Schwinn Riverside - My 1st Motorized Bicycle

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rfriesen

New Member
Aug 3, 2009
62
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Omaha, NE
After much deliberation I decided to go with a Schwinn Riverside. It was one of the few, for the price, to have fenders, gears and hand brakes. It's not done yet though. I still have a few things to do and I'm waiting on my hub adapter and sprocket from Manic Mechanic.
From sick bike parts I ordered:
Front motor mount, Motor replacement hardware, spark plug, fuel filter, carb. washers, dual hand brake lever

1. I shortened all of my cable lines except for the throttle cable.
2. Moved the grip shift to the left handle.
3. Removed the front fender mount and made a new one from steel bar. Now it's held on with bolts and lock washers. bolt is hand tightened in the picture.
4. Cut out part of the rear fender to allow the chain to pass.
5. I opened up the bolt holes in the muffler so that it would rotate towards the inside and allow the pedal to pass with 1/4 inch to spare right now. I may open them up a little more.
6. Painted the engine cases black with engine enamel from autozone.
7. Put a little grease on the engine gears.
8. I do not have metal clamping to metal. I used a 1/16" rubber material in between all clamped surfaces.

Hope you guys like it.
Please feel free to ask questions or comment.
 

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NashOpel

NashOpel

New Member
Jul 10, 2009
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Arvada,CO
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

They are nice bikes. have the dax kit on mine too. Check your fuel filter in pic 2 it s up side down dont know if you already changed it aroud
Really nice build :)
 
wheelbender6

wheelbender6

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
4,059
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TX
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

Good looking bike. Moving the grip shift to the left side is a great idea.
 
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eisle89

New Member
Jun 16, 2008
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El Paso, Texas
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

Very nice build. I hope you don't mind a little nit picking but you should get a little longer bolt for that fender, at least to bring it flush with the nut.
 
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rfriesen

New Member
Aug 3, 2009
62
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Omaha, NE
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

Ahh. I wasn't sure Which way the filter was supposed to go. Thanks.
As for the bolt on the fender, I just had it slightly hand tightened and took the picture. I'll give the whole bike a once over again before I go on the first ride. if I ever get my sprocket and hub adapter.
Thanks for the help guys.
 
Venice Motor Bikes

Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
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Los Angeles, CA.
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

Something I do when I move the gripshift to the left side is, cut the new MB grip in half so that it matches how the original grip looked with the gripshift. ;)
 
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mandela10

New Member
Aug 28, 2009
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Florida
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

Yeah man, I like the bike, the motor accommodate well with the design and everything.
 
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rfriesen

New Member
Aug 3, 2009
62
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Omaha, NE
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

I did some quick and dirty editing with MS paint. The bike above is my wife's. I'd like mine to look something like this though. I'm not sure if I can just roughly sand the front part of the bike, leaving much of the paint, use a good primer and still have a decent black paint job?? I'll have to shorten the rear fender since it won't be supported at the top by the rear rack. I'd like to not shorten it up too much so that the mud and water still doesn't hit my back. Not sure where that point is though.
 

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2door

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

rfriesen said:
Ahh. I wasn't sure Which way the filter was supposed to go. Thanks.
As for the bolt on the fender, I just had it slightly hand tightened and took the picture. I'll give the whole bike a once over again before I go on the first ride. if I ever get my sprocket and hub adapter.
Thanks for the help guys.
Click to expand...
Very pretty bike. Congratulations on your build.
If I could make one suggestion that might prevent some future problems it would be to secure the chain tensioner so it can't loosen and rotate into your rear spokes. This happens to a lot of guys who rely on the clamping action only to keep the tensioner in place. Some use a self tapping screw, some drill completely through the bracket and frame, and a few even weld. Which ever way you choose it will be assurance against damaging that nice bike.
Tom
 
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rfriesen

New Member
Aug 3, 2009
62
0
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Omaha, NE
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

Thanks Tom. I'm not sure what I'm going to do to reinforce that. I'd rather not drill into that little tube but I will as a last resort.
 
Dan

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
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Moosylvania
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

Awesome. I really enjoy my alum bikes but a steel frame just has that solid feel to it. Really a great build. Until I looked it up I thought (hoped) they were still in production.
 
aspireonescs

aspireonescs

New Member
Jan 4, 2010
63
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Saint Marys county, Maryland
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

Dan said:
Awesome. I really enjoy my alum bikes but a steel frame just has that solid feel to it. Really a great build. Until I looked it up I thought (hoped) they were still in production.
Click to expand...
I just built a MB out of a schwinn riverside that i bought at kmart of all places for 189 plus tax, i was very suprised that they had any, they still had three left after i bought mine. i know alot of people hate kmart but sometimes they have stuff that you couldent find anywhere else! I will have pictures up as soon as i get a new chain for the engin. (in my haste to get the kit put togather i made the terriable mistake of shortening the chain by prying it apart with a flathead screwdriver) now im waiting on the local bike shop to get in new chain that he ordered for me, hopefully bt the end of this week. also if anyone has instructions on how to reassemle the rear brakes on the riverside, i would be most gratefull. (i forgot how to put them back togather after i removed them to remove the rear wheel) :-|| also i plan on using a self tapping screw at first then making a custom chain tensior later on to span both bars
 
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Richard Lowe

New Member
Oct 6, 2009
6
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Pottsville,PA
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

I just bought a Riverside . I had a motor on a mountain bike but it was uncomfortable. Could you please tell me how and what you used to secure the engine to the front frame. Thank you
 
aspireonescs

aspireonescs

New Member
Jan 4, 2010
63
0
0
38
Saint Marys county, Maryland
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

i used the large frame mount that came with my kit, had to drill a hole in the front tube though :( but some of the vendors to the left and right sell one that you dont have to drill. its called the "no drill motor mount" good luck :)
 
psprat496

psprat496

New Member
Nov 22, 2009
159
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New Jersey
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

Does anybody know what size hub the rear wheel to the Riverside is? I'm going to order an adapter and want to know what the measurements are.
 
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skullman0956

New Member
Mar 26, 2010
13
0
0
Hanford Ca. 93230
Re: Schwinn Riverside - My 1st MB

He Schwinn Riverside, I was glad to see your writing on the Schwinn Riverside.It was cool to see someone has the same likings as me. I just got my kit, and was tring to figger out how to make the front engin mount work, and i saw yours. Could you tell me , did you make it or did you buy it? I t6hink I could make one, but if you bought it , could you tell me were, it would make things eaeier.

Thanks
Skullman0956
 
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