Flat Track

 

I bought myself some reading glasses, so while I'm laying around the shack I've been browsing a bit on the computer looking for some ideas for the SR500. The above is the Ron Wood "lightweight" Norton. You need to click on the pic to appreciate all the detail work. The one thing I noticed right off is the rake angle. Seems to be pretty straight up and down, almost like a speedway bike. I've done a bit of frame work over the years and have read most everything I could find about frame geometry but I know very little about flat track bike construction. I've raked at least 50 drag bike frames and made several complete frames both drag and road racing but other than the oil tank I made recently I've never done any flat track work. The way my mind works, that's reason enough enough to build one.

Here's before and after photos I stumbled across. The bike in the bottom photo actually has a tiny headlight that peeks through the number plate and an after market swingarm. I wouldn't need a headlight and I can make a swingarm - I've made quite a few of those over the years. The difference in the rake angle is pretty obvious when comparing the Norton and the Yamaha. I'm going to have to do a bit of research on that. 

I might take a ride to the storage space over the weekend to go through the boxes. I want to get a better idea of what all I ended up with and see if there's a shop manual in the pile. 

I bought screws to fasten down the grill shell on the jitney on the way home from the eye doc earlier this week. I want to drill the holes in the shell and get the bottom fastened down. Might sneak out to the shop this weekend and take care of that. I get that done I can make the braces on the top that will hold the grill shell and the top of the radiator. I'm also itching to try TIG welding with my bionic eyes.