Finally a starting point for the Overland Privateer frame!

After many hours reading and thinking and taking advice from Steve, a friend from Scotland, I have finally settled on a basic frame design.  Of course there will be changes made to suit the Overland concept but the basic main frame layout is my starting point.  If you want to see some most excellent Indian builds and all sorts of other manic things that move on two and four wheels you have to go here: http://strathbranspeedshop.blogspot.com/  I forgot to mention the advice given.  Simply put, the answers to some of my questions would be answered by direct observation if I had the frame which everything was going to be hung from.  Well I paraphrased it but that’s the meat of how I read and understood the advice.  By the way many thanks Steve for your comments and willingness to help this apprentice.

                                           This is reputed to be one of the most original
                                           Crocker factory speedway bikes still around. 
                                           It sold at auction for 140,000 bucks.  I would
                                           dearly love to hear and see this bike in the wild.

The factory Crocker speedway frame is the basic main frame layout I’m going to use.  Several changes that will be made are to have the main down tube run straight to the engine plates.  I don’t have to have the bend for the magneto platform because the JAP magneto runs off the back.  I will also be using a girder fork.  Those are the first changes. 

I very much wish I could get a few measurements from a factory frame. 

The measurements I would be interested in are the tube sizes used for the main triangle and the rear triangle to include the seat post.  I would also like the head tube size and of course the head tube rake and the trail length.  I also would be interested in what the ground clearance is under the engine case and the center axel to center axel wheelbase. 

From reading, observing and research I have a pretty good idea on those numbers.  But not being very creative I like to have some reference points.  Yes I realize it’s sort of odd to be undertaking a creative project and not have a very creative mind with which to see the Privateer in my mind and then execute that image in steel and alloy.

So anybody out there have access to an original Crocker speedway frame?

I have surfed many places on the wild web and looked at many photos from other sources.  The Crocker speedway frame is the one I keep coming back to time after time.  There is something about the basic layout and conformation that presses all the right cycle lust buttons.

Not Justification, Just a Reason

Things have been slow around Kiotee Garage recently because for Helena, Montana winter has finally decided to arrive.  And since winter has been late it’s decided to make up for it by being very fierce.  So that means lots of snow and cold.  With the garage having no heat it’s hard to work outside.  The small things I have been doing are cleaning and filing and pretty much anything that doesn’t require some sort of chemical distillate of petroleum.  The Boss gets a bit cranky when I do that in the basement library.

                                          My Rovers buried in the snow after just about 18
                                          hours of accumulation.  And the temps are in the
                                          single digit Fahrenheit.  Yes I’m old and soft. 

Cleaning Stuff Continues



Trying to make the most of what I have has produced 40 clean and inspected nipples and spokes.  When I took apart the Honda wheel and hub it’s possibly the first time any of the components has been touched since they were all assembled at the factory.  There is still clean up to do on the hub and brake plate, to include some modifications.  And that means a bit more judicious drilling of things in the Overland weight reduction program.

There is still work to be done on the brake plate and the Birmabright surround for the fresh air inlet.  I’m still a bit undecided if cutting a second vent is worth while or not.  Of course the black marker is where the second vent would be.  It seems that I might be spending more time on these hubs than it took Honda to design, manufacture and assemble the hubs and rims at the factory.

ELEGANT

I’m not sure how many people would agree with using that word to describe a motorcycle.  However, I think it’s appropriate.

CONTEMPLATION

Since the new trip around the sun has started the frame design contemplation continues.  Some progress has been made around Kiotee Garage.  As they say it’s all small steps.  One thing I have mulled around in the brain is a tank badge.  Of course the head badge is set, Overland, a model or tank badge would be nice.  I think I snagged this image from ebay in the distant past.  Something like this would be nice to make up in alloy for the tank.  It would be a bit different, which I’m not at all opposed to being.