Cutting up a Diamond Back for a Cyclone 3000 build

[Jim Day]

I still need to weld out the head tube (I'm really low on Argon right now), add a few pieces for the battery and controller, then paint it.

Here's a photoshop mock up of the battery position which should be to scale. I made the frame section angles to perfectly match the 72V battery pack.


I've been taking a bunch of build pics, bending, clamping, welding etc.. If you like I could write up full build sections where I go through it in detail and explain how I did it and why I made the choices I made.

[Arboh]

Awesome. Would love to read the details. Would love to have your shop !

[JPLabs]

I'm so excited to see you working on an aluminum bicycle frame and explaining the fabrication!

I'm a 'hobby fabricator' and I do TIG aluminum, CroMo, Silicon brazing, etc, but I didn't ever dare tackle an aluminum bicycle frame mod, yet anyway. I figured I'd weaken the frame so much near my welds that it wouldn't be reliable. I have an old Specialized aluminum kid's mtn bike which is begging to be a testbed for such work. So I'd love more info on your fabrication process, filler used, any process tips, etc...

A few others here are similarly excited by naked metal pics. Enough of us to hopefully make it worthwhile for you. So, yes, please share as much as you are willing, I'll soak it all up!

I LOVE your BMW, above. Here's a 'Retro Enduro' I built a couple years back, which you might appreciate. It was almost certainly a lot less involved than your BMW. It's my vision for what my beloved 1974 DT250 might have evolved into, if it were still made today:



Apologies for going slightly off-topic, but your BMW was so beautiful, I wanted to share mine with you. The aesthetic goal was similar for both of us, I think.

EDIT: Found your BMW build thread. Yup, way more involved, and with more sophisticated engineering, than what I did. Kudos!

[FatMarty]

Looks real strong now Jim.
Have you been able to check the chain line yet?
Just curious if the Luna Eclipse will fit, etc.
...Okay seen last picture and see it's a Cyclone and you have already fitted it with the frame...

You guys are going to powder coat that...it's going to be sweet.

[Jim Day]

Apologies for going slightly off-topic, but your BMW was so beautiful, I wanted to share mine with you.!

That's a really nice bike. That looks like a YZ Kayaba fork and you modded the rear swingarm as well. Just curious but what shock did you use? Do you post at ADV? Talk about being on the same page, I'd love to see your build thread.

Here's another one you might like. It's my daily ride a modded 1975 R75/6.

More of a vintage bobber scrambler...

We are running the same front wheel and brake, but my fork is the next generation Kayaba off a 2004 YZ450F and it's been shortened 2.5 inches internally in the cartridge. The rear shock is a Showa for a R1100RT. I built my own swingarm, driveshaft and designed my own suspension to match it. I think the rear has around 200mm of travel, more then a BMW GS or PD. With that bike I can ride all day at 75+ on the freeway, take it at speed through the twisties then jump offroad and even ride single track. It's still huge, 750cc, and heavy but it's my favorite ride in L.A. because it's pothole immune.

[Jim Day]

EDIT: Found your BMW build thread. Yup, way more involved, and with more sophisticated engineering, than what I did. Kudos!

Ha Ha..... Found your pics on photobucket. I was trying to figure out how you did that rear fender.

Small world!!!

I'm seeing some similarities here:




So I got to ask.....

On the 2004 fork the cartridge is pinned so it in theory can't be taken apart. However you can drill them out without disturbing the threads, and get it apart

Is it the same on the earlier fork, or can you take it apart without the drilling.

Also what tool did you use to turn it out? I made mine:




Sorry for the thread jack everyone. I'm actually stunned. I don't know anyone else whose even taken apart one of those forks much less modded one.

[JPLabs]

Thanks for the compliments. Glad you found my build pics, and enjoyed them. Hilarious that you have the same photos of your fork mods, matching mine.

Yes, that fork was tricky to figure out! I did need to drill a pinned or upset area to get that cap off the fork cartridge. Just a couple of 1/4" dimples drilled out of the tube, carefully so as not to go too deep, if I recall correctly.

Your scrambler is sweet, too. Again, great visual impression. And uniquely functional. Just excellent.

I don't have a build thread for mine. Kind of wish I had done one, just to help me remember it. I'm not on any motorcycle forums either. I read ADV when it comes up in my search results, that's about it. I'll check it out more closely.

Here's the thing, though. This was my first motorcycle build, and it was relatively simple. My approach really was less sophisticated than yours. You redesigned your suspension. New geometry, new parts. I mostly dropped the bike lower, keeping stock geometry, so the kinematics are not ideal. I actually didn't mod my swingarm, or the shock mount, or the headset angle. You are on a whole 'nother level with your bikes, intentionally changing kinematics for what you want, instead of taking what you get, like I did.

I reduced travel on front and rear, with a light, cut spring in front. The rear spring is untouched, just less preload setting to drop it. So the bike is lower and stiffer than the donor, by quite a bit. It operates further into progression of geometry on rear, so that end is stiffer as well. Ride is on the firm side, handling quite good, but it can get a little uncomfortable on chatterbumps and such. The suspension is not what I would consider 'dialed in' for bumps. Decent, way better than an actual DT250, but not as good as I'd like it to be. I'm still playing with oil level and viscosity. The dual-rate compression valving of my shock spends too much time in the 'firm' region intended for hard hits, seeming to almost never operate in the soft region.

