A Wasted Effort

GoldenMotor.com

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
Some of you will remember this > http://motorbicycling.com/f15/2door-uncle-santa-14211.html

I guess it was a mistake. I found this poor little bike sitting outside, rusty and disused. When I asked my nephew what was wrong with it he said, "The chain came off." I asked if he ever adjusted the chain tension. "I don't know how." Why he didn't call me I don't know.

I then discovered that the engine is seized. I pulled the head off and the piston and cylinder walls look like they were worked over with an acetylene torch.

I asked him if he was mixing the fuel the way I showed him. "Sometimes, I think." Great! I drained some fuel from the tank. Yep, straight gasoline, no oil. I asked him why he didn't put oil in the gas. "I just forgot, I guess."

I didn't say a word, just loaded the bike into my truck and took it home. Now I have my work cut out for me. I'm going to rebuild the engine, clean the rust off and try to put the little guy back into shape.

What a shame. It was a beautiful little bike when I gave it to him. I guess I learned a lesson, or confirmed what I already knew. Motorbikes are not for everyone. Especially a kid who doesn't have any appreciation for mechanical things. I'll keep you posted. Oh, and he isn't getting it back. So much for Uncle Santa :(
Tom
 

Al.Fisherman

New Member
Sep 9, 2009
1,966
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Calera, Alabama
How old is your nephew. Was wondering if he was getting it back as I read through your post...good call Santa. Yup...MB's are not for everyone. Maybe if he had a hand in building one, and WITH his own money maybe he would of appreciated it. From your story...kind of doubtful.
 
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Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
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Central CA
I guess the chain came off after the engine seized.

Nope, never give that kid another vehicle. He'll kill himself on it.
 

NunyaBidness

Active Member
Jun 29, 2008
1,062
2
38
memphis tn
For almost 2 years now I kinda been praying someone would get an irresistible urge to give me a motor bike or just a motor, with no such luck.

People these days just don't appreciate gifts, or anything else for that matter. It's all about me, my and mine. They want what they want and don't really care any more when they are done with what ever it was they wanted in the first place.

I'm tellin' ya now, it's only going to get worse.
 

DaveC

Member
Jul 14, 2010
969
1
18
Boise, ID
It's a disposable world...look at how we are supposed to change phones every time a new one comes out and how expensive each new generation is.

You will have to wait until Budzo has to buy his own stuff before respect for a thing developes.

...are you supposed to fix it and give it back? :p
 

dtj6ppc

New Member
Feb 23, 2011
61
0
0
redondo
My younger brother is 50 years old and I hesitate giving him a 4 stroke/shift kit mountain motor bike for off road trail exploring because the results would be the same or worse, his idea of a motor bike is how far and hard can he push it before it breaks.............I might lend it to him knowing that I will at least get it back at some time in the future for repairs.........Don
 

Aaron Nelson

New Member
Jul 22, 2010
23
0
0
MilesCity, Montana
Some people view these things as just toys. My boss just kinda giggled when I told him my plans for my bike. So I let him look at some of the builds on this site and he was just amazed. Then I went to eBay and let him look at ome of those that sell for $3000.00 to $5000.00 and about died.
Now he let's me park my bike in our meeting room at work, to keep it safe and dry.lol

But in your case, he was probably just not ready yet, give him time. Let him help rebuild it, so he knows how much work is envolved.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Went down a simular road with my oldest son 3 years ago, I gave him a truck that I paid $7000.00 for, he was very happy about it and took it right straight out and ragged the living crap out of it, everytime I saw it, it had a new dent or something wrong, the engine ran perfect and everything but the dome lite worked great, it was a Chevy extended cab PU spray in bed liner, new tires, brakes, fuel pump, B&M Transmission controller, just a solid little truck.

My youngest son told me that he had sold the truck one day and I was a bit upset but thought maybe he just wanted sonething else more economical.......boy was I wrong, he had taken the truck down to a used car lot and told the guy to make him an offer, the fella down there offered him $1300.00 and he took it, and then went and blew the money on junk.......that truck was still on the books for about $5000.00 and was worth at least $3500.00, I could have skinned him alive with a smile on my face that day.............

I said right then "No More" these boys will either work for what they get or they dont get it.....he's a hard working responsible father of two with his wife having another one in the oven now.....and when he was in the armer forces he sent me a letter explaining to me how much he wished he had taken all the advice I had given him and now he said he understood and was sorry for his actions, he has since become a fine upstanding young man.

My youngest bougt his own truck paid $5200.00 cash for it when he was 17 years old and he babied that thing like crazy because he knew if that one got tore up he was on foot, he never tried tearing that things up, and although I'm sure he wished I would have bought it for him I think he also understood i didnt do it for his own good.

These kids now days for the most part have had it way to easy.....and they are not being taught teh right values on many levels in my opinion, and they are gonna be taing care us of someday...........that is a bit scary to me...!

Peace
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
I've had a few people tell me that they would like to rig up a china girl bike for there kids or grandkids and I always discourage it if I know the adult cant tell the difference between a (SAE Cressent wrench and a metric Cressent wrench.......)

