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DB7-11 VLX MULE resurrection
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Gavin944888



Joined: 29 Jan 2014
Posts: 572
Location: Essex....way South of Scotland

PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another Friday another week without the VLX project bike!

It has been such a long time away from me.... that the love is fading!

However....the last video shows a reluctance to start...new (ish) engine with under 1000kms on it and a new software and ignition system.

This all conspires to little happening at the suck, squeeze, bang, exhaust end.

Referring to workshop notes on VeeTwo's super charged 999, they had to introduce another 12 volt battery (via a marine engineering based switch) which chucked 24Volt at the starter.

My mechanic is returning the DB9 today and he was chief engineer on the tanker division of BP....he also ran the race team GR Ducati.

I will check with him and and talk further with XB1 Chris....if there are still difficulties.

So far...Chris has dismantled everything down to the inlet manifolds in order to get the engine to fire.

I hate electrics and I am getting to hate electronics and software.

I will never (and you have my permissipn to head butt me if I) ever built another bike that needs sooo much knowledge which is outside my scope.

I designed and built the engineering system but the software is crucifying this project.

We shall wait and see?

Fallback position?...................a normally asperated IMPETO recreation


Gavin
The Scottish Engineer
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger
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hindsight



Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Posts: 126
Location: Central Scotland

PostPosted: Sat Feb 27, 2021 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Gavin - I've thoroughly enjoyed reading and following this thread, but I know exactly how you feel to be disheartened. What I tend to do is to park the project at the back of the garage for a few weeks/months and try to forget about it.. the love will return when you're in the right frame of mind..

Hope you can see a way forward in due course..

Mike
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Weed



Joined: 29 Dec 2013
Posts: 250
Location: Perth Australia

PostPosted: Sun Feb 28, 2021 12:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gav,
When we raced a 1098R that was in a good state of tune, we run a seperate lead & earth wire to the starter motor so that we could start it when cold from a 24 Vlt jump pack. After it was warm it would start on the 12 Vlt circuit ok.
The starter handled the 24 Vlts fine, in fact it significantly reduced the shock load on the starer & gears & was so much better that the 12 Vlt system.
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Gavin944888



Joined: 29 Jan 2014
Posts: 572
Location: Essex....way South of Scotland

PostPosted: Sun Feb 28, 2021 2:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you Hindsight and Weed,

I have never been one to give up ......there is always a solution.

When I saw Weed in the reply section....I was reminded of his initial comment all those months ago.

Something like ‘There is a LOT to go wrong,’. My response was at that time ‘What’s the worst that can happen’

Well this is a path I have been at before......and probably will travel down again

I am not great at taking No for an answer, I just wish that I was more in control of the areas that are not my scope of expertise.

A normally aspirated Impeto re creation is nothing to be sniffed at but ....it’s not what I planned.

The towel is not being readied to be thrown in......but I know where it is!

Thanks

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger
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Gavin944888



Joined: 29 Jan 2014
Posts: 572
Location: Essex....way South of Scotland

PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2021 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello""........NEWS UPDATE


At 3.30pm UK time today...X Bikes called with a running bike in the background

It is alive......it is NOT complete but it’s alive

Regards

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger
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TVRRICH



Joined: 05 Feb 2016
Posts: 211
Location: Coventry UK

PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2021 8:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great news Gavin, lets hope the next bulletin from you is a positive one to Very Happy
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Tesikwak



Joined: 05 Sep 2013
Posts: 62
Location: Adelaide, Australia

PostPosted: Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great news Gavin !!
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If I don't force my opinion onto others; I expect the same from them!
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arsenic



Joined: 05 Feb 2017
Posts: 140
Location: France

PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great news Gavin, moral of the story : never give up !
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DB8 biposto
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7289

PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

She Lives!!.....an actual running engine

Youtube current publishing

Heres the link though for now

https://youtu.be/3rk88GCf9jE
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Anders



Joined: 05 May 2009
Posts: 121
Location: Norway

PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Watched the video during my lunch break. Cool Very Happy

Next stop: The dyno. Looking forward to that next video.
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Anders
bb1, Mille S2, Guzzi / Watsonian, Morini Corsaro 125, EC200, RD350YPVS etc
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TVRRICH



Joined: 05 Feb 2016
Posts: 211
Location: Coventry UK

PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great to see it running at last. Thanks for the update
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7289

PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anders wrote:
Watched the video during my lunch break. Cool Very Happy

Next stop: The dyno. Looking forward to that next video.


I'm not....I'm the poor muppet that has to download over 500Meg and convince Youtube its suitable for "children" before they approve the upload....but yeh...still sort of looking forward to it...I just hope I can recall my Youtube password ...everytime I have to reset and beg for a new one
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Gavin944888



Joined: 29 Jan 2014
Posts: 572
Location: Essex....way South of Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 1:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well................it is running...and its on video.

2Bims (if he can pull himself away from teach yourself international law on the web)

He will up-load and we can all go WHHIIIINNE as the unsilenced supecharger makes whoosh woosh noises.

more to follow

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger
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Gavin944888



Joined: 29 Jan 2014
Posts: 572
Location: Essex....way South of Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 4:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So where are we now....March 2021.

The engine runs without the supercharger ......basic set up has been achieved.

The engine runs with the supercharger but the bypass tube is not connected to the pressure circuit yet

Basic fuelling and engine settings are being monitored and adjusted......but it still needs 24volt to get it started.

With every run it gets easier to re fire next time.......maybe when all setting are correct the 12volt battery will be okay

The belt alignment is off ....caused by mis match of spacers on build up

Thursday next, I visit Wisbech to check that everything is back to the way it was delivered in 2018...that will sort out alignment

I have to re familiarise myself with the build.......but we are getting there.

I’ve asked the company who are re commissioning the actual Bimota DB11 VLX for the supercharger & pulley belt settings using a frequency tool.

This will allow us to match what the factory did on their actual bike....iwhich needed to lay untouched so to provide a reference point......for my build

No manuals....no assistance....just a YouTube video and images off the net.

It’s come a long way from boxes of bits and an engine.........XBikes have been great in getting the wiring and software sorted

Not yet....but soon, the starting issues will be addressed.......then the dyno.

More by month end........90 000 views ......a lot of people ...no pressure.

Thanks

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger
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X81



Joined: 15 Dec 2020
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah so as Gavin says we have a running bike now. I did have a few gremlins i needed to iron out but when everything has been built from the ground up i guess a couple are to be expected, they are annoying and frustrating but thankfully happening now and not after delivery.

Once located and resolved start up was pretty easy. On these types of bullds this is the biggest first hurdle...the 'will it run?' question. Well the answer is yes it does.

The mapping data i've used should be a good start point as it's from an 1198. It won't be perfect but it will be a good start point. This round on the dyno i'll build the naturally aspirated map with no boost pressure. As i have no known working data to work from i need to establish a solid base to fall back on so this seemed the easier way hence runnign a boost vent tube to atmosphere rather than in the return circuit that will be fitted to the finished bike. Due to the drain of the supercharger the NA power reading will be low for a Diavel engine but i'm not too worried by that, i just need to see acceptable power and for the engine to respond as fuelling is changed.

Belt alignmment does need checking as this has been off completely before i go putting 11k rpm through it so i think it prudent to check with Gavin and run through this before going on the dyno. At this stage it's better safe than sorry i feel.

Plenty of calibrations to be done and set up exploration in the meantime. This is afterall the first time this esemble as parts has run as a collective.

Yes this has taken far too long but i'm at the beginning of the end now. We're getting there.

Cheers



Chris
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