Early/later RFM

[Chris Launders]

I was round at a friends yesterday, he has borrowed an early RFM to roughly copy for a special, I noticed the rear forks are offset to the right. Is this correct, is the later one symetrical being for the twin and single.
If they are different surely the hubs must be different as well.
Chris

 

[Bill Thomas]

Hello Chris, The Twin and Single has the same offset, You can swap them about, I think the groove for the chain is on the other side, But I don't think that matters, If you look at the inside of the my rulers they line up with outside of the bearings in the front pivot, It's a bit like Oldhavens U.F.M. not easy to show, Years ago I bought one off a friend !! It looked Way Offset, But in your hand with no paint I was not sure !! I wanted it !! So my heart overruled my Head, God knows what it hit, But i managed to bend it straight and it was O. K. Cheers Bill.

 

[Chris Launders]

Hello Bill,
I thought the later ones were symetrical but what about the early ones, the tubes do not appear bent and the pivot casting where the main tubes fit is different angles one side to the other. If you look down the inside of the axle plates the left one lines up with the outer edge of the pivot bearing and the right one is about 3/4" away. This is one of the "series B" type, 1/2" shorter, straight seat damper mounts and one cable anchor point.
I'd like to know if it's bent as I borrowed from another friend who has just swapped it for a "C" type for his "B"
Chris.

 

[Chris Launders]

Hello Bill,
I was talking about the one my friend has, thinking about it they MUST be symetrical as the rim is in the middle of the hub and the wheel can be mounted either way round !!!
Chris.

 

[Bill Thomas]

Sorry Chris that last post was rubbish, Can one of the Moderators Delete it, I was trying to makeit like Chris said, And did not allow for the width of the Rule, Sorry Bill.

 

[Bill Thomas]

Yes Chris, But not symetrical to the Pivot Casting, It's all on the -iss ! Cheers Bill.

 

[Bill Thomas]

Many thanks, Nulli, Cheers Bill.

 

[Chris Launders]

Ok, is there a dimensional drawing for the RFM anywhere ?
Chris.

 

[clevtrev]

When the early rear frames were made, they did not have to cater for the 500cc unit.

 

[Bill Thomas]

I now see the Groove is to clear a fixing nut. I rang Bob Culver, To see if he had a jig to straighten my R.F.M., He said no, But he would have a go at doing it Cold, So I thought I would do it myself, I took the bolts out to make it more easy, And am pleased with how it came out, It is not the frame in the photo I have shown, Cheers Bill.