First Build. So Ugly but educational.

GoldenMotor.com

WaterDries

New Member
Apr 5, 2011
23
0
0
Utah
A few weeks ago I bought a new engine in the local classifieds and thought I'd give it a go. We looked for the perfect bike and of course didn't find it. After a few days with the engine in hand, I got impatient and told my son to find anything that will fit. $20 at a thrift store and we were in business.

I found this first build to be pretty ugly but I learned a ton. I've already taken it apart multiple times and upgraded a few simple things. Opened up the exhaust pipe a bit and put a new plug on it. It runs pretty good and went together in a few hours.

Shortly after we got it going we started finding all sorts of possible next builds. We now have about 15 bikes in the garage. Our next one is an old Worksman that was screaming for an engine. After that ...
 

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flatblack

New Member
May 22, 2011
374
1
0
Fairfax, VA
Nice! I too am getting impatient, except I have my frame and no motor!

I say ditch the mountain bike and throw the kit on the Worksman!
 

daRog

New Member
Apr 15, 2011
98
0
0
California
I found this first build to be pretty ugly but I learned a ton. I've already taken it apart multiple times and upgraded a few simple things. Opened up the exhaust pipe a bit and put a new plug on it. It runs pretty good and went together in a few hours.
Nothing wrong with that. Fairly sure that's what my first build will look like when it's finished.
 

WaterDries

New Member
Apr 5, 2011
23
0
0
Utah
The pic doesn't show it but all the spokes are rusted. No worries though. It is pretty fun to ride. I think the bike had been wrecked before we got it. Taco tires. Bent crank and a few other little problems. A few minutes with a wrench and it works great. My new motor is supposed to be here tomorrow and I've got a tank half built already for the worksman. I'm going to get a thread started soon for the next one. Hardest part right now is giving it a name. We named our old bikes in the past and the right one hasn't stuck yet.
 

DuctTapedGoat

Active Member
Dec 20, 2010
1,179
10
38
38
Nampa Idaho
Nice - those red plate Raws are actually the older ones. I bet if you pulled the clutch plate off you'd see circular pucks of a better material than is generally out now, and already sized to be floating instead of jammed.
 

wheelbender6

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
4,059
221
63
TX
Good looking build. We don't expect your first motorbike to look like Arlen Ness built it.
 

WaterDries

New Member
Apr 5, 2011
23
0
0
Utah
It is fun to ride. Not as solid as I'd like but for the amount of $ into it I am super happy. I can try anything and not feel like I might break it. I am working a worksman now and spent the day making a gas tank. Almost done.
 

GoGetHer

Member
Apr 8, 2010
41
4
8
Lake Wedowee AL
Not bad at all for first build. I started my first build with a old mountain bike I had. Very educational built, learned a ton. Then I moved onto 2 more builds, cruiser bikes. Now I am on my 4th build with a cruiser bike made into lowrider. By the way the lowrider build is using the engine from my first build. Have fun it can be addicting.
.wee.