New guy from Cold Lake Alberta

[SleepwalkerFab]

Hi everyone,
I’m new to trikes and new to forums. I like two strokes and welding. The plan is to convert a poor old Ktm 250sx biped into something of the three legged variety. I have ordered a xc450 swingarm, axle,carrier,and rotor. For the front end I ordered a set of 1800vxt triple clamps
and a 200x front hub. I’m gonna get the frame completely stripped down while I wait for parts. I’m gonna assemble it and test it then strip it and make it pretty after. That’s sorta the plan but it is subject to change as I learn things.
261678. Main concerns are rake angle, frame clearance, and suspension setup. I want to corner and jump. I need to get parts then see what needs to be moved where. Thanks.

[SleepwalkerFab]

If anyone has a good handling bike conversion and wouldn’t mind sharing their fork rake angle I would appreciate it. I have been researching the late 250rs and tecate 3s. I know there are a lot of factors at play in chassis design. The stock bike has a 26 angle which seems a little too layed back. My initial thoughts are to knock a couple of degrees off that number. This is gonna be a mx specific machine. Any input is appreciated. I’m into the trial and error method of learning but a guy can only make so many mistakes in one life time!

[El Camexican]

There are at least two members on here from Cold Lake. Maybe you know them?

I finished a KTM conversation a little while back. Still haven’t ridden it any amount, but I can tell you that you’re rake can be adjusted with the angle of your swing-arm, tire sizes etc. Happy to share numbers with you, but can’t tell you if they’re any good for your application.

I can tell you that if ever did another I would either mover the foot pegs forward an inch or 2, or move the rear fenders back 2”. The later being the easiest and solving more of the issues.

If you want to jump and corner you’ll have to compromise on both. Had I left all the suspension travel in place the trike would have been pretty tall and if I’d have slammed it the frame would bottomed out easily. Mine ended up with the frame about 1/2” off the ground with the springs removed and low air pressure. I’m sure that if it were ever slammed down hard enough to bottom the suspension it would also flatten out the tires enough to case it. No MX in my future, so I’m not worried, but with standard length forks and 20” rear tires it probably could be jumped safely.

As you’re going with the SX swinger and I assume subframe, I’m curious to see how the rear shock locates. It’s been done by a few guys, but they don’t post photos.

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/186273-KTM-Three-Wheeler-Conversion-Done!!!

[SleepwalkerFab]

Thanks for the info. I used to work with the fellow known on here as coolpool. Talking with him is what got me down this trike path. I appreciate you taking the time to reply. Your build was the main inspiration! It looks sooo clean! I know I’m gonna have to make some compromises on the chassis and may have to loose some suspension travel. I have no idea how the swing arm and shock mount locations will work out. I will have to see when it gets here. I’m also open to building one from scratch or heavily modifying the xc swingarm. My main goal is getting the geometry half descent but that probably means a bit of a test program and rework.

[El Camexican]

Yep, Pete, Sam & Matt.

Supposedly the quad swing-arm bolts right up to the bike frame and from the photos I’ve seen of this 220trike guy at least the lower two bolts of the subframe can be used. As long as the rear sprocket of the quad lines up with the front sprocket you’ll be way ahead of what I started with.

It would have cost me well over $1,500 just to try so I decided to skip the trial and error and build my own. If you have access to the parts, or are willing to spend a little more than I was then by all means go for it and show us all the details.

The one thing that remains a mystery to me is how this 220 guy mounted the top of the shock and got the stock ATV air snorkel to fit. Obviously it’s been done, but I don’t know how.

Anyway, ask me anything you want, we can do text or phone too, I’m thrilled to see someone on this site take on another KTM and I hope it comes out better than mine. :beer

[SleepwalkerFab]

Sweet. Thanks. I bought the swing arm based off of the internet rumours it is a fit. The shock mounting and sprocket alignment will be interesting to actually see. I’ll take pics of everything I find and share them along with any important measurements. The Mx shock and the atv shocks(sx and xc) are all slightly different lengths. The atv shocks are longer. On the bike the shock mounts on top of the swing arm and the atv has a mount between the arms. Shock length, shock angle,swing arm angle, mount alignment and spring rates... it is gonna be interesting to see what’s what. I plan on using a quad sub frame but the same thing there too we will have to see what fits what and how. I’m doing this for fun, education, and because I like fabricating stuff. The main goal is a functional ride that looks like it was built by the factory. The factory look will be a challenge for sure! Thanks again for offer. I’m sure I’ll need some tech slash moral support. lol

[SleepwalkerFab]

Ya Pete and Sam are responsible for my decline into the seedy world of the three wheelers lol

[El Camexican]

Excellent! Maybe if the swing-arm and sub-frame are plug an play I'll build another some day (no I won't)

If you want to know if your sprockets are going to line up cross reference the parts fiche for the quad cases and 450/525 bike cases as well as the transmission output shafts. If they match you should be good as gold, if not they still might be, but you'll have to wait and see when your parts come in.

