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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 17:20:49 GMT -5
Erik The Givi is a good case, but the E30 model that I used really looked a little tall and narrow sitting on the back. It would have been nice to have the Monokey 55 liter case from Givi, but to tell the truth, the one I bought suits me quite well. I spent the afternoon fabricating a shock spring compressor tool. I ordered a pair of 14" shocks and separate springs,. The set comes from Progressive Motorcycle Suspension and I need to mount the 90/130# springs onto the cartridge body. I did a knockoff of a compression tool from Dennis Kirk Inc. I should get the shocks and springs, mid to late this week. It has been "WICKED COLD" here for the last week. Today was no different. No winter rides are scheduled, but may try to track down a good set of powered stereo all-weather speakers. That should take a bit of research and kill some time while do the on line browsing thing. J&P Cycle has a set of series 1 Cycle Sounds speakers for $184.00 USD. I may check further... Who knows what will flush out of the bushes... Catch you later Roger Worcester, Massachusetts linklinkI made an aluminum mount for my iPod. My speakers are the Series 1 made by Cycle Sounds. I got the last pair on the shelf from J &P cycle. They went out the door at nearly half off the OEM asking price. I love a bargain. They will be arriving Monday according to the tracking documents. I liked Ed 's setup with the remote for the iPod and his choice of speakers. I did some independent research on my own for the speakers and according to the reviews I read and the advertisements out there, Cycle Sounds has the best quality. I will be using an 8G iPod Nano 4 for the music source. I have the newer Nano 7, but I decided not to use it. It has built-in FM radio which was a nice feature but the "lightening" adapter cable was $40.00. (More than I paid for the Nano 4) ...Maybe later... If I leave the older Nano on the trike, and someone takes it or it gets damaged, I am only out $30.00 instead of $150.00. The iPod 7 showing in the photo is obviously just taped to the adapter for the photo and it is a bit crooked... The power source for all of this will be a pair of accessory outlets with an Apple brand USB (dual) adapter installed. The other side will be open for standard cigar lighter styled power supplies. The speakers will be hard wired. Naturally all connections will be fused and come off he ignition switch with a secondary switch set to power on/off the outlets when not used while driving. I will have power for my GPS, IPod, cell phone and speakers. All low current draw components. As a footnote, I discovered there is more absolute trash electronics out there for sale than imaginable. Most of the stuff is just cheaply made garbage, designed with a very high failure rate. If you find yourself looking at an item that says works with Apple... It probably won't. The cheap price is designed to separate you from your money on a gamble that it will work. The market (Especially eBay) is flooded with these items. If something sounds to good to be true... Yep... It probably is. Buy a quality product from a seller you know and trust and one that will stand behind what he sells.... okay, I will now step down from my soap box. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I have the accessory outlet installed and wired in today. I still need to clean up some of the wiring. I wanted access to the power supply without the need to bend down and use a torch to see how to install a power/recharge cable. It is close to the key switch, but does not interfere with anything. There is plenty of space to tuck the extra wiring in and secure it with wire ties. Once I reinstall the bonnet and clean things up a bit, it will look as good as new.... (heck, it is new) Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 17:26:56 GMT -5
I have been doing some checking on shocks lately and thought I would pass along what I have found. Since my weight is near 215 Pounds, I need a longer shock and spring set to enable my Eco-Exo to ride level with the road. Currently the 13 inch stock shock has the nose of the trike sitting low by an inch or so with me sitting at the wheel. The wheel weight, both sprung and unsprung is about 165 pounds laden. I ordered Progressive shock cartridges model 12-1206B. They are 14-1/4 inches E/E. They come with metric eye inserts and come in chrome at no additional charge. I chose black. In my initial order I asked the company to send springs rated at 90/130 pounds. These proved to be to weak, excessive chassis roll and bump steering restricted my speed down to about 30 MPH. They did however give a great smooth ride and absorbed the bumps like a luxury car. This is not exactly what I wanted but close. I am in the process of ordering a stronger spring... 120/170 rated coil set. By the way, the original springs are the same length and outer diameter, but the tapered end will not pass over the Progressive cartridge body. If they did, problem solved... I will update this entry as I do more experimenting. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I don't know if you have a Hyperpro facility locally, but their shock service is outstanding. They do the math for you and if the shock isn't as expected it will be swapped at no charged and tested again. Cheapest professional research one can buy. Erik I know Hyperpro makes a great shock, but nothing here locally. They're quite expensive and really exceed what my budget is for a suspension. The Progressive line is a middle of the road, all purpose alternative to get a level comfortable ride. If I need to, I will continue to use the 13" shocks that came with the Eco-Exo kit. Roger Erik, we have an equivalent here called Race Tech that make G3-S Custom Shocks but are very pricey. racetech.com/page/id/98Roger will be able to do it at about a third of the cost and get 80-90 percent of what the Race Tech shock does. That is quite a savings if the new springs are a correct match for his weight. We all have budgets so have to find the right compromise for our needs. Roger did a fantastic job on his with the budget he had to work with. He made everything himself and bought a used lathe to machine the parts himself. He even made me a pair of solid front axles! I hope the springs turn out well as that will help with my setup. I also posted on Scott's post to comment between his and big brothers Eco Exo R as big brothers has a 14" shock and Scott's is a 13" I think this is a key element we all need to have input on. Regards Edward
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 17:33:19 GMT -5
Hi, I have requested some details from the supplier, but I'm not hopeful I will get what I need, I will let you know if I find anything out,, The shock and set up and very weight dependent in the Eco-Exo, due to the nature of the steering geometry, With me driving big bro's as I'm lighter the bottom wishbones are not level! this is very important, hence it feels more lively and you need to be cautious, which is why we fitted the longer shocks for his as he is lets say Beefy!! with him in it we spent a fair bit of time setting it up to ensure sits correctly and the results show a massive difference, this needs to be done with the main drivers weight positioned correctly!! The shocks we use a standard rear shocks for the old Ducati / BMW bikes they are available in 335mm long or 365mm We supply as standard 335mm and this work perfect for most, I'm 70kg / 160lbs and our demo trike with these is set up perfectly and I'm confidently relaxed whilst driving, with the exception on our crap roads we have with potholes and lorry tram lines etc, Cheers Scott Scott: The 335mm shocks were/are good for me to a point. I am "beefy" as well and the trike drives with its nose down with me seated behind the wheel. I am 6'-0" and 215 pounds.... Not a light weight. I am afraid my barbecuing and vacationing have put a little weight on my backside, which I am in the process of loosing, but still my normal weight isn't that much lighter. The 365mm shock in my case would have been a better option. They would have provided the ride height I needed and the spring support for proper suspension movement. Right now I have the 365mm/14-1/4" Progressive shock cylinders. The cartridge is larger in diameter than the shock that came with the Eco-Exo so I cannot use the springs. I ordered a pair of 90/130 pound springs initially, but returned them in exchange for a pair of 120/170 pound set. I have yet to receive the replacements. I also did one other thing. I found a pair of cheap used shocks on ebay. They are aftermarket shocks with removable springs. Figment is for the 75-79 Honda GL1000 Goldwing. I will (attempt) to harvest the springs and install them on the Progressive cartridges. OEM GL1000 springs are quite robust so I suspect the ones I got from ebay are equally matched to the OEM. In short, if the 120/170 progressive springs prove to weak, perhaps the GL1000 Linear type will work. In short, I need ride height to increase by a little over 1 inch and I need the spring set to provide adequate support and naturally the cartridge to do the dampening on both the rebound and compression strokes.. I will let you know what happens. Bear in mind, it is winter here and we are up to our knees in snow. Any testing will need to wait for a good thaw day. Roger Sounds like a good plan Roger, let me know what you find, Hi Scott Can you elaborate al little more on this? I am trying for a level chassis fore and aft which is 13" eye to eye centered on my trike. Both Roger and I have the front lower than that that will cause problems with speed bumps and such. I know it is cold but is there any way you can measure the frame height in the rear and front and exactly where those points are with you seated in it to give us a baseline what will work? Too high and it gets squirrely. We need to get some approximates so we can get our shocks tuned for us. This will help all the future builds as this will be sorted out and no longer will be a problem. Regards Edward
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 17:42:17 GMT -5
PAGE 14 Euhm, you can relocate the shock brackets to raise the chasis and swap springs. just a thought... Yes, but I really wanted to keep the stock geometry. It will all work in the end and will help all future builders with similar requirements. Ed, Its not a good idea to replicate, each kit will be set up differently for owners etc,, I cant check mine as yet as its in bits, but im sure front and rear are not the same, it sits lower at the front which suits me, I think with my bottom wishbones level its just under 4" clearance 80-90mm which goes over speed bumps here, but I always dodge round them when I can. Don't worry about it until you have it built up and have a shake down run, then you will start to get a feel for what you need to do, the shock companies should just need vehicle / driver weights etc and they should be able to work it out, either way the build is the easy bit, the tweaking is the best bit,,, Cheers Scott Thanks Scott That was what I needed. I thought the front was a bit lower on yours but wanted to confirm that. On the tR1ke we want the front to be lower to prevent lift. Going level or upwards might cause serious instability at high speeds. Food for thought Hi Erik Yes that is factored in. I have a pretty good idea where my ride level will be. But I have to get the Eco weighed first.
