Grant's Featherbed Special

In fact, I am really pleased with the entire view from the driving seat!
 

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gtiller said:
In fact, I am really pleased with the entire view from the driving seat!

Something seems to be lacking there.
Handlebars ?!

Looking good.
Getting a l-o-n-g way from the ole ES2 cafe in a very short time though .....
 
I used one like it on a chopper build back in 05. boy what a pain in the posterior when you have to go inside it with the small allen set screws and the trim and retaining rings.it most definitely is not a road side job to replace a bulb.

gtiller said:
I decided to go for a Harley-style headlight shell.
 
gtiller said:
so I will be using LED lighting throughout.
So I have gone for a JW Speaker LED unit http://www.jwspeaker.com
I got this from the guys at Mobile Centre https://www.mobilecentre.co.uk who were very intrigues about what I planned to use it for!!!
These are well made, low profile and give the best spread of light - they also have DOT and ECE approval.

Great thread, fantastic photos, thank you very much.
What Speaker led model did you select please? I see 42 different offerings at least! This looks like an 8700 series, but I don't follow Speakers web pages to narrow this down for motorcycle use. H4 plug? or? Will this Speaker led fit a Lucas headlamp bucket/ring?
Great work
 
@p400 in the end I chose the JW Speaker Model 8700 Evo 2

The description is as follows:
7 PAR 56 LED 2D1 headlight with Chrome internal bezel for driving on the left to suit UK market
Item Number 4048700UKC

It has a standard H4 plug and fits standard Lucas type headlight buckets.
On a Commando headlight, I would be concerned about clearance of the three warning lights if you have the original ones (they are quite long)

Check out the dimensions on this spec sheet before you make the leap
Broken link removed
 
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Thanks , good idea! I am going to print out the picture on heavy paper, scaled to approximate correct dimensions, and trial in a Lucas bucket.
 

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That's an interesting bike you're nailing together there.

Whereabouts on the south coast are you and when will it hit the road?

Please keep the pics and update coming, its great stuff!
 
Cheers Nigel!

I am in sunny Dorset (just outside Bournemouth)

I'm not in a massive hurry to get this bike on the road - this one is as much about engineering, fettling and whittling as anything else.

Because it's a special not a restoration, it means I can be a little be more imaginative with some of the bits... that's the bit I'm really enjoying about the project.

That said, I have a goal to have it on the road by next summer...there you go, I've just said that publicly - now watch these famous last words!!!
 
gtiller said:
Cheers Nigel!

I am in sunny Dorset (just outside Bournemouth)

I'm not in a massive hurry to get this bike on the road - this one is as much about engineering, fettling and whittling as anything else.

Because it's a special not a restoration, it means I can be a little be more imaginative with some of the bits... that's the bit I'm really enjoying about the project.

That said, I have a goal to have it on the road by next summer...there you go, I've just said that publicly - now watch these famous last words!!!

Ha!

My parents are in Wareham, we get down that neck o' the woods most summers and try and catch a few 'Poole Bike Nights' when we're down there.

Look forward to seeing yours lined up on the 'Prom' ...
 
gtiller said:
..............there you go, I've just said that publicly - now watch these famous last words!!!
And "by golly" we're gonna hold ya to it ! :D all joking aside, thanks for posting all the details, Cj........by they way, this is way off topic, but when my parents came over to the states after WWII one of the containers in their luggage was an old army foot locker from a fella from Dorset.......I'll send a PM, maybe I can dig it out and get the name off of it.
 
When this was still an ES2 project, you may recall I mentioned that I was on a quest to make it a chain free bike.

After 2 1/2 years of discussion, I ended up with this from Bob “Ozzie” Oswald at QPD http://www.quietpowerdrive.com
 

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Getting anything out of Ozzie was a mission and a half, and in hindsight I really wished I hadn't bothered.

Not answering calls, not replying to e-mails was frustrating and having parted with the cash, I had no way to back out.

Interestingly, he was ultra responsive before I gave him any money... but I later learnt that he was desperate to retire, so he was winding down his business and that he hadn't made a belt drive for a slimline before, so was making it up as he went along.

I am not happy with what I ended up with, and am now playing with alternative ideas.
 
Here is my swinging arm after it was "converted" by QPD

The "conversion" involved cutting a large notch out of the left leg, and welding in a solid piece inside the tube to strengthen it.
This was the only way that the belt drive could be fitted.
 

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The very second I saw this, I made my mind up that I was going to replace the swinging arm.

Having spent many, many hours researching what was available, and not liking any of the options, I made my mind up that I was going to make my own!

How hard could it be?
 
The first stage was to take a few measurements:
 

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I wanted to build a swinging arm that could be fitted, if required to a standard Slimline Featherbed (not just my Special) - so it should accommodate standard fittings.

So I also took into consideration things like an external oil filter - a very common addition.
 

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I wanted to use the standard swinging arm spindle, and make no frame modifications
 

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And of course I wanted to accommodate my belt final drive as well as a wider tyre (tire)
 

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So a few additional measurements were needed
 

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