Another new guy and 1st build on GT2 frame

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HDCowboy

Member
Jan 3, 2015
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Texas Gulf Coast
Well it all started when I seen a few pics of that new Felt Deep Six bicycle on the net and while searching for more info on it I ran into BikNuts Youtube video he did of a motorized engine build he did on one and it got my created mind flowing.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8aWvzheaew

I was even fixing to order one from the local bike shop when I discovered this board and realized you had to strip it all the way down to the frame just to seal the tank. After reading about tht GT2 frame I figured if I was gonna start a frame up build why not start with a new frame to begin with and I might even save a few bucks. I think I was a little bit wrong on that point there though after realizing a majority of the parts of my old Cannondale I had out sitting out in the barn I planned to use as a parts bike wasn't going to work to well on the GT2 frame.

Regardless I found me a Skyhawk GT2-A frame and and a set of Monark springer forks on Ebay, ordered them along with a couple cheap 2 stroke kits I found online and started my build.......
 

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Greg58

Well-Known Member
May 1, 2011
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Newnan,Georgia
If you're like most of us this will become more than a hobby, its a great way to get out and see the parts of a ride that get lost when in a vehicle. I look forward to the next ride before I get home, if you have friends that ride with you it is much more fun and a lot safer. Have fun and enjoy the forum.
 

HDCowboy

Member
Jan 3, 2015
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Texas Gulf Coast
Most of my buddies and myself ride Harleys so this is just basically a play toy for me but the few that have seen what I'm doing do think its kinda neat and didn't laugh at me too hard! LOL! I plan on modeling it similar to the 2 GT2 builds that are on the MotoDromo website, Jazz87 has posted some pics of them on here. I'm kinda plan on going board track style with low bars and and a Brooks 135 springer seat.

Anyways after realizing my front wheel off the Cannondale wasn't going to fit to well without rubbing the disc brake hub I found a wheel on bicycledesigner.com....

http://www.bicycledesigner.com/bike...flip-flop-disc-brake-wheel---26-68-spoke.html

http://www.bicycledesigner.com/bike-parts/bicycle-brake/front-wheel-disc-brake-kit.html

After installing that, I figured why not go with a matching rear wheel so now I have one of these on order waiting to come in........

http://www.bicycledesigner.com/bike-parts/bicycle-wheels/rear-motorized-wheel-26-68-spoke.html

Here's where I'm at now in the last pic, I'll post more as the build progresses......
 

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HDCowboy

Member
Jan 3, 2015
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Texas Gulf Coast
I haven't seen many bikes on here with 68 spoke wheels, if anything a lot of negative posts against them saying they are weak. Hopefully I wont have any problems with them as the sprocket and disc brake ect will be mounted to the hub and not the spokes itself. If I do though I guess it will be a "live and learn" exercise like everything else and I'll have to order or build some 32 spoke jobs. Will have to wait and see what happens after I get her on the road I reckon. Also I think it would look really sharp with an up swept pipe that extends beyond the seat similar to that I seen on the TheJakeBike website........

http://www.thejakebike.com/Skyhawk_GT.html

But one thing at a time, this build's taking a little longer than I expected anyhow! LOL!
 
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Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
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San Antonio Texas
Looks like you're of to a good start and yes, these things are a blast to ride too, I use mine from my breakfast runs in the morning before I open up my shop for the day, it's a lot easier to wheel it thur the freon door than opening up one of the garage doors to get the Sportster out, then that's about the time someone pulls up thinking I'm already open etc... lol

Besides that, once you get it built up, take it to the next bike rally and watch how much attention you'll get... Take a Harley and everyone's got one, but take a motorized bike, trike, or whatever and ya got a crowd around it almost instantly...
 

