SuzukiSavage.com - 96 jockey shifted bobber build

Rylee

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96 jockey shifted bobber build
05/13/15 at 19:01:11

Finally got some free time today to head over to my buddies shop and get the thumper on the lift. Had a box full of parts and a plan. Got my RYCA clip ons installed. Exhaust buttoned up and finally tuned properly. And got my jockey shift fabbed up and in good working order.

I basically cut the foot shifter mechanism off the forward control assembly. I cut the stud with snap ring that holds the shift lever off the forward control. Took about 1/4" off the width of the sleeve for the shifter and fabbed up a mount system that was welded to the hardtail lower tube. I then flipped the linkage around so the shift pattern was still the same. Forward or down is 1st and back or up is 2-5. Used 1" thin wall tube for the jockey stick so I could mount my stock clutch lever.

The throw between 1st and 2nd is further than I assumed it would be but I understand the physics of longer lever longer distance of action. I was surprised at how sturdy everything came out. The jockey lever doesn't have unnecessary play and is actually quite still while riding. Think I'm gonna go back in it and just do some flat stock for the jockey stick and add enough 1" tube at the top to mount the clutch lever and grip. Trying to make it as light as possible yet still solid enough for the rigors of shifting.

All in all I'm super happy and it feels good to be back to a jockey shift bike.

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« Last Edit: 05/14/15 at 21:16:04 by Rylee »

96 Bobber

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gizzo

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Re: Hand clutch jockey shift built and working...
Reply #1 - 05/13/15 at 19:30:14

That's a very cool looking scooter. How does it look with a rider on board? Neat exhaust. I bet that's loud! Cheesy

I'm guessing the whole weight of the jockey lever and clutch lever + cable is hanging on the shift shaft at the gearbox? That would be quite a load to be putting on that little shaft. I can see it bending, or the bush it runs in flogging out, or extra wear and tear on the shift forks as the lever bounces around. Would it not be better to have a jockey lever mounted to the frame with lighter weight shift rods to the gearbox? +, would look tidier and cooler IMO only. I've never bothered to look closely but I'm guessing that's how it works on flat tankers with the shift quadrant arrangement up by the tank.
What do you think?

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Kris01 Serious Thumper Offline Eat, sleep, RIDE! Posts: 3767 Tennessee Gender:	Re: Hand clutch jockey shift built and working... Reply #2 - 05/13/15 at 19:33:49 I'm not knocking it but I'm just wondering...why would you want to make it unnecessarily difficult to shift? That looks dangerous to me.
Back to top	There's no problem that a full tank of gas and a sunny day can't fix! 2008 S40, Rotella T 15W-40 w/ZDDP added, Dyna, 140/90-15, Battery Tender Jr., Seat lift, #52.5/150/3 washers, Raptor IP Logged

Rylee

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Re: Hand clutch jockey shift built and working...
Reply #3 - 05/13/15 at 20:06:00

@gizzo
The jockey rod is mounted via a sleeve between 2 tabs welded to the hardtail section. It is connected to the shift shaft via the stock linkage. So there's no weight on the shift shaft itself. My original idea was the just mount the jockey stick directly to the shift shaft but for the issues you addressed I ended up going with the shifter being hard mounted between tabs. I used the stock shift lever to accomplish this. The sleeve that the lever is welded to trimmed and the original stud with snap ring was cut from the forward control and welded into the mount system I fabricated giving it a stock like appeal. Doing this allowed me to use the stock linkage. It just runs to the rear of the case instead of forward. I took a picture but the lighting is terrible

@Kris01
It's actually very easy to shift. After 2nd if your bike is in good mechanical order the clutch is rarely needed. I simply tap the jockey stick to me and hit gears easy. Hardest part to get use to is making right turns from a stop. The angle requires a pull on the bars and with only 1 hand on it's a bit of a trick to learn. I rode 2 years on my old bike with jockey. When I bought it the PO had a foot clutch system. That lasted 3 months and I swapped it out for a hand clutch. Fell in love and have wanted to do it every since I got the savage.

