How many ways are there

deacon · #1 (**permalink**) 07-30-2008, 04:00 PM

For god's sake I ran out of gas twice on two different bikes and had to push them home. The china bike had half a tank but the screen was clogged. That is still out of gas darn it. And to add insult to injury it got a flat tire as well.

Then the new mtb friction bike ran out of gas a mile from home. I swear it should have had gas but it ran slap dab out. I push and pedaled it home. Then tried to improve the bike and spend two hours and wound up with a bike that was no better at all. Well maybe a tiny bit.

another of those two step forward one step back days.

**fairracing31** · #2 (**permalink**) 07-30-2008, 04:10 PM

Only once did I leave home for work without checking if I had enough fuel..Before I left work I did check and relized I did not have enough to make it home. That's when I used the Nitro and got myself into trouble.

When I get home for work and put my bike away...the first thing I do is top off my tank and give my bike a good look over. So I know in the morning I won't have anything to worry about it.

deacon · #3 (**permalink**) 07-30-2008, 04:15 PM

good plan but I'm home all day and hop on mine just to relax a little. Well today I got my exercise.

I might need to look for a less stressful hobby for my relaxation lol..

jasonh · #4 (**permalink**) 07-30-2008, 04:17 PM

You know, if I hadn't looked at the gas level when I got home last night, I would've run out on my way to work today. I'll usually check the level every other day or so.

Jemma Hawtrey · #5 (**permalink**) 07-30-2008, 04:23 PM

I had one of those today

Got my tuned pipe finally fitted up professionally and the bike goes like a dream. 31mph uphill not even full throttle. Its almost scary to ride its so different and skips across the floor with the engine idling lol

the darkside - is my first busted spoke which has put the wheel out of true on the other side of the diameter *sigh*. It rubs a little on the sheave side of the wheel on the frame at that point so I know its out of true.

I do have a question. I know the spoke broke because I was still snapping on the throttle. This was perfectly ok when it was 1.6hp but its not so good when its substantially more. I need to be more smooth. My question is is the bike still rideable like that or will I end up wrecking it in short order?

Jemma xx

jasonh · #6 (**permalink**) 07-30-2008, 04:45 PM

I would definitely replace that spoke asap. If the rim isn't bent real bad, it can probably be trued by adjusting the spoke tension.

jf30cp · #7 (**permalink**) 07-30-2008, 11:23 PM

i just look in the tank before i go anywhere and that normaly does the trick. if its low i just add some fuel. if its full i will most likely leave it alone. LOL

deacon · #8 (**permalink**) 08-02-2008, 07:42 AM

Sage advice: until now I have just jumped on and rode three or four miles at a time. I usually just get on it and ride. I have run out of gas more than once in the china bike... I ran out of gas in my 31cc ww bike, at lest this time I knew it. Last time i seized a small WW bike because I didn't realize it was out of gas and I kept right on pedaling trying to start it.

Since then, I at least stopped drag starting them. Now it's rope start with a gravity clutch.

Saddletramp1200 · #9 (**permalink**) 08-03-2008, 01:20 AM

Oh thank you Deacon! I was on another thread and we were talking about lack of fuel in a two stroke motor. No fuel no lube! The top end goes bye, bye. I was also talking about the things we have seen first hand. Being there and seeing just what happens makes a LOT on difference. We can share our mistakes, in hope that others won't make them. Later Tramp

eDJ · #10 (**permalink**) 08-03-2008, 02:04 AM

In my experience with broken spokes I keep a pair of diagonal cutters (plires) to cut the spoke at the base on the rim and then pull the wire spoke out of the rim's hub. That at least gets it out of the way so it won't tangle somehow.

Then as soon as I can service it I try to do so. I use an old front fork from a junked bike that's mounted to use as a rim truing stand. I've made metal strips which extend from the axle out to the edge of the rim to index the movement of the rim in and out while rotating from the fixed point. The metal strip goes under the axle nut and when tightened provides a way to measure. Thus I can rotate the rim around in the pivot instead of having to walk around from side to side. Likewise with my frame work stand. The axle of the truing stand is placed at 5 ft above floor level as a convenient eye level working position. It takes up little room and I suspend it from the shop ceiling when done with it. The fork stays in it for storage and I have some small sand bags
with carry handles which lay in the top of the rim for balast. In nice weather I work with it outside. Sweet, simple, and cheap.