Do you have the triple clamps yet? I'd like to know the spacing of the fork holes as well as the offset. I wanted to go the street bike clamp route, but I was afraid that the forks would hit the rads. Like I said about the ATV parts, my cost to experiment would have been high and if I ended up with parts I couldn't use I'd have been stuck with them. At least you can put them up on Kijiji and get your money back.

If this all works out the way I hope it does you'll save a lot of time and money.

Your seat however will be a challenge. If you go with KTM plastic and the ATV sub-frame your seat will be about 2' farther back than mine which is perfect for using the kick start and having clearance between your boots and the fender, but it also means that if you want to use the clip on the bike tank to secure the ATV seat you'll have to do a little fab work. Not sure if you can get away with using the stock ATV seat, or if you'll have to add on a bike seat like I did. Time will tell.

BTW, seat and rear fender can be gotten at Rocky Mountain ATV. Free shipping in the USA, so a new rear fender is only $150 shipped (orange only). Seat is like $100? Less than you can find used ones for. Seems there are black fenders out there, but I don't know who has them. Might call Maiers and ask if someone did a run if that's the colour you're after. If you want white there is a guy in Europe that has some, but wants like $450 plus shipping.

Tell us about the donor bike. What year? E-start?

[SleepwalkerFab]

Thanks again for the intel. My donor bike is a 2011 sx250 with a 300 kit. Pretty standard beat to death Mx bike.

[El Camexican]

Thanks again for the intel. My donor bike is a 2011 sx250 with a 300 kit. Pretty standard beat to death Mx bike.

Did you beat it to death or buy it that way? Does the e-start work?

[SleepwalkerFab]

I raced it when it was new. Then used it as a winter “ice” bike. It has had a fairly hard life. It is a kick only. I actually never liked the chassis. The motor is top notch but the chassis was hard to get dialed in.I had a tight maintenance for racing it has a had about three of everything on the chassis Lol. More engine rebuilds than that. I think I could convert it to an xc engine fairly easily just money is an issue. I had a fairly major neck injury from the last time I rode it so that is why it was put away muddy. That is something I don’t normally do.

[El Camexican]

Being kick only I highly recommend you move the rear fenders back 2” more than I did. I have to put a lot of thought into each kick. If I ever did another an e-start would be the way to go. I think it’s the 2012 and up that have the good ones. The starters on the older bikes are an afterthought.

[SleepwalkerFab]

I will take your word for it! I don’t want to have to think about hitting stuff. I’ll see how it works into my atv subframe plans. The one you made sure looks good! I will really consider that and the foot peg placement that you recommended!

[coolpool]

Welcome fellow Cold Laker! Didn't we work together at some point in time, lol? Hope you're enjoying the new job but now I have no one to goof off with and talk projects with around here, I'm bummed out :-(.
For the 3WW crowd, this new member has serious welding/fab skills, he's just too shy to admit it. P.S. ask him about the airplane he's building from scratch.......sorry sleepwalker, cat's out of the bag!

Pete

[El Camexican]

Airplane eh? I’ll bet that thing will fly!

[SleepwalkerFab]

That’s the plan anyway :) If anyone is interested in aviation it’s a Pietenpol Aircamper. Coolpool is being way too generous with his compliments. Lol. I do have some experience with fabrication but I’m a complete novice in the trike world. I’m sorta figuring it out as I go. I have been watching clips of Jimmy White and Mickey Dunlap on YouTube. Watching how trikes corner trying to get a handle on what needs to be done to get a machine I enjoy riding. I should also be clear I have no trike riding ability at this point in time:). I have a two wheeled back ground but I think it’s time to add one more lol The swing arm and triple clamps are inside Canada so hopefully they get here soon.