Since more weight improves the shift feel, I'm now accepting group buy orders for a lead shift knob. It ought to weigh @ least twice as much, so think about how good your shift action will feel! Guaranteed weight/water displacement proportional.

Just send my $200 for each one you want, and I'll build a proto as soon as I get enough $$$ to cover my costs, w/ production to follow ASAP after. Also available w/ optional ti finish! j/k

 

Is it true that the 2001 models have the Ti knob as standard equipment or did we get the aluminum one? Whatever it is, I like it.

-DD-

 

I can't be positive, but I'm pretty sure this is all a part of a vast right wing conspiracy....

 

Maybe a poll is in order...Those who have purchased the Ti shift knob...is it worth it "strongly agree" "somewhat agree" "somewhat disagree" or "strongly disagree". Howaboutit?

Personally, I would buy it, however compared to the stock Al knob, which looks great, why bother?

 

Malachi:

I know we are getting off of the shift knob topic.... but..

You are correct that the price of a tubeset is not the majority of the cost of a bike... and that fabrication of the bike is a bitc#. But the point about cost of the tubes is that you can in fact find tubes that weigh ounces that cost hundreds of dollars... rivaling gold on a $/oz. basis.

The fact that Merlin (now litespeed) takes several hundred dollars worth of plain tubes and makes a $2700 bike frame does not make those tubes cheap. They are still very pricey... just pricier things are made with them.

Now for weight on the shift knob... the lead idea is not bad. Why not bore out the AL knob, and fill it with lead.

Oh... forgot. Still wouldn't look bitchin... and the thermal coefficient would still be unfavorable .

Dan

 

WOW! I didn't expect this kind of feedback.



I've had some problems at work with "incorrect" materials (Russian Ti, for example didn't mill well AT ALL) with the "proper" certs. It's a serious federal offense from my standpoint, and downright dangerous for the missions we run. It's just that the materials my work purchases are rather expensive, and I don't know what kind of materials Honda was getting on the Ti knobs.

Now that I know, I thought it was GREAT how you guys talked about it. It's been a while since I've seen such a lively technical discussion

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RT
[B]I weighed the Voodoo and displaced water with it to determine density, it is indeed Ti.

Also, Al density is approx 0.097 lbs/in^3 while Ti density is about .163 lbs/in^3 (knowing the alloys of each are different but close enough).

 

Envy, actually left the Physics book alone (Scared, I think the pages are all stuck together...................no.........from drool).
The densities came from an even crustier engineering book, Strength of Materials or some shit (those pages were stuck together too)

 

He didn't need to. Color and weight alone gave it away. The only two other metals close in color are a form of stainless that he said would be much heavier and a form of carbon that would cost about $1300.00 for the knob material.

Titanium can't be sintered or forged in a block. It has to be melted. Thus the knob is made from bittet material. You are seeing the material surface. It's just titanium with a glass beaded finish.

If all these posts still don't convince you, take your knob to the grinder. Titanium sparks are white. Just don't get it on fire. You'll have to let it burn itself out. By the time you would track down the proper chemicals to put the fire out it will have already gone through the concrete floor.

Learned the last one the hard way the first time I tried to TIG weld Ti.

[Edited by KenS2K on 02-27-2001 at 12:41 AM]

 

My depleated uranium 238 knob offers the best of all worlds. It's heft offers the pendulum advantage plus it doubles as a nifty hand warmer on these cold winter mornings.