PREDATOR PROJECT 2010

PREDATOR

Predator started out being built by Koos one of the handy men in Cradock then taken over by Geoff  “Animal”. He had some good ideas but built three quarters of a machine.

On getting the machine it had to be repaired and completed, which took a few days of frantic tweaking, cutting, shaping and swearing to get it working. Only three major parts of the whole chopper has come off a bike. The engine, front rim and the tank, there are a few smaller items like grips and flickers are too. The rest is totally home made the frame front forks and best of all the rear tyre, rim brake system comes off a Nissan 1400 bakkie. Cut machined and made to fit into a motor cycle.

The wheel base is a whopping 2.5m and a hard tail design with 80%  of the frame, solid steel not pipe, including the front forks, solid steel. He is powered by a Suzuki GS750 motor, drum brakes front and rear. The bike is quite heavy and takes some skill to ride. So it is not a one that stops in a hurry, carful riding is in order. Being this heavy could have handling problems and power shortage but, NO.

Predator, once you get the handle of him, is not shy on both power and handles not too bad. He runs an easy 150km/h on the open road and leans into the tight mountain pass corners quite easily. The biggest short fall is the hard tail. On our tar roads it is very bumpy and does affect the road handling especially in the corners. After a long 220km spin my butt did not belong to me anymore and hoped the owner would take it back, but no luck, i suffered in silence.

Not being built to take two, but can at a tight fit. Being of such an interesting design predator certainly turns allot of heads when riding by and steels allot of attention by passerby. Not a bad firt attempt.

Now to see what comes out next from the “Animal’s” workshop.