braced airhead swingarm

As seen on CL Alaska today- I have no affiliation to the seller. MOD please move if appropriate.

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/mcy/530691075.html

I thought this might be a good deal for those cafe builders out there.

This seems a good deal

This may come across as a silly question. What's the purpose of the brace? Make it more rigid, heavier, decrease vibration?

The braced ones are nice for use on a hack, makes them steer a lot sharper (sorry, that's bad english, but O supose you get the message?)
Or, when made longer, for some serious off-roading.

Jelly, are you saying that there is flex in the swingarm?

I have a r65 hack and I am not feeling any flex. But then again, I am not purposely looking for any.

Why the brace? When you ride a modern bike back to back with an airhead, say an '84 750 Honda Interceptor and a low miles R90s, Honda is stock, the S has Koni's, San Jose BMW fork brace, heavy duty fork springs. The Honda is on rails at 90 mph in a sweeper. The airhead is bobbing and weaving, telling you to slow down, damnit. The swing arm brace was one part of the puzzle to get the airhead to settle down. It isn't called a 'rubber cow' for nothing.

It's probably gone, by now, that is a good price.

I sent him a note to find out.

I'd like to have one on my R100, since it's all apart anyways.

From 1977, the swing-arm had increased diameter tubing reducing the amount of flexing. Money could be better spent on other improvements IMHO. SJBMW sells them for your early model Airheads for about $180.

Woodgrain

1981 was when the larger diameter swingarm came out - the driveshaft side was increased in diameter to accomodate the cush drive that was implemented. This strengthened the swingarm immensely. I don't care for the cush driveshaft so I've used the newer swingarm with the older shaft. Supposedly the cush drive was to help shifting, but I noticed no difference retrograding to the solid shaft.

That's right, my bad. 1981, something like 427 changes/improvements.

Woodgrain

Well, there is very little flex in it, but for some reasons some folks I know will not make a hack without one. They are convinced it makes it go round corners better and they are not breaking into pieces as often. Hell, who ever heard of one breaking anyway? I used the standard swingarm on my r60/6 combo and it worked fine.

Maybe for serious off-roading or streetracing or something?

I put one on my '74 R90. Made a noticeable improvement. The fork braces, new triple clamps, and the diagonal braces for the frame all make a difference.
Less wallowing at 80-90 in the corners is GOOD!
Gummikuh's rule when you get rid of the gummi

IT'S SOLD...