Support for Feet Forward enthusiasts everywhere

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First post from Northern California; looking for unfinished FFs

Hi I'm in northern california and while I've been interested in FF machines for a long time I've only recently gotten serious about owning one.

I've built some pretty unique bikes and trikes over the years but it's been a long time. My biggest claim to fame was a buggy wheeled speedway bike that got disqualified without any explaination except "you gotta be kidding me"

I'd heard that there were Quasars to be bought, but imagine none of them in the US,
If anyone has an unfinished project they would like to cash out of to move on to another, I'd love to hear about it.

Mudd

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Outriggers

I have just bought a Honda CH250 and am planning to convert it to a FF machine. It was great to discover this site, and I was astonished to see so many versions of the concept have already been produced by individuals without access to fully equipped workshops. Such a body of experience should perhaps be brought together to produce a fully marketable product.
Now a question: When it comes to designing an enclosed PTW necessitating the use of outriggers, has thought been given to the possibility of utilising aerodynamic lift to raise these? With lightweight, strong modern materials I'd have thought this possible, although I acknowledge it goes no way to solving the locking/unlocking requirement.

K75/Boxer FF

Not sure if this is the right way to do this (perhaps its a FF entrance exam, that I have failed)
I rather fancied a FF motorcycle with either a K75 or Boxer engine.
Any idea how I would start such a project. I have access to engineers/machine shops at work but only have mechanical skills myself.
I guess it may be easier to buy something and covert or at least ride around to get some ideas.
Where may I find auch a thing ?
I presently own an R1150GS, a K75s, an R65, 2 velo 350's a Suzuki 600, a Moto Guzzi Stornello 125 and 2 Yamaha RS125's.
I also have an ex Police R100RT that is for sale ('83 £1200) but may do a p/x on this or any of the others.

Eric of Barnsley

I passed my motorbike test, at the first attempt, aged 16 on a BSA 250 C11G a VERY long time ago. My next bike, and my favourite so far, was an AJS 350 Model 8. It was 'traded-in' for an MG sports car (TD). This I sold to help with the deposit for a house. There followed a donated Messerschmitt KR200 bubble-car then, with the arrival of a daughter, another MG (YB). There was an interlude of a few years before I came back to 2 wheels as a 'second vehicle' so that my wife could use the car. I started with a cheap BSA Bantam (175) which was followed by a Ducati 250, a Jawa 350 and a Honda CX500. This I have had for over 20 years but I have hardly used in recent years.

Ubiquitous Helix.

I purchased the Helix on a whim. What a good decision. The experience has whetted my appetite for FF vehicles.The Helix is fitted with a seat back which I designed to improve comfort on the longer runs. It folds back to give a clear seat for pillion or extra luggage room.

Last week I attended a camping rally at Bedgellert in Snowdonia, Wales. Despite the temperatures being around freezing the Helix performed well and carried me and the camping equipment over 600 miles that week-end.

Whilst there I happened on an old fellow BMW club member who had a Helix. He told me he is about to restart his project of an FF BMW twin. If he doesn't know of this site I shall be sure to tell him.

Ian's picture

FF articles in print.

FF magazine articles in print.

Please feel free to add to the list if you know of any other journals featuring the bikes - or send me the additions to add if the coding is a bit difficult!

Ergonomics

Ergonomics of open cockpit, FF Single Track vehicles

Definition; “FF”

A single track vehicle with a seat base less than 20” above ground level at ride height, fitted with a seat back capable of supporting the rider. The front suspension should not be steered.

Application.

Single track vehicles.

Sources.

There have been articles published on the subject of the interface between the human and the machine, to my knowledge, since the middle of the last century when German aircraft engineers demonstrated the advantages of the reclining position over the prone position.

Fitting a Malossi CVT kit to an AN400K3

I've just been fitting a Malossi kit to my Suzuki AN400 Megascoot. The first stage is to remove the lower left body panel. This has an astonishing number of little plastic nubbins that hold it on. The foot rest rubbers also have a very large number of bits that plug into the bodywork and you have to get under them to reach some of the fixings. Eventually you get the bodywork off, and the next piece is the CVT air filter cover, and then the plastic CVT cover. That gets you to here.

The next piece to remove is the inner cover. This is ally and has two dowels that eventually get stuck, bottom right and top left. The cover has an outrigger bearing for the clutch mechanism. Sometimes the shaft spins in the bearing making a nasty screech at very low speeds. You can safely ignore this as I'm not sure how to fix it if it happens to your bike. With the ally cover taken off, we have this.

FF front suspension

Front Suspension for open cockpit, FF Single Track vehicles

Definition; “FF”

A single track vehicle with a seat base less than 20” above ground level at ride height, fitted with a seat back capable of supporting the rider. The front suspension should not be steered.

Application.

This applies to all FFs but is specifically relevant to 'agile' or 'performance' FFs.

Sources.

The history of vehicle suspension was enthusiastically plundered. “The Motor Vehicle” (Newton, Steeds and Garrett, ISBN 0-408-01082-7) is a good source for multi-track derived systems. Contact with early seventies Formula One cars was also instructive. Of the various systems bolted to motorcycles only Normans Hossack's system, recently appropriated by BMW and the system pioneered by Tony Foale, subsequently used by Yamaha on the GTS, bear consideration for road use..

Advantages of different types

Advantages of different types of FF Single Track vehicles

Definition; “FF”

A single track vehicle with a seat base less than 20” above ground level at ride height, fitted with a seat back capable of supporting the rider. The front suspension should not be steered.

Application.

The following applies to all FFs. It is intended to be chiefly useful to designers seeking to define the type which best meets their requirements

Sources.

The Quasar and Voyager projects both involved study of the 'performance envelope' of the FF single track to try to gain a picture of the full potential. Since those projects others have gone on the produce other examples of roofed FF's (BMW, Benili, Ian Peagram) and the Peraves Ecomobile represents an excellent example of full enclosure. All these vehicle appear on this site.

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics of open cockpit, FF single track vehicles V.2

Definition FF

A single track vehicle with a seat base less than 20 inches above ground level at ride height, with a seat back capable of fully supporting the rider. The front suspension should not be steered.

Application

Bodied, open cockpit FFs.

Sources and definitions

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