Reducing trail

I think it called Side Effects by www.sidecars.ca

Hey Bob,

The Steerite / Side Effects is a nice unit as VLAD mentioned, there is also the EZ Steer although I do not see a set for the Tonti Framed Guzzi listed ... http://www.championsidecars.com/ez-steer.html

They look to be a pricey little item also... possibly look around for a used Unit Forks Leading Link assembly. I was very fortunate to find one a few years ago for the EV Hack.

Might be worth a call though...

Best,

Rob ~ aka radguzzi elsewhere... 🙂

Thanks, guys. I'd love to find a used LL front end, but thus far have had no luck.
The modified triple clamps would be a viable solution, with the advantage that no mods. to the forks/brakes/etc. would be required. And I do have some extra Guzzi triple clamps. Do I understand that the Steerite process is to modify existing triples?

I was hoping to fix the steering issue for less than a thousand dollars. Not because it isn't worth that much but because if I need to spend that much, and also invest in some horsepower, I'll start wondering if I shouldn't sell the bike I have and get something already set up as a hack tow like a Ural.
The plates I was trying to describe are not triple clamps, but rather they bolt on to the fork stanchions, attach at caliper brackets and existing axle holes and move everything forward.

Bob Herman - 3/22/2016 3:00 PM The plates I was trying to describe are not triple clamps, but rather they bolt on to the fork stanchions, attach at caliper brackets and existing axle holes and move everything forward.

I believe you intend to say that these plates would bolt onto the lower legs, not the stanchions. I am not at all familiar with that set up but I guess it would work. If you do that, is there bolting for the calipers still...? Sounds good in theory but I would have to see the plates to discern just how rugged they are. I understand you to say that they Essentially would move the axle forward accomplishing the correct or better geometry.

I cannot tell you how the Steerrite process works... or whether that includes modification of the existing triples.

Best,

Rob

What you are describing is what DMC used to call (and maybe still does) leading legs.

I would suggest sending your spare trees to Side Effects for modification.

Lonnie

Bob Herman - 3/22/2016 2:00 PM

<>Not because it isn't worth that much but because if I need to spend that much, and also invest in some horsepower, I'll start wondering if I shouldn't sell the bike I have and get something already set up as a hack tow like a Ural. <>

Bob, you just said Ural and horsepower in the same sentence. hehe! Changing the gearing on your Goose isn't easy since it's a shafty but lacing on a smaller diameter rim might be a cheaper way to get better performance with your sidecar.

The "leading legs" are a viable option but remember that they put extra stress on your fork tubes. A big part of the reason to go to a leading link is the extra stiffness and strength your get to accomodate the side loads that you experience driving a sidecar rig that you don't see on a solo bike.

Doesn't it just suck that everything is a compromise?

Rob, you are right of course about lower legs vs. stanchions. And yeah, Ural and horsepower may sound oxymoronic. Truth be told I want to make this Guzzi rig work optimally, not replace it.
Al, very good point about the added stress to my fork tubes. And given that these old tubes are only 34 or 35mm, I wouldn't want to stress them more than I can help. I've been thinking a fork brace is called for if I retain the original forks. But I happen to have the forks (and all front end parts) from a Yamaha FJ1200. Much stouter, and with better brakes to boot. I guess I could go that way and get the FJ triple clamps modified by Side Effects.
Lonnie, I'm new here but I suspect by your signature you are an expert on these things. Thanks for your advice.

I had a set of modified triple trees made by Side Effects, one difference between theirs and others on the market is that they add one degree of camber plus the normal 4-5 degrees of rake. They make them for sidecar rigs, others make them mostly for trikes. Give Brock Smith a call at Side Effects and see if he has them available for your ride. He even loaned me the correct socket to fit my steering head nut, and I sent it back to him with my stock trees, and recommended the correct fork oil for my set up, as he couldn't ship it with the trees from Canada. They are great people to work with.

Lloyd, thanks for that.
Bob

So here's another idea: why not find a pair of forks with axle ahead of the stanchions' axis - such as BMW airhead - and slide them into stock Guzzi triple clamps? That will reduce trail, though without taking measurements and doing arithmetic I don't know offhand if that would be enough change in trail to make real difference in steering effort. Anyone have an answer on this idea?

We use to make clamps that go on the top end of the fork to move the entire fork forward. We no longer offer these however they would be fairly easy for some one to have made. We were thinking about an inexpensive way to make them again, just got to busy with other things. We were going to work with a company that claims that they can water jet cut them out of one inch think plate aluminium. All we would have for your bike are proper not "universal" mounts as well as we do offer aleading link front end as the one we make for the G5 / Convert should be the same.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com

Jay, I'm trying to envision clamps that "go on the top end of the fork..." I gather you're not talking about modified triple clamps, or you would have described them as such. So can you briefly explain what you mean?
I would love to have a leading link front end. That would be optimal, certainly. But what I'm working with is a 40-year old Guzzi worth not much more than the cost of that conversion - and with a shed full of other vintage bikes and a humble retirement income, it's hard to justify that kind of investment. Hence my earlier comment about weighing the cost of any trail-reducing mods etc. against selling the T-3 and biting the bullet for a dedicated hack rig.

And while I'm at it: I notice at the DMC website you offer triple clamps for the Guzzi EV bikes. Anything for an old tonti bike kicking around?

Where are you at in Colorado Bob? I am up in Edwards.

You keep the original tree's in place. You then slide in some old fork tubes cut down such that they are a bit longer then the distance between the tree's. Then the clamps clamp onto the salvage fork tubes and your original forks clamp to the other side of the clamps moving the entire forks forward by about 2 inches with out changing their angle.
Nothing for the Toni frames, we are set up to rework the tree's on Eldorado's which is what my wife runs. I have attached a photo of clamps we use to make for the G-5 / Convert.
I could not find photo's on the bike.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793