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 17:49:13 GMT -5
It has been a few days since I checked the forum and there has been a lot of activity. The combined input of all that posted has validity concerning the suspension. By no means does anyone think it is a weak spot or a deficient area. Setting up a suspension is solely an empirical value, based on many individual desired factors such as ride, handling, and/or application to name a few. There is no amount of logic or design application that states one method is better than another. It is up to the individual driver to determine what works (or doesn't work) for him or her. I personally want a slightly softer ride, with good stability. I also want to sit level, or only slightly nose down. What I have come up with is a Progressive brand Series 12, 14-1/4" shock with 120/170 pound springs. They are now on the Eco-Exo and from what I can determine, they might be a very close match to what I am attempting to achieve. With the trike unladen, it sits high in the front, but with my weight added, the bottom "A" arms are level to slightly downward and the nose only slightly down. I will do some actual clearance measurements and post my results. From what I can see, I may have something I can use, but only a test ride will tell. Roger Hi Roger I am going to wait untill you try yours out. If it works well I will be able to pass that info on and hopefully my shocks will be right on the first time around. Where you have yours is about where I was figuring. That will give me 3.5" to 3.75" of clearance at the bottom of the hood that is the closest point to the ground. I have my fingers crossed that it will go well. Okay.. Here is what I did. I put 240 pounds of weight distributed as a person might sit inside the vehicle. The pre-measurement showed 6-1/4" of clearance measured approximately half way between the two mounting points of the lower "A" arm. After I loaded the weight the clearance was 4-5/8". This made the total loaded sag 1-5/8". The lower arms were pointed only slightly downward (nearly level). I had to do a totally non-engineering test and press down on the front to see how the shocks responded. It felt only slightly softer than the shocks provided by Scott and Company... But it may be enough to provide adequate stability and a softer ride. When we get some roads clear of ice and snow, maybe I can do a driving assessment... Video to follow. Roger I have not posted for a few days. Edward and I have been posting on the www.burgmanusa.com blog site. I figured since the Eco-Exo is half Suzuki Burgman someone on the site might be interested in what we have and what is available. A nice group over there!! The two snow storms have kept me busy since my snow blower stripped a gear in the auger gearbox. A replacement is on the way. I will be glad when spring arrives and the snow is put to bed until the fall. I have the stereo installed, then cut the extra length from the wires. It sounds good with the ipod. I also have the modified shocks installed... When the snow melts from the roads I will test ride it and post the results. In the mean time I am doing some little changes to my project. I am adding nonskid tape and removing the rubber pad for the floor pan. I also installed an extra electrical wire to the bundle for future use. I am buying a battery tender and installing the recharge pigtail to my battery. I am also doing a wax job to the powder coated surfaces and the GRP panels as well. The front alignment will need to be checked if the shocks are to function correctly.. So, I have a lot ahead of me. That's it for now... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 17:56:05 GMT -5
I found this FM Transmitter that also allows for wired connections to the powered speakers I installed on the Eco-Exo-R. Right now, it is playing straight from the RAM stick installed at the top. I will transfer the music to a smaller RAM stick and then install the remainder of my music on an internal 4GB Micro SD card. It is a neat little device that tucks nicely beneath my dash... Roger I installed a 4GB Micro SD card with adapter into the FM Transmitter with music. This player is great for the money. I believe I paid less than $13.00 including shipping. It shows the title of the song, the artist and volume. It fits nicely beneath the bar and works as it should. No problems Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I have been having a sever case of cabin fever lately. Currently 15 inches of snow on the ground and more expected Wednesday. In spite of this, Yesterday I took the trike out to test the 14" progressive shocks. It turned out horrible. Way to much chassis roll, bump steer and uncontrollable over 30 MPH. Progressive suspensions are really not suitable for the front suspension of a reverse trike, perhaps a three wheeled modded motorcycle, but not the Eco-Exo. I spent several weeks preparing and setting up the front end alignment for the taller shocks only to find out I was piloting a land based boat. It tossed me around inside the seat like I was on the high seas. I removed the shocks, washed and waxed the trike and put it in the garage for the night. When I got up this morning, I went to work to reset the alignment back to the original factory suggested settings.. (Which by the way were spot on). I got some reassuring information from Scott on what the settings should be, and he knows his business for sure! After 3 hours of finite adjusting and measuring, I was ready for a test ride.( bear in mind the temperature was 22 deg F). I was single hand driving at 50+ MPH with very good predictability, handling and absolutely no chassis roll or bump steer. I will keep the 13 inch MDI Forsa shocks and return the Progressive brand shocks and springs..... I did all this for a softer ride, but this trike has some nice handling characteristics, it is very sporty and quick to respond, it was made for a firm ride, and it handles exceptionally well as it currently set up. I will keep it just as it is and enjoy the ride when weather permits. That all for now... Just a note, it seems the forum is not as active as it has been in the past. Come on guys, make a couple of posts so the rest of us can tell you are alive.... It must have been the Olympics diverting everyone's attention and free time. Roger Worcester Massachusetts One quick note, I did not make a video of the ride, with the 13/14 inch shocks as mentioned a few posts back. When the temps increase and the landscape looks much nicer I will do a video and post pictures... Roger
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 18:39:40 GMT -5
PAGE 15 Hey roger...do these things have reverse? Fred Fred... As designed it does not have any reverse, it it is easier to push than my scooter.. Roger How do you backup when your in it?? Fred What I do is the same as I would do with my Victory XCT... Avoid situations that would require backing up, but.... That being said, a stock build is about 500 pounds and is very easy to push up a gradual incline. I also do not park nose in, onto a curb that is on a downward angle if I can help it. I don't do it with my Eco-Exo as well as my Tour Bike. The short answer is: "You have to get out and push it backward" .... unless you are going to add the reverse option... That being,... asking a total stranger to give a hand while you stay behind the wheel. ; - ) Roger I reinstalled the Tillett style seat today, and did a little touch up painting on the hardware, mounts, nuts and bolts. I also removed the 12.5" NRG steering wheel and replaced it with a much smaller one. It is 11.0 inches. I found the NRG horn button fit it like a glove, so why not.. I installed it. The wheel has some carbon fiber (graphics) and looks pretty nice. I took it out for a test drive in 17 deg F (-8 deg C) weather.. Got a dandy brain freeze doing that, but the steering wheel and seat matched quite well. I have sufficient leg room and can sit back and relax as I drive. Today's ride was about 10 miles in length, by then my fingers were numb and my sinuses were completely frozen by the time I returned. I don't know what the WCF is when exposed to those temp going 45 - 50 MPH... All I can say, it is darned cold!!! The Eco-Exo handled great though. I managed to dodge the winter pot holes and frost heaves and got home in one piece.. Frozen but none the worse for wear. Bottom line is this, I tried two different seats at different angles and two different sizes of steering wheels. I found the Tillett clone Fiberglas seat works best for me, with it mounted semi recumbent. I also enjoy the extra leg height the smaller diameter steering wheel provides. I am more comfortable and have 100% control of my driving using the 11" steering wheel. It all fits together for my leg length and body size. I hope the guys/gals out there that are currently building their Eco-Exo take time to read the posts. There are choices to be made to determine among other things, your controllability of steering and comfort of seating. If something doesn't work, work with it until you find a solution, not everything you buy for your project is going to be "spot on". You need a seat and steering wheel obviously. RCI makes a good seat and they fit the operators compartment like a glove. If I were 5'-9" or less I would keep the RCI. However, I am tall and the Tillett (or clone) is a great choice for me. (I am 6'-0"). The RCI seat will match well with the 12.5" steering wheel and the 11.0" wheel works best with the Tillett (clone) semi recumbent. Note: a lot of Go-kart seats are shaped similar to the Fiberglas Tillett brand seat. I bought a Clone of a Tillett for about 25% of the real thing... No complaints, it is heavy duty and is an XXL. It "just" fits and mounts nicely to the seat adjuster... Roger Worcester Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 18:43:13 GMT -5
The new tie rod adapter that I fabricated and installed was done AFTER the alignment was accomplished. Note the Tie Rod End has only about 1/4 inch of threads showing and the adapter to the steering knuckle end has no threads. I also substituted the 1/4" wide jam nuts instead of the 1/2" nuts. Edward Van Belkom is using chrome/moly but 1/2" cold roll is what I made these from. He has something similar installed on his Eco-Exo-R, and it just makes good sense to have as much thread used as possible. The small Cycle Sounds speakers fit comfortably in each corner of the drivers area. They are directed at the driver to optimize the volume. I use an iPod for the music source and with the aftermarket remote control, it makes listening to music easier. Naturally I have to wear a helmet and then there is the wind noise, but around town and going 50 MPH or so, it isn't bad... Good In fact. Note how the speakers tuck out of the way at each side. A TIllett seat runs upward to nearly $300.00 including shipping. I cannot fault the quality, but it is something expected at the price. I found this seat which is sort of a Tillett clone. It was $55.00 plus $30.00 shipping. It is HEAVY fiberglas and came with the carpeted seating. I smooth sanded the exterior and gave it a gloss black paint job with a couple of coats of clear on top of that. The mounting adapter was made by welding 1.5" X 1/8' flat stock in an "H" configuration and mounting the seat to the cross member of the "H". Each leg was then mounted to the seat adjuster. I do have it semi recumbent but it is quite comfortable that way. NIce progress here! Don't forget to grease the extenders to prevent rust. Placing shrinking tube over it is a great dirt protector. You may have to look at those ball link protecters I have. They keep the dirt out the linkage. Nice to have the tillet clone back in it. Looked pretty sweet back then
