20" rat rod

GoldenMotor.com

07silverado

New Member
Jun 9, 2011
3
0
0
Manitoba Canada
this is the bike i built... 20" stingray frame with a 70cc wedged in there just perfectly. had to grind down the left crank arm and cut the clutch arm on the engine but other than that it fits like a glove. also the first incarnation with this motor was a 26" norco with fat whitewalls and a bent springer. sadly i crashed it at 30 mph haha... oh well get back on the saddle!
travis
 

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decoherence

New Member
Aug 23, 2010
476
2
0
sebring,fl
you wild man.

i only can hold 30mph for a few seconds before i chicken out & i'm on a 26 inch frame.

i'm not scared of speed. i'm afraid of the bike screwing up @ losing it.

was the accident the bikes fault or operator error?
 

07silverado

New Member
Jun 9, 2011
3
0
0
Manitoba Canada
well a bit of both... bad geometry mixed with frozen washboard gravel (around 0'F that day) and trying to race a snowmobile to find my top speed. developed a nice speeed wobble so i tried to grab the clutch and made it even worse haha... no accidents as of yet to report on the little one though
 

happycheapskate

New Member
Nov 26, 2009
1,989
3
0
Rockwall TX
Is there a thread on this?

How do you get out of a speed wobble? I've heard motorcyclists say lean back a little and gun it, some say tap the rear brake. Youtube videos abound of wobbly crashes. Since these things aren't really motorcycles and not really bicycles exactly either, seems like they are sometimes in no-man's land when it comes to handling.

video of self-induced speed wobble on "ten-speed" bicycle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xODNzyUbIHo

On lightweight bicycles, as one of the commenters suggests, pinching the top tube with legs or getting out of the saddle a bit calms it. I've ridden road bikes for years and never had a bad one. I got one once at about 30mph from a less-than-perfect wheel, but it didn't start turning the bars that hard.

Kid coasting downhill gets speed wobble and dumps it Huge Bike Crash - Speed Wobbles! - YouTube

Bicycle advice forum suggests that frame flex causes it on a bicycle and that a light touch on the bars and pressing the top tube with the leg should save it. http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2011/03/speed-wobble-when-the-bike-shakes-its-head/
 
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deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
beautiful bike. I had been making 20" dui builds right up till I wrecked one at about that speed. I just built my first trike and am waiting to ride it.
 

LS614

Active Member
Dec 22, 2009
1,236
3
36
CT and MA
Very nice looking bike! You should call her the 20" rat because it gives a great mental image lol :p I've seen some stingray builds before, always envied people who had them
 

Jedrow

New Member
Sep 27, 2011
3
0
0
Missouri
Oi! I really love the 20" rat! I bought a sting ray the other day and would like to use it for my next build. Here is my current build Micargi Puma GTS. I like the way these bikes look but worried about the frame thickness. I hope I don't get a speed wobble! I geared it almost as low as you can go... I hope to see how she runs tonight.. I fitted a chinese tank but am on the prowl for something better... any ideas?
 

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LS614

Active Member
Dec 22, 2009
1,236
3
36
CT and MA
Now this is a real pain, and I know because I've done it, but if you get some WWII canteens (got mine for $10 each) you can put 90 degree taps in the bottom and have a half gallon of storage in a VERY cool package. I recommend canteen tanks for anyone adventurous and looking for additional attention when showing off their bike :D Happy hunting!
 

Jedrow

New Member
Sep 27, 2011
3
0
0
Missouri
Thanks ls614.. I think that is an excellent idea! Rode her last night and everthing is as expected... engines tight, carb was fussy, and I was grinnin' from ear to ear!
 

klb6154

New Member
Jun 20, 2010
76
0
0
pittsburgh pa
Tank slappers suck! On a motorcycle you have the option of gassing out of them. On a mb at 30 mph not a whole lot of gas left. My latest bike south alley sally has about 45° of rake I built one with 42° rake before this no wobble. My best advise is to relax at speed and try to put more wieght on the rear. If a slapper occurs don't pancic ride it out. Over correcting or makeing a sudden move is the worst thing u can do. Imagine a slapper on a 125motorcross bike tapped out in a field, if you don't make a boo boo cake in you're shorts you are truely a fearless rider. Also√ the front wheel bearings my skinny tired skunk ape rat almost tossed me on my dome at about 27 mph when the front bearings $h*t the bed. Once I figuredusflg out why I pushed her home and didn't eide it for a week.
 

happycheapskate

New Member
Nov 26, 2009
1,989
3
0
Rockwall TX
Re: Front wheel bearings. I got a free BMX that way. Some kids left it in a soccer field. The chain was knocked off, probably from the fall. The front hub was locked up and dry. I t turned out to function just fine after re-packing and proper cone adjustment, was a little notchy for a while. It's my "mailbox bike" now, worth riding down to the mailboxes with or playing in rain puddles.