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Author: Subject: Road bike to quad conversions? Plans, Kits?
gasket999

posted on 11/3/11 at 05:52 PM Reply With Quote
Road bike to quad conversions? Plans, Kits?

Hi everyone.

I'm new to the forum but have been reading through it for a number of years now. Background in Westfields and Land Rovers but looking for a new project.

I had planned for the next to be a Locost or Haynes scratch-build, but I would really, really like to build a quad version of a mortorbike. As I'd be looking to build the kit myself and, if I went down the 'chopper' route, to build the bike's frame too I thought it might be useful to ask if anyone here has any experience of it.

To give a little background, an inner ear problem means that in rare circumstances I struggle to keep my balance which rules out a motorbike. Up to now I've always driven cars but I'm reaching that age where I have the time and money (nothing to do with a mid-life crisis lol!) to act on a lifelong urge to own a bike - assuming I can build one suitable for my needs. I should state straight away that I don't want a trike - whether the axle is at the front or at the rear.

I'm looking for a 'road' quad rather than an ATV/urban-quad and the two different options seem to be the touring/racing look or the harley/chopper look.

The race-type bike would be much easier/cheaper to source (not to mention faster) and I'd be adapting an existing bike, but the chopper route would allow me to build my own frame, etc and 'just' insert a V-twin engine - which would be much more satisfying.

So far, aside from the £40k Qtec harley onversion I haven't come across any off-the-shelf kits or plans. Anyone else heard of any?

Many thanks indeed for your help folks.

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M$RK_VXRD

posted on 11/3/11 at 06:14 PM Reply With Quote
Try speaking to MK sportscars they make trikes all the time, I'm sure they would be able to help you or even make most of the parts for you etc.
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jacko

posted on 11/3/11 at 06:55 PM Reply With Quote
http://www.mksportscar.co.uk/components/com_model/modelgallery/Trike1.jpg

this is a MK bike conversion

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pewe

posted on 11/3/11 at 07:25 PM Reply With Quote
Of course the other alternative is a motorcycle and side-car.
A nice Panther 500 sloper single with double adult Watsonian complete with side door entry and IIRC a wiper for the front passenger to use!
Seriously though a classic bike with rocket sidecar I reckon beats chopper trikes.
Cheers, Pewe

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designer

posted on 11/3/11 at 07:27 PM Reply With Quote
£4082!!!!!!!!!!!

Seems a bit steep.

http://www.trikeshop.co.uk/kits_and_parts.htm


[Edited on 11-3-11 by designer]

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Peteff

posted on 11/3/11 at 07:39 PM Reply With Quote
Check the regulations before you embark on the quad route. Quads (quadricycles) are not supposed to be more than 15kw power limit which I think is about 20hp and there is a weight limit on them above which they are classed as a car.





yours, Pete

I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

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coyoteboy

posted on 12/3/11 at 02:11 PM Reply With Quote
That's interesting, seen a few screaming past me at 70mph with plates on, wonder how they get away with that?!
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tony-devon

posted on 12/3/11 at 02:27 PM Reply With Quote
boom trikes are doing quads

have a look online for GG quad and GG quadster



http://www.gg-technik.ch/eng/quad/0495439a180a12304/0495439a180a5f418/0495439a180c13b56/index.html

Engine
Type: 4 cylinder liquid-cooled inline
Valves: 4 valves per cylinder
Capacity: 1’293 cc
Performance: 129kW (175 bhp at 9’250 rpm)
Torque: 140Nm at 8’250 rpm
Catalytic converter:: three-way catalic converter
Gearbox: 6 gears forward, reverse gear

Measurements and weight
Fuel capacity: 26 litres
Empty weigth: 390 kg
Overall length: 2330 mm
Overall width: 1430 mm

Performance
Top speed: 210 kph

Chassis
Frame: GG in-house construction
Suspension: Single-wheel suspension with aluminium trapezoid cross-members
Shock absorbers: Hydraulic shock absorbers with infinitely variable adjustment
Spring travel: 100mm front and rear
Drive: Differential with reverse gear
Brakes:: Hydraulic brakes, ø 270mm floating brake disks

Wheels: Cast aluminium wheels
Tyres: Front 205/40-17 / Rear 245/35-18

Authorised for use in
Germany TüV approved as 4 wheel motorbike
EU EC Homologation 15 kW




[Edited on 12/3/11 by tony-devon]

[Edited on 12/3/11 by tony-devon]





heavy is good, heavy is reliable, and if it breaks, hit them with it

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UncleFista

posted on 12/3/11 at 03:13 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
That's interesting, seen a few screaming past me at 70mph with plates on, wonder how they get away with that?!


