I rescued this bike from a backyard 10 years ago where it had been sitting under a tarp for 3 years. Threw on new sprockets, chain, rebuilt the carb and master cylinders, replaced the rotors, replaced the spoke wheels with 9 spoke HD mags, 18" in the rear and 19" up front with new rubber. Using mostly parts I had on the shelves, I built a BRAT style Sporty I rode around for a couple of year. This was the donor bike.
I Had never driven or been on a trike when I saw a great deal on a new DNA axle and swingarm on EBay 8 years ago. This is the way it arrived .
Shipped in a cage made from angle iron with the swingarm and adjusters wrapped together separately. The swingarm is completely bare, so it has to have bushings and bearings installed. The differential is shipped dry, so you have to open it up and pack it with axle grease.
With new wheels and tires fitted, and the swingarm setup on the bike, now you have to align the axle sprocket with the tranny sprocket. The adjusters on the axle are loose, so when it's aligned, they need to be welded on. The spacers provided for the lower shocks weren't right, so I spun up a new set on the lathe.
Everything lined up on the final drive, it's time to setup the braking system. I made up the brake lines I needed and used the stock rear mc. It was a 5/8" bore and not up to the task of the 4 bucket, dual action calipers on each wheel, so I worked in a 3/4" bore mc from a disc brake shovelhead. That did the trick. I left the top as it was, figuring if I didn't like it, I'd return it back to 2 wheels.
This was the first version of the trike.
I Had never driven or been on a trike when I saw a great deal on a new DNA axle and swingarm on EBay 8 years ago. This is the way it arrived .
Shipped in a cage made from angle iron with the swingarm and adjusters wrapped together separately. The swingarm is completely bare, so it has to have bushings and bearings installed. The differential is shipped dry, so you have to open it up and pack it with axle grease.
With new wheels and tires fitted, and the swingarm setup on the bike, now you have to align the axle sprocket with the tranny sprocket. The adjusters on the axle are loose, so when it's aligned, they need to be welded on. The spacers provided for the lower shocks weren't right, so I spun up a new set on the lathe.
Everything lined up on the final drive, it's time to setup the braking system. I made up the brake lines I needed and used the stock rear mc. It was a 5/8" bore and not up to the task of the 4 bucket, dual action calipers on each wheel, so I worked in a 3/4" bore mc from a disc brake shovelhead. That did the trick. I left the top as it was, figuring if I didn't like it, I'd return it back to 2 wheels.
This was the first version of the trike.
