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Frame
Anyone who has followed the development of
Honda's racing machines will recognize many of the features on the CB77. The frame, for
example, follows the design of the early racing bikes almost exactly. The main frame
member is a large (approximately 1 1/2 in.) round-section tube that leads back from the
steering head and curls down behind the engine - transmission unit, into the rear
suspension pivot. This member is reinforced by smaller tubes that lead down front the
steering head to the top of the cylinder head and then jog back up into the main tube,
where they separate again to fork back under the seat and lead to the spring/shock-unit
mounts. Angled tubular braces lead up from the suspension pivot to triangulate these
mounts. Where the tubes join, pressed junction pieces are used as reinforcements. It
should be noted, too, that there is a very solid mounting at the rear of the transmission,
and the engine - transmission unit actually carries part of the load - acting as a massive
compression-tension-torsion strut located right along the major load path. In all, we
consider it to be one of the best bits of design work that we have seen in many a day.
With a minimum of weight and complication, it satisfies every design requirement: it is
enormously strong both as a beam and in torsion, and it leaves the engine hanging right
out where it can be serviced without having to work past any interfering structure. |