My fork and shock are both from the 2001 WR250F donor.

For a cartridge wrench tool, I cut 4 notches out of a piece of pipe and welded a T-handle onto it. That let me remove the '+' shaped cap. I used the same tool to hold the cartridge while it was still inside the fork tube, to get the Allen bolts out of the bottom.

[Jim Day]

Awesome. Would love to read the details. Would love to have your shop !

Thanks!! I'll write something up.

[Jim Day]

Looks real strong now Jim. Have you been able to check the chain line yet? Just curious if the Luna Eclipse will fit, etc. ...Okay seen last picture and see it's a Cyclone and you have already fitted it with the frame... You guys are going to powder coat that...it's going to be sweet.

Appreciate it. Yeah it's the Cyclone. It's all lined up in theory but I can also adjust some things to get it perfect. I'm fitting all that stuff today so I can make the side bash plates to protect the motor and add the supports for the battery.

I think we are going with sprayed automotive. Gary is going to be using this pretty seriously in the back country and I want something we can easily touch up.. He wants something inconspicuous offroad, so the red though pretty is too bright. I'm pushing for a dark Brown or British racing green.

[Arboh]

It has to be BRG. That would look so good !

[Jim Day]

It has to be BRG. That would look so good !

I really like BRG but it might be a little bright. I'm leaning towards RAL 6020 Chrome Green.

[Bubblehide]

Okay, Jim has a shop to run, so my project hasn't gone along at the fastest pace. I've also been trying to get Jim to post of some pics of the progress, but he's been a bit too busy with a new girlfriend, that just happens to sound like an exceptional match, (Once again Jim, I am so happy for you, both of you actually). So, I thought I would post up a few pics of the latest stage of the bike, for those that are interested. But Jim should be coming back to the thread pretty soon and explain it all for those that want that info (it's his area of expertise, so I know he can do much better than I).

[Jim Day]

...... he's been a bit too busy with a new girlfriend, that just happens to sound like an exceptional match...

She's exceptional... I'm just the lucky guy that gets to hang out with her.

[Jim Day]

So sorry for the lack of updates.scenario.

Here's some pics of where I'm at right now.


Chain ring side bash plate. You can see the rear battery support, and controller position.

Down tube Bash plate rightside full length.

Motor bash plate left side. (I consider these to be sacrificial)
Bash plate and down tube left (note the opening for power cable routeing in front of the forward battery stop, all wires form the front will run under the battery.)

Battery Position with my initial enclosure (there are still some minor refinements I'll be doing to the enclosure)

As you can see the down tube has been converted twin arm motocross type to give him more protection but also more space for the battery and motor, yet (and this is important) it keeps the frames original size with the profile of the frame the remaining same. (stealth factor) The new structure connects at the two fixed (non flexible) points of the frame at the head tube and bottom bracket but leaves the rest of the frame to flex under load like a normal frame. There is one piece not visible there: a plate that goes behind that center support in front of the motor on top of the twin down tubes. It locks the support for the battery in place without it being directly connecting it the down tubes. It will protect the motor wiring, and create a stop to hold the battery in place while allowing the top tube to freely flex independently.

So the next step is to go into the controller and remove everything I do not need. I'll rewire/wire it. Assemeble the full bike and test it before painting. Basically I want it running before painting in case I need to do any changes. So that is where I'm at right now.

[Bubblehide]

Hey Jim, here is one, but I don't think it is going to be much help: https://www.electricbike.com/cyclone...-build-report/

I'll keep looking for more.

Here is another: http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/...ing-the-cyclon

http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/knowledge-base/motors-and-kits/cyclone-3000w/17262-cyclone-wiring-video

http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/knowledge-base/motors-and-kits/cyclone-3000w/14214-cadence-sensor-and-e-brake-sensor-installation

This is on the Cycle Analyst, I bought the newer version, so this is the old version: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=h...e_V223_Web.pdf

Most of these above came from here: http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/.../cyclone-3000w

Jim, I am sure your aware, but just in case, I bought the PAS, pedal assist sensor, and an e-brake cutoff that need to be wired in, in addition to the kit components.

[Jim Day]

Hey Jim, here is one, but I don't think it is going to be much help: https://www.electricbike.com/cyclone...-build-report/

I'll keep looking for more.

Here is another: http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/...ing-the-cyclon

http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/knowledge-base/motors-and-kits/cyclone-3000w/17262-cyclone-wiring-video

http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/knowledge-base/motors-and-kits/cyclone-3000w/14214-cadence-sensor-and-e-brake-sensor-installation

This is on the Cycle Analyst, I bought the newer version, so this is the old version: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=h...e_V223_Web.pdf

Most of these above came from here: http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/.../cyclone-3000w

Jim, I am sure your aware, but just in case, I bought the PAS, pedal assist sensor, and an e-brake cutoff that need to be wired in, in addition to the kit components.

Thanks Gary: looks pretty straight forward.