Author Topic: Rickman Frame (Read 6588 times)

Humble Pie · « **on:** November 07, 2013, 04:25:24 PM »

Anyone know if this is for CB750 ?

Stev-o · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2013, 04:27:43 PM »

I dont see the front motor mounts. Looks to be unused??

Powderman · « **Reply #2 on:** November 07, 2013, 04:34:44 PM »

yup no motor mounts so it's useless to you, send it to me.

scottly · « **Reply #3 on:** November 07, 2013, 05:49:00 PM »

It may be a Rickman frame judging from the swing-arm and chain adjustment at the pivot, but I doubt it was for a CB750; more likely a dirt bike or desert sled.

scottly · « **Reply #4 on:** November 07, 2013, 08:11:28 PM »

Check out Bob's Rickman framed Bultaco on this thread:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=131181.25

Geeto67 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2013, 10:38:48 AM »

Quote from: Humble Pie on November 07, 2013, 04:25:24 PM

Anyone know if this is for CB750 ?

No it is def not.

this is what a bare cb750/kz900 rickman frame looks like (and yes it is mine):

that frame you have a pic of is either OSSA, Bultaco, Zundapp, or Montessa

IF you really want a CR750 chassis, this one is on ebay. It appears to be a cb750 frame someone modded to take a GS1100, looks like you could put it back to take a 750 mill, it's missing the rare Rickman front end and rear swingarm, but that morris rear disc setup with grimeca caliper is worth some decent coin. :

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rickman-Racing-Motorcycle-Chassis-currently-set-up-for-Suzuki-GS-1100-/221309788661?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item33871761f5&vxp=mtr#ht_120wt_922

Duke McDukiedook · « **Reply #6 on:** November 08, 2013, 12:10:51 PM »

Holy crap that swingarm looks dinky on that Rickman picture.

Geeto67 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 08, 2013, 01:23:24 PM »

if you ever have seen rickman frames in person, the montessa/zundapp is 3/4 the size of the cb750/kz900 frame. The twins frames (Triumph, norton, enfield) are the same length but narrower. My understanding is that the rickman brothers did not make a frame for every single powerplant they used, the zundapp,montessa, etc...dirt frames all seem to be the same construction, with the exception of the norton and triumph dirt frames which required major surgery to be able to take the larger 4 stroke lumps. The cb750 and kz900 frames are largely the same, in fact I would say they are almost identical with only minor mounts changed to accept things like exhasut and side covers.

Just4fun · « **Reply #8 on:** November 08, 2013, 10:11:00 PM »

When someone buys a bike or frame in this case off OS eBay where the seller lists as local pick up, what would be the best way to ship cross country? Any estimate on cost?

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Stev-o · « **Reply #9 on:** November 08, 2013, 10:22:14 PM »

I've read you can ship very inexpensively through Greyhound, but never have done it.

Stev-o · « **Reply #10 on:** November 09, 2013, 06:15:58 AM »

Quote from: Humble Pie on November 09, 2013, 04:28:43 AM

We have always used Greyhound,,quick cheap and easy

I found a frame I want to buy and ship via a Greyhound. Can you plz give more details?
No need to box up? Just bring to the nearest hub? What else I need to know? Thx

Geeto67 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 09, 2013, 06:20:27 AM »

I shipped a bare 1971 h1 kwaka frame cross country by greyhound. Cost me $49. The frame heeded to be boxed and in had to pick it up at the greyhound station.

You couldn't ship that roller by greyhound, it would have to be disassembled which would triple costs.

Word to the wise, you couldn't so a resto on that frame, it's only suitable for a hot rod or race bike based on how much it was modded. Also it's missing its Rickman serial number plate so registering It is gonna be a pain.

rklystron · « **Reply #12 on:** November 09, 2013, 08:22:45 PM »

I shot a video of just the frame of my 1975 CR750 frame if you are interested, you can find it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1FJndWJsa8. I had to redesign the swing arm bearings with brass, the old silent block bearings were shot. I also made a modification to the rear wheel to support an additional bearing for the rear shaft. Bike is awesome but a tough bugger to ride.

Just4fun · « **Reply #13 on:** November 09, 2013, 11:02:28 PM »

rklystron, I would love to see your video, but the link does not work. Could you please re-paste the link?

I knew that one frame had a lot of issues. My biggest concerns with that frame was how the extra pieces had been welded. If brackets are not welded or brazen properly, the impact the integrity of the joint.

See a documented good Rickman frame would be awesome.

It made me also think, when I find the frame I want I had better have a plan to get it shipped.

The cool thing about the group is that the knowledge really deep.

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Geeto67 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 10, 2013, 06:24:32 AM »

From what I could see, the welds looked pretty good on the added pieces. I didn't see sloppy work, but I did see neglect after the work was done. You would have to check the Rickman bros braising more since it is older and those frames were prone to crack under the headstock if used as intended.

There would be no point in re-nickeling that frame, it would be too expensive. You wouldn't build a stock Rickman with that frame, you would build a hotrod. Paint the frame, modern suspension components, maybe a turbo motor. The same design might be able to take the DOHC cb900f/750f/1100f motor, the Rickman predator which was an 80's update used the same basic architecture.

