Cutting up a Featherbed frame to fit the 865 engine what effect it would have compared to a orginal Featherbed frame in handling wise, I am a big fan of orginal Featherbed frames and have a Wideline as well a Slimline,
I have rode a few Featherbeds over time some with Norton motors, some with Triumph preunits and one or two with orginal motors, they all hande great, but I have been riding my Featherbed/850 for 34 years and know how to work a Featherbed frame bike and how to push them to their limits.
Asotrel you keep saying about having the motor on a lean to the front, my 850 does, but all the orginal motors (Dommies, Alas and ES2) in the Featherbed frames sat stright up and they all handled pretty good, the more important thing to do is to get the motor sitting down low in the Featherbed frame and thats what I have done, my Featherbed feels so light up top but it sticks like glue on the road, like riding on rails, and when into a corner the more power I put on the more it sticks to the road without much effort on the rider or handle bars.
It would be good to compare a Featherbed with a 865 Triumph motor to my 850 Commando motor Featherbed, but I know which one would be lighter and I do know as I own a new 865 Thruxton.
Ashley