Awesome! I'm taking notes for our "Pretty BTR build" this winter. I could easily clean this one up and make it look better but I got attached to the thing looking old and nasty so other than painting the tank and an addition of a rear fender oh and a front brake! it's going to look pretty much like it does. I found out why it won't start too. The jet on the tube in the float bowl broke off. I think I'm going to order a whole new carb cause part of the jet is still stuck in the tube. Yea I tried soldering the jet back on lol no luck there. Off to check your tank building posts. Thanks again all
Inexperienced first build
- Thread starter Rakkassan34
- Start date
I really liked the recommendation of a Schwinn Varisty Goose Neck but my impatience and low funds for the bike prompted me to build my own. As you see I have taken the bike apart for some minor tweaks such as the gooseneck and I'm building another tank for it now that I have a little more knowledge and experience at it.
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Dammnnn! BE CAREFUL!! with that set up, that is a very crucial part to have break, just saw 5 or 6 on Ebay all for under $11.oo couple of them ship Free, man go to a bike shop and get one, even a cast aluminum would be better and you could find junk bikes for parts at thrift stores for under $20.oo.
I'm saying this not! of opinion but out of experience,mine broke several years ago and a piece of the broken neck was impaled into the palm of my hand, lost control of the bike while trying to pull my hand off the goose neck then crashed into the curb and broke my wrist, don't think you'd enjoy getting impaled through the chest given the position that you'll be riding in on a btr.
Something another forum member siad that stuck in my head a couple of yrs. ago
" A cheap bike ain't good! and a good bike ain't cheap " spend the $$ where it is absolutely necessary don't play with your safety.
I'm saying this not! of opinion but out of experience,mine broke several years ago and a piece of the broken neck was impaled into the palm of my hand, lost control of the bike while trying to pull my hand off the goose neck then crashed into the curb and broke my wrist, don't think you'd enjoy getting impaled through the chest given the position that you'll be riding in on a btr.
Something another forum member siad that stuck in my head a couple of yrs. ago
" A cheap bike ain't good! and a good bike ain't cheap " spend the $$ where it is absolutely necessary don't play with your safety.
OUCH! Pictures of me falling on a broken gooseneck and puncturing a lung ran through my mind after reading what you said. I don't have a lot of welding experience and I have faith in my welds but I do learn from others mistakes and am going to buy one before I ride. Thanks again. **** you may have saved my butt some serious pain or worse.
Yes, please be careful welding your frame. Even though I have worked with metal for over 30 years and weld when needed I didn't do any of the critical welding on my frame modification. I let "The Welder" in the machine shop where I work do that for me. I did everything else when it came to welding and it worked out great. Now with a little coaching from me Old Silverbear is welding away on his bikes too. Good luck and keep us updated!
Dan
Dan
Alot of bikes from China have a similar design only the actual tube runs from top to bottom, a down ward direction forcing the weight down wards on the stem, yours is already pointing down with the weight from the riding position forces the handle bars down combined with vibration and added weight from pushing down on the handle bars and road conditions would eventually cause the weld to break if the right amount of sudden shock were to happen (which it eventually will) the weld will snap as in my situation, the weld was fatiqued and had s slow seperation un-detected from the naked eye then BAM! and the Chinee metal used on most bikes is cheap! cheap! cheap! I mean come on a welded stem Dah! not saying anything bad about your work but really think about it from an engineering stand point, what is your life worth?? a good $11.oo stem I hope
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I pulled this neck off another bike and it was welded in the same spot. I just cut it off and cut a new angle on it then welded it back. I was happy the way it turned out. It even looks really straight. Now ya got me wondering about the rest of the bike. The gooseneck I'll replace, the rest of the bike I'll just have to trust my welds.