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 18:46:56 GMT -5
In an earlier post, I referred to this steering wheel as an 11 inch diameter. It is actually 11-3/4", It is an NRG knock off through Ebay. I don't know how they get away with it, but obviously NRG either doesn't care or doesn't know. It isn't a bad wheel for $35.00 and it allows for increased leg "HEIGHT" when I remove my foot from the accelerator pedal to apply the brake. It handles as well as my "Genuine NRG" but is it a much larger wheel. The Remote control at the 6 O'clock position is for the iPod music source. It changes channels, songs selects, fast forwards, and skips Genre. It keeps my ability to focus on driving rather than fiddling with the iPod. Nice view of the clock huh?? The turn signals are from a 2013 Honda Ruckus. They were donated by my Brother Terry when he upgraded his scooters light system. The headlights are from "DRAG" motorcycle accessories. These were designed by Arlen Ness and are DOT approved 5" lenses. If you are wondering what the brown tape is for on the steering knuckle, it is simply a reference point to measure a 10 inch distance between the tie rod groove and the edge of the tape. This is a ballpark adjustment that is very close to being dead on aligned. If you look you can see my Brake Reservoir beneath the odometer housing. The reservoir is from an early Honda GL1000 Goldwing. It was for the rear brake system. It fits good in this location. Here is where I mounted the rectifier. It is out where the wind can cool it down, and with the temps being in the mid teens, I can tell you, it doesn't overheat at all. The connections are behind my seat and are weather sealed from the factory. This is also my Throttle body intake filter (Thanks Ed) The PCV hose and air temp sensor are inserted in the fabricated intake tubing. It runs just fine and has plenty of acceleration. No problems yet, but we will see when the weather warms up to summer temps. The drain hose is for my radiator recovery system. I moved the parking brake to the right side. The angle of the seat allows the mechanism to be engaged with plenty of room to spare. I am working on a vinyl cover for it.
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Post by roger on Feb 13, 2019 18:49:25 GMT -5
I have been doing some testing.. Suspension and so on during the cold weather here in Massachusetts. They treat the roads with salt to melt the ice and naturally, bare metal (treated or not) starts to corrode. When the weather allows, I will get out my Dremel tool and small wire brush and do some corrosion control and then clear coat the bare metal nuts and bolts. Until then, it has to wait... My Garage is looking like the last scene of "Dr Strangelove" Between the snow removal stuff and the pellet fuel and of course my projects, it looks like a bomb hit it. Clean up is on my "TO DO" list, but way down at the bottom... I will be installing the gauge shield tomorrow and then putting the wiring cover back in place beneath the bonnet. I am expecting some 1/2" heat shrink tape tomorrow in the mail. I will install it over the tie rods and then do the alignment all over again. "So go goes the Battle"... it is all fun work and I like something to do that I "LIKE" to do... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 15, 2019 0:52:15 GMT -5
PAGE 16 It was a clear day today, not as warm as one would like, but sunny and bright. I thought I would post a few pictures that were taken outside in natural sunlight. I cannot wait until the weather gets warm. I have a long ride in the planning stage for my Trike.... I figure by the end of March, or early April the weather will predictable enough to go for a ride with a light jacket on and no gloves.... The snow is melting, but not fast enough for my taste... I can imagine those guys up in Wisconsin look at snow the way we do sand on a sunny beach... (Huh Ed??) Here is my replacement steering wheel. It is a little larger than I originally posted. It is actually 11-3/4" diameter. I have the GPS and the iPod attached. Here is a slightly different angle... Note the floor pan covering... Industrial Non-skid tape.
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Post by roger on Feb 15, 2019 1:13:36 GMT -5
linkI took the trike out yesterday for a Shake Down ride. I probably drove between 30 - 40 miles. On a straight and uncongested section of highway, I throttled it up to 75 MPH and held it there for about 30 seconds before I felt I was risking a traffic citation for speeding and decided to cruise around the 65 MPH mark. I wanted to verify the accuracy of my speedometer and the route I chose was traveled by me the previous day in my personal vehicle. The odometer readings on my Honda Ridgeline and the Burgman odometer matched exactly over the entire course. When at 75 MPH there was plenty of throttle left, however..... Considering I was on an open access highway that was subject to frost heaves and cross traffic, going faster was not a risk worth the result. I stopped at a local coffee shop "Dunkin Donuts" for a hot coffee to warm up. The outside air temp was around 27 degrees. I took the picture of my Eco-Exo -R through the window of the shop. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I took my Eco-Exo-R out for a 65+ MPH shakedown ride on the interstate highway. I posted the video on youtube and the link above gives some reality to going at a high rate of speed in such a small vehicle. First of all, I had the front end aligned, all nuts and bolts secured and brakes, steering and safety items checked before doing the test. Satisfied by my inspection I headed out to see how it would handle at a sustained 65 MPH speed. It accelerated very quickly making the merge onto the highway uneventful. I was up to 65 MPH in a matter of a couple of seconds after leaving the ramp. The trike handled quite good, was not what I would call "Twitchy" but more agile than anything else. It was easy to keep on the road and I was able to relax while doing the speed test. All things considered, I don't believe this would be my vehicle of choice on a 3000 mile ride across country, but would be a very nice comfortable ride on a weekender or a three or four day outing. We have a lot of mountain roads that have twisty winding ribbons of asphalt. The Eco-Exo-R was made for this type of fun. It is doubtful that I will go much on the interstate for a ride, but it is good to know it will hold its own and maintain the speeds required. My rides will be in the foothills and up in the mountains carving up the roads. At 55 MPH it is a breeze to handle and I can hear the stereo playing at that speed. I am going to try my best to wear this thing out this summer. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Nice vid Roger! I like the telephone poles in the scenery. haven't seen them for 30 years or so great to see she is holding up fine, but you should test her at full speed to because that's what she's got to handle safe as well. Roger, You are hardcore !!!! Roger, that looks like fun! Roger, The video looks great! Now everyone has a very good idea what it is capable of. Thanks for taking the time to film it. It is really helping me out on my build and I should be ready to order my shocks within the next couple weeks. Keep up the great work on this forum. Edward When I did this test I did a pre ride in my "YT" to check the condition of the highway. We get tons of frost heaves in the winter and this winter has been no exception to that. In a previous ride it easily hit 75 MPH, but I throttled back after a few seconds. I was on a secondary road and didn't want to risk (anything actually) getting a ticket. For me, I believe 65 MPH is a manageable sustainable speed. It has satisfactory handling and doesn't strain the engine or running gear. If I were 10 feet tall and bullet proof I would have tached it up to its limit. Yesterday 65+ MPH was "MY" personal limit. Erik, I will defer that first speed record to you.. Find a deserted polder and toss a brick on the accelerator pedal and hang on....LOL. My overall impression is that the body is tight, the steering responsive, good road feel, plenty of power even for the steep hills here in Worcester. It has very good fade free brakes, the side mounted radiator keeps the engine dead on the mid range mark. The tight handling negotiates corners exceedingly well and can power out of them with impressive controllability. I would not hesitate to drive all day long at 65 MPH if I were going on a long ride, but to tell you the truth! I am itching to take it up to the White Mountains, maybe climb Mt Washington or Mt Greylock. Scott, between you Grandpa, and The MEV team, you have created a monster..... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 15, 2019 1:27:07 GMT -5
PAGE 17 Is a Burgman 400 allowed on Mt Washington? I thought there was a NO Scooter rule as scooters do not have engine compression braking, EXCEPT a Burgman 650 that does have a manual mode with compression braking. I can put it in one of 6 gears. That is a good point. Compression braking would be almost mandatory especially on THAT road. I do it every year on my annual ride to Gorham. The tolls have gotten a bit prohibitive, but it is still a great view and for first timers it is worth the cost. If I decide to take my Eco-Exo out in that area, I will probably not attempt it after thinking about all the hot brakes folks get and the smell of burnt brake pads. I think Mt Greylock would be okay. I took the Burgman up there last year and it did just fine. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Just enable all brake pads in the front wheels. stock setup cancelles out half of them Erik The problem isn't the pads, it is the rotors overheating and warping. I actually melted a plastic saddlebag from a Kawasaki VN1200 (when it was new) coming down the same highway off the mountain. Maybe a drag chute would help... But I doubt it. I've been up there almost every year since moving to New England, trust me, compression braking is a must..... Roger Exo Would be a great project for e-power and generative braking . My C1 runs down from a 7% hill at constant pace with the AC on and I'm not in need for additional braking. One could add wheel hub motors in the front exo wheels and an electric heater/ airco unit to waste generated heat. I bet one could program the controller for a massive brake setting. Just a thought...
