Macargi Pantera

I know a lot of people like smaller lighter bikes, but personally I like to feel some meat under me when I ride.
You know, a long steel bike with fat tires ;-}

The Macargi Pantera 7-speed is a bike like that and with front and rear V brakes and fenders a pretty good bike to motorize for $230.



With just a 48cc I urged him to let me Jackshaft it but it wasn't in his budget so he went with an X chamber so at least that helped.

The front tube is farther away and fatter than most but just using 2 U blocks and an alternate clamp, and then lowering the chain guard mount in the front, the motor sits in nice and low with room to spare.

The best part, as far as direct drive goes, is the horizontal dropouts and non-fixed derailleur/tensioner.

Drive chain tensioner? We don't need no stinking drive chain tensioners!
(Blazing Saddles 'badges' reference hehehe)



Just loosen the 15mm nuts and pull the wheel back when needed, the derailleur moves with it.
Speaking of the wheel the rag sproket went on dandy with both rags and dished in, the hub is almost the exact same size as the sprocket hole.

You have to do some fender and chain guard work but nothing too dramatic, and the chain has plenty of tire clearance.
Those pictures were after it got a 3 mile run and re-adjustment and the whitewalls are still white ;-}

One tip about fenders...
Put some epoxy on the L brackets and bolt holes on the inside of the fenders, they can and will vibrate some and fail if you don't.

rustycase said:

Nice motorized bicycle!
maybe go to a 48T rear sprocket??? instead of 44T ?
Can u post a close-up of your front motor mount for me?
rc

Click to expand...

Thanks RC, here ya go.



I generally stick to the SBP Z-bar front mount with the fatter U bolt but I didn't have one and had that 'no name' kit one so I used it.

I just used the longer front studs and added another U block.
I always paint all the mounting brackets, straps, etc. on all my builds. It is such a cheap and easy thing to do that makes such a visual difference why not right?

I flip the U block over so each flat end mounts to flat parts and well, a circle in the middle looks better than a bride on a bridge ;-}

You know you look at your bike with the pictures you take and post of it and start to see everything that 'needs work'?

Well, maybe it's just me because I am also a bit of web image guy ;-}

Anyway, though I do like the ease or the free Easy .gif animator program it has no effects and to 'tell a story' with an image of motorizing a bike looks I got the 25 use free trial Ulead Gig Animator yesterday and played with it a bit.

What do think of this image with this tagline for my web sites front page?
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Transportation Challenged?
Let KC un-VALE the motorized bicycle ready to come out of your quality bicycle.



I am KC Vale and I only build quality motorized bikes.

-----
Too much?
Or a pretty cool way to really start showing what motorizing does with a single image any browser can display without plugins?

Dave31 said:

Nice build KC, I've motorized about 12 Macargi Pantera's over the years and have good luck with them.

Click to expand...

Thanks Dave.
That is only my second Pantera but I've done build half a dozen or so Macargi Touch bikes.
The Touch isn't as long and usually doesn't come with fenders or hand brakes but I can get them from my local bike shop for $170 out the door.

flmotorbikes said:

Is that the expansion chamber from kings motor bikes

Click to expand...

No, I get those 'big enough' 1-piece pipes from here
http://www.jnmotorsbikes.com/product_p/jnm1189.htm

The other smaller 'fat boy' pipe I tried on a couple of bikes was a joke, it just is not long enough to even get past the BB among other fitting problems like getting past the pedals.

Even the big pipe can have that fit problem depending on the bike size and how high you have to mount the motor (lower is always better). I find just 'vertical obloging' the mounting holes with a drill will give you some lateral movement to tuck it in better.

.. Dave31...
Macargi does make bikes that will hold up to a motor very well.
That's a lot of Pantera's, I like the big heavy solid bike feel of them too.

The Tahati 3S is the same bike but with a 3-speed rear.
I made a topic about not trying to direct drive them, but JS one like a Pantera just with an internal 3-speed.

I can bump my Pant/Tahiti Shifter build count up two more now though.

There are 3 new big Macargi bikes in here in various stages of completion from finishing touches to a stock bike.

I am still wrestling with customer desires of look, quality and actual performance practicality with this one.

Sure, this almost done mostly informed customer supplied parts delivered to me for the build are all nice on their own, they don't all play well together

The 2012 Pantera's have forward cranks now, dandy and comfortable and the new thing for a direct drive but a nightmare for jackshafting, and his exhaust choice... hehehe.



No biigie like the Tahiti 3S that won't take a direct drive sprocket almost just as challenging. Fine with me other than the lost $/time labor factor, I live for practical innovation with these things when I can ;-}