Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I’m sorry that it has been so long but to be honest, I’ve tried to lay off of thinking about thinking about bikes and just concentrated on getting the money to make one. Over time, I have made a contentious effort to not look much above the stock stuff that has been out from 1948 through the present. Here as of late, I have broken from watching TV shows and my imagination has gone wild because I’m seeing everything that is possible with the Harley aftermarket. Frankly, I plan to have a custom bike built but and I have the builder but I don’t have a clue to what I want. Its not that I don’t have idea’s, I have hundreds (if not thousands) of them just pent up just waiting to be released; nevertheless, that’s where my frustration lies.

I’m basically a programmer and I’m pretty good with 2D graphics but I don’t do well with 3D CAD design. All I would like to do is to make a photo incorporating some of the good and “not so good” ideas that I have so that I can show them to the builder to give him a real idea of what my vision contains.

Really, I want to do this for both of us because if I try for something “Hair Brained” then, he won’t believe in the project. Second, I want this for myself to dispense of some of the stored energy that I have from just sitting on my hands and not having a repository to try my ideas.

So what I’m after is simple, is there a software program out there to design bikes? Hopefully that isn’t a commercial product.

Try www.Download.com
They have a lot of software programs available for download. Some are free and some are free to try. I don't know if they have anything specific to your needs. You'll have to read the reviews.

zed wrote:Try www.Download.com
They have a lot of software programs available for download. Some are free and some are free to try. I don't know if they have anything specific to your needs. You'll have to read the reviews.

Oh I'm with you, actually that was the first place that I went......I have probabily done more then 40 hrs of resarch on this and there is one program but it is quite weak (is anyone wants to know the name I can research it again), otherwise all of the internet searchs brought up commerical software that cost more then $500....

Basically the problem is that I don't want to build a conventional bike.........I really would like an old/contemporary/new school look and that's what makes my vision so difficult to convey.....

I guess that's why they invented paper and pencil...




And if you're good at it, clay for the 3d stuff...

dr_bar wrote:I guess that's why they invented paper and pencil...




And if you're good at it, clay for the 3d stuff...

Well, up until this time, that's what I've been stuck with......and I’m ready to throw my lot in with the CAD group because I certainly don't belong drawing on my own......

I will admit, I can draw a little better then Mikey.....but not a whole hell of a lot......at least his stuff makes some laugh......Mine is more pathetic and embarrassing...

Years ago I took a drafting class (which I have never applied professionally) but I did take away some good knowledge that I still use today in fabricating things for the house and what not. perhaps a night class will help you with your project. It certainly couldn't hurt.

Scott58 wrote:Years ago I took a drafting class (which I have never applied professionally) but I did take away some good knowledge that I still use today in fabricating things for the house and what not. perhaps a night class will help you with your project. It certainly couldn't hurt.

Really, I'm not even looking to even go that far......I tried drawing some frames and gas tanks but i'm not going far enough into it to be able to provide specs because I have alot of stock parts in mind but its far from me to know what the dimentions are...

I'm more just trying to convey a vision and then I'll leave it to him to try to make it into reality......

I went through this while trying to come up with a good way to draw 3d airplane parts for the machine shop to fab. There's really no inexpensive solution to do what you want to do. I eventually got an engineer friend to help me out, since he had AutoCAD at work.

AutoDesk has trial versions of their software available. Have you tried that yet?

flynrider wrote:I went through this while trying to come up with a good way to draw 3d airplane parts for the machine shop to fab. There's really no inexpensive solution to do what you want to do. I eventually got an engineer friend to help me out, since he had AutoCAD at work.

AutoDesk has trial versions of their software available. Have you tried that yet?

No, heard of it......Let me look into it now that I have a free moment.......