Skip to main content
Tag

wheel

What is Hub-center Steering Motorcycle & Why it is Better

By General Posts

by Todd Halterman from https://www.autoevolution.com

Hub-center steering is one of several different types of front-end suspension and steering mechanisms used in motorcycles and cargo bicycles. It is essentially a mechanism that uses steering pivot points inside the wheel hub rather than a geometry that places the wheel in a headstock like the traditional motorcycle layout.

Perhaps the most venerable example of the idea came in the form of the 1930 Majestic. This Georges Roy design used a novel pressed-steel monocoque chassis, and it incorporated an automotive-type chassis with hub-center steering. Other bikes had already used the configuration in such machines as the Ner-A-Car and the Zenith Auto-Bi, but the Majestic made it lovely to behold.

Another bike, the Vyrus 984 C3 2V Razzetto, was one such motorcycle that used hub-center geometry.

Vyrus is a small Italian motorcycle manufacturer based in Coriano, Italy, and their bikes such as the “Tesi” – Thesis in Italian – had their designs originate from a university engineering project linked to the motorcycle legend Massimo Tamburini. The Tesi, and the Vyrus 984, were instantly identifiable by their use of their hub-center steering front suspension and steering arrangement.

Those fabulously expensive bespoke motorcycles have been called “functional works of art,” and they look a bit like something you might see in a video game.

In hub-centered bikes, the front wheel is attached to a swingarm with a shock and an internal pivot point. Steering is achieved using those linkages to turn the wheel on a pivot point. Hub-center steering has been employed on motorcycles for more than a century, but the design, despite what some engineers say offers a distinct advantage, never took hold.

But the founder of Vyrus, Ascanio Rodorigo, once worked for Bimota as a race mechanic and engineer during the 1970s and his tenure there lasted until 1985. When Rodorigo finally left Bimota, he started his own company but partnered with Bimota on the hub-center-steered Tesi. He then went on to take the steering concept deeper and refined it for his own company’s motorcycles.

A Ducati dual spark bored out to 1,079cc and making 100hp L-twin provides the power for the 319 lbs (145 kg) Vyrus 984 bike, and it’s delivered to the road for via a six-speed transmission.

Now builders like Bryan Fuller of Fuller Moto, Revival Cycles, and others have built beautiful machines which harken back to the hub-centered glory days of the Majestic. Builders such as Stellan Egeland used a hopped-up 1200 boxer engine from a BMW HP2 Sport. He also added his own hub-center steering setup from ISR to a frame he made from a 2391 steel tube. The ISR kit is a thing to behold.

Revival’s ‘The Six,’ which features a ballsy Honda CBX motor, is another take on the hub-steer geometry. It was commissioned by museum owner and bike collector Bobby Haas for his Haas Moto Museum in Dallas and made by Revival’s Alan Stulberg and his crew.

Stulberg said the commission was aimed at paying homage to the Art Deco classic Majestic and added that he and the team became “obsessed with its design language and flow” since they first saw the bike at the Barber Museum.

Hub steering systems don’t dive as much under braking and hard cornering as do conventional telescopic fork setups. They push braking forces back into the chassis more efficiently rather than transferring immense bending forces to a pair of upright forks. The ride experience is exceptional as braking performance throughout corners is greatly enhanced.

It works like this: A wheel hub pitches back and forth on a central pivot and is supported by two large steering arms actuated by handlebars. The handlebars connect to the front steering and swingarm using complex linkages. A fixed arm connects a pull-and-push rod on either side of the hub-center to help steer the bike. The geometry also includes a second pair of static rods to ensure the axle stays level with the bike’s mass.

While hub steering has a number of clear advantages, its downfall is that it is considerably more expensive to manufacture and maintain and requires exceptionally experienced mechanics to tune and repair.

But it does look good, works more efficiently from an engineering standpoint, and directly addresses the most important factor in the motorcycling experience: braking.

