so went the maiden voyage!!! Roger  I went out for a ride. I am not to experienced with a "GOPRO" camera. Nothing on it is easy. SORRY!!!! The weather was near 50 deg F the sky was clear and roads were mostly dry. If you notice, I am raising my right hand every so often to indicate my speed in MPH. Four fingers is 40, five fingers 50 and so on... I was going a bit over 50 MPH at one time, but had to do a panic slow down. I came to a school and had to go the limit... 35 MPH....We have to look out for the little ones... link  Janet we absolutely thrilled with the result of the build.. |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 16:57:56 GMT -5
PAGE 12 link Indira was equally pleased. Hey Ed, thanks for looking. I wasn't kidding about terrorizing the neighborhood.. LOL link I returned home after a ride to get my safety inspection sticker. There was a lot of salt on the roads to aid in melting the ice. I had to wash the Eco-Exo with some hot soapy water and wipe it clean and dry with a chamois. The inspection sticker is on my number plate and comes due May 31, 2015. From here to that date it is all fun.... Roger Worcester Massachusetts Nice! Have you checked the underside of the floor plate on debris? I'm very interested in this because I may reconsider to have no plate in the shock bay and bulkhead. I'd like to know how the debris was under the engine too. Seeing your Exo finished and running makes me want to take out my tr1ke and speed up the exo build but our roads are snow white now! Good afternoon Erik: What I did was take advantage of the unseasonable temperatures and washed the trike down. I blindly sprayed the undercarriage without really giving it much of a look. The same to be said of the engine underside. I will say this though, the engine upper side gets its share of gravel and sand. I suspect it is being cast off the rear tire and deposited on the engine (and muffler inner side). The front suspension and shocks gathered salt residue but not "cacked" on thick as I might have thought. When I installed the front wings I mounted them so about 2/3 of the wing is behind the mount. Wheel spray from the front was not noticed at all. It took me less than 15 minutes to wash,rinse and dry and the result was very good. I do have a cover plate on my rear shock, I am also looking at the shock sleeves on ebay for the front. The Eco-Exo is great fun to operate. It will hold steady at 65 MPH (100KPH) when trailing behind an articulated Lorry. The cross winds and turbulence are manageable when doing this, but would not want to be stuck behind one of these monsters for any serious length of time. The power is there when you need it and there is no shortage of increased acceleration when traveling at an upward incline. I took my GPS with me to verify the accuracy of my speedometer. It is as good as it gets for a Burgman scooter. I have logged about 50 miles since the build and only had a few adjustments to make. Nothing major or serious. I am experimenting with the use of the luggage space aft of the tank cover. I will be posting photos later today.. I am using a Givi E30 series trunk. Hurry and complete your build and head out on the road. You will be amazed at how nice it drives. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts  Not going to use the red trunk. Just wanted to see what it looked like perched on the back of my Eco-Exo R |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 17:02:30 GMT -5
link link I believe black suits the frame and yellow GRP panels. Not sure if I will attach the Givi E30 or go with a soft sided expandable bag. I believe this is as large as I need to go without running the risk of creating something that looks grossly out of proportion. link link I settled for the Coocase S-50 basic top case for my travel trunk. It holds two full face XL HJC helmets. Got it on sale, $84.99 I started making the custom mounts for the tail trunk. They are hanging in the basement drying. Fresh paint and after welding the coupling nuts for he mounting points. All they need is to be mounted on the cross bar supports of the rear cargo rack. As you can tell In had a few tail trunks to choose from. The Red Givi E30 is a knock off made in China. The smaller black one Is a real Givi E30. It was good, but didn't offer much space inside. The one I settled on was not only the least expensive it was also the best looking. The Twisted Throttle had them on sale. For anyone interested, the brand is Coocase S-50. It is quite sturdy and so far easy to install onto the mount platform. Installation photos will be posted when it is completely done. Oh, weather report... Yesterday 50 deg F and sunny.. Today 5 inches of snow and 30 degrees F. Winter has arrived with a vengeance!!!! Roger Worcester, Massachusetts      I thought I would show how I mounted the tail trunk. I used 4 "J" hooks with 1/4-20 thread and simply welded some coupling nuts to a 1" X 6" piece of flat stock. After I did this, I laid another piece of flat stock 1" X 7-1/2" with drilled holes that aligned with the coupling nuts. This will distribute the load along a longer axis of the trunk mount assembly. I drilled and tapped another set of holes to further secure the trunk adapter and to also aid in keeping the load spread out along the bar stock. The trunk clears the back of the tank cover by about 1 inch and there is ample room to fully open the lid without any interference from the rear cover on the Eco-Exo. I like the way the trunk has a positive latch when it secures to the mount as well as when the lid closes. Now I have a place to store my "STUFF" and the documents I need if required by any law enforcement agency. It is likely I will be stopped for them to check if I am Legally on the road. I believe it looks pretty good. It is a bit large, but then again, it isn't like I cannot remove it. I used some heat shrink tube around the "J" hooks and some double sided thick mounting tape as an insulator between the flat stock and the cross bars on the space to the rear of the Tank Cover. Hey, Rain gear, jacket, Lunch, change of clothes and the tool pouch will all fit, plus my helmet.... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 17:07:32 GMT -5
