Billet top triple clamp,

[durgam_K]

Hey guys. Im a CNC machinist at a shop here near Lansing Mi. Ive been doing it for about 15 years now. I have made everything from rear sets to forward controls, and most in between, for a few custom bikes.

I want to make a new Billet triple clamp for XS650's. I want to get some preliminary feedback before i go further, as there are some questions i have as far as people's wants. I want to make these to appeal to the masses, and eventually, sell.

Here's a couple things that i believe will be a majority deceision rather easily.
1. 35mm forks
2. maintain rubber dampening holes for bar mounts

Next, the top clamp has about a 1 inch drop from the top of the tree, to the top of the fork clamp area. If I copy this idea, it will increase cost to machine,(take longer), and will increase material cost. (thicker ) However, this will maintain stock handling characteristics.

If I make the clamp without that vertical offset, (flat) the material will be thinner, and faster to machine. ie...Cheaper. But when doing this, the forks will have to be slid up in the lower, to match the top clamp. This will decrease the rake angle, shorten the trail, and lower ground clearance a little, but, Give the bike a sharper turn in.
In the next day or so, i will draw up the rake and trail differences to get real world numbers. Nothing wil be drastic. Its the same scenario as putting a 3/4 inch longer shock on the rear. (ground clearance issue of course ) And the handling greatly improved!!

Another idea is, on my personal bike build in progress, I am running a MikesXS Tach, and speedo. I am incorporating a "dash" if you will, into the top clamp. This can be an option later on for guys with full on custom builds. PLease, Give any and all feedback you feel necessary.
Thanks, Kris

 

[hutch08]

Most guys with hardtails, or custom frames have to lower the front forks 2" to level out the frame. Your clamps would be a great option to clean up the front end, only have to lower the forks 1" , maintaining a little more travel.

I was searching everywhere for billet clamps when I started my build... If you were making them then I would have bought a set for sure, I ended up shaving off all the tabs and smoothing them out.

Make them, and they will sell...

 

[durgam_K]

Heres my 3D model of my Katana Upper with the integrated gage holes.

 

[TwoJugs]

I think the flat version would be good. Like said, many opt to lower the front end. Some slide the fork tubes into the upper clamps before tightening to do that. Yours is there already. I dont see the rake being changed if you keep the same dimension between fork centers and pivot stem. Handling should remain very simlar. When it comes to some of the bikes builders often sacrafice features in exchange for cool looks. I would plan on providing a few tabs to attach gages too. They can always be removed the the customer or yourself if not needed. Look around and you will fins others already selling these and the prices are fair on some. Good luck with it and keep us informed on the progress.

 

[bobber bill]

I would definitely buy a flat one. ditch the gauge holes though, not everyone will want the same gauges.

 

[Travis]

I think the big question is how much will they cost?

 

[durgam_K]

Ill look closer at how factory gages are mounted. The ability to mount your factory stuff, would be greatly appreciated im sure. Good Point!!!

The dimension from your fork centerline, to the neck centerline, is the 'Offset'. That wont change, as this will only be a top clamp, and will have to match the bottom. But,as you slide your forks up or down in the tubes, your final rake angle does change a little.

 

[durgam_K]

Should be under $100. Im pricing out material now. 1 inch thick stock large enough is around $18 per piece. Thats in bar form. Cutting is no big deal, but material places charge like $5 per cut. Rediculous!!!

 

[Travis]

That sounds like a hell of a deal for a part with a low-volume run and that much machining. So are these just purely for aesthetic purposes or are there benefits over the stock design?

 

[durgam_K]

Billet aluminum is always stronger than Cast or forged. They may be a little lighter, but not enough to be significant. Along with being flat, they allow you to raise your tubes, without looking odd. But Mostly for asthetics right now. I may work on an aluminum lower too. But the lower takes a lot more stresses, than the upper, and is welded into the neck. I have thought about pins and or plates to help secure the stem in place. but thats a ways out.