These engines are just not kid stuff for the majority of them anyway, most kids need Plug & Play stuff or an adult that will be there with them to guise them with an always on going project like these HT's.

I agree that the best way to do one of these for a kid is to have the kid involved in the entire proccess so they have a better understanding of what it's all about and a better appreciation for the work involved in building it.

Peace
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
0
Central CA
A guy I work with amazes me.

Told me he couldn't get a car loan because he owes too much money. Why does he need a loan? To buy a truck. What's the truck for? Well, he wants to buy his son a dirt bike and needs the truck to haul the dirt bike to the dirt.

And now for the punch line...are you ready...

The kid ain't even 5 years old.

Amazing.

In case you're wondering...

Nah, not a BMX, a motorcycle - laff
 

moonshiner

New Member
Apr 23, 2011
199
0
0
tennessee
A Wasted Effort

yeah i know 2 door , the last couple of generations of kids really worry me ,
they seem to just not really give a crap , they don't take care of their stuff , gift or bought , they show no respect at all to their elders ,the fact is they are soft and lazy , we have been to easy on them , in my day if you broke your toys , that was it period , you didn't get another one on mommy and daddy's credit card , if you pitched a fit over it you got your a$$ beat with a shoe , the party was over , if you got up in the face of a elder you promptly got the crap whipped out of you , even if you didn't know the person the disrespect was shown to, if our fate is the youths hands GOD HELP US !
 

dag_29307

New Member
Jul 1, 2009
296
1
0
Enoree, Sc.
2 Door I understand how you feel. I spent the better part of six months building a R/C airplane for myself I had just finished the mono-cote (the outer skin) and left the house to get the engine and other parts from the attic. I come back to see my grandsons "flying my plane out the second floor window right onto/INTO my driveway. Needless to say I didn't finish that one. The lack of respect in today's youth is unbelievable. You'll get that one up and running in no time, Maybe this time you can sell it to someone, or at least make him EARN it. Good luck with the rebuild and keep us posted.
 

GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
5,104
11
38
San Diego, Kaliforgnia
Ouch! That stings the soul. I am sorry to hear that this is how it ended up, 2door.
What a sad outcome. I agree with your decision to keep the bike after you rebuild it. It sounds like your nephew has no real appreciation for what it is and what proper care and maintenance are. :(
I am not going to comment on the youth of today, only agree fully with what everyone else has posted concerning the subject.
I wish you the best of fortune with the rebuild, and who knows..... perhaps someone else may come along in your life that will fit the bike ( you said it was too small for you) and respect it as well. Everything happens for a reason, good or bad.
 

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
I learned a long time ago that when you have determined to give somebody a gift, you have to be able to kiss it goodbye. If you can't, you're really just loaning it to them. Most of the people I have encountered cannot or will not understand the care and love that a craftsman can put into a gift that he wishes to give to somebody who is important to him. I have become (maybe too) careful about what I give to whom. I recognize that for some gifts that I want to give people, I may not be strong enough to kiss it goodbye and they may not be kind enough to respect it. Foreseeing a rift in a friendship, I then decide against the gift.

The gifts I've given my wife, even though I've been able to kiss those goodbye, I discovered I never had to. And she treasures them. And I couldn't love her more for that.
 

Dr. Dognuts

New Member
Apr 10, 2011
26
0
0
Down Under, adl
cut the kid some slack, buy him a brand new pit bike, with helmet and body armor. Make sure its a 4stroke so the are no fuel mixups.









jk, fix it and ride it around infront of the kid to tease him :)
 

dan+1

New Member
Mar 5, 2011
120
0
0
Texas
2door this is a time for a life lesson, with out being to hard on him drag his butt over to the garage and let him take every thing apart, explain why each part failed. As the bill rings up make him do a choir or something for the replacement parts.

If you just take the bike and be done with him he will remain this way with everything in his life.

Raising my kids when they broke something they either fixed it or it stayed broke, there was not a get a new one option. They learned how to fix things, that there actions weather intentional or accidental had consequences and they had to make it right.

That’s my 2¢.
 

GEJoe

New Member
Mar 30, 2011
56
0
0
Tennessee
Too bad, 2Door. I remember when my son was 13 and I was going to teach him to work on cars and put together a nice car for him in the process. We went out to work on the family chariot and he came back in the house abruptly. Had to wash the grease off his hands! I knew right then and there he would never be much of a mechanic. Some have the knack, some don't. Now I have to get to work on my Geo Metro. Next week Dax will be shipping me a new cylinder, piston, and rings to get my GT50R going after the Opti-2 fiasco.
 

Al.Fisherman

New Member
Sep 9, 2009
1,966
5
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Calera, Alabama
Mapbike..... That is why at 64 I... 1. Have NEVER gave or paid for a vehicle for my 2 boys. 2. They as teenagers have NEVER driven my vehicles without me there. 3. Have never paid for their insurance. I guess I'm just a hard azz. I wanted my kids to respect what they paid for.
 
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