BGW Tri-Rod Restoration (finally almost finished)!

[CaptNugget]

Figured I’d start up this post about my BGW Tri-Rod I’m restoring. I’m sure there’s an OLD post when I started it but all my projects had been put on the back burner for awhile.
So now that it’s almost done, I figured I’d make a new post.
Here’s some pics from beginning to end so far.
Once I get it totally finished I’ll post walk around pics and hopefully a video.
Just ran the cables through frame and made wheelie bar today (just Incase since I put a Predator 420cc (13hp) on it instead of the MFG suggested 8hp motor.)

 

[bikesisbikes]

Looking good. That's a nice color choice. I have always liked that shade of blue. That wheelie bar does draw some questions, in my mind. It looks like the frame end will dig in as soon as, or even before the wheel hits the ground.

 

[CaptNugget]

It is a nice color, thanks (Dupli-color Metal Specks) rattle cans. Yeah, didn’t look like frame hit when I lifted front to test but it was close. It’s only an 8” tire, I could always get a 10” or 12” and that might be a little better just didn’t want to stick anything “too big” off the back. And if it does hit that ok on pavement, it’ll just throw wheelie sparks hahaha.
Waiting on 2 freakin cable stop barrels for the brakes. Then I can hookup breaks, killswitch, throttle (didn’t remove governor from motor but thinking of just bypass possibly) and battery
The headlight I haven’t gotten to but that can come later

 

[bikesisbikes]

It might be easier to just move the wheel back. Maybe put the tire within 1/2 an inch, or so, of the loop. What kind of headlight are you putting on it? Our local ACE hardware carries barrel stops.

 

[Cuda54]

You should have some real fun with that 13hp I have a 10hp on mine. Mine is the factory blue metal flake but mine has 2 shocks on each side in the back. My son driving mine.

 

[DonK]

Beautiful! The predator should push it along nicely- was thinking of doing the same on one of mine. Will you keep it electric start?

 

[CaptNugget]

I have a battery mounted and cables ran.. if I can use the electric start hell yeah I will hahah.. figured since I wanted to run the light I’d have to add a battery anyway and why not keep electric start.. just a nice little convenience, just leave the key in it and it ready to rock and if it shits out or for any reason don’t work right you can always pull start it .. it’s the 1st motor with electric start I’ve personally put on a trike ...had a small side job today so it’s not finished but hopefully tomorrow

 

[CaptNugget]

Ok so finishing touches on hold ... brakes wouldn’t work right and I maybe got a little impatient and maybe a little lazy and “ruined” both my brake cables. Ehh oh well, I can still shorten them and use them on a smaller trike..
So I’ll have to order new cables. Can’t find any long enough (85” +\-) with a 3/8 barrel end but I saw a cool post on another sight about making a mold for making your own 3/8 barrel ends with a mold and melted lead.. might try that out on an old cable and see how it works since I don’t care for the 3/8 stops w/‘set screws in my brake levers.
if it works I’ll definitely post what I did on here, if not I guess I’ll be ordering cables I can make work.

 

[metalhead1982]

Very Nice! I'm running a Duromax 440 on mine and it hauls. How do you have your charging system wired up to run that headlight? I've been racking my brain trying to get enough power to run an LED headlight and tail light out of the piddly little 3A charge coil on my Duromax. I've been looking at small alternators, but my Tri-Rod has the sprung rear end so I don't have a lot of room to mount one.