Leading Link Designs - Post Pics

[Bandit Bill]

Originally Posted by Pezz_gs

How much Travel does everyone have on their Leading Link Suspension ?

I have been looking at the Ikon (koni) shock specs and working backwards to establish swingarm length.

Probably going to look at 200mm (8") as a starting point

Darn Little.

I'm using Progressive Suspension 418's, meant for the Harley Big Twins. I ordered them along with an alternate spring set - the stock springs were too weak as is. It's been several years now since i did the ordering but iirc the stock were rated at 140 something or other - the new springs were 210 something or other. It actually took a full year to "break" the springs in to to get them responsive and less harsh in terms of ride. Mine are the 11.5" models. I bought them because of the offset eye mounts. Total travel is in the order of 1 1/2" useable. They are effective, i haven't lost any teeth fillings lately...

FWIW..

[HogWild]

Originally Posted by Pezz_gs

How much Travel does everyone have on their Leading Link Suspension ? Probably going to look at 200mm (8") as a starting point

8" of travel is huge for a street or dual sport rig. My off-road rig is just over that, and we do some pretty nasty rough stuff.

[creeper]

Anyone remeber the Valentino Ribi designed "quadrilateral"?

We’ll start with the fork which De Coster convinced Honda to buy the rights to. The man had tested one on his ’79 factory Suzuki when it was made of tubular chromyl and had a pair of Ohlin’s suspending it. It was originally called the “Ribi Quadrilateral”. This work of art is machined out of aluminum; presumably aircraft grade 6000 series, and as you can see runs a single shock unit at the triple clamps. I can count 18 pivot points on it which might explain why this design never went in to production! There are 4 adjustable bars that could be shortened or lengthened to adjust the rake and steering angle. Notice the bump stops to prevent metal to metal when bottoming out.

C

[Schtum]

I took these pics in Whitefish, Montana in June last year. Apart from the fact that it's a K1200LT, I know nothing about the rig. Perhaps someone could enlighten me...?

[Pezz_gs]

Originally Posted by creeper

Anyone remeber the Valentino Ribi designed "quadrilateral"?





C

Hi Creeper

Yep, Now that is art. I have an article on that in an old Vintage Offroad Magazine.

If you would like to modify it and design it for my sidecar I will get it machines

Great to hear from you again.

[creeper]

Originally Posted by Pezz_gs

Hi Creeper

Yep, Now that is art. I have an article on that in an old Vintage Offroad Magazine.

If you would like to modify it and design it for my sidecar I will get it machines

Great to hear from you again.

Hey brother...

Ha ha ha... You'd be spending all your time greasing joints.

There's a less complicated version, made of chromoly by Bruce Burness, on Roger DeCoster's '79 Suzuki GP bike... in the Feb '08 issue of Motocross Action Mag.
Ohlins side mounted shocks instead of the Rube Goldberg linkage seen on the Honda... way less busy, and looks to be far more adaptable and build-able.
Here's a scan of that page photo... click the photo for a larger version.



Then there's the AMP Research fork... which you can find a less than detailed patient drawing of here from '95.

You take care... have fun with this little project.
C

[Sparke]

Those dirt bike got me thinking "GREEVES"....but when I goggled GREEVES I also found this.

[HogWild]

Then there's the Trailing Link, seen here on one of the original Wasp rigs:


And another variation ...

[claude]

Speaking of Trailing Link front ends see pic below

[RedMenace]

Great thread! Any comments regarding the pros or cons of leading vs. trailing link front ends?

[Sparke]

This is from a piece of 1980s litrature from "Wasp" in England.

[Bandit Bill]

Originally Posted by Schtum

I took these pics in Whitefish, Montana in June last year. Apart from the fact that it's a K1200LT, I know nothing about the rig. Perhaps someone could enlighten me...?

Looks to be an EZS Summit conversion package, possibly with a different engineered front end, with mods to the summit sidecar frame?

http://www.ezs-usa.com/summit.htm

[Pezz_gs]

Originally Posted by HogWild

8" of travel is huge for a street or dual sport rig. My off-road rig is just over that, and we do some pretty nasty rough stuff.

HogWild, thanks or that. I was just using the basis of the orginal travel of the R80G/S which is 200mm as a starting point. Allowing 30% Sag would give around 140mm usuable travel.

There is no manual on Leading Link design which suggests a starting point.
Hence the post on what are people running?

What would you suggest? The sidecar will be used for both on & offroad travelling.

[tripodtiger]

Originally Posted by atgreg

Like this,

Ta Greg.

Yep, sure does nice work.

[tripodtiger]

Originally Posted by claude

Dunno but that sounds similar to what is pictured below. Pretty scary !!!!!!!
Material too thin? Welding issues? Bracing in wrong spot? All of the above?
Yikes!

The builder of the links had used (say) 50mm od tube. The triple clamp internal diameter was (say) 40mm. all that he'd done was turn down that length of tube that slid into the clamps so that is was now the correct od to fit into the clamps. The top edge of the 50mm od tube was butted up against the lower face of the clamp. Probably looked great when it was all painted etc.
High load point exactly at the weakest point of the tube. The whole assembly, links, shocks, brakes, wheel, guard was flapping around, secured by the brake hoses and speedo cable. Yikes, alright. Shits were trumps, I'd reckon.