There's someone on here who's sticking a superbike engine in a "Quadricycle" but I wouldn't bother asking him, he got a bit defensive and started going on about "grey areas" which made no sense to me

Have a search for "quadricycle"





Tony Bond / UncleFista

Love is like a snowmobile, speeding across the frozen tundra.
Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath.
At night the ice-weasels come...

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tony-devon

posted on 12/3/11 at 04:15 PM Reply With Quote
not had time to check, but would be covered by the MSVA manual.

build your own

locost suspension parts front and rear, one of chassis to hold it all together.

I build trikes with 2 wheels at the back, and its easy





heavy is good, heavy is reliable, and if it breaks, hit them with it

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gasket999

posted on 13/3/11 at 12:54 AM Reply With Quote
Thank you so much for your replies folks, I like the idea of using trike conversion ideas but apply them to the front wheels too.

Tony - that's exactly the approach i was wanting to take, to use the skills and techniques needed to build a locost and apply them to this. In this vein, I came accross these which are the assembly pictures from the GG Quad. At first, seeing the pictures of the completed GG, I assumed it would be too comlelx for a self build and that the chopper approach would be more simple - but after seeing these pics I think I have to change my mind. Looking back I thought the chopper design would be simple, but creating all the curves needed in the frame as well as working out a way to have front suspension units when the rake/reach of he front forks is so long would be a nightmare.

The GG looks to me like an out-of-proportion Haynes Roadster: simple space frame chassis backbone, four double wishbone suspension units - a rear diff (supplied by Quaife in the GGs but I'd like to see if an off the shelf alternative is available), 'BMW' drive shafts (I assume these come from a Mini at first guess) and a motorbike engine gearbox (albeit with an electric reverse and a driveshaft in place of a chain/belt drive.

I really like the idea of using a donor bike from a manufacturer that also makes cars - to keep off-the-shelf parts to a maximum. For example - imaging a BMW bike with Mini driveshafts, hubs, brakes and alloys

All of a sudden, this looks like a relative straightforward project which could easily be completed (space-wise) in my tiny garage. If I was to simplify the design a little and replace cast, billet components with those build from welded tube using a set of jigs - i think this is doable. A damaged/repairable bike could provide all of the upper body components and i would just need to buy some small cycle wings and design a nosecone to cover the radiator.

I think a sensible thing to do would be to find a GG Quad and take some accurate measurements to get a decent starting point for the chassis design.

Wow! I have goosebumps thinking how much fun this little gem would be!

I'd really appreciate any input that you can offer.

[Edited on 13/3/11 by gasket999]

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tony-devon

posted on 13/3/11 at 09:50 AM Reply With Quote
its just my personal approach, but I would get the components that I wanted to use, lay them out, work out dimensions etc, then build the tubular chasis to suit

I used standard length locost wishbones at the rear, and with 235 wide tyres I have 1550mm max width, could get it narrower without too much hassle

play about with mockup, sit the bits in the garage, sit on boxes, stools etc, work out whats comfortable and what looks good, general rule is, if it looks right, then it is

this is my scratch build, and a similar approach using the front parts of a locost would work fine, just the ratio and steering linkages to work out, get it wrong and it could be heavy.





all I did was get the measurements for the suspension pickup points from the haynes book, from there I worked out the mounting points in relation to the ends of my tubing.

just make it up as you go, theres no rules so just have fun

the MSVA manual is a free download

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MSVA%202010%20.pdf

it comes under heavy quad, but it does state something about maximum net engine power, however Boom have them GS quads over here so no idea how that works





heavy is good, heavy is reliable, and if it breaks, hit them with it

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