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gizzo Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiCabbage. It's Savage. Posts: 1318 Australia	Re: Hand clutch jockey shift built and working... Reply #4 - 05/13/15 at 22:07:46 I see... Nice work!
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Rylee

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Re: Hand clutch jockey shift built and working...
Reply #5 - 05/13/15 at 22:15:18

@gizzo
I went a little over the top with gussets on the mount tabs for the jockey stick. Until it was all bolted in and under it's own weight I wasn't sure if just the 2 mounting tabs would support the nearly 3' of shift lever tube. Now I just need to respray the rest of the frame. It's dingy and scuffed everywhere and that 6" of area I welded in has fresh shiny gloss black paint. Still thinking about removing the 1" round stock and replacing it with either some 1/2" solid stock or flat stock to shave a bit more weight off the shift rod.

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gizzo Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiCabbage. It's Savage. Posts: 1318 Australia	Re: Hand clutch jockey shift built and working... Reply #6 - 05/13/15 at 22:53:44 Close up pic??? Loving the bits you've used: seat, tank, gauge and pipe all look great.
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corey v84 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 60	Re: Hand clutch jockey shift built and working... Reply #7 - 05/14/15 at 02:30:10 I would be interested in buying one, if you would make me one!
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Rylee

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Re: Hand clutch jockey shift built and working...
Reply #8 - 05/14/15 at 09:38:45

@corey v84

As I would love to market such a kit what I built requires a hardtail because that was my platform. And the mounting system I built requires welding and I'm not sure if I duplicated it in a "weld on yourself" form the same result would happen. This was a I cut it up and made it as I went deal. My buddy who owns the shop when I finished was all "I didn't see that as the end result when you explained it" because I kinda just shot from the hip and as it came together so did my idea.

@gizzo
I'll take some pics now that there's better lighting

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Rylee

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Re: 96 jockey shifted bobber build
Reply #9 - 05/14/15 at 21:18:26

Realized today I should have just do t a build thread for this bike. I PM'ed Dave about it but it would be more work than I want to dump on any moderator to piece together different threads so I'll just use this one as my build thread. So here's links to other aspects of the build and a walk thru of what I've done

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1425621235
Tensioner replacement thread

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96 Bobber

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Rylee Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 312 Long Beach California Gender:	Re: 96 jockey shifted bobber build Reply #10 - 05/14/15 at 21:23:44 http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1429405934 Original post of gauge install. Here a shot of te new location due to jockey shifter
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Rylee Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 312 Long Beach California Gender:	Re: 96 jockey shifted bobber build Reply #11 - 05/14/15 at 21:25:48 Building the exhaust took a few tries. I was happy with the 1st times routing and location but "over" baffled it and by the time is cut it open enough times to get it close to right I wasn't that happy with it
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Rylee Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 312 Long Beach California Gender:	Re: 96 jockey shifted bobber build Reply #12 - 05/14/15 at 21:29:02 Second time around I decided to open up the right rear for a hard tail bag so I routed the pipe 90* thru the opening in the frame under the carb. Used a torque cone and a crumb cup and got the baffling needed and sound I wanted.
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Rylee

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Re: 96 jockey shifted bobber build
Reply #13 - 05/20/15 at 13:28:31

The last few days I've noticed a bad vibration in the gas tank and couldn't figure out why. Pulled the tank off and 2 of the rivets for the RYCA mount had come undone. So I pulled the whole system apart and welded in new mounts. Also noticed the top of the carb was against the original mount and had rubbed the metal pretty good causing a solid groove...not good

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Rylee Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 312 Long Beach California Gender:	Re: 96 jockey shifted bobber build Reply #14 - 06/23/15 at 22:12:16 Haven't posted in the build thread for a bit but a lot has changed. Finished up the speed hump/seat pan. Built a headlight fairing out of a honda shadow front fender. Redid the exhaust for the 4th time.
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