Pictures of rod linkages

While my 850 is in bits for a rebuild I am toying with frame mods.After spending an hour looking for pictures & details of linkage positions without success, I thought it would be quicker to ask. The Kibblewhite spring thread shows the front link position. Maybe Jim or Hobot could point me in the right direction for the rear positions. Thanks in advance.
Martyn.

There are too floppy cycles and there are too rigid cycles and there is some in between like Goldie Lock's porridge. I've tried the scope of em and will take the middle way from now on if I'm in a real rush or extra vibration sensitive from another spinal injury. Some mount links close to the iso to space the gap w/o shims or adjustors and hope for better isolation and stability but don't seem to work out in practice. Some make all the links or swash plates robust w/o give, to mimic the current rigid philosophy of frames. Me only the Rump Rod with 2 others more compliant. Believe me on don't but I've never felt a more completely disappearing sense of motorcycle than my Ms Peel which has links mounted far away from iso's and only the rump non complaint and driven me mad considering all others buzz bomb corner cripples.
basic history
watt-like-triple-helm-linkage-peel-t6637.html
Ms Peel's and some other versions
http://s184.photobucket.com/user/hobote ... t=3&page=1

Thanks for the photos Hobot. Plenty of ideas to consider. Not sure what you are trying to say though. Is the best set up for handling, with the rear linkage next to the ISO or below the swingarm? Also what effect do these links have on vibration?

The links are 7/16". The one on the cradle is an elastomeric rod end. It's rubber with a deflection rate of 0.020"/250lbs load. If I didn't care about having a centerstand I would have moved it further down. The idea is to stabilize the cradle in the roll axis by locking it up above and below the swingarm. Makes life much easier on the front iso and head steady.

Thanks Bob, I see what you are doing. It's a bit like the extra ISO some people fit on the bottom of the frame between gearbox & engine. With the extra tube you've welded in, how have you managed to keep the centre stand?

Ms Peel center stand fractured off while she was a no-name clunker Commando, long before she was worthy to earn a name, so did not take center stand into account on her rump link and as I could detect the lack mass benefit left it off. Center stand hinders an easy to make universal fit kit like head or breast links. Rods length must be long enough not to bind at max engine+road loads cradle deflection yet short enough to clear vitals. This means about 4.5-5" max.

For best handling follow Bob's advice and mount the 2 cradle links 'far' away form the iso's for the best stabilizing frame leverage. If you really are wanting to put racer like tire traction testing corner power loads on your Cdo then make the rump rod robust and similar in location as Bob and me and the less robust front a few inches up the frame. Its also worth while to cross brace front down tubes which tend to act like torsion twist springs when the going gets Tough. When I got Peel dialed in a miracle happened, all the myriad of influences became perfectly isolated and clear on what was doing what, Flabbergastingly Amazing. So it ain't front tube flexure that a buggaboo its them both twisting together like fork legs and singly like torsion bars. Their un-tamed spring back is a LooLOo. Other cycles have so much splashing together of influences no one can figure out what is doing what nor what to do about it but limit power and brake action so pilots can tolerate em.

The race elite designers have hit an inherent weakness in their fundamental handling "philosophy", they know they are too rigid for their own good but to make swing arm or forks compliant enough they either break or lose control again. You do want the hinge in the middle with stiff ends but this hinge should over lap to restrict total motion and re enforce the two parts [frame/forks - power unit] to allow some twisting to take up tire load direction conflicts and release the stored energy in a controlled fashion only back to Neutral w/o any hint of a rebound.

Cradle back sides should be tied together and rear frame bend also tied together or links ain't got much to work with.

The second most amazing thing to me was how little of Peel I could feel and what I could detect of her felt like an over loaded Goldwing's *Massive Inertia* sense to road and wind but deflectable to steer as a feather with just pilot thought to make happen.

Matchless said:

Thanks Bob, I see what you are doing. It's a bit like the extra ISO some people fit on the bottom of the frame between gearbox & engine. With the extra tube you've welded in, how have you managed to keep the centre stand?

Click to expand...

The centerstand dictated where the tube could go and then the link. I took out a small crescent of material from the plates on the centerstand, (850) that helped. In fact, the tube was in there for a couple years before I put the link on. It was from an article I read about trying to minimize the two sides of the frame from "walking". There are a few more pieces welded in there to help that.

I need to tag this thread.

BitchinBeezer the links have amazed me and transformed my life into an exciting adventure. While Ms Peel has been down d/t the over rev and buying all the best stuff I've tried to practice her lines on my upgraded suspension race shod SuVee goat deer and dog killer. Ain't no way I can get into the energy states of Peel to even begin to practice Peel's sharp lines in tights to sweepers or best of all the quickly decreasing radii delights. One does not have to go fast to feel like on over loaded massive inertia smooth Goldwing, but w/o the annoying engine drive train and valve train getting through. So be restless until ya break down and try a full set of links, but beware it so takes the speed and risk sense out of a Commando you could hurt those trying to follow.