Goodies

One day there will be powerslides...

The first Aprillia wheel arrived yesterday, and it looks awesome. The model has been updated accordingly and includes some iteration 1 wheel hubs. We've also connected the tie rods for a working steering system. So far so good, with no interference and hopefully no binding. I've learned a lot about the steering geometry today, and we'll need to make a wheelbase change. If slow and steady wins the race, we're on track to finalize our design in the next few weeks and begin construction in earnest.

The Waiting Game

For all the progress we've made, all we have to show for it is one little rotary damper. We're desperately trying to make headway with the next parts.

One thing that has been holding us back are these little buggers:

Ducati Valve Shim Measurement Tool

These guys cost $30 and have been holding us back for a while. Back in November, Eddie and I attempted the 18,000 mile service of my Ducati. We got the valve clearance measurements, took the shims to Atlanta to get measured during Thanksgiving (as we have no Ducati Valve Shim Measurement Tool), bought new shims, and then went to try and put the valves back together. One of the valves is still a little tight with the new shims, so I decided to order the Measurement Tool from NPR Ducati in Athens, GA in January, so I could avoid having to take the shim to a Ducati dealer to get measured. Sadly, the parts have been on back order for some time now, and I'm still waiting patiently. Though, I may have found a solution in www.DucatiToolRental.com or www.Guzzino.com, it remains to be seen whether they actually have any of the tools in stock. Either way, I'm probably going to be heading to Atlanta soon to pick up a dog, and will make a stop by NPR Ducati to test drive their new Monsters and Hypermotard (Monstrosity Version 2.0?). Hopefully, I'll be bringing back a Measurement Tool as well as a labrador retriever. We need to have a running engine, as a leaning suspension is pretty boring sitting still.

The Laeger Pro-Trax front end seems to have stalled at the powdercoaters for sand-blasting. Our man tells us it will be in the mail on Friday (Fingers Crossed).

Meanwhile, our beautiful Aprilia RS 125 wheel is already in the USA! Track the shipment anxiously with us here. Funny how a part ordered from Wales last week ships faster than a part ordered from California in January.

Meanwhile, we are going to call UK Bikes LTD tomorrow morning about obtaining another Aprilia RS 125 wheel.

Also, we sent in an order to www.Flex-A-Form.com for a price estimate regarding the composite leaf spring, so we'll be calling them tomorrow too. We need to follow up with them since our spring will be a little different than their normal product line.

Plus, there is the second rotary damper to purchase sometime soon as well.

Finally, we talked to the guys down at www.TerraMostro.com last week. They are doing some pretty cool things turning a 600 Monster into a dual-purpose bike. Either way, the point is they advised us not to neglect the swingarm pivot, which is in the engine case. They had a few break from the side loading that happens when you slide the rear end of a bike on the dirt. So that is something we need to keep in mind, especially if we try any fire-road drifting on the first prototype :-P. Thankfully, the Terra Mostro (Dirty Monster in italian, hehe) people have a solution to the broken swingarm pivots:

Terra Mostro Rear-Sets (Reinforces Swingarm Pivot)

The Terra Mostro guy was really helpful, and I would love to maybe put our heads together on an Off-Road Monstrosity 620 in the future.

Photo Goodness

We got a lot done this weekend and today. Here's a bit of what the mechanical bits will look like.
Front end details. Compact, low and non interference. Damper linkage not shown, but we'll have it sorted in a few days.
At left lean with right wheel removed. Tie rods not pictured yet either.
Bottom plan view.

Another teaser

More piddling with the model. I promise, it's going to look hott.

Spy Shot

Here's one more piece of eye candy for the day, I just have to show it off a little.

Iterate and Wait

Progress remains slow and steady. The above photo depicts the latest/greatest front end design, one that is significantly more compact than any previous version. In fact, it's the first that I'm confident leaves ample room for the steering components and top a-arms. Credit Rob for drawing this up on the white board first.

That should allow for plenty of lean angle. Now only if we had those a-arms... Still waiting on the whole Pro-Trax front end. There is not telling, at this point, how extensively the arms will have to be modified, not how many of our dimensional guesstimates will come correct. Once we have the arms and know our leverage ration, we can order our spring from Flex-A-Form.

The good news is, we successfuly ordered a front wheel from Wales via Skype. Shipping is roughly 3x the purchase price, but so long as we're rolling.

