Climate Posted May 30, 2009 Posted May 30, 2009 Initially the lefty does look different, but one gets used to "different" (I use a conventional fork ... just commenting on the look). But if the design concept is so much better, why haven't Suzuki, Yamaha, Ducati been convinced to do something similar on their bikes ... they also shave weight wherever they can!
Green Mamba Posted May 30, 2009 Posted May 30, 2009 Don't touch it!!! Technically inferior combined with poor local service = recipe for disaster. Cannot replace the fork with a standard one; too costly. I own a Scalpel and ended up having a spare Lefty so that one can be in repairs while I use the other one. Swapped to a standard Fox fork about 2 years ago with zero problems.
jmaccelari Posted May 30, 2009 Posted May 30, 2009 Initially the lefty does look different' date=' but one gets used to "different" (I use a conventional fork ... just commenting on the look). But if the design concept is so much better, why haven't Suzuki, Yamaha, Ducati been convinced to do something similar on their bikes ... they also shave weight wherever they can![/quote']If you mean by a one sided front fork, I think there is a fundamentaldifference between a 150kg motorcycle decelerating from 300kph+and a 10kg MTB decelerating from 30kph in the same time. Ducati have a one sided rear swing arm (copied by BMW), but Ireally can't see this working on the front... So it's a good idea for a bicycle, not for a motorbike...
Climate Posted May 30, 2009 Posted May 30, 2009 I realize motorbikes have been sporting one-sided rear swingarms for many years ... I was commenting on the rigidity claims made wrt the Lefty design (specifically: "Some trail forks now approach the stiffness of Lefty but those weigh nearly 2Kg..")
GoLefty!! Posted May 31, 2009 Posted May 31, 2009 A lefty type design has already been tried on a motorcycle. It did not catch on because the riders did not like the look of it, not because of structural design issues...
nickc Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 A lefty is cool - the Blue Bulls equivalent of front forks.
Tumbleweed Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 A lefty is cool - the Blue Bulls equivalent of front forks. i don't want mine anymore...
nickc Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Sorry I was talking about last years model - the new Lefty is nearly as cool as the Sharks.
jagwil Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 A lefty is cool - the Blue Bulls equivalent of front forks. i don't want mine anymore... Why not? Because you no longer like it or because of the Blue Bulls comparison.
Johan Bornman Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 some idea of the static load a Lefty can handle That's pretty impressive. The stiffness of carbon never ceases to amaze me. I bet the alu version of that fork will deflect 3 times more under the same mass. I'm with you when it comes to stiffness in the fore-aft position but not wrt torsion. It just isn't necessary. Thinking back to the many damaged forks I see with scuff marks on the stanchion where it fits into the bushing, the scuff is always on the front of the stanchion at the top bushing. I have seen no exceptions to this. This means that rider weight takes up play in the bushings, forcing the front of the stanchion into the top bushing. The fact that it never scuffs on the side supports my point about torsion (I believe) and also points to the fact that rider weight, more than deflection from road obstacles, wears the bushings. However, the video showed me something else about the Cannondale design that I like and that's the flexible chainstays. Anything to remove those horrible bearing pivots from a suspension system gets my vote. Maybe my next bike should be a Lefty....will they still make them in 2020?
GoLefty!! Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 A lefty is cool - the Blue Bulls equivalent of front forks. i don't want mine anymore... well When I was introduced to Lefty it did not say:" I are Lefty." it said: "I am Lefty" so definately no the Blue Bulls of MTB forks.. Johan, I'm sure Lefty will be around for another 10 yrs Hey that's right, Lefty turns 10 in September!!
GoLefty!! Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 some more Lefty's: http://www.fireblades.org/forums/honda-naked-sportbikes/59543-single-sided-swingarm-single-sided-fork.html http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2006/10/03/riwi-products-single-side-front-fork/ http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?t=87327 a righty: http://www.fz6-forum.com/forum/bar/12157-crazy-custom-bmw-d1200r-single-sided-front-fork.html , and these aren't manly enough for you http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_GTS1000
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