Okay, finally got the pics I have been promising of my forward controls. They are not attached to the bike obviously, but they should give you an idea what they should look like.












First I got a piece of ¼ inch diamond plate from a friend. (I reckon it was about a foot and a half square, I never actually measured it.)

Second, using my hand grinder I cut out two pieces in the shape I needed and used my bench grinder to grind down the rough edges.

Third, I measured for the holes and drilled them out. (as you can see, I didn’t do too good of a job with that part, I had to go back several times waller them out to be able to match them up. But once the bolts are in place it will hide the mistakes.)

Fourth, This part gave me pause, because I knew once I did it there would be no going back. It took me several days to get up the nerve to actually do it. I used my hand grinder again to cut the shifter pivot shaft off of the left hand control assembly and had it welded to the diamond plate. I did the same to the brake cable bracket for the right hand side.

Next, I found that the brake rod off of a 97 Savage has the same threads as the shifter rod. (The right handed threads) and cut it off the 97 frame I have. I will be using a left hand threaded die to cut the threads for the longer shifter rod I will need. (This will have to wait until I get the die and get my engine repaired so I can measure just how long I need)

The brake lever I will be using the indicator off of an old torque wrench to make an actuator arm to link the brake cable to the brake pedal.

Looks real good, bet you wore down a few grinding wheels making them

Now have the forward controls painted and my engine mostly put back together.

I am also painting my fenders, tank, and side panels but it is a long process sanding them by hand so I reckon I am gonna have to get a sanding attachment for my drill.

I'm only going to be priming my bike with gray primer for now, but later will be using some actual color.

Savage_Rob wrote on 01/14/08 at 09:38:30:


No, it is not a sacrificial alter. (Unless you count the gremlins that have been offered up.)   Actually the alter is upside down, the correct orientation should be with the star right side up.

Okay, my reverse cut die, pilot screw, and valve adjustment all arrived yesterday, so now I just need to finish sanding and primering the FireLizard and I can put her the rest of the way together. Now its just a waiting game for the time to do it. Won't have a couple of days off untill next Wednesday and Thursday.

I should have pics of the FireLizard with forward controls installed either Sunday or Monday. FireLizard is almost put all the way back together. All I need is to let the battery finish charging, and connect turn signal wires and put tank and seats back on.

Yonuh Adisi FSO wrote on 01/17/08 at 10:15:08:


sounds like a case of the bird flu coming on.   cough cough cough woop.

i do like the approach you used for the controls.  to bad i don't need them on thumper.

Yes, I wanted the kickstand in the original position so I decided to cut the shifter pivot shaft off and weld it to the desired position on the control plate. It took me a few days of double and triple thinking that because I knew once I did it there was no going back.

I am quite proud of them myself, it is the first time I ever fabricated anything like this and I am very happy with how they turned out. (Though I did have to farm out the welding to a friend of mine who did it for free.)