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Post by roger on Feb 15, 2019 1:36:35 GMT -5
What I really intend to do this summer is get a head start on driving my trike as much as I can. I am anxious about getting some sunshine on me and the Eco-Exo as a team. I am finished doing engineering mods and other changes for now. It has limited space to add even the smallest of extras and still have room for me. It is something considering but perhaps on a larger scale project. The snow here is all but gone, still patches here and there and soon the trees will be green again and it will be summer. That is the thought I am clinging to for now... It has been a long winter, can't you tell? LOL I have not added much information since I finished doing some test rides. I had a minor glitch recently in electrical system. Whether it was due to my ECM being defective or just bad Karma, doesn't enter into it. I was out on a ride and when I got within 2 blocks of home, it shut down. No power to my fuel delivery or ignition systems. The ECM does not do a self test by cycling the fuel pump and or throttle body. I had intended to replace my 1999 gauge cluster with my original 2008 in the fall after riding season wan winding down... I just stepped up the process a bit. I received the new harness today and did all the connection identification already. Tomorrow I do a test installation to see what sort of faults I get on the readout on my 2008 Speedometer fault center. Hopefully, the ECM has not fried.... Roger Worcester Massachusetts Hi Roger, Too bad to see you're having electrical issues and need to rework an other loom. What worked for me is to label the wiring on both ends regardless the color code on it which makes a double check. Hope this helps. Best regards, Erik I thought I would update the above information...I started up the trike this morning after finding a small snag in the connector to the STVA. I made the correction and it purrs like a kitten. I ran out of silicone tape and solder and stopped for the day to resupply. As an added note, all three of my ECM's were in fact good. I really liked that part of the fix.. What this little snafu has done is give me the reason to upgrade my gauge cluster to a 2008 with the fault code reader. That little luxury is worth it's weight in gold. It doesn't mess around, it gets right to the problem and let's you know what it is.. Tomorrow I will connect my light system and hooter and start to work on the cable to the speedometer. By the end of the month, it should be well on the road and logging warm weather miles. Erik, I do have a wiring system similar to yours. I have a kit that I use to number the wires. I attach the number then record the information onto my computer. I also make enlargements of the wiring diagrams and make subsets as it applies to me and how I did the build. I am a fast learner and what I learned recently is, that no matter how careful you do something no matter how thorough you are, "if it can go wrong, it WILL go wrong". MURPHYS LAW.... That's about all for now. This little repair job was not a MAJOR malfunction, I am sure I would have found the cause given a little more time. I wanted to make the updates and have the nicer gauges so went straight to work on that. As a result I am adding he following.. Emergency stop switch, brake light override Momentary switch and the Dealer Mode Select switch. I have the space and so why not.... Ride safe Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Roger ... wow ...really good info ... I suspect that your electrical diagrams / etc. will help a lot of people .. fred bernardo
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Post by roger on Feb 15, 2019 1:47:05 GMT -5
I fabricated a couple of mounts. One for the ECM and the other for the fuse box. The fuse box is actually stacked on the ECM. I completed the wire tracing and have the small stuff remaining, headlamps, signals and horn... All easy stuff. After that, I trim, wrap and route. I found an ideal container for the 100 ohm resistor. It is an empty dental floss dispenser. It paints nicely and I can use a pop rivet to hold it in place. A person could actually incorporate the resistor into a removable security imobiliser. Like having it soldered into a cartridge and keeping it on your key chain. Anyway, the gauge cluster is looking good, and I have the front support all fabricated. I need to hit the hardware store again and buy a few more feet of 3/4" x3/16" flat stock, so I can have a 4 point mount. My notes, prints and other wiring diagrams are really not unique in any way. Erik is using all of the original harness and handlebar switches. It is an excellent way to keep the wiring harness original, and it does not create any issues with the imobiliser or diagnostic center later on. Other than the Fiat headlamps, ignition switch and turn signals, my harness is pretty much original as well, and I can use a standard Burgman wiring diagram and just add in the Fiat circuitry. Once you go through a build and put things together yourself, the maintenance is a lot easier than if you bought it ready to drive. I will be posting a few pictures when I get the modifications completed... Like I mentioned to Ed Van Belkom, I am doing some things along with the upgraded gauges and I am not quite ready to write about yet..... I just want to make sure everything works properly before I do...... And to SMOKINGUITARPLAYER..... any word on when you will be getting your kit? Roger Worcester, Massachusetts. Need to note I wasn't in need for a wiring diagram at all. with the an400 switches it's really cut/extend only. The only creative electrical issue was to parallel the engine stop to the fiat key switch and connect the front brake switch to the brake pressure switch for brake light/starter. Not too hard to accomplish Need to note I used the original key switch as well which cancelled out the use of the fiat key switch at all, but I reckoned the engine stop/fiat key switch combo is an safety item and anti theft device. Brake level sensor hasn't been used as well to keep wiring to a minimum and nav feed will be from the 12V socket connector. However, If i was to build the loom over again I'd keep the battery, regulator and key switch in front like the original position which would really make the loom cut through and extend for about 22 wires only. I ended up with more free space under the front cover as expected and the original system seems to cope well with the long battery leads. Looking forward to your gauge mods! greets! Erik The gauge mods are not really all that spectacular, but a huge improvement in the tech department. I wired in the "DEALER MODE SWITCH" as a permanent switch. Makes troubleshooting a lot easier. The older gauge set I had didn't even have a tachometer. Now, the 2008 wiring harness matches the 2008 gauges and the 2008 engine sensors and electronics. The plus is I now have an air temperature indicator and a tach.... (And a nicer set of clocks). I did not get so invasive with the harness and extended wires only where necessary. I ordered a new ECM, and a nicer windshield to complete the modifications. My new dash plate will contain the Dealer mode switch, the Emergency Stop Switch, and an override momentary switch that bypasses the brake switch for starting the engine for warm ups and maintenance. I will be adding a spare switch for future use... And balance. On the other end of the installation: I utilized the unused fuses that were for the headlights and redistributed the electrical load. I also remade my wiring diagrams and enlarged the Stock Burgman color wiring chart. I had to make a few brackets and do a little simple metal fabrication, but nothing out of the ordinary. That's it for now.. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Yesterday was a busy day. I managed to get the wiring completed with he exception of the emergency flashers. I am going to see if I can find a suitable (better) switch. I am not to thrilled about the one I was using. The lead in wires are soft and break very easily, also the insulation can be stripped by just looking at it wrong.. Almost like a latex glove. I will see what I can find at the parts store later today.... The rewire wasn't all that difficult, just time consuming. The new tunnel and gauge plate will be taken to the powder coater today. I need to mark and drill the mounting holes in it first, then insert a couple of rivnuts in the cross bar and it will be finished. The bulkhead, seat, and tank cover get installed today. The hood and gauges will have to wait until I get the items back from the coater. Depending on the coaters finish time, I should be on the road shortly. Roger Worcester, Massachusets Good to hear Roger. Your tunnel looks great and should work well for your application. As yourself I am pretty happy with my loom after redoing it a few times. Great day for me also as I got my rear shock spring tested and calculated the new spring rate to get my 4" ride height. For your info here is what the stock 07 Burgman spring tested at. Stock Spring 07 Burgman Shock 1" = 375Lbs Preload on shock is 1" 2" = 415 Lbs 3" = 415 Lbs This is rated as a 415 Lbs Spring. Extended Spring Length 193MM Preload 177MM (23MM preload) Spring Length Static Sag 167MM Frame Height 100MM = 3.93" Spring Length Sag with Rider 159MM Frame Height 78MM = 3.07"
