Just want to show my odyssey project to get some good input and tips so hear it is. I started this project with a ninja 500 that I got very cheap and I wanted to put the motor (( Internal Combustion Engine ? )) in a buggy of some sort. So I searched on line and found an fl350 complete with a blown motor (( Internal Combustion Engine ? )) for 500 so I figured that would be the perfect candidate. So I started taking it all apart and figuring out what I need to keep and what I can sell to fund this project. I decided to not use the gearbox but use the final drive shaft to direct drive from the 500 motor (( Internal Combustion Engine ? )) and find some sealed bearings that would fit on the shaft and machine some housings to mount it and adapt a sprocket on the final gear because it is already splined to fit. There was not enough room in the cage for the motor (( Internal Combustion Engine ? )), exhaust and seat to fit nice so I stretched the frame 6" and also replaced some tubing where the bottom of the Engine would be because there were som cracks working there way around. I cut out the old seat brackets and added 1" tubing along the bottom to remount the suspension seat. Right now I am making a subframe on the bottom front end to mount a set of ltr450 a arms I picked up along with ltr450 shocks, they are nice and wide. So far that is where I am. I will be posting more pics later as I go.

I can't tell from the pics but are you trying to make the new subframe part of the front bumper? If so I would think twice these Buggy's tend to lawn dart or run into things, I would hate to see you have to cut the frame up if you crash instead of having a bolt on bumper.

Welcome and it's looking good cant wait to see your progress.

Yes at first I wasn't thinking of making it detachable but then I thought about that. I think I will just cut around the bottom of the bumper where it 45's up and put some flange mounts to bolt it back together.

Thanks for the welcome!

Welcome!

As far as the lawn dart thing, the last trip to Dumont Dunes, we had 2 roll overs, both end over end.

We are now calling Toby "Dune Dart"!

You can see by his shoulders he took a pretty good hit straight in the front end! Would have crumpled your previous setup, glad to hear you are changing it!

Rand

Here are some more photos of the frame build up.

This is where I stretched the middle and bottom tubes.



I still need to finish the top portion of the roll cage but its hard to find 1 3/8" tubing, I will have to order it online. I don't know why Honda didn't just stick with standard 1",1 1/4",1 1/2" tubing. The roll cage is I think the only place they use 1 3/8".


This is the bottom of where Engine would be where it was cracked.


This is about what it would look like with a arms.

Those are pretty good bruises! Yes definitely make the bumper detachable, need to save all my bending notes. I will also be putting in 5-point harness.

You seem to be a pretty capable fabricator ,why not build the whole frame from scratch?

Tube is metric isnt it?

Thanks! Maybe in the future I will build one from scratch with my future jd2 tube bender but all I have for now is a home made bender with a one inch die so I'm limited to what I can bend. Also this is my first big project like this, got to work my way up to a full frame build. My previous project was a motorized bike.

It probably is metric but it was close enough to standard sizes so that's what I used.

Bob look close you can see your seat in his first pic.

i see an k&n filter wonder why the Engine blew up

How's it going halorising! I remember when to bought that seat. How is that fl250 working out?

I think the Engine still had a stock piston, when I opened it up there were pieces of the piston falling out.

I'd like to know what the rear shocks are on that thing? Look like Marvinshaw?

Cool projet, paddle tires look wicked sittin there!

Yes I'm not sure what kind they are but they are perty stiff, I wonder if I let some more pressure out of them if they will be better than stock or are already better.



So I got a little bit more done on the front end. I notched the support pieces and tacked them in place. I will be cutting the bumper off right above the front support and make the flanges to reattach, I plan on making some aluminum paneling for it later.

I'm dying of curiosity myself as to what shocks those are.

Note they have Heim joints both top and bottom.

Rand

Those are marvin shaw shocks for sure they were used on most the old school sandrails

Haha yeah tore it down painted the cage and frame then i bought that red and white 250. I just sold the complete buggy for $250

And a wonderful seat it is. One of the best things I have done to the Pilot..
Thanks again Halo for picking it up for me.

How do you think these shocks are gonna perform? If I don't have to upgrade I will keep these for now but if they are terrible, I will start looking in to different ones but I still have tons of other stuff to do before I will need them.


I'm glad that seat went to good use!

Anything is better than stock lol. I imagine if you set them up right, they will work fine. Just get the pressure and valving correct and youre good. Can you also measure the shocks? Lets find out if you are getting the correct travel you need for that rear end.

Yeah throw a tape up on those bad boys and lets see the eye to eye measurement

Gotta be less than 15.25 or the U joints are binding. I tried shocks at 15.5 eye to eye but I had to create a negative camber to get them to work.

Rand

Ahhh, very good point. I need to change my Rotax-buggy design for this very same reason! Crumple-zones required.

Seems like #19 kinda' went overboard on safety equipment, at least compared to the rest of the group! lol Is that full leather???

Those bikes are awesome! More info please.