Dorsoduro - transformation into ADV bike

Then I got some really hard, closed cell foam and started with the layering:


The bend was too tight for the foam, so I inserted some corners to fill in the gaps where I had to cut it.
After the first layer was adhered to the seat pan, I put the second on, here it is next to the stocker:


After that got a good grip I made a "spatula sander and started on the first bit of shaping:


Just on the front part.



In the above pic I also added another layer of foam across the part I want to fill in and duct-taped it down hard to make sure it sticks. I also put more adhesive on the parts that had peeled a little from the seat pan and wrapped the whole lot in tape:

...will go straight through the clutch cover if you topple on the right side:


Its a button head capscrew, so it has a high point. I have had a Husky TE610 brake lever go through the cover before, so I would like to avoid that!
I took a s/steel CSK cap and countersunk the steel part above. Then put the bolt through and loctite'd it:





No high point. Should help a little, might get a brake snake too.

...will be bolted onto the engine mounts. These holes in the frame are about 30mm in diameter:


So I am making some 1" tube extensions, similar to the crash mushroom setup, where I will weld the bars onto. The front will go around the water pump cover (a good idea) and them under the pipe and over the starter. it will be a 2-piece part (otherwise I couldn't get it on). The rear will run down past the oil filler cap, in front of the foot brake arm and under the motor, coming out to the same bolts on the other side and protecting the exhaust too. it will also need to be a 2 part for the same reason. Onto this I will mount ally plates to cover the engine. I think I may also need to have a central tube that runs from the front bar to the rear bar.
A little difficult to explain - pictures will be better and forthcoming shortly.


The above is the start of the right-front engine protection bars.

That is the most bad-ass looking bike ever. Bring on the apocalypse!

The bike looks really nice! How wide is the Harley hub rotor surface to rotor surface? How close does the 19" front wheel come to the tip of the front fender?

Outside edge of disc rotors is standard Dorsoduro, 134 (If I recall correctly). I made it like that as I want to the wheel to be a swap out/swap in change - no fiddling with calipers. I don't recall the hub edge to edge, but I had to hunt around and found the ZX discs had the closest offset. It was all a bit of a fiddle.
The tyre will touch the fender and the 'chin' of the radiator guard. The fender gets tilted upwards a bit, the radiator plastic chin gets removed, the radiator is tilted using the standard adjustment range as close as possible to the front cylinder head and the forks are slid down in the clamps as far as they can safely go. Then I have clearance for the 19" front.
Just...:eek1

I've been playing catch-up,reading all I can about the DD.So many people are in need of a bigger fuel supply for their bikes,it seems like one of the biggest limiting factors keeping this bike out of the running as a viable adv bike.I saw a few companies online that do handmade aluminum fuel tanks for all sorts of bikes.Would that be an option for this bike? Price and crash-ability seem to be the main drawbacks. What sort of volume increase is needed to be more or less similar to say,f800 or 800xc range? Is there any room to improve volume in the bottom area of the factory plastic fuel tank? Not using the plastic,but in an aluminum replacement?
Hands down easily the best looking bike build I've seen.

Thanks, its getting there. I'm on the bash plate at the moment. I'm trying to make that strong enough for me to life the bike on a jack. Will post some pics.
The Fuel tank size is rubbish; you're 100% right. 12 litres and I would prefer about 20. I believe the 1200cc Dorso is 15L and the seat is the same between the models, but even if I could swap it that bike is so new there are no spares, apart from OEM ones that cost the earth. The 1200 Caponord (new one) uses what seems to be the same frame, but like the Shiver, it will probably have differences and will need to have additional bodywork applied to it.
Underneath the stock tank is a huge air box which will need to remain, if its going to be used for ADVRiding.
It looks like a custom tank will be the option. I might try one, but will probably opt for someone who knows what they are doing.:huh

Check out whether you can ditch the box in favour of an ITG filter. It will filter better and maybe free some space.
Otherwise, a couple of fuel cans in side panniers does the trick very well and provides a lower centre of gravity as well as more rearward weight bias which is very important in offroad riding on its own right.

On apriliaforums.com, there was a guy who made a complete new tank from fiber glass or something. It was a noble effort, which succeeded in adding a lot of capacity, but completely changed the look of the bike.

http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/...Dorsoduro-fuel-range-solution!!-(maybe)/page4

There has been some talk of swapping the in-tank fuel pump for an external type to regain that volume in fuel space. That seemed like a lot trouble for just 0.5 liter or so, but I would certainly consider it if the OEM pump ever needed replacement.

Thinking more about custom fuel tanks: A real craftsman might be able to make something that closely resembles the OEM tank, rather than the boxy tank I linked to above. I think quite a bit of volume could be gained by eliminating the side cover panels, and extending the tank out to look like the deleted panels.

How is that plate coming? I am anxious to see how the bike looks with knobbies and a plate. My Scorpion Trails are about half way gone, and I'm looking forward to getting some TKC80s. I can't afford wheels though, so my front will remain 17".

I think this is the best place for this question. I'm thinking of doing just about exactly whats been done here. The wheel builder ( I am not able to build wheels myself) has asked for these measures.
I'll share the builders answer (price,options) once I get one from him?,in the meantime,if you are sure of any of these measure,post up please?




-Axle diameter
-Hub width
-Brake rotor width
-Brake rotor diameter
-spacer width of both front and rear wheel's
-rotor position compared to spacer end
-distance between rotor's, and also distance between rotor and sprocket.

Thanks

Hello,
The rims that were installed on my bike are very much non-standard, therefore any of the dimensions are subject to change in accordance with whatever wheels are being used, with the exception of:
Axle - 25mm
Front Rotor width - 141mm (outside)
Front Rotor diameter - 320mm (this is standard)

The other measurements you mention will vary significantly depending on the wheels you are using. I would suggest that you take your standard wheels and measure from there, however it would be unlikely that you would find a spoke hub that would be the same.
This is very much a case of making whatever hub you have fit.

If you think that this is beyond the scope of your engineer, I would suggest buying Kineo wheels and ordering these with the 19" and 17" wheel sizes. These will cost about GBP2,000 and will need front and rear rotors, sprocket and of course tires.

Good luck!

Thanks for quick reply Bob,
Very helpfull info on wheel dimensions.I think the builder was looking for the dimensions of the stock wheels and spacers etc,as a reference to decide what might interchange.He had mentioned a possible interchange with the GT1000.
I've seen caponord wheels offered as a conversion for KTMs to allow tubeless tires,looks like they are priced at about $2800.00 U.S.
I just looked at a site that had the kineo wheels you mentioned,looks like they will be $2999.00 U.S. plus shipping to Canada.I don't see much mention of their suitability for rough use,gravel and patchy roads like I see myself probably riding on a bike like this if I go ahead with the conversion.

Have you had any chance to get out on your bike after the conversion?

But what?

D

I asked Kineo wheels to swap out the Dorsoduro rim sizes they offered (3.5" front and 5.5 or 6" rear) with the sizes I was after i.e. 19X2.5" and 17X4.25" and they said they would do that for me. Their wheel and spoke system is modular in that respect and they were happy to change out the rims.
Not just yet, still working on the Skidplate. Will post pics when I am.

The wheel spacing was out as the wheel was laced up the wrong way. You can't see it in the pics but it was necessary to relace the wheel to have it completely centered. Quite a job, but sorted out now.

Great platform to work with... looks awesome.

Great job!!!