Anybody else burnt out on motorbikes?

deacon · Aug 4, 2008

And I walked into the shop to find the chainsaw bike and the WW 31cc bike laying on the floor trying to mate. the chainsaw bike had its pedal embedded in the spokes of the ww bike. It is a good thing I don't have small children.

Just one of those little frustrations.

Large Filipino · Aug 4, 2008

Did they tell you to turn off the light?

Saddletramp1200 · Aug 4, 2008

Only problem I have is pushing that kill button at the end of a ride

Tramp

cityevader · Aug 5, 2008

I got my old school '79 Motobecane moped running tonight, but can't get it to idle. Feels much like the MB with it's issues, but with reduced turning radius, increased weight, and full helmet required.... hmmm... soooooo, I can't cut in and out of rush-hour-cars on the main road, and I can't wear the styrofoam bicycle helmet with great ventilation.

Everything sucks. Suv gas prices, motorbikes, buses, mopeds, walking.. What's left?

Hold up, where was that last news snippet of personal jet-packs?

Seriously, I keep dreaming of motorbikes. If I ever get an insurance check from the guy in the pickup that plowed into the bus with my bike on the front rack, and whatever is left that my wife will let me have, I'd get a honda 50cc 4 stroke and MAKE it fit in a rear mount....because I keep daydreaming of the that...freedom... that love that kicked my butt because I wasn't good enough......
......ssssiiiiiiiiigggggggghhhhhhhhhh

Saddletramp1200 · Aug 5, 2008

Could be worse

I was standing on the bottom sidewalk 2 storie apt, when a flying trash bag came from the sky and knocked my baseball cap down onto my sunglasses that cut my nose.The bad part is the 107 year old woman didn't even yell 4, heads up, or nothing.

Could be worse! Might have been a wino watering the plants!

Bikeguy Joe · Aug 5, 2008

Saddletramp1200 said:
Only problem I have is pushing that kill button at the end of a ride Tramp

Me too....mostly because I disabled it.

Bikeguy Joe · Aug 5, 2008

cityevader- a four stroke rack mount sounds like just the ticket for you. One pull, warm up and ride off into the sunset with nary a care in the world. Maintenance issues? Change your oil once in awhile.

Weedylot · Aug 5, 2008

cityevader said:
Sooooo, i've been working on a 1979 Motobecane 50cc moped for free, similar frustrations as the MB. But got a new coil cheap, did a bunch of work on it, now runs. Won't idle...feels like the MB-syndrome kicking in.... Lacking desire to work on it, maybe will try to sell it with such high demand now.....but, I can sure see myself atop that 2-stroker-smoker crusing to work and back. MAybe even make some new memories with the wife on the back(can't do that with the MB!) hitting the jam-packed outdoor mal in Santa Cruz, relaxing at the bookstore, then a "real" coffee shop, then whiz past the Beach Boardwalk-ers stuck in traffic.

I found and repaired 'peds for a time during the eighties, hence my handle is weedylot a term used to describe where abandoned mopeds and murder victims are found or where beer drinkers too sloshed to make it all the way home stop and nap. I would love to fissup a Motobecane as soon as I finish the Puch. Please lemme know if you get too disgusted with it

jasonh · Aug 5, 2008

I think it's a love/hate relationship with these things. Just like my 86 Mustang I used to have, you love it when it's running well, and hate it when it breaks.

I got my MB, rode for 20 min, then the mag went out. Fixed that a week later, and rode it to work and back for a week and a half. Then decided to swap all the gear to a different frame. Rode to work, blew an exhaust gasket, then on the way home I braked hard at a light, and the rear wheel shifted (crap quick-release rear). When I took off the chain fell off the sprocket and bunched up at the motor. Didn't trust the wheel, so I had to get a ride home. This morning on my way to work, blew a hole in the hose connecting 2 exhaust pieces.

It's frustrating, but oh well, I love cruising down the road at 25mph with nary a care in the world

Heck, take just now for example. I went out to the bike rack to replace that hose piece. Pulled off the old piece, stuck the new one on, started tightening the hose clamps, and broke one. Just snapped in half. The other one I can tell will break if I tighten it any more. Figures. Hopefully I can get home without the muffler falling off (again)

deacon · Aug 7, 2008

Best advice I ever had from anyone about bikes was Norman of course. My throttle broke while I was about two miles from home. I pulled on the cable all the way home. I told the story and Norman said, "First thing you want to do is just get it home." LOL...

