PULSE AUTOCYCLE NETWORK

leroy cook · Joined: 05 Apr 2009 Posts: 22 Location: Marysville, Ohio

Is there any photos of installing a 1200CC Honda in the Pulse. It seems the 1987 1200 frame (that I have as a donor) is about 8 inches longer than will fit. The shop that is doing the change out is looking at a 1977 1000cc frame and installing the 1200 engine in this and going from there. The 1000 frame is four inches shorter.
Since I have never seen or have any photos the going gets tough. Does anyone have any photos of the Honda motors in the Pulse? This might help!

Bob Hichborn · Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 404 Location: Orlando, Fl

Leroy,
The 1200 and 1100 are basically the same length and width according to the spec sheets. On Pulse #77 with the GL1100 there's about 2 to 2.5 inches from the end of the oil filter cover bolt to the rear Pulse cross member. Just enough space to wiggle the cover off to replace the oil filter.

In the rear, there's just around 3 inches from the furthest point of the tire to the outer most point of the lower skirt. Every Pulse I've seen that has the GL1100 or newer, has had to cut the lower skirt substantially to get the donor to fit.

Although, the GL1000 is a great classic bike, I wouldn't recommend using it as a donor, unless you just found close to a perfect one, but then cutting it up for a donor bike should be classified as some kind of sin, I'm sure.

Don't let them tell you it won't fit, because there's plenty of Pulse's using the GL1100/GL1200 series bikes. I think we even have a few that have used the GL1500, which it about 3 inches longer and an inch or two wider on either side.

- Bob
_________________
"Everyday you wake up with a Pulse,
is a good day!"

leroy cook · Joined: 05 Apr 2009 Posts: 22 Location: Marysville, Ohio

Thanks for the reply. On the bikes with the factory installed 1100 & 1200 Hondas are the bikes frames used or is the frame fabricated?
My donor bike was a 1987 1200cc. The frame was to long and the shop that is doing the modification located a 1100 honda frame and is going to install the 1200 engine in the older frame and install this in the Pulse.

The Fab shop is very capable of "making things fit". Hopefully they are keeping track of all of this so they can do another bike.

I have checked on this site but have not see any frames that have the Honda engines..

Bob Hichborn · Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 404 Location: Orlando, Fl

From the Pulses I've seen that have GL1100s, they all use the original Honda motorcycle frame. Mine in particular that the neck/throat taken off along with the 2 frame pieces that the faux gas tank mounted to, as well as, most of the electrical compoments. It still has the upper 1.5 x 1.5 tubing frame from the original Pulse and is used as mounting points for the Honda frame.

I thought the 1100 and 1200 had similar frames, so I'm curios as to what your fab guys are doing, but there's tons of ways to mount the donor bike and they'll all probably work fine. If you get a chance get some pictures as things progress.

- Bob
_________________
"Everyday you wake up with a Pulse,
is a good day!"

elden simons · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 369 Location: Brampton, Michigan

You'd think that by now someone would have a more in-depth, photographic guide to shoe horning in an engine up grade.

I'm thinking that the whole process is so entense that taking pictures and taking notes distracts from the effort of just figuring out what to do next. Even our member that owns the cycle shop and has his maintenance gurus bust their knuckles, could possible help on this (maybe?).

Anyways, I'm unable to double check my following reposting of info. found posted on a previous Forum page.
It was posted by our Fly in / Cruise in Master of Ceremonies, Ray Johnson back in October 30th, 2008. I believe that the link calls up a slide show of sorts of 'Chads Restoration'
I don't remember the engine size. Also, some photo shots are a bit dark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBR2G3FSYZw

Any help for you?

pulse220 · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 50

My brother and I grafted a 2004 Ninja 500R rear clip into Pulse 220 for power. I know most people were wondering why I went with such a "small" powerplant, but I did my homework for measurements and knew it would fit no problem. By using 85% of the original '04 Ninja (by the way it only had 800 miles on it), I modernized the whole back end. I also doubled the original HP of the 400cc that they came with (Pulse 220 had the Honda 1000 added later.) and added water cooling at the same time. It moves along just fine.

Also, we built the framework so that we can unbolt the entire assembly and remove the Ninja as a "whole" in case it needs repair. I don't think many Pulses have that feature and thus they sit when they have a problem because repairs are much more difficult. Pulse 220's powerplant can be removed in a few hours and I can run the "Ninja" outside of the Pulse bodywork on it's own.

If you look at this video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PlYAngNK4U you'll see I staretd the Pulse from the rear, not the front. I have two sets of ignitions and gauges for this purpose. It takes about 5 minutes to disconnect one set and hook up the other. I also retained the original clutch and throttle set-ups and made new brackets to mount them since there no longer are handlebars. It is basically a self contained unit with the battery and gas tank mounted.

You can view additional pictures of my powertrain swap at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14792223@N02/sets/

(There's also a section of photos on the 1960 Vespa 400 Microcar that we put a 1200cc Harley engine in the rear for power, but that's a whole different story!)

Chad

Chuck Furgason · Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 37

Leroy We have a 1100 and a 1200 both factory installs I don't have any pictures that show the install but you can see some pictures on this site. Pulse 324 & 328. I have had the 1100 out of the body but not the 1200. As far as modifying the body for the 1200 I don't think its necessary. When I compare our pulses at the Fly In The only difference I see is with the tail pipes.
Chuck

Chuck Furgason · Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 37

Leroy We have a 1100 and a 1200 both factory installs I don't have any pictures that show the install but you can see some pictures on this site. Pulse 324 & 328. I have had the 1100 out of the body but not the 1200. As far as modifying the body for the 1200 I don't think its necessary. When I compare our pulses at the Fly In The only difference I see is with the tail pipes.
Chuck

Chuck Furgason · Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 37

Leroy We have a 1100 and a 1200 both factory installs I don't have any pictures that show the install but you can see some pictures on this site. Pulse 324 & 328. I have had the 1100 out of the body but not the 1200. As far as modifying the body for the 1200 I don't think its necessary. When I compare our pulses at the Fly In The only difference I see is with the tail pipes.
Chuck

elden simons · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 369 Location: Brampton, Michigan

I'm guessing that Chuck ran into the same error message I did when posting. I was suspicious of the 'pop up' that read that my message didn't post, so returned to the Forum itself and found that it 'did' post.
_________________
Tammy and Elden have Pulse #308 from 1988.Built in Butcher's Barn and presently sets inoperative in their garage. We are still keeping it!