gotta luv mcmaster carr

[mtiberio]

raw materials for 2 upcoming projects.

$5 in stainless steel brackets to mount a piece of Lexan, that I had hanging around the garage for over 20 years, onto my windshield. It will take some stainless nuts, bolts and washers, which I probably also have kicking around the garage. The Zero Gravity tall windscreen I bought used on this forum dumps all its air right in my ears. This "$5" wind deflector should be the ticket to cure that. Only 2 of the brackets ($2.50 then) are necessary, I will have to bend them slightly.

$11.40 for a piece of aluminum sheet. Want a simple rack to go in place of the passenger seat. Hondabikepro's looks good, but is a more complicated design that I like, plus it ain't cheap. With this hunk of sheet aluminum and some sweat equity, I can build a simple "rack" to mount to the 3 passenger saddle mounting bolts, and then will bolt to the bracket around the gas cap. Some deft gang drilling, or coping saw/dremel work will provide the scooped out area to allow gas cap access.

Pictures when I'l all done...

right now, just raw materials.

 

[itlives]

Eagerly awaiting the final product!

 

[MZ5]

Sounds like a fun project! Looking forward to seeing what you end up with

 

[mtiberio]

rack template

 

[mtiberio]

roughed out with a band saw, edges smoothed and deburred with a sanding drum. all thats left, drill 5 holes and add slight bend to two tabs. then paint. maybe add a couple of oak strips.

 

[mtiberio]

done for now. maybe some bedliner?

 

[Cagedodger]

Nice work making that aluminum sheet fit where the passenger seat goes. Are you going to add some slots for straps or bungees?

 

[johnakay]

good lord what you folks would do to save money.
sorry but that looks awful ,why don't you bite the bullet and buy Honda pro rack.
after all your quite willing to spend nearly $7000 on a bike but skip spending $200.
sorry I just don't get it.

 

[mtiberio]

Don't want a rack behind the passenger seat. As a matter of fact, I wasn't even looking for a rack. I don't want the passenger seat, it pushed me just that little bit forward and effed up my ergos. So the passenger seat was going. Next decision, what to fill the space with. Like I said I could have gone with Hondabikepro's "passenger seat space" rack. Too pricey and I didn't like the look. So this is what I have. Yea, it looks like sh*t, but I have that right, since I dropped the coin on the bike, no? Eventually I will paint/coat the thing, add some oak or other wood strips for grip/look, and possibly cover the whole thing/area with a cordura type tail pack rendering the entire "looks" issue moot.

I have a number of bikes and a number of projects ongoing and a list of mods to do to them all. If I exercized every "$200" option, I'd go mad and broke.. That plus in my 42+ years of owning and riding motorcycles, I have learned that satisfaction is never guaranteed when you drop coin. That is why I have the stock saddle, the sargents saddle (currently on the bike), a corbin on order, and will consider a seat concepts in reserve. Not afraid to drop coin, just selective, and more concerned for comfort at the tender ago of 60 than looks...

But you are entitled to you opinion as well... 8^))

 

[mtiberio]

So I finally got around to making my low dollar "laminar lip". Using an old piece of Lexan I had in the garage, some stainless hardware and rubber washers, together with the stainless bracket I got from McMaster-Carr (now bent), I pulled the trigger and drilled some holes. Always a crux moment, when you realize you can either make it right or eff it up. Came out OK I think, just enough curve, and there is enough slop with the rubber washers to do a bit of tuning.

 

[Cigar Mike]

good lord what you folks would do to save money.
sorry but that looks awful ,why don't you bite the bullet and buy Honda pro rack.
after all your quite willing to spend nearly $7000 on a bike but skip spending $200.
sorry I just don't get it.

Vendor response? I like that he had an idea and made it happen. The markup on most of the after market stuff is crazy. The center stands I made I sold direct, other wise they would have had to sell for over $300 instead of $160 I charged. Any time we can do it ourselves, I am for it. If I have the time and ability I would much rather have the money in my pocket. When I don't I have to pay the freight.

 

[mtiberio]

more shots of the lip

 

[johnakay]

not being a party pooper.
nice idea but...
well maybe he's not gifted as me.
I would've made a better job of it.
gaps.. this I would have covered. and for the petrol cap .
I think I would've prefer a locking one,seeing that's easy to pinch .
some low life will or may contaminate the fuel like putting some sugar in.
it has been done here so it could be done elsewhere..

 

[L.B.S.]

I'm intrigued by the mtiberio lip™® being on the inside of the windscreen versus the outside, so please post up how you are liking it so far, and if any turbulence is observed or not?

 

[marotajo]

I was wondering the same thing - it looks like it would cause more turbulence.

 

[mtiberio]

I'm intrigued by the mtiberio lip™® being on the inside of the windscreen versus the outside, so please post up how you are liking it so far, and if any turbulence is observed or not?

working fine, and if my turbulence test* is any indication, things are much better... I ride with a shorty (but DOT approved) helmet. I did not try and ride without ear plugs. On my big touring Guzzi I can do this. It is a bit much to ask of the tiny zero gravity screen even with my deflector on there. Maybe I'll test that tonight.

* my turbulence test consists of smoking a Padron Londres in Maduro while riding at city and highway speeds. A bike with bad turbulence will cause the cigar to "canoe" and/or cause the ash to burn down the center leaving the wrapper unburned (but plenty hot). A bike with tolerable turbulence will allow a cigar to be burn semi-evenly.

 

[mtiberio]

not being a party pooper.
nice idea but...
well maybe he's not gifted as me.
I would've made a better job of it.
gaps.. this I would have covered. and for the petrol cap .
I think I would've prefer a locking one,seeing that's easy to pinch .
some low life will or may contaminate the fuel like putting some sugar in.
it has been done here so it could be done elsewhere..

no argument, it is a crude first attempt. the gaps... well, it looks better than no plate and no passenger seat and I already mentioned why the passenger seat had to go. As far as the fuel cap goes. I suppose if I carry out my plan to put a tail pack over the rack, it would obscure the cap in the process. In a grander sense, it seems other parts of the world have more issues with gas theft than the US. We really don't get that much stealing of gas here (at just over 1/2 Euro per litre you can see why). I have had a number of vintage moto guzzis, none of which have locking gas caps, and I have never had an issue (now that I have said that I'm f*cked). Most folks are afraid to mess with bikers and their bikes, that bad *** rep is useful for something.

 

[mtiberio]

I was wondering the same thing - it looks like it would cause more turbulence.

hmmm I hadn't thought of it that way. with the lip in front, wind would go underneath, and I suppose like the "laminar lip" would smooth flow, but that smoothed flow would go directly into my face and ears.. The way I have it, it is really just an extension of the windshield. I don't care if the turbulence is outside my "sphere" as I sit.