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Post by roger on Feb 15, 2019 2:01:19 GMT -5
PAGE 18 I got my items back from the powder coater. It was nearly double the quoted price... Went from $50.00 to $90.00...I need to find a local company. Between the increased price and the cost of gas for the 120 mile round trip, it would be cheaper to do it here in town. The items look great, they always do a good job. I started the reassembly yesterday, and will take it a little at a time. My brackets for the forward gauge mount will work great, but need some fitment tweaking. I will be using my original emergency flasher switch. I needed to find a SPDT switch to match my others, but gave up on the search. The original will be fine, but I do not like the wire/insulation quality. I didn't think I was going to be able to use my cutdown windshield, but after some very minor trim work, it fits pretty good. All things considered, this upgrade will not alter the general appearance all at much. It is doubtful if it will make a sufficient difference for anyone to notice really....the real benefit is the fault code reader and some upgraded switches, tachometer, air temp readout and a much easier to see gauge cluster......I did pop for a new ECM, which I relocated along with the fuse/relay box. They are no longer beneath the bonnet, but in the wiring tunnel just in front of the seat. It is still a little soon for pictures, but I will be posting them along with a video or two. I normally do not go on group rides, but occasionally I do. A rally ride is scheduled on the 16th of May. It is the Townsend Massachusetts "Give Back Ride" All proceeds go to local "Small town" fire or police departments for them to buy life saving equipment or for youth activity programs. I will be taking my Eco-Exo-R and showing it off there. I have to say this... I get a LOT of attention in this thing. Even the State Police gave me a "THUMBS UP". The real flattery comes from these younger women 20 -30ish, wanting to take pictures.. Yep, at age 65, I finally got a "Chick Magnet" ride.... What am I going to do, I'm telling you......this could be trouble on 3 wheels.... LOL..... Seriously though, it is like nothing else on he road and the curiosity factor is quite high. Be prepared for attention. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts The new dash is installed and operating. I am nearly completed, just some details. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts The front really doesn't look that much different than the older one. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Here is where the difference is... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Looks great Roger. The dash really turned out nice. I am sure you will like driving it so much more with the new dash and to be able to start it without using the brake petal. You should have the wiring burned into your head by now so you can troubleshoot anything that might come up later on. Hopefully I will have the rear shock ordered this week and will be working on the body to get it ready for painting. Your Trike looks great and the windshield fits beautifully. Edward Thanks Ed... I just need to make the mounts for the tunnel and that will be the end of the work......
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Post by roger on Feb 15, 2019 2:11:04 GMT -5
Here is a short video just after I did the Gauge upgrade. I keep flashing to the odometer and back to the road. I was keeping a check on any spikes in temp and to insure my RPM and Speed were constant as well. There is a LOT of noise. The weather was very windy and I had a 30 MPH crosswind You will notice I am climbing a very steep set of hills in this video. There are three of them and the Eco-Exo-R had no problem. The first hill was the steepest and the worst for road conditions. The second was not as steep as the first, but longer and finally just before arriving home, Chester Street has a considerably steep incline as well and I had no problems coming up the hill. Roger Nice work Roger, Great mods, well done getting the later 2008 cluster unit to fit, Just proves anything can be done when with a little inspiration,,, Nice job Thanks Scott.. It wasn't a difficult mod to make really. Once I decided to install the newer gauge cluster, and figured out how to mount it, getting it done was not all that difficult. Everything works like it should and he real big plus is the Dealer Mode option. It makes troubleshooting the fuel system a breeze. I also discovered the newer gauge set also is equipped with a fuel economy computer. It let's me know my MPG... Which by the way is between 62 - 66 Miles Per US Gallon. I will be doing some more videos as soon as the fowl weather passes. I am working on a single wheel trailer that I will cross platform between my Victory CCT and the Eco-Eco-R by swapping out a detachable tongue. I will be posting some pictures of my progress. The trailer is not my own design, but one I found on a trailer web page. It was made to be towed behind a 250 cc Honda Reflex, so it should be okay behind the trike. I go camping a lot during the summer months. I repurpose the lightweight backpacker equipment into motorcycle camping.. It keeps the weight and bulk down to a minimum. The trailer will be perfect for the job. That's about it for now...... Roger As I mentioned above, I am making a single wheeled trailer to tow behind my Eco-Exo-R. I will also use the trailer behind my tour bike by interchanging the tongues for each application. Right now the trailer frame looks a bit "spartan" but one of the difficult parts has been done already, that being getting it square and the swing arm bushing installed and trued. I will have to wait for my wheel assembly to arrive before pressing on with it. Also there is a quick tour of my basement workspace. It is organized chaos, but I function in that sort of upheaval.... (somehow) As I get older I find I become less fussy about clutter. It has to go through several layers before I decide to clean up and start over... Anyway... I will be posting more videos and pictures of the progress. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 15, 2019 2:17:59 GMT -5
It is all a work in progress. I have the swing arms just tacked in place and the shock is not the one I will be using, but more of a guide to check the angle and clearance. I welded in some gussets an the frame where the aft end bends down. I don't want any surprises when I load it down. As I said before, this is not my design, but from an open forum posting about motorcycles (and in this case a Red Honda Reflex Scooter) towing trailers. The original builder had his built to resemble a Roman Chariot. By the way, I will not get so wrapped up in this single wheel trailer project that it dominates the forum topic. I just thought it would be appropriate to offer something a little different that will be used by the Eco-Exo. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I decided to take the trike out for a ride to the Victory Dealer in the nearby town of Barre Massachusetts. They had an open house, free burgers and hot dogs and a full line up of Victory motorcycles, and Polaris utility off roaders along with the Can Am Spyder. When I rolled up in the Eco-Exo, the crowd shifted their focus onto my trike. The open house host (owner of the dealership) himself was curious about it. All good comments from everyone. I didn't advertise but this thing is a natural attention getter. I answered everyone's questions and referred them to Exomotive in Atlanta if they were interested enough to "get serious " about buying. It was a very cloudy day and rain was expected so I left early and rode the 25 miles back home. It never missed a beat. Come on guys, there is a lot of fun in this little ride.... Get yours ordered, or get yours done.... Summer is about here.... Roger Worcester Massachusetts Here is a picture Roger sent me. Man What a sweet ride it turned out to be. [ Congratulations, Roger. Shes beautiful.
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Post by roger on Feb 15, 2019 2:19:46 GMT -5
PAGE 19 Unclemark: I believe this is the first time I have seen you on my page. Thank you for your comment, and welcome to the build journals. Have you ordered a kit, or just thinking about it right now? Ed and I were beginning to wonder if our forum pages were being read by anybody outside of the 3 active builders. It is good to see a new face.... Roger Worcester Massachusetts [/div]
Here is another shot at a slightly different angle than Ewdards... Taken May 3 2014 at Higgins Motorsports in Barre Massachusetts
Eco-Exo-R tucked in with the big boys....