The Majestic – Artistic Design from the 1920s
from https://www.odd-bike.com

While the engineering of the Majestic might have been relatively conventional, what was unprecedented was the styling, the hallmark of the Majestic to this day.

All the oily bits were fully enclosed under louvered panels, with partially enclosed fenders covering the wheels at both ends. The rider was completely isolated from the grime and muck of the running gear and powertrain, perched upon a sprung saddle and controlling the machine via levers and bars that poke through the all-encompassing body.

Presented in 1929, the prototype Majestic (which was reported as Roy’s personal machine) featured an air-cooled 1000cc longitudinal four-cylinder engine from a 1927-28 Cleveland 4-61. This would not remain for production, however.

While at least two Majestics were built with a 750cc JAP V-twin (arranged, like a much later Moto-Guzzi , with the Vee transverse and the heads poking through the bodywork) and records note that JAP singles, a Chaise Four, and at least one Gnome et Rhone flat twin were also employed, the majority of production machines coming out of Chartenay featured air-cooled Chaise engines.

These were overhead valve singles featuring unit two or three-speed gearboxes operated by hand-shift, available in 350cc and 500cc displacements. Distinctive for their single pushrod tube that resembles a bevel tower (but contains a pair of tightly-spaced parallel pushrods) and external bacon-slicer flywheel, these powerplants were a favourite of French manufacturers during the interwar period and were used by a variety of marques in lieu of producing their own engines.

The base price of the Majestic was 5200 Francs for a 350 with chain final drive; an extra 500 Francs netted you optional shaft drive.

An additional option that is rarely seen on surviving examples was a fine “craquelure” paint option that was applied by skilled artisans. It involves a process of deliberately screwing up the paint job in the most controlled and flawless way possible, applying a contrasting top coat over a base using incompatible paints that will cause the top coat to crack in a uniform fashion, something like a well-aged oil painting or antique piece of furniture.

The result is spectacular – and perhaps a bit tacky, giving the machine the appearance of a lizard skin handbag. (Maybe a later Rock Star would have loved to ride it as the “The Lizard King” ? )

The Majestic was impeccably stable at higher speeds compared to the other motorcycles of that era.

It was also agile and light footed in a way that similar machines, like the Ner-A-Car, were not.

The relatively low weight, around 350 pounds, carried with a very low centre of gravity made for tidy handling that was more than up to the meagre output offered by the powerplants.

Majestic was targeting a clientele that didn’t really exist: the gentlemanly rider who might desire a superior (read: expensive) machine as a stablemate to their elegant automobiles.

Georges Roy’s previous design produced under the name “New Motorcycle”

Georges Roy’s earlier 1927 brand called New Motorcycle was a far better barometer of things to come, predicting the style and design of machines that would emerge during the 1930s and beyond. The Majestic has far less impact and was more of a curiosity than predictor of trends to come.

Georges Roy’s brilliance as a designer is unquestionable, and deserves more praise than he ever earned during his lifetime.

Majestic is a little bit of elegance floating on the sea of staid machines that clutter up the history books.

Georges Roy was a French industrialist and engineer born in 1888 who achieved success in the textile business – specifically in knitting and sewing equipment. He was, however, an early adopter of motorcycling at the turn of the 20th Century – reportedly his first machine was a Werner, a Parisian machine that introduced the term “Motocyclette” in 1897.

A Hubless Harley-Davidson Chopper Is One Sure Way to Get Attention

By General Posts

For most riders, a Harley-Davidson is beautiful on its own and, if you add the growl of the engine, there’s enough happening to get attention. But there are other ways you can stand out even more, should you be interested.

Hubless choppers are one such option. They are futuristic, almost alien-looking custom bikes built by hand around a Harley-Davidson frame, with wild-looking paintwork and at least one spoke-less wheel. Invented by Franco Sbarro and most famously used on the 1989 Sbarro Osmos, the center-less wheel is difficult to make, difficult to maintain and has many practical disadvantages.

