Making Rearsets

[joolstacho]

I've adapted a couple of CX500 footrests and plates for my rearset conversion on the GT500.
It works a treat, you just need to 'move' the mount holes on the CX footrest plates a few mm. Easy.
The brake pedal can be easily shortened, that's no problem, (I prefer a less powerful rear brake anyway).

The gearshift side on the other hand is a different issue, the gearshift footlever position needs to be pretty close to the gearshift shaft pivot position, so a linkage is needed. I know there are zillions of rearset linkages off stock jap bikes, but I wonder what would work?
has anyone else done this? Any clues as to what linkages might work? Fabrication and welding can be done obviously.

Ideas?

[joolstacho]

Wondering if anyone who has rearsets might be good enough to put up a photo of the gearshift side -on the bike.
Obviously the rod needs to be routed behind the kickstart lever? And it looks like the short shift arm that goes on the shaft spline needs to be shaped (bent out) to clear the sprocket cover.

[jabcb]

Spencer Motorworks has pics of their setup on a T500/GT500: http://www.shoemakervintage.com/#
This setup requires kick start lever mods.
Also look at pics for the Manx Titan Project.

Pics of their rearsets on our GT250 cafe build is here: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=12998&start=15
We made some changes after those pics but I don’t have any pics of the final setup.

[joolstacho]

Thanks Jabcb.
Interesting, as you say both of your links show rearsets that require modification to the kickstart.
(They do an exchange, but the postage to and fro USA/Oz would kill it costwise).
I wonder if there's an option using the standard kickstart. I wonder if the rod could route behind the kickstart.

[rngdng]

You can't go wrong with a Ralph Spencer rig. He knows what he is doing.

[joolstacho]

Well, 'we're' not really getting it are we?
Here's the thing... the World's full of fabulous, cool cheque-book specials and restorations ain't it?
The whole point here, for me, is to design, fabricate a solution myself. Not wanting to pay through the nose for someone else's overpriced solution.
It's not so much about the money, more to do with self-reliance and self-respect. Challenging one's self to come up with clever solutions.

It's how we did it 'back in the day' before the aftermarket accessories found a ready market of suckers with money to burn.
We actually DID it ourselves.

So far done: - Footrest Hangers, brake lever, footrests, all fabricated for nothing, zilch, zero cost. That's satisfying.
I now need to sort the gearshift linkage. The tricky bit is routing the linkage somehow inside of/behind the kickstart.

I'm sure Ralph Spencer stuff is good, but that's not the point.

[jabcb]

The kickstart modification is not for the purpose of providing room for the shifter linkage.
The kickstart modification is to use a torch to heat up the kickstart lever so you can bend it to clear the rearset when used & a second bend so that it’s still useable.
Since you are using rearsets of your design, you’ll have to figure out if you need to bend the lever & how much to bend the lever.

The shifter shaft spline was also used on bikes that have rearsets. The linkage joints are standard parts. So with careful selection of parts you can make your own linkage.

The Spencer Motorworks & Titan Performance rearsets are not overpriced solutions. Custom designed & fabrication parts used in very low volumes necessarily are priced accordingly.

[Alan H]

Or fit an electric start. That'll keep you occupied for a few days!

[joolstacho]

Haha, I'm actually thinking of a thumb-start conversion for my Super Rocket.
My rear-sets aren't extreme, -just give a slightly less 'sit-up-and-beg' riding position.

[titan performance]

Oooh, a rearset thread. I make those.
Yes, the issue is getting the kick starter to clear both the footpeg and the operating rod. We managed to do it without the need to alter the kick starter, or use a fold up peg. I think I may be right in saying that ours are the only plug and play set available for the 500. I have also now developed another system that does both even better !
Watch this space.