The Plan!

     TRIXXER/TRUMPTRIP-RT PROJECT

My name is Gaz, my mum thinks I’m special and I am a biker, I think?

The realisation that I am never going to experience the thrill of a knee touched down in well taken corner or revel in the induction howl of a big GSXR engine while toeing the rear to keep the front planted firmly to the tarmac on the throttle again has come as something as a shock and a bit of a personal milestone for me.

I’ve raced, toured, dicked about on, fallen off of, dusted myself off, got back on and generally loved motorcycles all of my life

I’ve been around bikes since I was about 12 and knowing that part of my life is now very firmly at an end I must admit to having shed a private tear or two the last few months.

In fact, my mental health has got to the stage where the NABD work has started to suffer, to the extent I might add that I am stepping down from the national committee at this years AGM. I will still be doing some of the things I do for the association but will no longer have to deal with the day-to-day business. I even have a lovely flat tracker that belongs to a friend in my garage that runs but is too heavy for me to cope with and a mental GSXR project given to me by two wonderful friends I’ll never finish because I’ll never be able to ride it.

 It’s also affecting my family and they are having to deal with a very sore, very grumpy individual most of the time and that needs to change. I have even started to avoid people so as not to drag their mood down with mine.

I am not dealing well with the people who ring to thank me for what the NABD has done for them, it’s tough hearing about how much fun other folk are having while I’m not able to get out myself. That may sound very selfish but it’s been over two years since I was able to say to her indoors,’ c’mon lets go for a blast for an hour or so! It was our escape from the run of the mill stuff and a short time away from advising others and processing grants.

I miss that time with the missus and I know she misses the escapes too.

The stuff I do for the radio helps break up the time but it’s no ‘adrenalin hit’ replacement that’s for sure!

Now then, how’s the fat bugger going to get to rallies and the like? I hear you ask! Well this year it’ll be in whatever car we wind up with owning once the MG is repaired and shifted. I’ll only be doing NABD events for now, I’ll be home saving the rest of the time.

Hopefully though I will be going to YBN 24 in a homebuilt two-seat trike.

I’ve ridden all sorts of trikes and for the most part have enjoyed the experience but my health has got to the stage where my shoulders can’t deal with handlebars and the heavier steering for any period. I can drive a car in some comfort for an hour or so. I need transport just a little more exiting than a car but one with the obvious benefits of a steering wheel and well-padded seat.

None of my journeys last more than an hour normally and any further a-field I blag a lift so mile munching is not one of the qualities it’ll need too much of.

I had thought to base my creation on a big v twin because it’d sound the bollocks but the only two I’d rely on are the engines out of a SP2 or a TL thou and they are rare and not cheap at all.

I’m not sure the brave little SV 650 would have the legs despite it being a torquey little job.

That leaves me with the big in line fours, it’d have to be a Suzuki GSXR unit for me, I loved the bike, it felt and sounded just right too so if I do this it’ll mean a GSXR unit unless I opt for the one engine configuration I’ve never owned. A Triple, lots of them about, British built too so that’s worth a look.

As long as it turns about 130 ish at the crank it should suit my needs admirably.

Whichever engine it gets it will be getting fitted with a Kliktronic gearshift unit, they are world leaders in their field and bloody nice people to boot! They do a flappy paddle system for kit cars that will suit my needs perfectly. I’ll be talking to them about a reverse gear too, pushing it into a garage backwards is not going to be happening.

The front end is going to be based on Escort uprights and Locost wishbones, they are cheap enough to get hold of and will save hours of jig making and frustration. The chassis will be designed by me with advice from a few people I can trust, the steel will be cut and assembled on a table in my garage and tig welded. The rear suspension will be custom built to suit a 200mm wide rim for a flat profile rear. I will be using Spax coil-overs all round.

The geometry will be based on the dimensions of similar factory built machines.

The seats will be side by side with the passenger seat slightly lower and further back. It will have independent roll over hoops for both occupants and full race harnesses. It will have an emergency power cut off and fire extinguishers fitted to it. Well you never know, some bugger may be daft enough to run it up a hill climb so it’s probably best to be on the safe side.

The front will be clad in a sports car inspired GRP body and side pods.

This will not only improve the aerodynamics of the trike it’ll improve on comfort and hide all the ugly stuff like pedal boxes, batteries, hoses, fuel tanks, radiators and cables. The list of stuff I intend to hide is extensive so I’ll not bore you with it too much.

Health wise a lot of the work is beyond me so it’s going to take time to save and get the clever bits made so they just bolt in, the chassis will be welded up at my house by a mate who has a fair bit of welding experience but that too will be when he has the time.

In the last few years I’ve found the process of planning and seeing a project to completion very satisfying, especially when you win a trophy or two.

This is going to be my last project, I will not build anything else if I finish this, I am just going to enjoy it with my wife and try and squeeze the last drop out of life for as long as I can. It’s hard to explain but I hate turning down invites to events or parties but I hate turning up in the car, I miss the noise of a in line four being wrung out and I feel like an impostor.

Once I’ve sorted out this trike because despite what some may say it has three wheels so it is a trike I’ll be back at the charity stuff no doubt but for now I’ll be staying in, saving and building it something to spend happy summers days blasting about in with my wonderful wife.