Featherbed: Twin vs Manx, handling, weight, etc

Nigel the biggest v change tomy Seeley happened when I reduced the yoke offset. I am now able to ride it much faster in corners than many others.
 
A while back I stuffed up when talking about frame rake. I think I now remember what they are.
Seeley 30
Manx 24.5
Tz Yamaha 26
Manx has 19 inch wheels. Impossible to get more trail
 
acotrel said:
A while back I stuffed up when talking about frame rake. I think I now remember what they are.
Seeley 30
Manx 24.5
Tz Yamaha 26
Manx has 19 inch wheels. Impossible to get more trail
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Can't you change any of the suspension or wheel components on a Manx to get more or less rake, offset, or trail, like any other motorcycle in the world? Seems to me like you could.

Maybe my Featherbed with 18" wheels and less fork offset doesn't exist? That would be a bummer to have spent so much time and money on something that works really well for me but doesn't actually exist. That darn thing some people call "reality" really sucks sometimes.
 
acotrel said:
You v v cannot easily do that with a featherbed.
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Why not? I did it, and I'm a dummy. No harder than any other motorcycle on the planet, or am I actually a genius? My school teachers might disagree with an affirmative answer to that question, and I've got the documentation to prove it.
 
acotrel said:
A good Manx is hard to beat on any circuit. A Seeley 920 should be faster and cheaper
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Well, a racing pigeon would have faster acceleration than a Seeley 920, but a nitro methane burning drag car would be faster still!! And a spaceship would beat them all! Let's get spaceships!

Oh wait, I guess we were talking about Manx Nortons, not birds, Seeley 920s, drag cars, or spaceships. Nevermind.
 
Of no intrest here, Norton already did make a different yolk from the norm, it was a different offset for sidecar use.
Shouldn't be too difficult if yo have the engineers knowhow to make an adjustable one, they do it on some G.P. bikes.

acotrel said:
You v v cannot easily do that with a featherbed.t
Click to expand...
 
acotrel said:
A while back I stuffed up when talking about frame rake. I think I now remember what they are.
Seeley 30
Manx 24.5
Tz Yamaha 26
Manx has 19 inch wheels. Impossible to get more trail
Click to expand...
I would question that, you could easily make a pair of yolks that extended forward, in order to put more trail onto the wheel.
Not sure if anybody has ever done it.
 
Bernhard said:
I would question that, you could easily make a pair of yolks that extended forward, in order to put more trail onto the wheel.
Not sure if anybody has ever done it.
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Norton yokes are slightly more complicated due to the taper of the top of the fork tubes and the thin bottom yoke, but not that difficult if you've got the skills to build something to keep your chin off the ground.

And, more offset = less trail = less stable. The trail dimension is measured from the point the steering axis hits the ground, backward along the ground, to right below the front axle. With any given steering angle, more offset moves the axle forward, closer to the steering axis. Less trail.
 
Bernhard said:
Of no intrest here, Norton already did make a different yolk from the norm, it was a different offset for sidecar use.
Shouldn't be too difficult if yo have the engineers knowhow to make an adjustable one, they do it on some G.P. bikes.
Click to expand...
To increase trail reduceoffst or inv
 
Bernhard said:
Of no intrest here, Norton already did make a different yolk from the norm, it was a different offset for sidecar use.
Shouldn't be too difficult if yo have the engineers knowhow to make an adjustable one, they do it on some G.P. bikes.
Click to expand...
Done in 1950 on the Vincent giradraulics. Turn the eccentrics to get less trail for sidecar use.
Said that Steve McQueen didn't like handling of his Vincent and quickly sold it. Buyer who did know a bit about Vincents turned the eccentrics from sidecar to solo position.
 
Wth 24.mm rake changes in offset have much more effect. Also motor position is more critical. The motor in my mates 650 Triton was 25 mm futher back than the motor in my 500 Triton. When we both fitted 18 inch wheels and got good
rubber his bike was pleasant to ride while mine became exhausting, Mine was better in corners. Neither was as good as the Manx I rode, The Manx was slower down the straights than the Tritons. But quicker around the corners means you enter the straights with more speed. You do not need as much power to be fast enough to win.
 
I watched Tom Phillis race a Manx a few times. What he did with the Domiracer a normal rider probably could not.
I only ever raced what I could afford.My mates had Manx Norton's
 
I have never tried to ride a Manx the way I ride my Seeley. PW designed the first Commando and he rode the Tom Arter Matchless
 
Fast Eddie said:
Yes, I realise that, but I was reading the comments about the early versions, which used Manx frames.

I can only assume the later lowboys were even better.
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The original factory 🏭 ones were made in smaller 531 tubing like the Manx
 
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