Want some tasty magnesium??

[Guest]

I guess this technically could belong in chassis or suspension mods maybe, so feel free to move it if it suits.

Spent some time at Daves today. For those who don't know, Dave runs a relatively small machine shop. Works for a larger machine shop to make a living as the recession did a number on his business, but he managed through great sacrifice of his own to retain his. He used to build and run race bikes and parts in South Africa in the hay day of the GS and KZ wars. The man has quite a nice collection of his own. A Bimota KB3 (likely the only one in the States) an original Rickman Honda, a RC51. Nice stuff. And the man knows his stuff. Perfectionist. And his favorite thing in the world is building custom and one off exotica for old bikes.

Today he took measurements for building a fork brace for my ZRX. He likes the bike as it reminds him of the old Lawson GPz as it should. After taking his figures and laying it out on paper, we chatted a bit about material from which to build it. I was happy with 7series billet. He wasn't. Said it seemed a shame to make such a nice bit of kit for a nice bike out of a "common alloy" as he put it. He's decided we are doing it out of AZ31B magnesium. Sheesh. He sources the stock, said it wouldn't actually be as expensive as one might think.

So my question for you fellas (and ladies) is:
Who might be interested in a nice magnesium fork brace for your GS?
I can't give pricing ideas at the moment, as I still have no real idea. But I will say it won't be "cheap" but still as affordable as we can make it.

We are planning a run of billet braces anyway, but the option to have magnesium complete with helicoiled bolt holes and Ti bolts will be available.

[sharpy]

Be interesting

[DanTheMan]

Let me know what the cost might be. I'm currently looking at some that are $99.00 plus shipping. Get it in that vicinity and I'm in. Of course, then you could send the engine guards with it....

[tkent02]

Let me know what the cost might be. I'm currently looking at some that are $99.00 plus shipping. Get it in that vicinity and I'm in. Of course, then you could send the engine guards with it....

Magnesium engine guards, would that be wise? Josh, make a set for my cafe bike and I'm in. Not sure which forks it will end up with just yet.

[posplayr]

Josh,
Looks like a cool project.

Interesting side note, I checked out wikipedia and found this stange picture. If the forkbrace ever catches on fire, dont use a water bottle to put it out ; dry sand instead.

Jim

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium

[DanTheMan]

Magnesium engine guards, would that be wise? Josh, make a set for my cafe bike and I'm in. Not sure which forks it will end up with just yet.

The engine guards are run of the mill bent tubing, chromed. He's had them sitting around in a box ready to send them to me for a couple of years, they just haven't made it yet.

[IanC]

If the cost is reasonable I've been meaning to pick up a brace for mine.

[TheCafeKid]

The engine guards are run of the mill bent tubing, chromed. He's had them sitting around in a box ready to send them to me for a couple of years, they just haven't made it yet.

Right right.

$99, no. Those are cast alu parts you're looking at for that price.
Not going to be in the same ballpark. All depends on what kind of piece you want.

No, not a good idea to make case guards out of magnesium. You'd be a ball of fire the first time you touched down on one of em.

[mawg]

A billet mag piece is going to cost at least three or four times as much as the cast al. part, witch you can get for as little as $100? Hard to justify the cost if all you want is something to make your bike perform better. I'd like to see the design though.

[TheCafeKid]

A billet mag piece is going to cost at least three or four times as much as the cast al. part, witch you can get for as little as $100? Hard to justify the cost if all you want is something to make your bike perform better. I'd like to see the design though.

Dunno where you're getting your estimates from but we can do 6 series billet for $200. $250 if you want the bolt holes helicoiled and Ti bolts. Still waiting on the quote from the supplier on magnesium. Prolly won't have it till Monday.

These braces are also going to be a two piece design rather than five likethe cast ones. Much stronger.
Like I said it all depends on what you want. Porous cast alu with multiple stress points are fine for a brace on a road going bike. These will be designed for people who either race, or press hard and want the added strength and piece of mind. Plus the mag ones will be stupid light.

Stay tuned, we will have pics soon

BTW, another project we have a keen interest in working out (speaking of case guards Dan) will be in fact making case guards, and even better, the 82/83 1100E style RACKS with optional backrest.
I happen to have one lent to me by another GSR mate, and was playing around with it on different bikes. Not only does it flow with the lines of just about every GS I've tried it on, I've found that the "Standard" model GSes I've tried will only require changes in the runner length to make them work. I've tried it on:

77-79 750B/C/E
79-81 850/1000G
80-82 750/1100E
82-83 1100E

I'd also like for us to try working something out for the later model 700/750/1150 models as those racks are even harder to come by.

Dunno about chrome, as it's become quite expensive to plate small runs ( about $250 or so for one item or 50) but I also think simple Powder coat black looks sharp on alot of the bikes. If we manage to put together a substantial order that want them chrome, we can certainly do that. Hope to have an example or two of those within the next couple of months.

The prototyping will come slowly at first as we are doing this out of pocket, and both of us obviously have regular jobs that take up a lot of time. But once we have the working model, braces should be able to be turned out in a week or less. Fingers crosses fellas. This should prove to be a lot of fun

[mawg]

Sorry, didn't mean to harsh your mellow man. I did say a mag brace though. Witch could cost less then $300 then? That'd almost be justifiable! Same with the billet Al for $250.I think both are actually quite reasonable price's and I hope you do well. Speaking of case guards, I'd like to see someone develop a set that worked well enough for ocaisional track use. So I wouldn"t be so afraid to push hard in the corners.That would, to me ,be a must buy!

[TheCafeKid]

Sorry, didn't mean to harsh your mellow man. I did say a mag brace though. Witch could cost less then $300 then? That'd almost be justifiable! Same with the billet Al for $250.I think both are actually quite reasonable price's and I hope you do well. Speaking of case guards, I'd like to see someone develop a set that worked well enough for ocaisional track use. So I wouldn"t be so afraid to push hard in the corners.That would, to me ,be a must buy!

It's all good sir. And actually, to be clear, we got our price on the magnesium.
We CAN do a mag brace, helicoiled with SRS Ti bolts for right at $300.00.
Also, the minimum size sheet in the magnesium is 48" long. We can get quite a few braces out of that, (15) or if anyone has something they'd want made from it, speak up. one offs are no problem.

[koolaid_kid]

I would certainly be interested in the luggage rack. I would like one very much, and fitting it to multiple models should help bring the price down considerably. And new black powder coating would be awesome.