V649HP-Kawasaki's new gravel runner

[nuggets]

Originally Posted by jdrocks

in the home shop environment....

Thank you for that post. Excellent information. I'll have to pick up some hole saws.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by nuggets

Thank you for that post. Excellent information. I'll have to pick up some hole saws.

no problem, any questions, just ask.

[kajj]

Originally Posted by jdrocks

nice bar clamp assembly for the rat bike dudes running the Versys fork clamps, replaces the proprietary Versys bar riser/clamp.



since i tend to, ahem...flop the bike on occasion, and bend bars, i'm in the undecided column.

would be a cool little swap, even on a stock Versys.

maybe i'll get kajj to machine the base mount for me over there in Sweden and mail it to the States...cheap.

Nice bar clamp.

It seems lower then the original Versys clamp? I guess you could mount some risers.

Cheap! here in Sweden

If you have the right contacts it could be. I think it would be cheaper for you to get them machined in the states.
Rater then have me send them to you. But that depends on how much cheap is

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by kajj

Nice bar clamp.

It seems lower then the original Versys clamp? I guess you could mount some risers.

Cheap! here in Sweden

might be as much as 40mm lower at the bar center.

yeah, the machine work would be cheaper here, so just send me the CNC file. i'll even give you course credit and an honorary degree, it would look really good on your resume.

[kajj]

Originally Posted by jdrocks

so just send me the CNC file. i'll even give you course credit and an honorary degree, it would look really good on your resume.

I guess I could send you a 3D-model of the clamp. Just need to find some time for it.

Do you have any more pictures of it?

Or any ideas of improvements?

Ii would be a fun project to sketch one from scratch.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by kajj

I guess I could send you a 3D-model of the clamp. Just need to find some time for it.

just kidding. it's a euro product though, you might check your sources over there and see it it's still in production. i emailed the guy that i thought had them, but haven't heard back.

[jdrocks]

cut up a bunch of stuff, now i'll see if i can make something out of it.

[nononsense4857]

JD can you please share details with regards to how you have mounted the digi console.

I just completed a 6200 mile road trip, the best thing that happened this year. The next best achievement is that i was moderately successful in my first try at changing things on the bike. First it was the luggage carrier and then a bracket for the digi console.

The luggage held up well in spite of me falling thrice with the bike flat on the ground. I need to find time to make another improved version of the luggage rack and increase the off road reliability of the bike. Can you please help me? Can i drop you a pm for follow up?

Luggage carrier:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...4&postcount=12

Digi console bracket


I was lucky to have a friend help with some shock damping by replacing the stock screws and adding these rubber bushes. This actually helped when the terrain got rough.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by nononsense4857

JD can you please share details with regards to how you have mounted the digi console.

I just completed a 6200 mile road trip, the best thing that happened this year. The next best achievement is that i was moderately successful in my first try at changing things on the bike. First it was the luggage carrier and then a bracket for the digi console...

first, let me commend you for jumping in to fab some custom parts for your ER6, most guys would not consider doing these projects.

great choice in the ER6 bike and Wolfman luggage, it looks like your trip went through some country i would enjoy riding myself.

since you said you planned some changes anyway, and might have access to a tube bender, i would start over with a new design for both luggage and console mounts.

for your naked bike, i would fabricate an oversize console mount in 2-3mm plate that completely covers the underside of the console (now exposed to the front), and drilled for the exact size mounting holes as used on the OEM mount. this allows you to use the OEM rubber grommets and small socket head bolts, with the console in tight to the mounting plate, not in a standoff position like your current mount. if the plate is oversize by at least 10mm, you gain some perimeter impact protection, and if you add a small valence on the leading edge, you can gain additional protection from rocks or other road debris. the layout of this plate is straight forward, and you'll also need a hole for the electrical connection. with some care in shaping this piece, it will look like a manufactured part.

i'm using a small fairing, and my modular mount carries the console, main lights, aux lights, and signals, but you can see the mounting plate under the console.



if redesigning your luggage racks, i would first pull up some internet photos of the various manufactured racks available for the ER6. almost all the big names have racks for your model, not that you're going to use them, but you can see how they designed the mounting points. all the manufactered mounts for your bike use the grab handle mounts under the edge of the seat, and i suggest you do the same, it works very well.

your racks should be designed to be mounted in high and tight, the opposite of what you now have mounted. your ER6 bike has a big advantage over some in that there's no muffler in the way, and the Berg Briggs mount (or similar shop built) for the Wolfman luggage is very compact. you could purchase the bare hoops directly from Berg, then fabricate the rest of the mount yourself, or fabricate the whole assembly. these are 310mm x 180mm, for reference



it's also my contention that the design of the mounts should follow the body lines of the bike, like this...





i think you'll be very pleased with the appearance and the performance of your bike when the Wolfmans are mounted a little differently.

position the luggage mounts so that the OEM rear signals aren't masked by the Wolfman bags.

your tail rack should not be extended way out the back, but more similar in dimension to the manufactured racks. the pad should be under your duffle, for instance. if left in it's current configuration, eventually that tail rack will cause you a problem, maybe a big problem.

come back with some photos if you make the changes. any other questions, just ask.