Whomever was building that bike probably followed AMA superbike. I see a lot of parts choices that would have been "class legal" for 80's superbike.

Biggest issue with that frame is without the Rickman serial tag, how do you register it? You'd have to go the "custom" route. Or maybe affix your donor honda's stock data plate.

rklystron · « **Reply #15 on:** November 10, 2013, 06:29:33 AM »

Just4fun, the link worked for me. May I suggest you go to youtube and search for rklystron. You will find the video there as well as a few others. Best of luck.

Tews19 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 10, 2013, 07:00:27 AM »

RKLY great video! I subscribed to your Youtube account.... Great work.... How did you find the frame?

Just4fun · « **Reply #17 on:** November 10, 2013, 07:55:27 AM »

Once I went straight to you tube it worked great. I liked your other build videos too. Thanks for sharing

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harisuluv · « **Reply #18 on:** November 10, 2013, 11:19:37 AM »

Here are all the reference photos I have from our local old-timer. Don't have too many of the frame from a straight on side shot, was mostly looking at that distributor cap and scratching my head.

Album of photos: http://imgur.com/a/hjbZ0#2uRavWh

Geeto67 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 10, 2013, 06:40:20 PM »

Since this is a Rickman Thread....and I was at the AMA Museum today (if you ever get the chance, go!!!!) they had Craig Vetter's personal Rickman CR900 road racer on display. This was a bike Vetter rode on the street (it still had a license plate on it) and raced in AMA and had some nice upgraded parts (the slotted rim lester wheels for example). I explained to the guys working there I was restoring one and started making arrangements to come back with my camera, a not book and some measuring tools so I can get details on parts I need to fab. Before you crucify me for putting a kawaka in the honda section, remember the chassis are identical for the CR900 and CR750 (except maybe the side cover tabs).

I just want to take a moment and point out.....for those idiots that think pods or stacks are a "performance" cafe racer upgrade, here is a real deal street racer slap you across the face with it's balls special that runs.....gasp....the stock kz airbox. It honestly can't get more hardcore than this bike and if you ever thought you were the shiznit because of a pair of filters, you may now hang your head in shame.

A couple of posts ago I brought up the issue of the Rickman data plate/vin tag. as far as I know this is the only place a rickman frame will have a vin number (it isn't stamped somewhere else on the frame). this is the data plate off Vetter's rickman so you can see what it looks like:

and this is where it is located:

my own frame has it's tag in the same place and indicates a 1977 build date. I would have taken a pic of mine but it's in storage 530 miles away. Surprisingly I think his serial number is less than a 1000 from mine but his frame was built in 1975. Of course I could be mistaken about that.

my camera really washes out the colors, but the tank was rickman green (not kawi green, a more yellow green) where as the fairing was bright yellow. In real life it is glaringly obvious but like I said the camera seems to make them look close in tone:

It was parked next to wayne rainey's GPZ so I don't think you can be in better company:

scottly · « **Reply #20 on:** November 10, 2013, 07:06:26 PM »

Geeto, I'm not really surprised by the small spread of serial numbers from '75 to '77. Any idea of how many frames Rickman made? There were only 300 or so Seeleys made over the same period.

754 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 10, 2013, 07:34:59 PM »

A guy I sometimes rode with had a Rickman Kawi.. Here in town..

Geeto67 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 10, 2013, 07:41:12 PM »

rickman was a full on factory operation compared to seely, harris, dresda, etc.... between all lines they were selling 4000 bikes and kits a year at one point, that's frames and kits for 5 different 125cc engines for dirt/scrambles, road racers for triumph, norton, bsa, CR kits for kawasaki kz900, cb750, and kawasaki h1 (I only know of one in existence but there may be more hiding). Really they only had 3 or 4 designs (the 125cc kit would take a yamaha, montessa, etc...but if you bought a complete bike it was only powered by a zundapp). let's not forget the Royal Enfield rickman interceptors of which there were about 137 made.

I have always heard around 2000 of the CR units (750 and 900) and another 100 frames for the predator series of bikes. someone once told me that out of that 2000 units, 500 were kits - the rickman bros sold complete bikes as well up until 1976. I have no reason to believe these numbers to be accurate, it's just what I have heard. At a time when a cb750 was less than $1000, the rickman kit was $1400. it was a read deal premium special, given the price I am shocked they sold as many as they did.

It's odd, I have seen enough rickmans to think they aren't rare at all. there is a CR900 hiding at spannerland. I have owned mine for years now. I have seen the two that the AMA has at different times, I know three other people with them, and that isn't counting any I see on the web which has been quite a few.

Geeto67 · « **Reply #23 on:** November 10, 2013, 07:54:00 PM »

I should add this here, didn't know it was out there until today - A detail of the vetter restoration:
http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/motorcycle_designs/Rickman-resto.htm

This will give you a better idea why the bike is "special". longer swingarm, specially made wheels, etc....This is actually the second time I have heard of racing rickmans running longer swingarms.

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Author Topic: Rickman Frame (Read 6588 times)