Introducing Rocinante

[coachgeo]

well Rocinante (Dag) has done upgraded again.  Gone to a 21" front tire.



see:"

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthre ... 2&page=209


I've asked him to answer a few questions here since this is more of a thread on his mods while the ADVRider thread is a pic posting thread.

ok... next post... the questions

[coachgeo]

Dag,

I'm watching your progress close cause

1. I need to lighten the bike cause:

a.  Im one skinny son of a bitch at 150lb (tooth pick legs)

b. I'm putting an even heavier engine on the bike (3cyl diesel lump)

c. weight reducing mods mean less physical conditioning I have to do just to lift her up if I drop her  :oops:  (lazy sons of bitch I am  8)  )

Most of my use will be as a commuter bike.   BUT.... when I do offroad I want to be able to OFF ROAD and not just do nearly paved hard packed roads.  Im a former Jeeper/Unimoger and consider  fire and powerline trails,  as off the beaten path.  Offroad is cow trails, jeep trails etc.  Yes I know it can't be a DIRT BIKE so it will be not technical cow/jeep trails.

soooo... with that in mind,  your tire size change, will it help at all steering wise street and or trail for a lighter rider who can not exert as much steering force as a larger built person.

[Rocinante]

Dag,

I'm watching your progress close cause

1. I need to lighten the bike cause:

a.  Im one skinny son of a bitch at 150lb (tooth pick legs)

b. I'm putting an even heavier engine on the bike (3cyl diesel lump)

c. weight reducing mods mean less physical conditioning I have to do just to lift her up if I drop her  :oops:  (lazy sons of bitch I am  8)  )

Most of my use will be as a commuter bike.   BUT.... when I do offroad I want to be able to OFF ROAD and not just do nearly paved hard packed roads.  Im a former Jeeper/Unimoger and consider  fire and powerline trails,  as off the beaten path.  Offroad is cow trails, jeep trails etc.  Yes I know it can't be a DIRT BIKE so it will be not technical cow/jeep trails.

soooo... with that in mind,  your tire size change, will it help at all steering wise street and or trail for a lighter rider who can not exert as much steering force as a larger built person.

I'm by no means an expert in these matters, but I know that going up to 21 inches front tyre, you'll have a much more stable front through rough stuff.

Replacing the original exhaust could save you 9-10 kg, depending of course what exhaust you're planning for on a diesel (diesel, really?).

That's a good start.

[coachgeo]

...
Replacing the original exhaust could save you 9-10 kg, depending of course what exhaust you're planning for on a diesel (diesel, really?).

Will have to make an exhaust manifold so will plan to take it to a single tube.  Put a tool tube in place of opposite side I guess.

[davidfrench]

Very nice work.
I've been following you and PAtrick on adv and I'm really coming to the idea of searching the perfect Steamer to start and off-road conversion like yours.

May I ask you what was your budget (except the bike) ?

Thanks

Cheers

D.

[Rocinante]

Very nice work.
I've been following you and PAtrick on adv and I'm really coming to the idea of searching the perfect Steamer to start and off-road conversion like yours.

May I ask you what was your budget (except the bike) ?

Thanks

Cheers

D.

Well, mine was the poor mans work compared to Patrick. While he had www.motobau.com to do the work, I did it in the garage. He opted for a racing ready bike with perfection in all the details. I opted for a prototype gravel seeker based on all the very nice ideas he and Motobau came up with.

So far I think mine has cost me about 2500-3000 Euro(remember Norway is high cost though), much if which is in the exhaust which alone was 850 Euro. The rest is used parts, paint, new handlebars, footpegs (Mustang), and lots of bits and pieces laying around in the garage.

A lot of work remains, because at the moment it definitely is a prototype.
- The seat still needs to fit better in the front
- Paint. The whole bike will get new paint this winter, which includes a lot of work on the plastic. I believe there´s a spot down on the left side which hasn´t got a scratch.:)
- Engine covers need a paint job
- Cylinder head will be replaced (nothing to do with the rebuild though)
- Rear wheel to 18 inches, 17 at current
- Lower footpegs further, 1 or 2 cm. I´m almost two meters tall.
- Replace the original instrument with a Sixo all-in-one instrument from Motobau. This includes a lot of goodies. Check their website.
- Make a new aluminum bracket for the gps
- I might add a couple of lights up front to increase daytime visibility. After the crash this summer that seems sensible.
- Plastic side panels under the saddle need to be either made to fit better or custom made.

I plan to do all this in the garage and it should be too expensive, but the main challenge is to fit the work in with the ever more delayed and half done house extension....:roll: Not to mention that I am used to the prototype and lazy when it comes to the details.

This is how it looks now, after a crash a few weeks ago and with a new home made screen:

[davidfrench]

Hi Dag and thanks for your quick answer !
sorry to hear about the crash, I saw your post.
we share a couple of things in common... I'm 2meters too, and photographer !
Yes Patrick's bike use an inverted fork and I don't think I'll go that far.
I'm looking now for the Steamers available at a good price.
Keep in touch

Cheers

D.

[Rocinante]

I saw your post.
we share a couple of things in common... I'm 2meters too, and photographer !

Hey, we could be a small club of tall, customized Tiger riding photographers...:)