Nirve Cannibal Chopper Build

GoldenMotor.com

sdevers

New Member
Jan 5, 2017
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0
0
Fullerton
So, Hey Guys.

I'm new to this forum, and I've recently started on my first motor bike build on a Nirve Cannibal Chopper/2 stroke 80cc motor. I'm not the most knowledgeable mechanic (or a mechanic at all, professionally) but I've already learned a lot from reading in multiple threads in the Stretch Cruiser & chopper section of this site.

So no that the bio is over. I started my build last weekend and I've already gotten a snag that I didn't foresee. The sprocket is too small for my rim base cylinder (not exact name I believe). but I've went ahead an ordered the Sprocket from manic mechanic that can fix that problem.

I foresee that Ill have to build a way to clear the chain of the tire. Thanks to this forum I saw a custom part that someone had produced for the motor mount. It sets the motor 3/8s of an inch offset so there is enough chain clearance. If anyone knows how I can obtain that piece or who I could contact to get such piece? as I do not have any tools to masterly cut any of the piece or mold or bend any steel.

finally, does anyone know of any extra alterations that I will eventually have to combat?

I'm excited to get my bike up and running. Its a beauty!
.shft.
 

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2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
Welcome to the forum. You've found the right place to get started. I'll have to warn you however that you have chosen a bike that will present you with a couple of challenges for your first effort. The 'Cannibal' and the now defunct 'Switchblade' are the same bike.

To get an idea of what you might encounter during your build you might find some help by reading through this thread > http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=35675
The front engine mount and engine offset to clear the wide rear tire are two of the issues you'll have.

There is also another one on a Switchblade build I did after this one. I'll post a link to that one later.

Good luck and keep us informed on your progress and don't hesitate to ask if we can offer any help along the way.

Tom

EDIT: Here's that other chopper build for you to look at > http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=44276
 
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sdevers

New Member
Jan 5, 2017
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Fullerton
Thanks 2Door for the reply.

I have been following your build of course not live but did get a chance to ponder on those challenges before I even got to them. Kind of living vicariously through your previous builds.

I do have a question for you though. I don't have any way to cut metal or fabricate any of custom pieces off hand but I did buy a motor mount that I think may work for the purposes of offsetting the motor to the left. Found it on Ebay
( https://www.bing.com/images/search?...aa981773741b89c8aae76360f0c6e296o0&ajaxhist=0 )

It was originally made for the scwinn chopper series that came out. Do you think this would work?
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
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63
Littleton, Colorado
The mount you linked to might indeed work but will still require some fabrication to the front end to fit the Nirve frame. I found that a 9/16" offset to the left was what is needed to get chain clearance at the rear tire. The 3/8" you mentioned in the first post might not be enough to allow good chain alignment to the rear sprocket and clear the tire.

Let me know if I can offer any help or advice. Good luck. That frame makes a great riding and comfortable motorized bicycle. That is as long as the engine is running. If you have to pedal very far, it can be......interesting :)

Tom
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
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Littleton, Colorado
Be careful about buying parts recommended by people who don't build or ride motorized bicycles but only sell and push products from people who sponsor their events.

Tom
 

MotorBicycleRacing

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2010
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SoCal Baby!!!
www.facebook.com
Be careful about buying parts recommended by people who don't build or ride motorized bicycles but only sell and push products from people who sponsor their events.

Tom
James at Ghetto Bike makes the only custom mounting brackets
for that Nirve and they are really well made.

He even has a pic of the mounts on the website.

Ghetto Bike is not a sponsor of Socal Motor Bicycle Racing and has never
given me or the race anything so I have nothing to gain from sdevers buying
or not buying them. James is not a member here.

CulverCityClassic and have Ghetto Bike make
their in frame gas tanks for them and highly recommend the company.

It's a high quality product for a decent price that nobody else makes.

2Door, could you make and ship these for $125?

 
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buba

Member
Jul 2, 2010
914
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los angeles
Everyone should know by now that james- ghettobike is a master builder not some backyard hack - if he will do it for you it could never be better.
 

culvercityclassic

Well-Known Member
Sep 27, 2009
3,115
177
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Culver City, Ca
Be careful about buying parts recommended by people who don't build or ride motorized bicycles but only sell and push products from people who sponsor their events.

Tom
Wow really Tom, Neil has done so much for this hobby and knows good from bad on products, yes I buy motors from Neil and Gas tanks from Ghetto Bikes...I support them both and many others. You should too
 

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Easy Rider

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
Just because his shop is called Ghetto Bikes, there is nothing ghetto about his parts especially if the top builders support him. If you get a chance, swing out to the next race on April 1st at Grange and you will see some nice builds.
 

MotorBicycleRacing

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2010
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SoCal Baby!!!
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But honestly who could I call out here in sunny Southern California
Cool, you are in Fullerton, I am just a little south of you and Ghetto Bike
is up in West LA.

We are gonna do some OC rides this year and I highly recommend that
you come to the April 1st race if you can make it to meet most of the
people in this thread except for 2Door who is freezing back in Colorado
which makes him kind of grumpy. :D
 

sdevers

New Member
Jan 5, 2017
14
0
0
Fullerton
I'm sure it's all fun and games. I would like to make it out there for April. But of course I wanna get my build done now and running nicely. Those brackets seem like sturdy mounts. Im gonna buy one hopefully have this thing done by end of month.. lol:-||
 

Tony01

Well-Known Member
Nov 28, 2012
1,729
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sf bay area
Although the gb mounts look like a solution, I think it is retarded to spend $125 on an engine mount for a disposable engine. Those guys all know each other and try to help each other out, but the important thing for you is to keep the costs down while making it reliable, and not necessarily spending $125 on a machined mount. My opinion is that machining is NOT the answer to every little problem.

I built one two stroke bike under instruction from my buddy who built very many of them and had seen every issue with them. His method of mounting the engine was using a plate like that bing link above mounted to a 50cc 4-stroke engine mount. This proved to be a very durable mount with no welding required.

The gasbike mounts look like they might work but I don't know exactly how, but $40 is a heck of a lot better than $125. The machining quality does look nice tho.

I've worked in more machine shops than fingers on my hand, and I can tell you, there is always a cheaper way that works great. As far as machining goes that $125 mount doesn't look like something that is the highest techh of cnc machining. In fact all their stuff looks like it was made on manual machines. if it's cnc then it was a quick and dirty cheap setup with not much thought to making it pretty, or not much time spent in programming. All the parts are aluminum too, so it's not like the tooling cost is that big either. The mount blocks on my 212 build were manual machined by me, but it was free and only took me 30mins for a set. If I had to do it myself right now, without a machine shop, I would weld the heck out of it all. JMO.

Nice bike!
 
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sdevers

New Member
Jan 5, 2017
14
0
0
Fullerton
I agree with you. I couldn't fathom paying the $125 for those mounts. I need to keep my price lower, first time builder and all.

The original bikebrrry mount did not work. It's really a one size fit. So I'll have to sent that back because my motor wouldn't fit. Might try the CNC mounts to get the offset i want and keep that carburetor level. It's trial and error from here on out.
 
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Easy Rider

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
It's easy to say that if you have access to a machine shop but for me $125 would be cheap compared to being broken down miles away from home and having to push your bike for miles or hours. Try not to get caught up in trying to mock something up because you'll end up paying the same if not close in labor and materials.
Build for reliability