You're right Roger, first time I have commented on your thread. I have read thru your build with much interest, tho. That along with watching your videos has definitely helped me make the decision to start my own build. Your latest post showing your Eco Exo parked along side the bikes sealed the deal. I'm a gonner you might say. The pictures gave us all a good idea of the scale of the Exo compared to something we are all familiar with. It looks awesome sitting there, definitely holds its own. I'll be ordering very soon. unclemark
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Post by roger on Feb 16, 2019 0:21:08 GMT -5
I am currently planning to go through a set of tires this summer on my Eco-Exo-R. I appreciate the nice comments and look forward to reading your entries. Between Erik, Edward and my build, we have a lot of information compiled. Unclemark when you order your kit, it usually takes a couple of months to get, so try to get your extra parts so when you start, you will not have to wait. Remember, 2003 through 2006 Burgman 400 donor.. Yesterday was a real "top down" convertible day...(even with rain in the forecast).... More pictures to come.... Ed...don't worry ... there are a lot of us reading your posts. I am waiting for my kit which appears to be delayed until Mid June so I probably am giving up the idea of riding this season ... if you are doing road trips .. put Shillington Pa. on your map. Fred B. It reached 91 degrees here today. Nice day to take out the Eco-Exo.... So that's what I did. I Rode it about 60 miles... It needs a little fuel now. I do have to report it ran on the warm side, but when I got home I found the overflow bottle empty, so I may have been poor circulation. I added about 10 ounces more or less of antifreeze and will test it on the next riding day. This Sunday (weather permitting) is a ride for charity. The annual Townsend Massachusetts Give Back Ride. I will log over 120 miles, maybe more. I did do a video of today's ride in part, but it plays back 90 degrees from upright...it is irritating to try to do a simple video and technology out smarts us... Maybe next time... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I did a ride yesterday with the Eco-Exo. Turn the volume down a bit, the wind noise is a little over the top... I made a cardboard (shoebox) Radiator air scoop to aid with my cooling. Yes, it is ugly but it directs air where it is needed.... The Radiator!! When I cruise around the 55 - 60 MPH mark, the engine temperature tends to ride way above normal. So, Ed Van Belkom and I discussed a temporary solution and weighed the pros and cons of adding a scoop. I had an old (Very sturdy) shoe box handy and grabbed a pair of shears and went to work. After installing it, ugly as it was, it appeared to be functional and taped securely to the tube frame. It was hanging tightly off the left side just behind the roll bar and covered the entire radiator. By the way, I used all the tape in the house to assure myself it wouldnt come off, resulting in a littering ticket from the police. See the second video for the results. Here are the results of the shoebox scoop..
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Post by roger on Feb 16, 2019 0:29:34 GMT -5
When I got home the temperature gauge was still on normal, the radiator fan was not needed and was not running. The outside air temperature was 71F. There is a significant air flow around the chassis of the trike. The scoop is 10-5/8" X 2-1/2" (260mm X 65mm roughly) the back end of the scoop is closed and secured to the rear end of the radiator to prevent the air flow exiting in any other place other than through the radiator. If anybody else is experiencing moderate overheating issues, an air scoop is probably going to resolve this for you. For a shoebox it did pretty good, so thanks to some old school backyard engineering and Ed Van Belkom along with the Nike shoe company, we resolved the overheating problem and my son got a pair of Air Jordans to boot. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts linklink The annual Townsend Massachusetts Give Back Rally was today. It was a a great showing. A half mile of bikes and one Eco-Exo-R. I did a few photos and one or two short videos. I am having trouble with loading to Photobucket. I might have to use I-cloud....here are the pictures. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts The May 18, 2014 Townsend Massachusetts annual Give Back Rally. There are some loud pipes in this video all 2 minutes of it. You may need to lower your volume. I put 160 miles on the trike today. The 90 mile rally route was 45 - 55 MPH, but the 35 mile ride to the rally and 35 miles home was 65+ MPH. Anyway,enjoy... Roger Worcester Massachusetts Ya know, there are some reliable companies out there. I bought a Cycle Sounds powered stereo speaker package for my Eco-Eco-R. They come with a 1 year warranty. For some reason, the left speaker blew... Yep, sounded like a frog croaking through tissue paper and cellophane. I called them, they sent me a return authorization and today, I received my replacement. I plugged it in and (insert fanfare here) it sounded great. I cannot testify to their other products, but the Series 1 speakers are just right for my trike... And the amp tucks neatly beneath the bonnet. I have the speakers mounted to either side of the gauge cluster far left and right. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 16, 2019 0:34:06 GMT -5
PAGE 20
Roger, now that you have a few miles on your Eco-Exo. I'm hoping you'll comment on how it handles the everyday duties of serious transportation. I know its fun to drive but can it serve as more than a toy? My wife and I took a trip this weekend up to my sons. Windy all the way, 500 miles of interstate and lots of very large trucks. The car was getting pushed around at times. I'm wondering how the trike would handle the same trip.
Good question... The trike handles quite well on the road. For what it is, you will enjoy the ride. The steering is responsive and quick without being twitchy. You can climb into to it and go as far as you like and it will do all Scott and Stuart built this fun little trike to do. I wouldn't use it as an interstate cruiser even if it goes as fast as the rest of the traffic. There is more to going long distance that just the speed required to keep up with the flow. Crosswinds affect all vehicles even this one. The open design and standard flow through ventilation system only means your body will feel it more because of its openness. I have not been in any crosswind situation where handling and being blown about is/was an issue significant enough to affect handling. I have many years of experience riding large motorcycles cross country on the US freeway system. I see lots of motorcycles out there going like a bat out of hell. It doesn't mean they are all going cross country, or their bike is built for the highway, but are using the freeway (perhaps) as a means to get from "A" to "B" for an extended or local ride. I take my two wheel Burgman 400 on the interstate occasionally and it runs as fast as the rest and will do so all day long. It simply isn't my first choice as a freeway cruiser even though it will do the speed required to keep up..... However for a lot of Burgman riders the 400 is their choice of two wheeled transportation for freeway riding. In a nutshell, a trip of 500 miles isn't out of the question for the Eco-Exo-R, but for me PERSONALLY I would not do it all on a freeway. Where this trike really excels is the back road twisty windy highways. It is powerful and fast and will surprise you with the way it holds the road. Handling is superb in this sort of driving. Lastly, it will be as safe and handle as well as you build it. It is a kit car, but there is fabrication work to be done and precise alignments to be made. If you do not stray to far from a standard build and follow the manual, you will be okay. By the way, you do not ASSEMBLE this kit, you must BUILD it. Assembly infers the Eco-Exo-R is a complete kit and all you do is put it together. This is not the case. There is a lot of engineering, welding, fabrication of supports, placement of components, and so on to be done. I hope this answers your question as well as provide you with my spin on where best to drive it. The longest freeway ride I've taken so far was a 50 mile round trip ride. I felt comfortable in it. If I ever thought the Eco-Exo-R was "serious transportation" I would never have built it. It is however, Seriously fun to drive and a unique experience. If anyone is looking for serious transportation you should really look into a T-Rexx. They are complete when you buy them and only cost $65,000 give or take a few grand. Now that's serious transportation... LOL. By the way, UGLY MONKEY.......Avatar... Nasty!! Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
I returned from a cross country motorcycle ride. Part of my tour was to stop in Oshkosh Wisconsin to visit Ed Van Belkom. I got to test his Eco-Exo-R. Not only is the fit and finish superb, it sounded great and ran like rabbit, very quick, agile, and responsive. It is wonderful to see every detail addressed professionally. Nothing was left to question. If you were inclined to ask yourself the question of how far can a person take this kit you only need to see Eds results. It is truly beautiful. Roger Baker Worcester, Massachusetts Oh, I couldn't help razzing Ed in the above photo.. Just a little bit...