Different stress point and levels,with the addition of the bent back bone(top bar) and center bar you have imensly strenghtened the frame, what you have done is given it a Roman Arch if you are familiar with that theory you"r good! there don't worrie about that, the only other crucial thing is the chain tensioner that comes in the kit, if you have one THROW IT AWAY!! they have a high tendency to pull in the wheel and will take out your spokes
two of the most crucial safety points of a motorized bike in my opinion are the stem and chain tensioner, if your running the tensioner outta the kit THROW IT AWAY!! they have a very high tendency to pull in into the rear wheel spokes destroy the wheel and throwing you forward off the bike, suggestion low, cost effective solution, I made this out of a piece of 3/16" aluminum, everything included Under $20.oo, there is an idea for a chain tensioner on the thread titled "I finished my board tracker racer"
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if you have strait down dropouts its use the tensioner or shim the engine my jaguar is like that i used a set screw through the tensioner to keep it in place
Ahhh! Thanks again. I never thought of it being pulled into the spokes. Man I'm glad I didn't get it running and found out the hard way.
If you go to a thrift store and buy a childs bike you'd be surprized with the parts you'd be able to use, 36 tooth sprocket and shorter crank (but make it is the same size crank tube as your bike) the goose neck EXC,EXC,EXC just make sure that head tube and crank tube are the same size as your bike and you'd have no problem with the parts.
At the thrift store you can get your littlle bike from between $10.oo-$15.oo you may even find an old huffy mountain bike then you could even make some cool(er) btr handle bars and if the budget permits go to Wal-Fart I mean Wal Mart (type O) and get a little bike for about $50.oo then you'd havea lot of new parts, we actually make the btr handle bars out of the mountain bike bars and a pair of BMX bars with some clamps welded toghether
At the thrift store you can get your littlle bike from between $10.oo-$15.oo you may even find an old huffy mountain bike then you could even make some cool(er) btr handle bars and if the budget permits go to Wal-Fart I mean Wal Mart (type O) and get a little bike for about $50.oo then you'd havea lot of new parts, we actually make the btr handle bars out of the mountain bike bars and a pair of BMX bars with some clamps welded toghether
Dang I never thought of using parts off a kids bike. I read about the 36 tooth sprocket being more desirable but I thought that was for the rear sprocket connected to the motor. Can you use a regular bicycle sprocket for that?
I've been on the hunt for a drum brake hub or better yet a 26in wheel with a brake drum already on it but the ones I've found are pricey $100 and up. It's not that I'm cheap but I like to make my own parts, like the goose neck for example. I won't sacrifice safety for anything though. I'm going to buy a new goose neck and if a wheel and drum brake cost $100 then that's what I'll get even though I don't want to put a ton of money into this bike. I just can't find an inexpensive alternative.
I've been on the hunt for a drum brake hub or better yet a 26in wheel with a brake drum already on it but the ones I've found are pricey $100 and up. It's not that I'm cheap but I like to make my own parts, like the goose neck for example. I won't sacrifice safety for anything though. I'm going to buy a new goose neck and if a wheel and drum brake cost $100 then that's what I'll get even though I don't want to put a ton of money into this bike. I just can't find an inexpensive alternative.
Wow, this is really cool! What style is your "nice bike" gonna be? I'll look forward to seeing it.
My "nice bike" will be a BTR. There's just something about those bikes I really like. I like the old Indian's, and Cyclone's so I'll be trying to replicate that style. I'd love to get a V-twin in one but I know that also means beefier components like motorcycle rims and such and I'm thinking parts might be harder to find. I already know of two vanguard motors that I can get for under $100 and have given it some serious thought but dang those engines are heavy. I Just know I'm having a great time with this build and I'm hooked. I'm dying to start on the pretty bike.
Ok using what I learned from my first tank build and what others on this forum have suggested my new tank build is coming along good. I never worked with sheet metal before but once I start I can't stop. There's just something about hammering and forming this stuff that I really enjoy. It may not look like much goes into building one of these especially my new one cause it is so flat and simple but there's a lot more work than you think into these, at least for me there is lol. I'm itching to build one out of aluminum now. I just had the side leaning up against the top in the last pic. I'm researching silver solder for the time being.