 

[TwoJugs]

Maybe you can leave a section solid in the front that will allow it to be drilled and tapped. Then you can offer part 2, a dash option that holds 2 gages, 1 gage, or blank. If you made it with a bend to allow the gages to face the driver instead of the typical flat installation that makes the gages harder to see, that would be a nice touch. You can offer one for a stock gage mount system and another that accepts the common 2" stainless gages with holes set for a drop in installation. An area for a few flush LEDs that the user can wire in as needed and you got something. Some cafe, road racers use a larger Tach with a smaller diameter Speedo too. A Voltmeter space is always welcome too. Bend up a piece of 3/16 aluminum and give it the burnish treatment!

 

[gggGary]

hmm I like the idea, I am pretty cheap though. Are you going to hollow out the bottom?
I would tend to think a simple triangle with rounded corners and two fork holes and the stem hole, lightening recesses in the bottom and let em do the rest themselves. one of these to fit the XS750 forks would be cool too. Those are a rather popular cafe choice and the 750 forks are longer anyways.

 

[pumps]

Mine's not custom other than polished but I could see a guy installing aftermarket gauge or gauges and it would be cool if you could , as the customer ordered it, make the hole the right size for the gauges he has in mind? Does that make sense?. I do have my tube slid up into the trees as I have lowered mine a little along with shorter shocks. Sounds to me like you could sell some.

 

[durgam_K]

The insde will be hollowed out a bit for weight. Ill get the underside of my 3D model posted up tomorrow. I figure that if somebody wants to go this far with a custom bike, he's not looking to keep things as original as possible, but its always nice to keep your original gages, for mileage purposes.
It should be easy to add some bosses with tapped holes underneath for stock gages. Or for my own design of a bent gage plate as mentioned earlier. Ive seen those on ebay already, to fit on a stock upper, but with Mikes standard 2 1/4" mini gages. Pretty neat, and priced right too.

 

[durgam_K]

Heres the ones that I have seen before. Pretty nice work.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/XS65...5681437QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I just went and looked at my upper tree, and it will be real easy to add mounting holes/bosses for stock gauges. I can easily do 2 different styles as well if necessary. Stock setups are rubber mounted plates. I may opt to not mess with the rubber mount aspect, and just have them be hard mounted to the clamp. Another touch, is maybe to thin out a section in the middle for an ignithion, or add tapped holes underneath for your stock unit. Lots of options here. Ill start the design process tomorrow.

what year did they go to 35mm forks? 1975 or 76?

 

[atomic22]

I'm very interested in seeing what your final product is.

 

[ecmo92]

what, no love for us guys with the 34mm?

 

[durgam_K]

34MM will come dont worry.

I went to look at my father in laws 73', and it has a 35mm front end on it. We bought the bike as a non runner, and built a sweet chopper out of it, so the forks could not be original. Or Are they???

Should have done this before posting but... Mikesxs shows 35mm forks coming for 77 MY. I guess ill do 34mm around the same time!!!

 

[jackstraw650]

Newbie here......first of all, I really like the triple clamp idea you have and that is certainly a great price.......but I'm kind of confused about a couple of things. How would you mount regular handlebars[non clip ons]? Regarding the instrument cut out holes....wouldn't it be hard to see your tach and speedo with them dropped down in those holes? Also, with them being on such a flat angle relative to the rider, wouldn't they be hard to see unless your riding position canted you forward like on a cafe bike? I would think that it might be especially hard for the chopper guys with their low seat heights and steep fork angles. The bracket idea someone mentioned would be a good idea.....you could angle them back and forth to suit any build style......
Just a thought......

 

[durgam_K]

Welcome Jack, The model i posted is for my personal build, in which im running a cafeseat, and clip-ons, so Ill be pretty close to them. Thats why Ill leave it up to the buyer. Maybe the one with Gauge cut outs, can be the Cafe model, or just the plain one can be the Cafe model. Not sure at this point. I can do up a couple different models, but if i get stretched too thin, the price will go up. Because, if i can only sell one or 2 a year of a certain model, than its not efficient to make them.

But, I do plan on putting the same bar mount holes in mine, as in the stock ones. That way riders can use their factory rubber dampening mounts, to keep out vibration.

Most likely what Ill have, is a:
Stock replacement model,
Cafe Model A, with nothing extra, but some tapped hole underneath, And
Cafe Model B, with some sort of Gauge holes, similar to the one I posted.
Its still early in the development process.