The beauty of single-sided swingarms

[merv]

Weather is crap today so I slept in, had brunch, went down to the shops got back, still in my OK clothes and think no worries, time I put the wheel back on the VFR.

This follows on from any story about Michelin Macadam 100X tyres. Can't get them now so Sparky tells me that Michelin Pilot Road is the way to go. You read on another thread how he was the true gentleman carrying the wheel out to the car for Mrs merv.

So with the single-sided swingarm you just put the wheel back on and bolt it up like putting on a car wheel. No grease on your sleeves from the chain blah blah blah. Sweet!!

Now with the weather being crap I still couldn't be bothered going out to get the WOF - another day for that. Plenty of bikes to choose to ride if I have to even if I have to borrow one of Mrs merv's.

I'll let you know how the new tyre feels and lasts in due course. The 100X were the first tyres I've had on the bike where the front hasn't worn out as quickly as the back so this is the first time I've only replaced one tyre and hope the lack of match is no worries as they are from the same family and close in type. Too tight to throw the front away yet eh!!

[Motu]

But we had QD wheels back in the '50's that were even easier - where did it all go wrong? With my BSA I didn't even need a centre stand - I'd push the bike onto it's side,remove the axle (no tools required,just a tommy bar),lift the wheel out,then lift the bike up again,it sat on the frame rails.One minute max to remove a rear wheel and no tools required.Triumph had the same set up.

Nortons were more like your Honda - 3 bolts held the wheel on after you removed the axle....that was doing it the hard way.

[merv]

The only slight slow down with the VFR compared to the RC45 of the same vintage was they had the left hand muffler. With mine you have to loosen the muffler clamp bolts, which is quick as, and undo the one mount bolt on the right footrest so you can rotate the muffler clear to pull the wheel off. Still they are clean actions compared to dropping a chain off a sprocket on a bike you have to pull the axle out on.

[98tls]

pilot roads are a bloody good tyre....in fact theres one hanging up in the shed thats less than 1/2 worn that will never be used...what size front have you got as you can have this for postage price if you want it...

[limbimtimwim]

And adjusting the chain slack is quicker and there is less pissing around. At least with the Honda arrangement. Can't comment on the other single-sided arrangements.

[98tls]

A guy in the states is making single sided arms for the TL but i cant afford the $1100 US to buy one

[onearmedbandit]

And adjusting the chain slack is quicker and there is less pissing around. At least with the Honda arrangement. Can't comment on the other single-sided arrangements.

Doesn't it affect the ride height though?

[limbimtimwim]

Doesn't it affect the ride height though?

Yes, it does. The size of the hub isn't that large though. So the vertical movement isn't that great.

Take a look at this: http://400greybike.co.uk/Flash/SWINGER_HUB_FINAL2.swf (Requires flash) . It gives a simple explaination.

[onearmedbandit]

Cool, that explains the setup well.

[bladez]

yes single sided swing arms are the way to go going to hunt down a vfr750-800 swing arm for the blade when i can save the money hope to have it looking like this one

[Cajun]

bladez - gary at gp honda here, as a ducati single sided swing arm on his, he as amazing older fireblade here with bits and pieces of all sorts of bikes

[bladez]

bladez - gary at gp honda here, as a ducati single sided swing arm on his, he as amazing older fireblade here with bits and pieces of all sorts of bikes

thanks Cajun added gp honda to fav as always looking for parts

[RiderInBlack]

Yep miss "Verronica's" (my old VFR750 that Warr has now) single-side-swingarm. Only bitch I had with it is that the big fu*ken "special" bearings in it were (ya guess it) fu*ken expensive. Got quite excited when the Honda V5 production bike!!! post here showed a V5 1200 Honda with a single-side-swingarm which clammed to be replacing the Blackbird. Too bad it was not true.