[Mr. Barry]

You must have just been aching for someone to ask the right question for you to post a picture. What a beauty! You should be proud.
As for the clutch issue. Why not fabricate some type of detent where you can disengage the clutch and have it lock in to a "detent?" Tractors use similar things where they apply the brake and actitae the detent to hold the tractor in place. Bump it and the detent disengages. Could that work for you? With the fabricating you have already done it seems this would be a piece of cake for you. Just my suggestion.

In a way, my electric clutch design has a "hold" position, for traffic, and a "go" position for driving. Right now , it has been tested only on the bench. This is the main reason I was trying to find out how much force is required for clutch dis-engagement. I did know about the tractor idea, but thought it to be too complicated on my finished design.

Well it looks like you have built your Motorcycle into a 3 wheel car. So why not set up the controls just like your car. Use your feet for Gas, Break and clutch and steer with your steering wheel. All of this was figured out a long time ago, as the best way to drive. Also shift with your hands, Feet are much stronger than hand grip for holding pressure Good Lucky and your car looks pretty cool. . Might look around a wrecking yard and find a set of pedals from and old VW might be a good place to start.

Well it looks like you have built your Motorcycle into a 3 wheel car. So why not set up the controls just like your car. Use your feet for Gas, Break and clutch and steer with your steering wheel. All of this was figured out a long time ago, as the best way to drive. Also shift with your hands, Feet are much stronger than hand grip for holding pressure Good Lucky and your car looks pretty cool. . Might look around a wrecking yard and find a set of pedals from and old VW might be a good place to start.

Jerry
I have a foot brake and gas pedal. Sadly, no room for a foot clutch, which would have been great had I thought of it when I was thinking I could use the hand lever clutch. Hind sight is 20/20.

 

[Pure Texas]

I think Mike has a good idea,fab a spring loaded devise that would clamp over the handle bar that would catch the lever when depressed ( I’m retired toolmaker from Boeing and I could do that) but getting it released would be a challenge but when stopped yo would have you right hand loose ( with your foot in the brake) you could release with your right hand.
I got go back and look at your picture.
I went back and looked at the inside and you don’t have handlebar,how do you clutch now?

 

[Mr. Barry]

I think Mike has a good idea,fab a spring loaded devise that would clamp over the handle bar that would catch the lever when depressed ( I’m retired toolmaker from Boeing and I could do that) but getting it released would be a challenge but when stopped yo would have you right hand loose ( with your foot in the brake) you could release with your right hand.
I got go back and look at your picture.
I went back and looked at the inside and you don’t have handlebar,how do you clutch now?

Look at the shift arm, closely...See the clutch lever mounted on the shift arm. (As it would be on the bike), only vertical instead of horizontal. The clutch works fine. It's my hand that doesn't have the strength anymore.

 

[GL Jim]

I thought when you pulled on the inside wire, the clutch went onto a disengaged mode

 

[Pure Texas]

Look at the shift arm, closely...See the clutch lever mounted on the shift arm. (As it would be on the bike), only vertical instead of horizontal. The clutch works fine. It's my hand that doesn't have the strength anymore.

Then what is the flat thing that looks to be a pedal on the left?,taking an idea from nascar,is there a way to mount it between you legs with a ball lock so it can be removed getting in and out?that’s how nascar drivers get out of their cares,remove the steering wheel,or maybe on the firewall on the left and long handle?
shifting would be a real trick with a setup like that.
Over thought myself,my thought would have both hands off the steering wheel.wooops,foot contr,perfect

 

[DenverWinger]

How about attaching the clutch cable to the BRAKE pedal, might take some adjustment and a spring on the clutch cable when it reaches max travel, but when you are hitting the brake you don't need engine engaged. Just tap brake pedal far enough to shift gears without engaging the brake. This would take some adjustment and getting used to, but you could set it up where if you have, say, a three inch travel on the brake pedal, the first inch and a half works the clutch, and if you step on the brake further, it simply stretches the spring to the clutch cable, and works the brake.

@john AZgl1800, why don't you mod the signature to say "Homemade GL1000 trike..."

 

[Pure Texas]

How about attaching the clutch cable to the BRAKE pedal, might take some adjustment and a spring on the clutch cable when it reaches max travel, but when you are hitting the brake you don't need engine engaged. Just tap brake pedal far enough to shift gears without engaging the brake. This would take some adjustment and getting used to, but you could set it up where if you have, say, a three inch travel on the brake pedal, the first inch and a half works the clutch, and if you step on the brake further, it simply stretches the spring to the clutch cable, and works the brake.

@john AZgl1800, why don't you mod the signature to say "Homemade GL1000 trike..."

I thought about the same thing.could be made to work,worked good on the 50s Buick,gas pedal started the motor.how about a hand brake and foot clutch

 

[AZgl1800]

@john AZgl1800, why don't you mod the signature to say "Homemade GL1000 trike..."

Done, I didn't know what model bike it was when I modded the Signature line.

 

[tamathumper]

Couple great suggestions here already, based on tractors.

The old Farmall Cubs had a spring-loaded, detented lever for the throttle, and something like that would work for the clutch, allowing you to pull the lever to any position and push it into the notches to hold it. My Jinma also had a combination clutch/brake pedal - half of the travel was clutch, and the next half of the travel was brakes.

