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A NEW AND INTERESTING PROBLEM!

I've posted here before and received a lot of great advise and help with issues with my '85 K100RT/EML GT2 Hack. Today I had a weird experience. I found and purchased an OEM convertible top and frame work. It came without the fasteners and so I located a supplier and purchased the necessary hardware. It all came together nicely and today I got to take my first ride with the top installed. That's when it got interesting! At about 60 mph with an estimated 5 mph tail wind I saw something out of the corner of my eye to my right moving . By the time I looked over, the access hatch/windshield with attached top was bobbing up and down with about a 12 inch opening at the rear of the hatch! Kind of scared the crap out of me! Apparently the aerodynamics of the rig with the top in place create some kind of airfoil and cause enough lift to cause the hatch to start to open. So, I'm wonder if any of ya'll out there have had a similar experience? If so, is there a simple solution? I hate to have to install a latch on the hatch as I think that would be fairly inconvenient so hoping someone has some other suggestions.

Lynn Keen
N E Florida

Lynn,

Did you have the side curtains in place? If not, you'll get just the sort of behavior that you experienced. The top was designed to be used either at slow speeds or fully enclosed.

Al Olme - 11/3/2011 12:47 AM

Lynn,

Did you have the side curtains in place? If not, you'll get just the sort of behavior that you experienced. The top was designed to be used either at slow speeds or fully enclosed.

Al, thanks for the response. This particular top does not have removable side curtains, they are sewn in. So, I guess what your telling me is to slow down when the top is attached, but hey, that ain't no fun! Then again, I could probably get a loooong bungee and strap that sucker down! I've owned other sidecars in the past and never experienced this problem. Wish I could stick the rig in a wind tunnel just to learn what is going on.

Lynn Keen N E Florida

A Rig nearly always has the aerodynamics of an opened parachute with many turbulences and therefore pressure drops and rises in the inside.
Or you tighten it completely and reassure the soft top or go slow or pull it down.
Last option for me worked out the best on both rigs I rode in this life till now.
Sven

My Monaco has 2 latches to hold the hinged hatch/windshield on the inside of the unit. I would assume the EML has them also, but do they? Safer with it latched. Doug

Not sure what the standard for EML is with regard to latches, but mine does not have any. Gravity is currently the only thing keeping the hatch closed. I guess I'll have to figure out some type of latch system.

Lynn Keen
NE Florida

Yes that's what they do. If there is a wind that is fighting you, it is worse. I have latches on the out side and the in side.. I have yet to find a latch that is pretty. If someone finds one let me know. Harold in Kansas where the wind blows a lot.

I'm not familiar with your chair, but how about a couple of the rubber hold downs like jeep used to use on their hoods? Do a good job, easy to use, and not too unsightly.

comet66 - 11/6/2011 6:11 AM

I'm not familiar with your chair, but how about a couple of the rubber hold downs like jeep used to use on their hoods? Do a good job, easy to use, and not too unsightly.

Considered something like that but whatever I do needs to be easily accessible from inside the chair when occupied by a passenger and of course also operable from outside when the top is installed and buttoned down.

Lynn The outside latch on mine is a tool box latch on the right side of the car. Ugly and only usable by someone outside the car. The inside latch is a latch that is a window lock that is used on a double hung sash. It is on the left side of the car.. If I had my choice I would put a latch on the outside of the car on the left side that car that can be reached by the driver from the bike. I have installed a handle on the left side of the flip lid so I can lift the lid from the bike seat. If I had a chance to do it over I would have one device that is a latch and handle in one on the left side. Harold in Kansas