"I wish the country had fewer lawyers and more engineers" Barack Obama, Audacity of Hope

Preliminary Specifications

Engine

618cc Ducati Desmo Due L-Twin
60HP @ 9500RPM, 39.3 ft. lbs. torque @ 6750RPM

Frame
Front Subframe: 4130 Steel Trellis with 4-bulkhead suspension cradle
Rolling
Front Tires: 2 x Metzler Sporttec M3 120/60-17
Rear Tire: Metzler Sporttec M3 160/60-17
Front Wheels: Aprillia RS125 AF1 Sentesi rear 3x17”
Front Suspension
Parallelogram Double-Wishbone with Floating Rocker Composite Leaf Spring
Wheel Travel: 5” vertical, 29.7” articulating
Wishbones: Laeger Pro-Trax +3+1 (Modified)
Spindles: Laeger Pro-Trax
Hubs: 3 x 144mm pattern
Dampers: Kayaba Oil-Damped Rotary from Suzuki TL1000R
Roll Damper: Scott’s Performance Rotary Steering Damper with HI/LOW speed adjust
Steering Damper: GPR Rotary Steering Damper
Rear Suspension
Top link monoshock swingarm
Wheel Travel: 5.8”
Brakes
Front Brakes: Twin Hydraulic Disk
Rear Brake: Single 245mm Hydraulic Disk
Dimensions
Length: 82.7”
Width: 46”
Wheelbase: 56.7”
Seat Height: 30.3”
Dry Weight: 450 lbs.
Weight Distribution: 60% Front, 40% Rear

Procurement

Wherefore art thou?

Now that the blog is kind of up to the present...

Current project include Pro/E modeling of the rotary damper (a Kayaba piece sourced from a Suzuki TL1000R), making phone calls to California in a desperate attempt to receive a Laeger Pro-Trax front end (we'll be using the spindles, lower arms, tie rods/ends and perhaps bits of the steering stem and upper arms).


Ebay.co.uk promises us Aprillia AF1 rear wheels, which are reportedly just a bit narrow for 140 profile tires. We'll be using 120/XX/17 Metzler Sporttec M3s. They'll match up nicely with the 160 section rear tire, giving us 400mm of rubber on the road, distributed 60/40 front rear (no coincedentally our weight distribution target). They also look sick. The three-bolt wheels will mate up to the Laeger spindles and as-yet-unspec's brakes through custom designed aluminum hubs. We'll Pro/E them up and send them to the machine shop's CNC mill.

Why the 620 Monster?

The project will be based upon a 2002 Ducati Monster 620, which, after much research, was discovered to be the ideal motorcycle upon which to base our initial prototype. A lightweight motorcycle with a low center of gravity, torquey engine and solid chromoly steel trellis frame makes for a solid starting point. The Monster handles well in it's two-wheeled form, and it's air coooled engine keeps front end modifications simple (no radiator relocation headaches). Weight and ride-height are low, while 60hp delivers performance that can take advantage of three-wheeled performance. Plus, team member Rob McIver was willing to make his baby our guinea pig.

Unique and Non-Obvious

While inspired by other vehicle concepts, the Monstrosity 620 promises to be a unique vehicle. With two patent-in-progress front suspension claims, the design has potential to be lighter weight, more compact and more adjustable than competing designs and patents. Relevant patents include:
Three wheeled vehicle (Geir Brudeli)
Leaning supension mechanics (Harley Davidson)
In creating a suspension system based on similar principals, but with significantly different methodologies, the Monstrosity 620 will not be covered by existing patents and will instead create value through intellectual property claims.

Catching Up

The Monstrosity Project was hatched in Fall 2008, inspired by leaning three wheeled vehicles such as the Piaggio MP3 and the Brudeli Tech (based on KTM Duke).

The Piaggio, in particular, has received excellent reviews in the motorcycling press, where it has been heralded for its safety, ease of use, stability and braking power.
Piaggio rider demonstrates impressive cornering angles.Braking is improved with two front wheels.

The Brudeli vehicle also impresses, with video testimony of it's stability and performance on low friction surfaces. These vehicles made our team on motorcycle enthusiasts/engineering students aware of the immense potential of leaning, steer-balanced, three wheeled vehicles. These vehicles exhibit dynamics that are a hybrid of two-wheeled motorcycles and four wheeled ATVs.

Welcome

Welcome to the online home for the Monstrosity 620 trike project, led by Eddie Smith and Rob McIver.