Hehe, the coupling nuts are too familiar to me Great construction in simplicity. Need to get more of them. i have been looking at twistedthrottle site this evening and the s50 is very interesting. They even have primered top covers to paint it matching the vehicle! I may order these for me too and do a shameless copy. BUT... I have been searching for an option to get some storage space in my tr1ke and now I see an opening thx to you placing a top case in front of the passenger seat gives some space I am very in need for. I just placed my helmet in front of the kreidler seat and noticed I have free leg movement. I may be looking for narrow moped top case. I might be able to use these in the tR1ke as well for both the pasenger and driver's side. Good thing is these cases have large roundings thus free from possible cause of injuries. good thought? Erik and others, Copy until your hearts content. The reason we all do this is to share our experiences with others. It would be a shame to put all of this information out there and no one use it. I can tell you the Coocase S-50 is a very solid unit. The Twisted Throttle store is only about 100K from me. I was able to see what they had and to do a side by side comparison with other manufacturers. This case isn't small, but it lends itself nicely to the contours and shape of the Eco-Exo. The space I have in front of my seat is reserved for a small duffle or similar soft luggage piece. Remember when you get into the seat, that space becomes a place to support yourself as you enter and leave the drivers seat. I watched a few youtube videos on the Kreidler Karts. I saw one that was all decked out with luggage racks, both on the front and rear. The rear rack set up interested me a great deal. If a person really needed to haul some equipment/luggage, a rack around the rear tank cover might be worth designing. My good thought would be, buy a case that can fit on the rear luggage rack large enough for your purpose, then use soft luggage for inside the passenger and/or drivers compartment. I am happy with the Coocase S-50. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I never reconsidered to add a case until you showed me some and I'm still not sure if i will be in need for one. the Kreideler seat is low enough to carry a backpack on me but I may have to be in need to add some brackets to the floor or rack just in case. The S50 has a great discount but not sure if i really need it... I haven't planned a holiday with the trikes either but it sounds like fun! |
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 17:16:26 GMT -5
PAGE 13 Erik: I thought about using a back pack until I replaced the seat with the Tillett clone. I believe the Coocase (made in Singapore) resolves the issue of storage. Givi has a very nice line of tail trunks with their Monokey (Trunk Monkey) series. Mind you, Givi isn't shy about putting an outrageous price on their product. Considering both are plastic injected molded, the quality between the two is the same, or nearly so. I chose the Coocase for the price. Over the years I have gathered a lot of downsized comfort items for camping, such as lights, chairs, cookers, tents and sleeping bags. With the new materials available, I can spend a few days out in a nice location, do some camping, carry my equipment and clothes all within my trunk. The tent would go in front of the seat. To be frank, I probably will not go a great distance away from the house... I figure 450 - 500K would be far enough. To travel on the US freeway system is probably considered a suicide gesture with the huge lorry traffic being ever present, but I would love to take on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway is over 1000K long and is all 2 lane road over some of the most spectacular scenery in the US. I have ridden it twice and it gets better every time. For me, the trunk was necessary, and besides, I couldn't let Eddie be the only one out there with storage capability on his project. Speaking of Ed, he bumped up the wow factor on his project. We are talking full custom GRP work on the nose, carbon fiber touches, full metal fenders on the front, wicked looking headlights, killer stereo system complete with iPod nano capability, he also has a new tuned exhaust system, K&N air filter and Power Commander engine management system. Did I mention a specially designed 4.5 US gallon fuel tank and custom built suspension and shocks tuned for the Eco-Exo??....okay Eddie, what's next, wheelie bars, low rider hydraulics, gold leaf paintwork, propeller and wings??... LOL, seriously, it looks fantastic and it hasn't even been fully painted yet. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts  Here is a quick video review of the Coocase S50. (CLICK THE IMAGE TO START) Wow Roger keep talking like that and my head will explode! Thanks for all the kudos. Since we talked I do have a few more tricks up my sleeve. The case does look great in the video. I think you made the right choice and will be happy with your decision. Edward Nice vid. The case blends in real nice. I forgot I got an Givi along with my An400. Need to pick her up from my storage garage and see how it fits. Need to repaint the silver covers tough. |
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