Experiences with Dax's Titan

Joshua · #11 (**permalink**) 07-27-2008, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Large Filipino

Yes. Bring a tool kit in case your bike breaks down lol!
As long as you have the chain aligned right and your oil is the right level it will give you no problems. Before each ride check for tightness and for chain tension sometimes it may stretch. a 1/2 inch open end wrench is all you need to adjust tension.
And with all bike kits make sure you stop and give your engine a rest every 2 or so hours.
I weigh in at about 270. Colorado has some hills so Duane hooked me up with a 48 tooth. It definitely has more bottom end now which is what I desired compared to my 44 tooth. Top end is lowered but I don't ride fast anyway. At my 15 to 18 mph cruising speed my engine is churning at an RPM that gives me more power overall anyway and I pedal less now on them hills.
And I bought a plastic canteen at the army/navy store for just over a buck. It's the same material as my tank and it holds a full tank of 1/4 gallon of gas. I hang it on my handlebar. So now I don't worry about running out of gas. When I do I just fill her up with my canteen then I'm good for another 40 miles till I find a gas station. Then I fill up my canteen. It usually runs me a dollar.
The guys at the local station knows me already.

do you have any idea what your top speed is with the 48th, will it run 25 mph with out running to high rpm's. I have a ten mile commute that is pretty much flat one route or pretty hilly if I take the short way into town. I really appreciate the input and it is nice to get the info from another big guy like myself. Man I'm really wanting one of these , I have a trek bike just waiting to mount up. I think I might just have to sell the 70cc with the bike to upgrade. oh and I like the canteen idea, I think I have a nice metal one around here somewhere.

lennyharp · #12 (**permalink**) 07-27-2008, 11:58 PM

Thats the way I like to extend my rides with additional fuel. I have not ridden more than 65 miles in one trip yet. I am 240 and am geared to top out about 22 or 23 unless I have a tailwind This gives me enough torque to make hills with just some assist pedaling.

Large Filipino · #13 (**permalink**) 07-28-2008, 12:15 AM

With the 44 tooth I just crept up to 30 mph but that was with the engine winding out,man. For the long haul I recommend you stick to the 44 tooth and help your engine along by pedaling some up those big hills. With the 44 tooth I can get it to 23 without it winding out too much but I dunno how it would do in the long run. Maybe if you plan on consistent 25 mph speeds maybe go with a 40 or a 36 but you NEED to be pedaling those hills to keep your centrical clutch pads healthy. Duane abused his 36 tooth equipped bike he tells us just to see how many miles those clutch pads will do. His failed after 700 miles of abuse if I remembered right. I have 2 thousand miles on my clutch pads and they are barely worn down! That's because I don't ever stress it and on hills I help it along pedaling. I do this to my China engine too.
I like my 48 tooth because I don't go fast anyway. And it's great for when I just want to move slowly down a sidewalk by an extremely busy street.

Joshua · #14 (**permalink**) 07-28-2008, 12:25 AM

that is perfect I don't mind giving the peddles a little push once in a while. I really just don't want to have to tinker with my engine all the time and I really don't want to do it on the side of the road. I think when I get one I will start with the 44th, see how she does and go from there.

Thanks again.

ricland · #15 (**permalink**) 07-28-2008, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Large Filipino

Yes. Bring a tool kit in case your bike breaks down lol!
As long as you have the chain aligned right and your oil is the right level it will give you no problems. Before each ride check for tightness and for chain tension sometimes it may stretch. a 1/2 inch open end wrench is all you need to adjust tension.
And with all bike kits make sure you stop and give your engine a rest every 2 or so hours.
I weigh in at about 270. Colorado has some hills so Duane hooked me up with a 48 tooth. It definitely has more bottom end now which is what I desired compared to my 44 tooth. Top end is lowered but I don't ride fast anyway. At my 15 to 18 mph cruising speed my engine is churning at an RPM that gives me more power overall anyway and I pedal less now on them hills.
And I bought a plastic canteen at the army/navy store for just over a buck. It's the same material as my tank and it holds a full tank of 1/4 gallon of gas. I hang it on my handlebar. So now I don't worry about running out of gas. When I do I just fill her up with my canteen then I'm good for another 40 miles till I find a gas station. Then I fill up my canteen. It usually runs me a dollar.
The guys at the local station knows me already.

15-18 mph...?

Huh...?

That's not going to work for me. I want to do a constant 35 mph. I'm about speed.

And you mention peddling? I don't want to do any peddling at all.

And is the tank only 1/4 gallon? Why so small?

Not that I'm complaining, mind you...

Thanks!

ricland · #16 (**permalink**) 07-28-2008, 01:29 AM

By the way, I'm a NOOB and although what I'm hearing about the Titan is great, the things I'm hearing about the 2-stroke Chinese 80ccs are not so great.

Basically, they all sound like they're problem prone, that you're always tinkering with them.

Is that about right?

ricland

Large Filipino · #17 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 09:27 PM

I do 15 to 18 because that's the speed I'm most comfortable with. And at those speeds I can stretch my 1/4 gallon tank for 40 miles. Funny is that even after switching over to the 48 sprocket my mileage seems the same. It doesn't make any sense on paper but my gas level was the same after my 26 mile one way ride to my regular destination. Duane in testing tells us he's gone a bit past 40 with his 36 tooth so 35 is possible with gearing. But it will suffer in the bottom end.
Remember this is still a BICYCLE with not so heavy duty components like you find on a Moped or Scooter. Sure you can take a regular bicycle to speeds beyond 40 but add an engine and you deal with stuff you don't need to deal with on a regular bicycle. Things like vibrations. Even though the Titan is very low in vibrations it is not vibration free at higher speeds.
Ricland,seriously if you want consistent 35 mph speeds you'll be better off with a scooter.
And the China 2 strokes are GREAT engines but yes they do need care.
BUT if you go slow on that engine it will last and last. My China 2 stroke bike named MOOP2 has had one magneto changed because of that kill switch I finally threw it away and it runs great ever since. It has all original gaskets and what not. I keep it at about 15 to 18 like my Titan cruising speed and it currently has a bit over 2500 miles and still runs strong like bull.
People that have problems with their China 2 strokes a good half or not more have literally grenaded their engines.
You simply cannot wind out to the max ANY bicycle engine I don't care who makes it. It's like taking your car to 50 mph and holding it there for 10 miles in 1st gear. How long would you think that engine would last like that?
So I like taking things slow. If I need to get there faster I suppose I can dust off my truck.

lennyharp · #18 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 10:38 PM

I like your style Large. I crashed on Tuesday morning because I was in a hurry and tailgating. If I just took it a little slower and gave some more room I might not have gone over my handlebars. At 56 I may learn some new tricks yet. Bike is doing pretty good considering, I rode away and on to my appointment a 7 hour class for work. I was one of the early ones even with my crash. I really could use some of your slow it down in my mornings.

Large Filipino · #19 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 11:14 PM

I find too that at slower speeds my brakes seem to work better!

lennyharp · #20 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 11:19 PM

My brakes are great, they threw all 240 lbs of me and my back pack over the handle bars. I use the best brakes I can get. This bike uses Shimano XTR brakes. My next build will use Hayes 8" hydralic brakes. I think a longer wheelbase will make it less likely to go over the bars. When I panic I do that though it has been about 20 years since I did it. I already am having withdrawls of saying I would slow down. Maybe next year...