That was the best piece of advice I got. Nobody cares what it looks like or how silly you feel just get the chunk of metal home. Then you can make it a motor bike again instead of scrap iron.

cityevader · Aug 7, 2008

uhhh, but I was stranded more than the following, but the following stand out in my mind of all the strandings...without the details, 3 miles, 9 miles, 14 miles from home... While the optimist could say "YAY!!! Got farther and farther each time!!!"
While the pessimist would say "I've got to pedal HOW MUCH farther this time to get home?!?!?!"
Who is correct?

Easy Rider · Aug 8, 2008

All I know is you've broke down 3xs more than all of the local guys combined. We've ridden thousands of miles with only minor hicups or injuries but nothing from getting us back to our original departure zone. Either you had a really bad lemon or you put your kit on funky. I hope you get your $ soon from the guy who hit your bike on the bus rack because I think the second time around will be the charm!

lennyharp · Aug 8, 2008

Well I am without my ride as I crashed about 9 days ago. I knew better than to tailgate and the idiot that slammed his brakes on proved it to me as he sped of after I went down. Back is almost to where I could ride my 15 mile commute again. I was getting tempted but did not trust my suspension forks with Magnesium tubes and the Carbon Fiber frame. Neither are known to be the most reliable stuff after a crash. So I took it apart and need to make me a new ride. I'll work on it this weekend and hope to be back to commuting again next week. I was sure dissappointed that my body has aged to where I don't heal up so quick. I was proud that I still could get my brakes on quick and they worked good enough to launch all 240 lbs of me over the handlebars in a sweet summersault. Well it can be looked at half full, half empty or however but I like to ride and will get back out there. Oh yea half full is my choice as the bike landed on me and being light did not break any bones and did not even quit working. I got up threw it on the sidewalk picked it up still running and was ready to ride at the next signal.

davemckown · Sep 18, 2008

hey bikeguyjoe'
havent seen or heard of the honda QA50 since I was a kid burning ruts in our yard I loved the centro clutch, it was puke green ,we called it "the pickle"

Bikeguy Joe · Sep 18, 2008

It (the QA50) is nearing the top of my "to do" list.
I have had it sitting in a box, with all the "problems" taken care of....I was just waiting to outfit myself with a media cabinet and a couple other small shop goodies. Done! Onto other things....like the 50.

Saddletramp1200 · Sep 19, 2008

Ahhh, the sand, the wind blowing, throw that away. QA-50 CC Were Puribty (mis- spelled) bikes. No parts, ect. Then the Qa2. 4- all the way, 23 mph @ full Bore! (c)

Bikeguy Joe · Sep 19, 2008

cityevader said:
uhhh, but I was stranded more than the following, but the following stand out in my mind of all the strandings...without the details, 3 miles, 9 miles, 14 miles from home... While the optimist could say "YAY!!! Got farther and farther each time!!!"
While the pessimist would say "I've got to pedal HOW MUCH farther this time to get home?!?!?!"
Who is correct?

An optimist would say "I've got soooo much to learn!"
A pesimist would say " This bites, I think I'll golf."

deacon · Sep 19, 2008

I am the guy who never had an accident on a motor bike cause I had one the first time I got on a pedal bike after almost fifty years. It gave me a healthy respect for even the humble pedal types. Let alone one moving at twenty miles an hour.

I have the luxury of choosing my riding times and routes. I know most of you guys don't and I have sympathy for you. My suggestion is next time get yourself a 31cc ryobi or something like it. Then build you a front wheel drive friction bike. It's hard for them not to run to be honest.

And when they do go bad, just tie them off the wheel and head on home. Once you learn how to switch out parts, they are easy and very cheap to keep going.

Dan · Sep 20, 2008

Love/hate thing fo'sho. No mater how angry I get at a lost nut, bolt or failure, one look at my Chinagurl and it is love all over again. Some times I go out to the garage and sit and just stare at it. Get the Zen on and go back to work. Just the time alone with my one of a kind that there are many of and I am good to go. Really is cathartic and yet yesterday I looked at it with menace and a hammer.

Saddletramp1200 · Sep 21, 2008

With my face in the breeze, and a motor between my knees! Ran out of gas again, But wait, theres a canteen full of pre mix in my back pack rotfl

Yeee, Haaaa! Midnight bugs taste best. Watch where your goin' remember where you've been, that's the way I see it, I'm a simple man. (c)

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