But it’s bound to get you noticed.

Perhaps the first, most famous chopper to get international media attention is the Hubless Custom by New Jersey-based Howard’s Killer Custom, which was unveiled in late 2007 and is believed to have cost no less than $155,000. It is usually included on lists of most expensive motorcycles in the world.

It partially started out as a classic 1969 FL Harley-Davidson, which, in the hands of Howard Sofield, became the most famous hubless chopper in the world. Weighing about 700 pounds and able to reach speeds of 100 mph, the Hubless Custom took 4,000 hours to make and two full years of research and design.

According to Sofield, the Hubless Custom started out with a 1974 swing arm frame and a 21-inch front wheel, the 1969 Harley-Davidson Pan Shovel 80ci engine, 1969 & 1974 Harley-Davidson engine cases, and 1982 Harley-Davidson cylinders. The goal was to make the hubless wheel more practical and to create a fully functional bike in-house.

“Using my experience in drafting and automotive industries I was able to come up with a different way to make the hubless wheel work in a more practical way,” Sofield said upon the bike’s introduction. “Combining that with my Father’s extensive machining and fabrication skills, we are able to create our bike entirely in-house and do things that most every other builder would have to outsource. Over 4,000 hours of design and build time went into this project and we could not be happier with how it turned out. It looks and functions perfectly.”

The downside to this hubless chopper: it is difficult to handle.

Some years, later, in 2014, Ballistic Cycles unveiled their own take on the hubless chopper, this time with a spoke-less front wheel and a rear so low it almost grazed the ground. Called the Hubless Harley-Davidson Road King, it won several prizes right after introduction, including Baddest Bagger at Full Throttle Saloon, Deadwoods Nastiest Bagger and Best in Show at the Easy Rider Saloon.

Ballistic Cycles never went public with how much one such Bagger cost.

But the Road King is a stunner, as you can see in the gallery attached. Ballistic Cycles boasts of being the first custom team to put a 30-inch front wheel on a bike – and a spoke-less one, at it! Add the all-aluminum body with the wickedest paintwork and a twin turbo Harley-Davidson air / liquid-cooled engine, and you get yourself one visually arresting machine.

“Cutting necks and adding a few glass parts is one thing, but truly building a ground-breaking motorcycle takes a bit more time, effort, and a planning,” the official website reads. “The entire front end is completely one off and each and every part is custom for this feature. The hubless wheel is machined from a solid piece of billet, and the brake system is integrated into the wheel. The custom air cylinder is designed specifically for the load endured by the wheel and motorcycle. The mechanics behind the hubless wheel features all the latest technology and completely pushes the boundaries of what is possible.”

The good news: Road King was the first of a long line of similar projects, and Ballistic Cycles is still making and selling hubless Baggers. Any rider with deep enough pockets can get a chopper that will make them get all the attention on the road – and then some.

2019 Ural motorcycles At Dealers Now

By General Posts

2019 Urals Now Available at US Dealers.

Urals have Big Changes at Same Look in 2019

After a long awaited journey, the 2019 line up has officially hit dealers’ floors. This new Ural represents the culmination of countless late nights and endless hours spent making this Ural the best we’ve ever produced.

New 2019 Urals feature a number of changes from an overhauled engine, to a new EFI and a new universal rear wheel.

Although visually the difference between 2019 Urals and its predecessors is almost unnoticeable (as a matter of fact one can say the same thing about all Urals manufactured in the last 30 years), the new model year brings big changes to Ural family of sidecar motorcycles. All new EFI system and modernized top end make Ural’s 750cc “boxer” engine run cooler, smoother and work more efficiently.