I have several pairs of plier-like tools with high quality "ratchets" built into them - they are used for making network cables with RJ-45 (ethernet) and similar ends on them, basically for cutting, crimping, and attaching the clear plastic ends you see on network cables.

They have a tiny, simple mechanism at the "head end" that has a little pawl and a set of grooves. As you press the handles toward each other, the pawl clicks along the grooves and will catch and hold the handles at that point when you release the handles, until you get to the end of the handles' travel, at which point the pawl gets to a groove that allows it to swing out of the way and the handles can return to their fully open position when you release them.

I could post a picture of the mechanism if that would help.

 

[Mr. Barry]

I thought when you pulled on the inside wire, the clutch went onto a disengaged mode

I explained my context error earlier. I did mean dis-engage, not engage. Sorry for that mix up.

 

[Mr. Barry]

Then what is the flat thing that looks to be a pedal on the left?,taking an idea from nascar,is there a way to mount it between you legs with a ball lock so it can be removed getting in and out?that’s how nascar drivers get out of their cares,remove the steering wheel,or maybe on the firewall on the left and long handle?
shifting would be a real trick with a setup like that.
Over thought myself,my thought would have both hands off the steering wheel.wooops,foot contr,perfect

The left pedal is the brake, right pedal is gas. Clutch release is hand lever.

 

[Mr. Barry]

Couple great suggestions here already, based on tractors.

The old Farmall Cubs had a spring-loaded, detented lever for the throttle, and something like that would work for the clutch, allowing you to pull the lever to any position and push it into the notches to hold it. My Jinma also had a combination clutch/brake pedal - half of the travel was clutch, and the next half of the travel was brakes.

I have several pairs of plier-like tools with high quality "ratchets" built into them - they are used for making network cables with RJ-45 (ethernet) and similar ends on them, basically for cutting, crimping, and attaching the clear plastic ends you see on network cables.

They have a tiny, simple mechanism at the "head end" that has a little pawl and a set of grooves. As you press the handles toward each other, the pawl clicks along the grooves and will catch and hold the handles at that point when you release the handles, until you get to the end of the handles' travel, at which point the pawl gets to a groove that allows it to swing out of the way and the handles can return to their fully open position when you release them.

I could post a picture of the mechanism if that would help.

I think I'm understanding your suggestion. I have a terminal tool that does that. Put a ratchet mechanism on the clutch lever. When it gets to full travel, it would release? That is interesting, but it would take some very serious engineering. If I knew how to use a CAD program, maybe I could get it on paper, but not sure I could pull it off in reality.

 

[Mr. Barry]

So , after many weeks of design, I have had to give up on my "electric clutch" design. When I released the cable from the clutch lever, I could not exert enough force to move the cable in the sheath, even with locking pliers attached to the cable. I took the cover off of the clutch, and tried prying the lever with a large screw driver on a short fulcrum. It moved, but with great
pressure. I'm estimating at least 100 lbs of force. That would mean that the mechanical advantage of the clutch lever has to be about 6 to 1 (based on 16 lbs to pull the lever in).
So , lots of stuff to do to put everything back in place, and start over.
I did research the combination clutch/brake design on the old Cub Cadet mower.(as suggested by a few members). It was all mechanical, and no hydraulics, like our brakes. This would be very tricky, and could pose a safety hazard, since there would no way of knowing when the clutch was dis-engaged, and there would be no brake. Braking when not needed would be a common problem. In addition, the GL clutch is cable operated, the brake could not engage until after the clutch dis-engaged, and there's no way to stretch the cable, and it would take a gigantic spring to allow further movement.
If any of you reading this, are mechanical engineers, I would be open to further suggestions. Sorry for the long post.
Edward

 

[DaveO430]

Look at an old VW beetle, the pedal assembly bolts in and might be small enough to allow you room for them where your brake pedal is now.

 

[Fenton.Dale]

Look at an old VW beetle, the pedal assembly bolts in and might be small enough to allow you room for them where your brake pedal is now.

We used those on a trike a friend built. A one piece assembly and easy to mount. The pedals move on a metal sleeve. The clutch petal is hooked to a cable to operate clutch movement. Could be what your looking for. Good luck with your project.

 

[Pure Texas]

inwonder if you use a mechanism off a 1200,it’s hydraulic and don’t take much pressure to hold it

 

[DaveO430]

inwonder if you use a mechanism off a 1200,it’s hydraulic and don’t take much pressure to hold it

But how would he connect it to his clutch?

 

[Pure Texas]

Don’t really know,just an idea,where theres a will there a way,is 1200 similar to 1500,with a plunger,how does the 1000 work,never been in one

 

[DaveO430]

Don’t really know,just an idea,where theres a will there a way,is 1200 similar to 1500,with a plunger,how does the 1000 work,never been in one

If a 1200 or 1500 clutch cover would fit a 1000 it could be made to work but I doubt it would fit. It is a lever that moves a cam that depresses the clutch when the cable is pulled.

 

[dingdong]

Looks like an 84 clutch assembly will fit in a 1000 motor but is it worth it???

Wingovation information page. Fitting a hydraulic GL1200 clutch into a GL1000. Honda Goldwing Parts, Service, Info

This is the fitting of a Honda GoldWing GL1200 hydraulic diaphram spring clutch into a Honda Goldwing GL1000.

wingovations.com