HDCowboy

Member
Jan 3, 2015
44
0
6
Texas Gulf Coast
Exactly, everybody and there brother has a Harley now, I bet it would draw a lot of attention at a rally! Gotta bunch of ole biker bars in town where I live, one about a mile down the road from the house that gets about a 100 bikes in the lot on the weekends, will have to ride it down there wearing some old Snoopy goggles and an old leather aviator hat and see what kinda reaction I get! LOL!
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
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San Antonio Texas
Exactly, everybody and there brother has a Harley now, I bet it would draw a lot of attention at a rally! Gotta bunch of ole biker bars in town where I live, one about a mile down the road from the house that gets about a 100 bikes in the lot on the weekends, will have to ride it down there wearing some old Snoopy goggles and an old leather aviator hat and see what kinda reaction I get! LOL!
That'll do the trick for sure... I kinda wish I had mine built back when we used to go to the SPI bikefest every year and the ROT ralley in Austin also ahs a lot of pathways people can put along on their toys, I saw a few of them at my friend's booth at the st Valentine's day Massacre ralley and the bikes got just as much attention as his custom parts and powdercoating displays got. He just had about 5 of them parked along with the rest of his stuff and the bikes were getting tons of attention, I'm sure if he or his son decided to put along the grounds on one they would have gotten even more.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
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Central Area of Texas
As a fellow HD rider and extreme enjoyer of all things with wheels and an engine, just wanted to say it looks to me like you'll have a very nice bike when you're done.

The first ride is when you'll be hooked.....

I like the 68 spoke wheels and would think they would be stronger rather than weaker.

Looking forward to watching this come together for ya.
 

HDCowboy

Member
Jan 3, 2015
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0
6
Texas Gulf Coast
Well here's some more pics of the current build progress. Since my last post I've gotten the new rear wheel and tire mounted & brakes installed on both front and back. Looks like as soon as I mount the crank & chain she's gonna be ready to peddle and hopefully that will be tomorrow, and then all that will be left will be finishing up the engine kit and getting all that part ready.......
 

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HDCowboy

Member
Jan 3, 2015
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Texas Gulf Coast
Thanks, finally got the bottom bracket, crank arms & sprocket installed today, I was planning on installing the chain also but the crank arm kit was missing the sprocket bolt that the box said it was included. I just got everything sitting in there hand tight now. Will have to go back to the bicycle shop where I picked up the crank arm kit and get the bolt tomorrow and go from there. Might should have least went with a chrome sprocket I think, might switch that out also while I'm there but then again I was thinking about painting the engine black anyway and it might make it all flow together if I did that.......

UPDATE: 2/7/14 Finally got the chain installed, had an extra tensioner I bought off Ebay laying around also so I put it on her also. Although not really necessary on a single speed , figured it can hurt nothing and it looks good.....
 

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HDCowboy

Member
Jan 3, 2015
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Texas Gulf Coast
Tried to start it and found one major bug! As soon as I touched the brakes I did an endo over the handlebars! The Monark disc brake adapter lowered the front end clearance so much that any good bump and the front wheel will bottom out on the forks and lock up! I wrote Monark an email and am waiting on their response meanwhile I replaced the rockers on the forks with the originals! Either I installed something wrong (which I cant see) or they sent me the wrong rockers! Will try to start her again today.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
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Central Area of Texas
just looking at you latest pix again I do notice now after you saying what happened that there sure doesn't look to be much of a gap between the front tire and the fork, hard to tell but looks like maybe an inch or less travel clearance.

If thats all the clearance you have I'd think something isnt right since all it would take is a small bump to send the front tire into the fork and thus locking it up and sending you for a possible face plant experience......ouch....!! Not good.

Maybe I just cant see things good enough to know for sure what your clearance is but now that I've looked at it again it does seem that you dont have much.

Hope you get it worked out, gotta be something simple I would think.
 

HDCowboy

Member
Jan 3, 2015
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0
6
Texas Gulf Coast
Finally got a hold of the guy from Monark, he said I bought the wrong adapter and I need the one for the Skyhawk frame. I have no idea why the type of frame I have matters, but anyway he said if I mail him the adapters I have he will send me the correct ones. Never did get time to mess with the bike today and its supposed to rain tomorrow but I'll get her running here sooner or later. We're on strike right now at the oil refinery so I got plenty of free time on my hands.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
well, Im like you and don't see what the difference would be with your frame vs any other frame those forks are on.

sounds like maybe they just sent you the wrong stuff and said you needon.brackets for a Skyhawks frame to cover their butt....lol..!

main thing though is you get the right parts so your suspension is right and safe.