Stu Pidasole's Build

Joe, the tubes are about 0.100" wall thickness. So it's probably 1 1/8" x0.095" tubing.

thanks test.....man the link above is really cheap.

As already stated previously (rslingshot, just LUV your work mi amigo... )

Porche... You nailed that one 100%, dead nuts on where due to frame additional changes, engine mount change requirements (:huh:) 100% not the same as Larry's or any other build for that matter... Could be different year swing, frame year, frame tweaks through ridden age, a whole slew of things...

I still don't get why your bothering with mounts at this time when your frame/rear rim centering isn't finished yet. But hey, WTF do I know...

Translation: This shit is all going to shift/move on ya and a couple of mm (+) off is going to change it all but hey, your build right...

One thing you need to to think out as well Joe, where you going fab/place your battery and electrical panel/rectifier/regulator/fuse box/relays/flashers etc...

As others brought to light... New piping and heavier gauge steel on those mounts no doubt.... There's a shit load of force/energy on those points of shock contacts...

Those mounts snap on ya while riding... It's GAME OVER...

One other consideration to the particular tube that you cut in half. You will be asking that tube to preform a duty that it was not originally engineered to do. That is to take the load from the lower shock linkage. Therefore, there will be additional and constant stress on that tube. Before it just tied the frame together and occasionally held the bike up on the center stand. I'm sure that the tube is plenty strong, but by trying to weld it in the center you are creating a weak spot where it needs it least. Please know that I am not criticizing your welding skills. Lord knows you are probably a better welder than I am. It won't cost you really anything to ensure that you have a solid tube in there. I bet you could find a scrap piece that long at a steel yard. My local yard sells scrap for 50 cents a pound. What is that $2, dependent on the length of the piece that you buy? Just my .02.

I am enjoying the sh@t out of this thread, it"s like watching the the little guys hit the ball at pony league, everyone yelling "HIT THE BALL" kids all sweating and nervous and sh@t, this is one for the archives!

testarossa wrote:

One other consideration to the particular tube that you cut in half. You will be asking that tube to preform a duty that it was not originally engineered to do. That is to take the load from the lower shock linkage. Therefore, there will be additional and constant stress on that tube. Before it just tied the frame together and occasionally held the bike up on the center stand. I'm sure that the tube is plenty strong, but by trying to weld it in the center you are creating a weak spot where it needs it least. Please know that I am not criticizing your welding skills. Lord knows you are probably a better welder than I am. It won't cost you really anything to ensure that you have a solid tube in there. I bet you could find a scrap piece that long at a steel yard. My local yard sells scrap for 50 cents a pound. What is that $2, dependent on the length of the piece that you buy? Just my .02.

ill be replacing any tubes that were cut in order to fit my swingarm. im ganna order the dom tubing online and get her done. thanks for all the help guys.!

lemo32 wrote:

I am enjoying the sh@t out of this thread, it"s like watching the the little guys hit the ball at pony league, everyone yelling "HIT THE BALL" kids all sweating and nervous and sh@t, this is one for the archives!

Rarely do I comment on someone's build telling them how to do something unless they ask, but like I said I was reading through the thread and seen Joe going in a direction of a bad situation. So I just made a suggestion on replaceing the lower frame cross member he had cut in half insted of scab welding it together. I could care less what he does but I thought I would just spare him some griff down the road.

rslingshot wrote:

lemo32 wrote:

I am enjoying the sh@t out of this thread, it"s like watching the the little guys hit the ball at pony league, everyone yelling "HIT THE BALL" kids all sweating and nervous and sh@t, this is one for the archives!

Rarely do I comment on someone's build telling them how to do something unless they ask, but like I said I was reading through the thread and seen Joe going in a direction of a bad situation. So I just made a suggestion on replaceing the lower frame cross member he had cut in half insted of scab welding it together. I could care less what he does but I thought I would just spare him some griff down the road.

i appreciate the advice, thats why i am here. now lemme order some tubing.:woohoo:

just ordered the tubing. shock mount on hold till i recieve material.

rslingshot wrote:

Just reading over your build Joe. I think that you should remake the the bottom motor mount and cross brace that a few of the members have suggested. I remaid the one on my frame because the was some damage to the lower frame cross brace, but you have cut yours in half,I feel you will be alot better off if you do this and it will look much cleaner.
pic of new bottom motor mount,cross brace and bottom shock linkage mount

My upper shock mount

Just my .02

daddy likes! :woohoo:

PLUMMEN wrote:

rslingshot wrote:

Just reading over your build Joe. I think that you should remake the the bottom motor mount and cross brace that a few of the members have suggested. I remaid the one on my frame because the was some damage to the lower frame cross brace, but you have cut yours in half,I feel you will be alot better off if you do this and it will look much cleaner.
pic of new bottom motor mount,cross brace and bottom shock linkage mount

My upper shock mount

Just my .02

daddy likes! :woohoo:

yeah i think it looks nice and clean, but its missing the vertical supports so many people are stressing.

The triangulation of the top shock mount is not present on most of the modern sport bikes these suspension componants come off of. It really is not a necessity to do it like I did, for example, but it makes for more piece of mind for those of use that are not material or design engineers. What you will find on modern sport bikes is a very beefy cross brace and stout brackets to mount that shock linkage. Like OMR and Testarossa mentioned, you are placing stresses on your frame in directions and places it was not designed to resist. That is why it is imperative you overbuild it, to build in a factor of safety to account for errors and omissions. Take a look at a ZX7 frame, and what the shock mounts look like I'm glad you ordered some tubing, but I would say your first order of business is to get your cases bolted in and straight/level with your frames. Then you can make sure your swingarm and wheel are level/parallel with your frame. I know you want to make progress Joe, but there is a good reason it takes a long time to build one of these bikes, and taking your time to do things in the proper order and double checking everything every step of the way is the right way to do it. Chin up bud, you'll get through, you just need to slow it down a bit