blueswade Posted February 11, 2013 Share #1 Posted February 11, 2013 (edited) I've used this site many times for help, information, etc, for everything to do with my second gen 2011 Royal Star Venture, awesome bike. Bought this bike when I got back into motorcycling 2 years ago. First I would like to thank everyone that answer questions and make this site just an awesome knowledge base for the Yamaha Venture, first and second generation. I would like to share my winters project with all who are interested. I decided in the late fall I was going to build a trike, researched many kits etc, all to expensive for a winter project. So I decided to do a home build with a 1984 Royale Venture, and the rearend from a 1995 Ford Thunderbird, the results of which I have attached pictures. I got alot of ideas and inspiration from this site. All of you who post. I thank you again, without this knowledge I may not have done what I have. I still have a ways to go, I'm looking for the right rear car body to finish the rearend off, something different, on the lines of a 32 Ford Coupe, something with nice round fenders. Anyway we'll see. Edited February 11, 2013 by blueswade Adding text. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufftom4 Posted February 11, 2013 Share #2 Posted February 11, 2013 Cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hummingbird Posted February 11, 2013 Share #3 Posted February 11, 2013 you definately have many more wrenches than I have - and obviously know how to use them !! Thats quite a project - great progress so far, I can hardly wait to see the cosmetic finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted February 11, 2013 Share #4 Posted February 11, 2013 You are a talented person my friend. It's really looking good. Much more than I would ever attempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dingy Posted February 11, 2013 Share #5 Posted February 11, 2013 Very nice. May need to make one of those in a couple of years. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted February 11, 2013 Share #6 Posted February 11, 2013 Is the shaft brake all the rear brakes? Great job just wondering. I have a Saab rear end...connecting those shafts:think: Have you thought of doing your own fiberglass body?? Great work!! Keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepy2 Posted February 11, 2013 Share #7 Posted February 11, 2013 Very nice work!!!!!!! Wish I had the skill to do that to my 87. Also might be practical in a few years. Also could almost ride all year the way the weather is going in the past few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader Posted February 11, 2013 Share #8 Posted February 11, 2013 I'd love to see close up pics of how the drive shaft was adapted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueswade Posted February 14, 2013 Author Share #9 Posted February 14, 2013 Is the shaft brake all the rear brakes? Great job just wondering. I have a Saab rear end...connecting those shafts:think: Have you thought of doing your own fiberglass body?? Great work!! Keep us posted. Hey Yammer Dan, right now the shaft drive brake is the only brake, will see how it works out when I can get her out in the spring. And yes to the fiberglass work, I want to do something different then the other trikes you see out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueswade Posted February 14, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted February 14, 2013 I'd love to see close up pics of how the drive shaft was adapted. A couple pics, took it to a local machine shop, they cut it down and inserted a round puck like piece, then drilled the center out to fit the original shaft from the bike, then welded them together, drilled and tapped for the set screws on the outside of the drive shaft. I had it done this way for easy removal, when the set screws are out, the puck like piece slides back inside the shaft, so I can get it out of the bike U joint, then drop it down off the oringinal Ford rearend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongobobny Posted February 14, 2013 Share #11 Posted February 14, 2013 Outstanding!!! I would love to see it in person some time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted February 14, 2013 Share #12 Posted February 14, 2013 WOW!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus1300 Posted February 14, 2013 Share #13 Posted February 14, 2013 Maybe you could get a Legends race car body in a style that would work for you. Beautiful work BTW on your conversion.I was wondering why you didn't use the brakes already on the rear end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rounce Posted February 22, 2013 Share #14 Posted February 22, 2013 Say, did you use the original swing arm or did you make a new one? I bought a project trike ( 83 venture) and I have been thinking of putting the backend on an 87 venture. The rear axel ( ford 7 1/2 is attached ) to the original swingarm but I am not sure that this is a viable solution. Comments? I am not trying to hijack your thread I am hoping to follow yours with great interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HGWT Posted March 8, 2013 Share #15 Posted March 8, 2013 I was wondering how the angularity of the drive shaft turns out. As the folks at Motor Trike and Tri-wing have rotated the 7.5 ford rear bell housing 180 degrees to obtain the proper angularity of the drive shaft to minimize vibration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragtop69gs Posted March 8, 2013 Share #16 Posted March 8, 2013 I was wondering how the angularity of the drive shaft turns out. As the folks at Motor Trike and Tri-wing have rotated the 7.5 ford rear bell housing 180 degrees to obtain the proper angularity of the drive shaft to minimize vibration. I think that as long as the angle of both joints are the same and phased correctly, vibration should not be a problem as long as the assembly was balanced correctly. Vertical travel is minimal so angles should not change much with extension and compression of the suspension. Correct suspension geometry will keep the angles pretty much static. I have a program that allows you to plug in differing setups (3 link vs. 4 link) and see how it effects driveline angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueswade Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share #17 Posted March 31, 2013 Maybe you could get a Legends race car body in a style that would work for you. Beautiful work BTW on your conversion.I was wondering why you didn't use the brakes already on the rear end? Sorry for the late response, but I was in Florida for a few weeks with my second gen venture. The brakes on the rearend needed to be completely redone, and I wanted to be able to use the stock venture brake caliper. I can still put the Ford rear brakes on any time. Another reason is the trike frame I built can totally be removed with eight grade 8 bolts, and the two swing arm connectors that I had lock nuts made for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueswade Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share #18 Posted March 31, 2013 Say, did you use the original swing arm or did you make a new one? I bought a project trike ( 83 venture) and I have been thinking of putting the backend on an 87 venture. The rear axel ( ford 7 1/2 is attached ) to the original swingarm but I am not sure that this is a viable solution. Comments? I am not trying to hijack your thread I am hoping to follow yours with great interest. No problem, I removed the original swingarm completely, and made solid arms coming back to the thunderbird rearend, which I welded in place, and with braces etc. So the bike frame and ford rearend are joined as one, the only movement is in the independant suspension, and of course the front forks for suspension. This allowed me to make up a drive shaft that stays at the same angle all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueswade Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share #19 Posted March 31, 2013 I think that as long as the angle of both joints are the same and phased correctly, vibration should not be a problem as long as the assembly was balanced correctly. Vertical travel is minimal so angles should not change much with extension and compression of the suspension. Correct suspension geometry will keep the angles pretty much static. I have a program that allows you to plug in differing setups (3 link vs. 4 link) and see how it effects driveline angle. As I mentioned in another post, the bike frame and Ford rearend are connected together as one now, so the only suspension movement is at each rear wheel. I had the bike out yesterday for a trial run ( still snow here but it's slowly leaving), the ride was awesome, very smooth in the rear, it was a little rough up front with the original Venture forks. I don't know if this bike has had the progressive springs put in or not, and I'm unsure of the condition of the fork oil etc. Will have to investigate that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dacheedah Posted April 9, 2013 Share #20 Posted April 9, 2013 doing an awesome job, how is it going?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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