Thanks for the kind words Roger. As you suggested I did modify the angle of the tail lights and stop light so now you can see them clearly from a farther distance behind. I had to use the Dremmel tool on the fender for the tail lights but it turned out well. All I have left is tweaking the seat by adding some foam for some lumbar support and bottom of the seat. With the new seat cover I will make this Winter she should be just about perfect. I really enjoyed having you stop by and thanks to you I have a EcoExo R that has no problems after the alignment doing 75MPH + on the freeway. Edward IMG_2445 by evanbelkom, on Flickr
linkI had just gotten off my Victory Cross Country Tour. It was a real treat to be able to make my stop in Oshkosh to personally need Ed and Cris. We naturally posed for this photo but the handshake was a sincere gesture of friendship. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 17, 2019 0:49:31 GMT -5
It was a 8,500 mile or 13,679 km cross country trip to California and back. Lots of hot weather 106 F (41C) in Idaho and California and 37 F (2.7C) and rain in Wyoming. I used sun block one day and a riding parka and winter gloves the next. Everything considered, it was a wonderful ride. Ed and his wife were wonderful hosts.... His trike runs as good as she looks... Roger Worcester Massachusetts This is the beginning of my radiator intake scoop. More details will be coming, but this is the general shape I am going with. I will be adding a filler piece on the opposite side, OS. I will be adding more pictures as I go. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Roger I like the shape! Now all you have to do is carve the front Like I did for my Bonnet for the radiator opening. It takes time but you should have no problem getting that carved out. You only have to go about an inch deep so when the layup is done you can trim it to about 1/2" or so. Or you can add about a 1" thick foam oval ring to the front and glue it on. Then shape it to the foam. That might even look better! Looking real good so far. Edward Hi roger! Nice start on the scoop! Here some food for thoughts www.andersondynamics.com/After seeing this scoop I like the rectangular slightly more to match the exo. br! Erik
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Post by roger on Feb 17, 2019 1:00:11 GMT -5
PAGE 21 I have been trying to bridge a couple of jobs here around the house as well as make appointments and go for an ocassional ride. I have both the left and right side molds prepped for sanding. I will be pursuing the same shape to fill in the triangular shape on both sides of the trike. I did look at the rectangular shaped intake scoop on the trike link you sent me Erik. It appears he did his design based on the same thing I did..... which was..... "Utilization of available space". Anyway, the molds are shaped and nearly ready. Let's see how it goes. So far I have $22.00 invested in foam and spray glue... the epoxy will be about $75.00 and the same for the cloth.... Forty quid seems pretty reasonable eh!!.? Roger Worcester, Massachusetts a base model is called plug and the negative shape a mould where the final product can be moulded in. You are using the lost foam method which is great for a single product. You may reconsider a few layers of cloth on top of it to keep best shape and after removal of the foam you can add reinforcement layers to the inside. If you make too many layers on the outside you may have to use a lot of putty to get a smooth finish. br! Erik I didn't know what to call the foam so just called it a mold. I intend to glass over the foam and remove it after a couple of layers of resin and material. Thanks Erik I have the foam all covered and mounted on a work stand. My plan is to apply 3 layers of material using a liquid epoxy polymer as the binder. I have it on some pretty good authority the one off "foam loss" method works very well especially when making a single product. I am making a cover for the right side as well as the radiator scoop for the left. Even though the covers differ in shape, I feel some sort of symmetry is needed for a balanced look. The scoop itself will have an air turning vane incorporated in the design to direct all air straight into the radiator. The leading edge of the opening will be reinforced internally and then shaped and sanded smooth to insure strength and efficient movement of air. I am doing the right side first because it has been years since I have worked with fiberglass. The right side foam was easy to shape while the scoop took much longer. If there are mistakes, I want it to be an easy recovery. I will be posting more pictures as I complete the pair. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts link link link The pictures are all taken as pre-sanding and pre-finish. I used West brand (2 part)epoxy resin and 12 Oz twill fiberglass cloth. The 12 ounce cloth was a bit heavy and while it conformed to the curves, it has its limitations on tighter angles. When I make the scoop I will use a 6 ounce twill and simply apply more layers. All things considered, it was a satisfactory lay-up. 3 layers of cloth and 6 layers of epoxy. Not bad at all for a 1st timer! It'll be neat for sure! Having some food for thoughts: you will have near fully enclosed the front part of the engine. Do you expect possible cooling/airflow issues later? Not sure if this cover will show negative side effects... br! Erik Erik The right side cover shown in the photos is not as important as the radiator scoop. I figured as long as I am making one.. I may as well make the other. If I experience negative effects then I make a few modifications on it or discard it altogether. The plug was easy to shape and the cost of manufacture can be recouped as a learning experience for the manufacture of the left side air scoop. The Burman scooter is nearly enclosed so I doubt if this cover will really cause an issue... (fingers crossed) Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 17, 2019 1:08:14 GMT -5
link I started on the actual intake scoop yesterday. I took out the foam plug this morning and rough sanded and cut out intake opening. I am now making the turning vane and radiator mating surfaces so the scoop will fit air tight. By the way, the scoop in the photos has just been removed from the plug and has not been finished to any degree. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I roger! They turned out pretty well! when painted you could make a mould of them and pull a few to earn back costs and make some business I'm looking forward to the inner design! grtz! Erik Erik The inner design on the scoop is nearly completed I used fiberglass reinforced aluminum for the turning vane. I need to sculpt and smooth out the inside yet, then prime and paint. It should be done in a few more days. The epoxy I am using takes 24 hours to cure. I bought the slow curing harder to allow a longer working time, so I have to do things a piece at a time then wait for it to dry. Slow process for sure. The turning vane inside the scoop is a curved arc rather than an angle. It "should" allow the air to flow smoothly into the scoop and then on into the radiator coil. The tolerances are quite tight but I allowed enough space to apply edge trim on the pieces that contact the radiator. Hopefully this will increase cooling efficiency. The triangle shape fits well on my trike but not sure if it will fit other trikes. There may be differences in chassis manufacturing sizing/designs. I am new to all this fabrication and am not sure about mold making... but will consider it... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts link I managed to get the painting done yesterday and installed the scoop and side cover this morning. I want to compound the luster off the black to a semi gloss finish. I drove it around a bit (50 MPH or so) with the scoop attached. The coolant temperature stayed right at the midway point. It looks like the design is functional. Roger Worcester Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 17, 2019 1:20:36 GMT -5
Page 22 This picture was just for fun. I wanted to see what the trike would look like with a color matched seat and engine cover. These are just microfiber towels laid over the seat and bulkhead. It does add some color. About the scoop: It wasn't as easy to make as I thought, but not all that complicated either. Every trike has its little differences so I couldn't make one to fit exactly on someone's else's without having the trike present. The cover and scoop are made by layering 5 sheets of multi-bias fiberglass cloth over a plug. I used West brand epoxy and hardener. I used a little more than one US quart for both. For putty, I used the same epoxy and hardener with a compatible filler.... in this case West Brand Fairing compound. I applied several coats of sandable primer filler and after blocking the pieces and finish shaping, both were given 4 coats of semi-gloss black paint. That's about it. ... Roger Worcester Massachusetts Nice GRP work Roger, its not easy but you have done a great job,,,, Thanks Scott... I did a test ride today to test the effectiveness of the scoop with the right side cover installed. Here is what happened: First of all, the Outside air temperature was 91 degree F. I went on I-190 at 70 MPH indicated for 20 miles. The temperature never got past the midway point. After that, I took a side road and cruised around 40 MPH. The same result... the temperature gauge remained at mid range. Mount Wachusett was nearby so I took the auto road to the summit.. 4 Miles of steep access road.. 20 - 25 MPH tops still at 91 degrees Outside air temperature. The temperature of the coolant was the same. All things considered, the scoop works well and it works well with the right side cover installed. The cover was about a 3 day project, the scoop took 2 weeks due to the internal turning vane design and fit & finish. It was a much larger project than the cover. If anybody has any questions I would be glad to provide as much information as I can. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts link Here is a sneak peek of my parking brake cover. It has 3 layers of fiberglass cloth using West epoxy resin. The cover is very rough right now but in a few days and more layering I will smooth out and wrinkles. I wanted to do a quick "fit test" before going ahead with the completed project. Since my rear caliper is located on the right side of the rear wheel, I placed the brake ratchet on the right as well. More pictures to follow (upon completion) Roger Ya know, everyday I drive my Eco-Exo-R, I love it more and more....especially when I go to out and come back to find someone as nice as this admiring it. Yep, here I am at 65 and FINALLY have a vehicle that is a true " chick magnet" Now what?? Yea, Right!!!! Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 17, 2019 1:30:54 GMT -5
