SV650 - Swingarm Progress

The jig for the swingarm has started to receive the first set of tubes for swingarm number one. We have had to make a few adjustments to the jig to add some stiffness and some additional stops. Now we have it tacked together whilst we work on and check the prototype swingarm and then we can weld it fully.

There are four tubes in the swingarm design that feature bends, so we have re-familiarised ourselves with the tube bender (once we made a new, suitably fixed stand for it in the new workshop). We went in at the deep end straight away with this 80 degree bend (previously the max bend that we have done with this tubing/bender was 50 degree) and it came out perfectly, with very minimal tube distortion (I see CNC tube benders produce much worse).

A bit more cutting, bending and notching and a swingarm begins to form on the jig. I really enjoy how easy this process is when time has been spent perfecting a lasercut jig, as everything just fits as it should, unlike the jig process we used for the frame.

And we end up with this. After a few evenings, everything is notched and all the tubes are located in place. Now to order some more TIG rod and start to tack/check on bike.

On another note, its not all been hard work in the workshop here, we have been having a bit of fun! Here's a recent picture of our buddy Greg having a test session on the SV at a recent RAF Odiham ARD. 

He liked.

SV650 - Test Sessions

Scrolling through the camera a few weeks ago I came across some images from various test sessions we have been on with the bike and with a lack of a recent post, thought I'd best put some of them up.

As expected, there were a few teething problems with the bike. These were solely engine/electrically related and nothing to do with the elements we had made, but did cut one track test at RAF Odiham a bit short. 

From where we started with all the components bolted onto a standard engine, wih no setup on the suspension the bike felt really good and confidence inspiring from the first lap. It's probably time to offer it to a few quicker guys at the track next time out to get their views and see whether anything needs tweaking. 

Over the winter we may get round to manufacturing the steel trellis swingarm that everyone seems to love and then we can get that onto the bike for early spring to see how that improves the bike.

For now, I have a few more drawings of parts to finish off for manufacture and to have a look at the costings following some interest for framekits!