[rw4x4van]

Originally Posted by jdrocks

first, let me commend you for jumping in to fab some custom parts for your ER6, most guys would not consider doing these projects.

great choice in the ER6 bike and Wolfman luggage, it looks like your trip went through some country i would enjoy riding myself.

since you said you planned some changes anyway, and might have access to a tube bender, i would start over with a new design for both luggage and console mounts.

for your naked bike, i would fabricate an oversize console mount in 2-3mm plate that completely covers the underside of the console (now exposed to the front), and drilled for the exact size mounting holes as used on the OEM mount. this allows you to use the OEM rubber grommets and small socket head bolts, with the console in tight to the mounting plate, not in a standoff position like your current mount. if the plate is oversize by at least 10mm, you gain some perimeter impact protection, and if you add a small valence on the leading edge, you can gain additional protection from rocks or other road debris. the layout of this plate is straight forward, and you'll also need a hole for the electrical connection. with some care in shaping this piece, it will look like a manufactured part.

i'm using a small fairing, and my modular mount carries the console, main lights, aux lights, and signals, but you can see the mounting plate under the console.


if redesigning your luggage racks, i would first pull up some internet photos of the various manufactured racks available for the ER6. almost all the big names have racks for your model, not that you're going to use them, but you can see how they designed the mounting points. all the manufactered mounts for your bike use the grab handle mounts under the edge of the seat, and i suggest you do the same, it works very well.

your racks should be designed to be mounted in high and tight, the opposite of what you now have mounted. your ER6 bike has a big advantage over some in that there's no muffler in the way, and the Berg Briggs mount (or similar shop built) for the Wolfman luggage is very compact. you could purchase the bare hoops directly from Berg, then fabricate the rest of the mount yourself, or fabricate the whole assembly. these are 310mm x 180mm, for reference


it's also my contention that the design of the mounts should follow the body lines of the bike, like this...




i think you'll be very pleased with the appearance and the performance of your bike when the Wolfmans are mounted a little differently.

position the luggage mounts so that the OEM rear signals aren't masked by the Wolfman bags.

your tail rack should not be extended way out the back, but more similar in dimension to the manufactured racks. the pad should be under your duffle, for instance. if left in it's current configuration, eventually that tail rack will cause you a problem, maybe a big problem.

come back with some photos if you make the changes. any other questions, just ask.

Lookin' good JD

[Roadracer_Al]

Originally Posted by nuggets

Thanks for the hole cutting info. I'll have to grab some of those hole saws.

You use a hand drill for that? My drill press doesn't go below 600rpms (lil' 12 delta).

It's not hard to add a speed reducer to a drill press. Have a look at a recent issue of Home Shop Machinist, someone did a conversion on an older South Bend drill press and showed all the parts.

a

[nononsense4857]

The digiconsole clamp attaches to the bike at two points. These are the downward facing internally threaded holes that are protruding from the triple tee.

Since the digiconsole latches on at a distance from these holes, the cantilever effect causes it to vibrate along the vertical axis and this gets worse when off roading. You feel like its going to break off any time.

JD, i would love to look at some close up shots of the pic you posted to understand this setup better.

Below is what i did for the headlight mount. This was actually a metallic pipe used for plumbing which was cut across its length and welded with metal strips to form the bolting mechanism.

Right now, it does sit on the fork tube BUT it has decent packing of strips of waste rubber tube since it was not a perfect fit... i'm worried about moisture buildup and eventual corrosion below the rubber strips...

[nuggets]

Originally Posted by Roadracer_Al

It's not hard to add a speed reducer to a drill press. Have a look at a recent issue of Home Shop Machinist, someone did a conversion on an older South Bend drill press and showed all the parts.

a

Cool

The all knowing websearch knows all about it: http://www.metalwebnews.com/manuals/...e-drilling.pdf


That would make my drill press much better.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by nononsense4857

JD, i would love to look at some close up shots of the pic you posted to understand this setup better.

Below is what i did for the headlight mount. This was actually a metallic pipe used for plumbing which was cut across its length and welded with metal strips to form the bolting mechanism.

Right now, it does sit on the fork tube BUT it has decent packing of strips of waste rubber tube since it was not a perfect fit... i'm worried about moisture buildup and eventual corrosion below the rubber strips...

here's a little better photo from one of my old bikes, i think you can see the design concept.



since you have worked out a good solution for fork tube clamps, i would move the console mount onto the fork tubes in similar fashion.

the construction is light gauge steel, except for the base plate which is slightly heavier. in your design, you want the mount assembly to be strong and durable, but it is possible to overbuild this part by using material that is simply too heavy.

if you have the misfortune to put your bike on the ground in the middle of your 6000 mile trip with this mount getting bent, you want to be able to bend it back into usable shape on the side of the road if necessary.

here's another version that met with misfortune in western Montana, the material was too heavy and wouldn't budge even using a big pry bar.



i did ride away, but i would have liked to have bent it back into better shape first. the console wasn't damaged.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by rw4x4van

Lookin' good JD

thanks.