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The whole arrangement is kept together with side links and adjustable spindles, and a single spring between the fork and the top crown provides a limited range of suspension travel.ĭamping to affect compression and rebound is obtained through a friction system acting on the lower links. This pivots on four points – two on the girder itself, one at the lower steering tube and one at the top crown. Webb forks feature rigid sections of triangulated tubes (one on each side, commonly called a ‘blade’) that make up the main girder. and Triumph, made their own and these designs closely resemble the Webb model. Some motorcycle makers, Velocette, for example, bought in Webb forks to fit their range of machines. The girder fork, whether of a simple or more intricate design, was the most common front suspension system found on pre-Second World War motorcycles.īy the mid teens most motorcycles were fitted with a girder, and manufacturers included Brampton, Castle, Druid and Webb. RADD proved to be too much technology, and one that motorcyclists simply didn’t buy. Affixed to the front of a C-shape main frame, one arm is for suspension, and the other for braking and steering. With hub-centre steering, the system is essentially two swing arms on the left side of the front wheel. Unlike Britten’s front end, which does resemble a girder, RADD is completely different. Instead of steel tubes, Britten’s girder was constructed of lightweight carbon fibre and Kevlar components, all suspended by a single Ohlins shock.Īnd, Yamaha licenced the rights to James Parker’s RADD (Rationally Advanced Design Development) front end in 1990, and built the GTS1000 from 1993 to 1996 around the alternative suspension system. Race icon John Britten experimented, successfully, with a girder design on his V1000. The visible fork tubes do not provide suspension, rather they hold the front wheel in place and provide steering inputs. Telelever uses an A-arm swingarm that pivots from the engine with a single monoshock attached to the A-arm and the motorcycle frame. BMW’s system doesn’t differ too much from traditional girder theory, but the hardware has been updated. Witness some of the modern examples of the technology, including BMW’s Telelever. Maybe that’s why the girder might just be due for a comeback. It did lack an appreciable amount of travel, but properly set up a girder provided a light, lithe, and sporty ride. It was stronger, wouldn’t dive under braking, and was less prone to stiction. Shame, really, because the girder was a better system, especially in the early days of the telescopic. So absolute was the adoption of the new technology that owners of motorcycles from the 1930s were buying telescopic units and binning their girder forks. When manufacturers in the 1940s replaced what was the industry standard girder fork with the hydraulically damped telescopic unit motorcycles stepped into the modern age. See the next page for more great photos of the collectible 1953 Indian Chief motorcycle.Jake Robbins (right) with son William and their Brough Superior exact replica made in England fork. The 1953 Indian Chief motorcycle represents both the crowning achievement and the sorrowful end of a company that gave generations of motorcyclists some of their fondest memories. With its massive skirted fenders, locomotive-like torque, and "last-of-the-breed" heritage, the '53 Chief is surely one of the most collectible of Indians. After that, the Chief - and Indian along with it - was relegated to history, leaving Harley-Davidson the sole surviving American motorcycle manufacturer. This was hardly an overwhelming advantage, however.Īccording to factory records, 700 Chiefs were built in 1952, while only 600 were completed in 1953. Whereas Harleys had a single coil that fired both plugs at the same time once per revolution (one plug firing needlessly), Indian used an automotive-type distributor that fired each plug only on its cylinder's power stroke. The Chief's flathead V-twin was considered somewhat archaic compared to Harley-Davidson's overhead-valve engines, but the Indian used a more modern ignition system. In 1952, the front fender was trimmed to a thinner contour and a cowling was added on top of the forks. Modern telescopic forks replaced the girder front end in 1950, when the 74-cubic-inch V-twin was enlarged to 80 cubic inches. Attempts at postwar singles and vertical twins intended to compete with the machines from Europe ultimately proved unsuccessful, and their development had cost the company dearly.ĭespite the trouble, the V-twin Chief had seen a fair number of updates during the postwar years.
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Though Indian had enjoyed a long and rich history, financial problems beset the company in the early 1950s.