Standard Accessories

• LED Sidecar Fog Lights (Gear Up)
• Sidecar Power Outlet
• Sidecar Tonneau Cover
• Jerry Can (Gear Up)
• Folding Utility Shovel (Gear Up)
• Luggage Rack (Gear Up)
• Universal Spare Wheel – Fits All 3 Positions

 

Engine and Transmission

  • Displacement, cc: 749
  • Engine type: OHV air cooled 2 cylinder 4 stroke “boxer” (flat twin)
  • Valve per cylinder: 2
  • Bore and stroke (mm x mm): 78 x 78
  • Max output (hp): 41 @ 5500 rpm
  • Max torque (ft-lbs): 42 @ 4300 rpm
  • Compression: 8.6:1
  • Fuel system: Throttle body EFI
  • Starting: Electric & Kickstart
  • Clutch Double-disc dry
  • Transmission type: Manual
  • Speeds: 4 forward 1 reverse
  • Primary drive (rear wheel): Driveshaft
  • Final drive ratio: 4.62
  • Engageable sidecar wheel drive: Yes, driveshaft

Physical Measurements

  • Overall length, inch.: 98.8
  • Overall heights, inch.: 54.3
  • Overall width, inch.: 63.6
  • Seat height, (unladen), inch.: 32.0
  • Ground clearance (unladen),inch.: 6.8
  • Dry weight, lbs: 730

Electrical

  • Alternator: Denso, Peak Output 40 Amp @ 14vdc, 560 Wt
  • Battery: FAYTX20HL (12V, 20A)
  • Headlight: H4
  • Spark plugs: NGK BPR6HS

Chassis

  • Front suspension: IMZ leading link fork
  • Rear suspension: Double sided swing-arm with two Sachs hydraulic spring shock absorbers, 7x adjustable
  • Sidecar suspension: Single sided swing-arm with Sachs hydraulic spring shock absorber, 7x adjustable
  • Wheels: 2.15X19 Aluminum rims with steel spokes
  • Tires: Duro HF-308, 4.0×19″
  • Front brake: 4-piston fixed Brembo caliper with 295mm floating NG rotor
  • Rear brake: HB big bore single piston integrated floating caliper with 256mm fixed NG rotor
  • Sidecar brake: 2-piston fixed Brembo caliper with 245mm floating NG rotor

Misc.

  • Fuel grade: 91 Octane, unleaded
  • Fuel tank capacity, gallons: 5.0
  • Reserve, gallons: app. 1
  • Estimated fuel economy, mpg: 31-37
  • Estimated range, miles: 155-185
  • Recommended max cruising speed, mph: 70
  • Max permissible weight, lbs:1325
  • Trunk volume, cubic ft.: 2.9

Warranty

  • 2-years parts and labor unlimited mileage.

Prices Start at $16,999* USD / $19,499* CAD

Visit : https://www.imz-ural.com

SEE VIDEO Nik Hays Discusses Improvements to the 2019 —

Motorcycles Stolen at Daytona Bike Week in Florida

By General Posts

Someone stole the 26” wheel off this motorcycle in Daytona.

Complete motorcycles were also stolen.

John Rogue is going to try and find out how many motorcycles were stolen this year if he can.

The Motorcycle Task Force is usually in town supposedly looking for stolen motorcycles, wonder if they found any.

How much tax payer money is spent sending the task force to motorcycle events and what is their success rate if anything?

Motorized Drift Trike : Let’s build one

By General Posts

www.BikernetTrike.com Editor discovers joys of tomfoolery and nurtures his inner child

Drift trikes aren’t new. They were known as Big Wheels or Green Machines in the 1970s. These featured mechanical tricks you might recognize on modern drift cars like “stick shift” brake handles and absurd steering angles. Fuzzy wristbands, Keds, and sliding sideways on a Big Wheel made for serious street cred in 1976.

Big Wheels and modern drift trikes have many decades to evolve and in between, Harbor Freight began selling the Predator 212cc 7hp engine for about $100. When technologies converge, the cosmos endures a cultural melting pot of dreams, functions and thrills resulting in a triumph of the TinkerHead. Get ready for a $500 motorized drift trike you can build in the garage. Your own personal hotrod ready to rumble.

READ THE TECH FEATURE HERE