Here is the completed parking brake cover. (And yes I put a nasty scratch in it) I will remove the cover after the paint cures and polish out the scratch. The photo makes it look worse than it really is. My plan is to move the ratchet forward about 2 inches and raise it about half an inch. Molding the cover wasn't bad, getting it to fit properly was another. I am still considering sewing a vinyl boot and comparing the two. Roger I have been waiting for this years Rice-O-Rama swap meet for 9 months. I looked forward to entering my trike for judging. I got it all prepped, washed, waxed, polished and bug free. I detailed the small dings and went over the entire trike several times to make sure it was as good as it could be. It looked fantastic for the bike show. When I drove to the judging area and paid my entry for my category "TRIKE". I was promptly informed this is the first year the bike show discontinued the Trike category. I couldn't believe my luck. They offered to place me in the Custom Cruiser class and naturally it wasn't a good fit. I really didn't want to drive back to the grass field parking area outside of the fair grounds (where the event was staged) and leave my trike unattended. I took the spot in the custom cruiser class and parked my Eco-Exo right in front of main inspection area for the show bikes. I did not place nor win any trophies, but.... my entry caused a continual crowd of on-lookers with cameras snapping every second or two. It was probably the most photographed entry in the show. People were tossing questions faster than I could answer them. To have a bit of a break I had to walk away... still crowds gathered, looking at the features. A few were on their hands and knees looking at the engine. Everyone I spoke to was impressed with it even before they knew it was a kit. From the time I drove in to the time I drove out, it was gathering attention. You know, when you get a response like I got today, a trophy of any kind really would have been redundant. I had my ego fed for several hours by people admiring my trike. Even though I did the build, a good deal of credit in design and kit manufacture goes to the team in the U.K. When left the show, I was nearly at the exit gate (on a dirt and gravel access road) I floored the pedal and did a small left side drift. The rear wheel raised a curtain of dust behind me and I disappeared in front of it and through the gate and down Route 31 toward Paxton and on to my home in Worcester. It was a great day at the Rice-O-Rama swap meet and custom and vintage motorcycle show. Roger Worcester Massachusetts link I wanted to add a little more color and comfort to my Tillett seat. I had SEAMLESS CUSTOMS in Leicester Massachusetts fabricate the seat pad and backrest. I wanted to do something to improve the comfort and Justin (the owner of the business) treated me like I was his only priority. Good to do business with.... anyway, the seat is much more comfortable and looks a LOT better. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts Wow the seat look great Roger! It really makes the trike look so much nicer. Well done. Edward Gosh Ed.... how's it going. Long time no see. I see you are working on a VERY NICE seat for your trike too. Wow... I just had a seat pad made for the Tillett with a matching backrest, but you.... you really jumped on board with a dandy design. Ferrari couldn't have done a better job. Well done. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I went out today for a nice fall foliage ride. This is a very short video but the scenery is nice. Typical New England fall weather.... a little blustery but very enjoyable. On the road to Barre Massachusetts. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 17, 2019 1:38:36 GMT -5
Hi Roger, Nice video, glad to see you are still using the Eco-Exo even in the cooler months, They did a top class job on the seat for you, it looks sweet,,, Thanks Scott... The seat is 2 separate pieces. The backrest really makes the seat comfortable. I am going to do a little wintertime maintenance as soon as temps drop below my comfort zone, until then, I will ride it. I am looking into making a nicer looking housing for the gauge cluster. I am also going to strengthen the rear fender along the side mounts. A piece on the right side snapped off this summer. I will also coat the side cover and scoop to match the rest of the GRP pieces. That about it. Thanks again for the compliments.. Roger Just a little fun with a cheap steering wheel. I had some brass and made some mock-up 20mm shell casing caps for my chop top wheel. I intend to tackle the general shape of the gauge cluster next. Not sure what exactly will come of it, but it will be different with some cleaner lines. Just in case you do not accurately measure the distance between the rear fender and the tire (shock fully compressed).... It results in some pretty unpleasant experiences. Nonetheless, they are all learning curves. When I decided to choose an engine for my Eco-Exo-R, I chose a 2008 Burgman 400 as my donor. I didn't realize it, but the rear tire is "WIDER" and "LARGER" than 2006 and earlier. I didn't factor that in when I mounted the fender...(the one the license plate and tail light mount to) I broke the right side forward mounting tab by about 1.5 inches and nearly pulled the washer and bolt through the rear mount. This video address my repair materials and some alterations I decided to make to give my otherwise plain rear fender a face lift. Roger I just installed my new steering wheel. I liked the open top mod so well, I sprang for a factory made open top wheel. For anyone interested, wheel size, shape, and construction are only addressed for passenger automobiles and commercial vehicles in the Massachusetts code. Could not locate or reference any information to the specifics for motorcycle (special vehicle) steering devices. The open top allows a clear vision path to all gauges. It also handles great.....
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Post by roger on Feb 17, 2019 1:46:24 GMT -5
Nice video Roger. That should take care of the problem once and for all. I hope the color match goes well and you should be back on the road within a couple weeks. Edward Ed: We will see about the color match. What I might do is make a cut out for the rear facing reflector if I can't find one that I like. There are some nice chrome license plate frames that come with reflectors. That would be ideal. I will be entering the trike in the Veterans day parade next month. If the fender isn't ready by then, I have some aluminum and will make a mount for my tail light and plate as a temporary means to take it on the road legally. By the way, your trike is looking mighty nice. The new seat is coming along great. The carbon fiber you installed is absolutely amazing. You have done a first class job on everything from start to finish. When I did my build, I stuck to the straight and narrow and did it pretty close to stock. Yours really showcases the potential of the Eco-Exo-R and it's race-car sporty design. With the changes you made to the bonnet and front fenders, it looks like a different machine... as different as the basic trike is from the "R" model. Because you made so many changes you could call yours the "Eco-Exo-ED".. : ) Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I did a test fit of the modified fender. I still need to do some finish sanding and possibly a little more shaping before I have it painted. I will probably mount the license plate directly to the fender. For the photo, I simply taped it in place (slightly to the right it seems) I like the shortened look with the rear light placed into the inset. It just looks less cluttered. More pictures when it is completed. link The completed modification of the rear fender. The color match is perfect. This time the rear tire will NOT make contact with anything except the road. I used a 2013 Honda Ruckus tail light (and winkers), mainly because they were free and closely matched my requirement. Never under estimate the power of persuasion over a younger brother that wants to use LED lighting on his scooter. link This is a short video to show the new, paint on the scoop and side cover. I also strengthened the rear fender by laying on more epoxy and fiberglass cloth. I also shortened it and inset the tail light into the GRP. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger on Feb 17, 2019 1:53:29 GMT -5
The newly painted air intake scoop. The paint turned out better than I would have ever done myself, thanks to Massasoit Auto Body in Worcester Ma. It was done with the 2 stage process BC/CC. The right side cover completed as well. The black color I originally painted the scoop and side cover just did not look right. The yellow really makes the difference. As the riding season draws to a close and winter comes creeping in with the north wind to freeze the landscape. I have to look at what a really good season it was to own a motorcycle..... or in this case a very unique trike. I put over 2,000 miles on my Eco-Exo-R this year. For those that own a yet to be finished kit, I encourage you to get it completed. It is truly the most fun you can have on 3 wheels. It is quite fast, very responsive and handles quite well. It is a real attention getter. People are always giving me a thumbs up (instead of the "other digit? ") if you are reading this, and thinking about ordering one, you will not regret it. It is just plain fun to ride....and easy to build. It would be great to hear from other owners that do not post on the forum. Perhaps you could let us all know how you like the Eco-Exo and how your build went.... etc.... Personally speaking I really enjoy my time out in the countryside. It makes it especially nice when I take my trike. The Eco-Exo-R is my ride of choice.. Thanks Scott and team... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts November 11, 2014 Veterans Day: I decked out my Eco-Exo-R in patriotic colors and took part in the local city celebration in honor of Veterans Day. Veterans Inc hosted a really great "free" pancake breakfast complete with bacon, sausages, and eggs. Local business had free offers from oil changes to free breakfast or lunches. I entered the Eco-Exo-R in the parade and was honored to drive down the Avenue with other Veterans from WWII and onward. My riding partner Al, also attended in his 2013 Harley Davidson Tri-Glide. It was a fantastic event.... Roger Worcester, Massachusetts I have not put much information on my page here. I am currently working on a slight mod to my instrument cluster housing. It needs to be redesigned so it looks like it is made for the trike rather than a Burgman scooter. Not much to report yet except I found a design that will work. It incorporates space for my switches and still looks good. I have a ton of winter projects going on and have been diverted to those. Winter is a good time to get these done. I should be finished well before spring... there is carbon fiber in my future....we will see how it goes... wish me luck. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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