Race shift pattern

[erik]

I've converted the bike over to a race shift pattern.

I had to make a longer, bent pushrod to clear the footpeg bracket when the front lever is attached upside down.

To do it properly would require a bit of steel rod with M6 and reverse M6 threads on each end. But I thought I'd have a go at making one with a turnbuckle and threaded rod from Mitre10.



It worked for a few days and survived a ride down SH22 before the turnbuckle broke while commuting home from work.



Next go I asked my boss to weld the M6 reverse thread from the turnbuckle to the threaded rod. That worked, but the M6 rod was too flexible to be used with a bend in it.

So I got my hands on some stainless steel and last weekend had a go on the lathe at work, trying to cut a thread on each end. I spent all day saturday and only succeeded in blunting the threading tool and getting a sore back.
I thought maybe the stainless was too hard, so found a piece of plain steel and went back that saturday evening for more. I gave up and went home after I snapped the carbide tool insert...

I googled for thread cutting guides and found out you have to use the thread dial indicator to get it to start cutting the thread in the same place ( when I did a brief test before my first attemp at cutting the thread, it seemed like it cut at the same place by itself, but now I know that was just luck) and that you're supposed to put the top slide at a 29° angle.

I ordered another insert on thursday, it arrived friday. But the tip radius was too big for an M6 thread. I stopped by at chevpac on the way to a ride yesterday morning (saturday) because I thought I'd ordered the wrong insert, but that was the only one they had for that tool. So I thought I'd try sharpening a piece of tool steel to the right shape.

So after the ride, I went to work again and had another go and it worked! I did the left hand thread first. When I did the right hand thread, I thought I'd cut it deep enough, but when I removed it from the lathe, found out I hadn't. I've got to get myself a decent tap and die set, but I had a cheap chinese one that was good enough to tidy up the thread. That was at about 7pm and I was glad I didn't have to start all over...



Anyway, I've bent it and fitted it to the bike, it seems to be plenty stiff enough. Now I just have to relearn that up is down and down is up.



Plus I'm happy I've learned to cut threads on a lathe. It's great working at a place with tools you can use.

[boomer]

nice work Eric, you learnt a bit there by the looks of it.

i changed mine back on friday night after trying to commute for a week in race shift. i had two fucks ups, once coming to a stop i banged it down into what i thought was first, set of from the t junction to go right and lent the bike as i gave it some gas only for it to stall and me to nearly loose my balance... i was in 6th.

had some other fun at lights where i've filtered to the front and bogged down on green cos i was in any gear other than one that would make me move...

i'm sure with some more practice i'd of gotten the hang of it but i'm still learnin this bike.. i'm sure you'll have much more success !

have fun !

[Kickaha]

Just out of curiosity why would you wont to run race pattern?

[erik]

Just out of curiosity why would you wont to run race pattern?

Because I think it's a better setup, it makes it easier to change up when exiting corners and encourages you to change down before entering the corner. I want to do more trackdays in the future and think it'll help there.

I just about never ride other bikes, so I probably won't have to switch between patterns much.

Unlike when I tried switching to dvorak on the keyboard... it was ok at home but I had to use the computers at uni all the time... It was easier to just stick with qwerty and I can type faster than I can think what to type most of the time anyway.

Anyway, it's fun to give it a go. The only downside I noticed was it's a little more difficult to change down gears when coming to a stop at an intersection.

[Brian d marge]

I hate stainless

it IS easy to work with once you know the tricks , like how to sharpen the tools , to cut stainless , but for me its a oain , ,,,it work hardens and the tool just skates and goes blunt ,,,,

I tried to cut a hole in some , for a chop I made years ago... put a rag under the drill and away we went ,,,ok for a few sec then the thing work hardened and ,,it was all aver

so I thought brute force might win ......

I did get the hole through ,,,but I straightened a few drills in the process ..the got so hot then the helix straightened out ,,,, heeee hawwww and thank the lord for chineese drill bits !!]]]

Stephen

[Sketchy_Racer]

Yep stainless can be a bitch.

But is oh so awesome once its machining correctly and giving a beauty finish!

Nice project, and nice stuff on learning to cut threads on the lathe. Did you teach yourself to do it, or did someone else show you how??

Either way, impressive

[jonbuoy]

I don't find stainless that bad as long as you keep it slow, a few drops of rapid tap make a world of difference.

[erik]

Yep stainless can be a bitch.

But is oh so awesome once its machining correctly and giving a beauty finish!

Nice project, and nice stuff on learning to cut threads on the lathe. Did you teach yourself to do it, or did someone else show you how??

Either way, impressive

I taught myself with help from guides on the net, particularly the stuff on this site:
http://mini-lathe.org.uk/threading1.shtml

The pushrod I've made was just out of steel, I got it finished and reckon it'll do, it's zinc coated or something and the ends will probably stay greasy enough to slow the rust down.

[Tim 39]

has it got a lot harder to change gear since you did that? because to my knowkedge with the leverage between the gearlever and the spline will be stuffed up (the gearlever will be trying to push the spline in the wrong direction slightly now)
just a thought...

[sAsLEX]

Just out of curiosity why would you wont to run race pattern?

Makes upshifts easier on the bikes I have done it too, have to move the foot less. Leant over or not. Generally can downshift at a more relaxed pace anyways.

[erik]

has it got a lot harder to change gear since you did that? because to my knowkedge with the leverage between the gearlever and the spline will be stuffed up (the gearlever will be trying to push the spline in the wrong direction slightly now)
just a thought...

Nah, no more difficult. The bend in the pushrod just lets it clear the footrest bracket, it still acts like a straight pushrod and the angles between the levers and the line of action of the pushrod are close enough to 90° to work fine.

[Kickaha]

Makes upshifts easier on the bikes I have done it too, have to move the foot less. Leant over or not. Generally can downshift at a more relaxed pace anyways.

I've used both, used race shift for a couple of seasons and now I run road pattern, cant tell bugger all difference between them as far as making it easier to upshift

[roadracingoldfart]

I hate reverse pattern. Its just such an asshole if you ride instinctivly as i do and it took far too much attention away from the actual racing thing.
however, it was nowhere near as hard as riding a mates reverse pattern right foot Norton racer. That was just a fuckin mess and i dont know how the gearbox coped with what i put it through lol .

[sAsLEX]

I hate reverse pattern. Its just such an asshole if you ride instinctivly as i do and it took far too much attention away from the actual racing thing.
however, it was nowhere near as hard as riding a mates reverse pattern right foot Norton racer. That was just a fuckin mess and i dont know how the gearbox coped with what i put it through lol .

It took me a few days to learn but now it is instinctive to me. And swapping to a mates normal bike is no problem, just a quick check before I take off and its fine.

[Brian d marge]

When I first rode my Ducati single ,,,back in the day ! ,,, hammering round the north circular down dulwich way ,,, Snicked it up a gear ,,,, and nose job on the front fender ,,,,

took mongo ere a few weeks to learn


Eric ,,, grab a lump of stainless , 8mm drill in drill press , centre punch and a rag under the drill ,, to get it to bite .... then Just haul away ,,,, dont worry about the smoke , the sounds or anything else for that matter ... the drill will go red and if its a cheapy chinese drill bit ,,,, as soon as it hits snag ,,,, BAM it with stop and the flutes will straighten

Next I will show you how to fix delicate equipment with very little Knowledge , shit loads of alcohol and any tool that are with in reach

Stephen