I receive many e-mails about the Bikernet fiberglass seat tech. In reality we're working on bikes every single day, so I'll shoot stuff getting done. We make as much as possible, instead of buying parts, but in this case I asked someone to make a special part.
Many of you have asked on Your Shots about how to install a jockey shift. If you're familiar with transmissions, there's the normal old style or ratchet. Also there's the earlier trans top (jockey top) with a solid barrel shift (no ratchet snapping back to neutral) like the ones in the hand shift style bikes. Also the newer trans top that some call the “cowflop or rotary top. Those are the most difficult to turn into Jockey Shift systems, since they have two sliding parts to connect to be able to achieve the shift. Let me remind you once again, this tech will take a lot less time to do than to read, so please bear with me.
I have a friend from Lynn who wanted to Jockey Shift his eighty something FL. I said, “Sure, no problem.” But in my sometimes absentmindedness I really did forget about the “other” tranny. After giving it some thought, I called my friend Fabricator Kevin and asked him about it. Since POW Dave was in Massachusetts, I gave him Kevin's phone number and let them sort it out. All I needed to know is when it was done. Some time passed, the shifter completed and photos sent. Dave was jockey shifting, and that was the end of the story.
But you guys, yes the readers, started asking about the Jockey for your “cowflop ” tranny, so I have directed all of you to Fabricator Kevin, and I'm sure you must have been more than happy with the results.
A fact of building bikes is that not all of us can do everything, so I try to fan out as much work as possible, one to help my friends and give them some well deserved business, two, because that is what they do, while it may take me a few weeks to carve out a part, I can call Kevin, send him a rough drawing and the part will be at my door in no time (if he does not forget!!). It's simple and effective and there's no shame it that either.
We all know that Jockey shifting has made a huge come back, a lot more chopper jockeys are slapping the fucking lever instead of stamping on the pegs. Let me veer off the course a bit. There's some trivial stuff that needs to be said. It's called Jockey Shift because of the position, looking like a jockey whipping the horse.
Suicide applies to the clutch set-up (which will be the second part of this tech), when you have to press the clutch with your foot and it won't release until you let it release (like a car). There's also a rocker clutch, which was used on old bikes, but it stays in whatever position your boot places it, and you must step back in order to release (dual action lever).
Shifting from the tank is simply a tank shifter, also there's the police style shifter which used to be attached forward of the gas tank on the down tube. I call it a hand shifter when a builder locates the shifter mid point on the motormount (or close where the horn or coils are located, motor mount). So now that we've got our terms in the right order, let's get to the tech part of this.
Before installing the lever sent by Fabricator Kevin, I took a quick look a what's available or needed. In this case, all the bolts, washers and bits were included, no biggie. I just had to get the tools and some Locktite. (photo shiftech and shiftech 1)
I took a look at the bike. The clutch cable had to come off. We grabbed the proper wrench and got to it. A little degreaser spray took care of the old gunk …. With the clutch cable off (I'll get back to it in the second part, when I write the suicide clutch set up), I started to remover the bolt and nut from the original stock linkage. All that is needed is a 1/2 and 9/16 open-end or socket wrench. (photos shiftech 2 and 3)
After removing the stock parts I cleaned up the threads and mocked up the Fab Kevin jockey lever. The selector part (the one that is not the lever) goes in from one side only. The wear and tear on this tranny made it a bit difficult to slide in, so instead of getting a hammer and whacking it (like what seems the norm), I made sure it was properly aligned and tightened the nut slowly until it stopped where it should be (photos shiftech 4 and 5)
The shifter lever Allen bolt was tightened slowly, again this are older parts, I cleaned the threads, but you never know what ailment is lurking behind all those years of use and abuse. When everything was tight, I shifted to see if there was any slack or problems. Please take a good look at the photo so you can see the proper alignment of both parts, if it's not like this there's something wrong, and it won't fit or shift (photos shiftech 11).
With everything working properly and checked, I took it apart, added Locktite and reinstalled. Sure, this is just for the tech, but you should apply the finish of your choice before final assembly. The part was shipped raw (in my case), so it can be powder coated, painted or chromed. (photo shifttech6)
We added a lady luck ball, I had stashed, but just for the photos. The owner of this ride, Demian, needs to find his own cue ball. (photo shiftech 10)
This is it folks, here's a few more shots of how it will look in the future (photos shiftech 7,8,9). In the rare case that it's in the way of your left leg bend the lever a bit to suit, but big warning: Fabricator Kevin's parts are not for the weak. These suckers are as strong as they come, so some torch heat persuasion might be needed.
Next segment contains the suicide clutch set-up, so you can shift that sucker like a pro in no-time. For more information e-mail me, and if you need some stuff made out of metal, or one of these cool Jockey setups, call fabricator Kevin or check his site out, wwwFabricatorkevin.com
–Jose
