Huffy Newport

GoldenMotor.com

Master-shake

New Member
Feb 24, 2013
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texas
Anyone have any thoughts on the huffy newport? I'm considering using this as a "Low-end" cruiser for customers. I haven't seen any threads about the huffy newport so I guess I'd just like to know what you guys think. Also, I'd like to know if you guys see problems with the seven gears in the back staying there. Currently the shifter is on the right side so it would not be a good idea to keep it there I'd imagine. Is it possible to just flip it over and use the shifter o the left side of the handlebars?





the main reason I want to use it as a "cheap" version is because it already comes with front and rear brake + fenders (those are important for rain days) Plus the white version would look sexi!!! I would make one of biknuts fuel tanks but white or black for contrast (or green in the one case)

Opinions? Foreseen difficulties? I'm already well awayre of some of the crappier welds on some of these huffies, but no worries I used to work in the aerospace industry and I can tell when a weld is solid or not.

Thanks for any info!!
-The Shake-
 

fatdaddy

New Member
May 4, 2011
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San Jose, Ca.
You can put a gear shifter anywhere it will fit. After that just make sure the rims are steel and the spokes are at least 12 guage.
I've been riding a Huffy Cranbrook cruiser for almost 2 years now. Huffy was starting to get a bad name for making too cheap bikes. I think it was 2010 when they started dolng the better welds, steel rims and 12 guage spokes. I wouldn't trust 14 guage (or smaller) spokes at 35mph.
fatdaddy.
 

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
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Don't try using the stock fender mounts. They will fail and you can get seriously hurt.
Remove or reinforce them.
Other than that, these bikes are good budget builds. They look and ride nice.
The thumb shifters are easy to place where needed.
 

xseler

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2013
2,886
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OKC, OK
I really like the looks of the black and white Huffy! Those would be the great start for budget 'shifter' bikes.....
 

Master-shake

New Member
Feb 24, 2013
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allright, that's a good point on the fender concerns I don't wanna make 400$ catapults. Thanks for the input, really. 12/14G spokes though I'm going to walmart right now to check on that. I really don't know how to tell the difference. I'll get some pic's while I'm there and get em back here.
 

fatdaddy

New Member
May 4, 2011
1,516
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San Jose, Ca.
Don't try using the stock fender mounts. They will fail and you can get seriously hurt.
Remove or reinforce them.
Other than that, these bikes are good budget builds. They look and ride nice.
The thumb shifters are easy to place where needed.
I was gonna mention the fenders, Then forgot. The stock fender "TABS" will kill you. They are cheap little things that will break and leave your front fender UNDER your front tire. I've been calling this a "front fender ski trip". Trust me, It's not a ski trip you want to take. So listen to maniac on this one and either remove the fender or make new brackets out of real steel.
fatdaddy.
 

Jeckler

New Member
Jun 4, 2013
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Mesa, AZ
I swear I saw these last week at WM (in store) for around $110. Online it shows $173 and sold by a 3rd party. I've been too lazy to go back and look, plus I really shouldn't buy it. :)
 

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
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Central Illinois
That Newport looks like a good bike for the job.

I bought a Cranbrook to motorize after taking one look at those 12 ga spokes. They haven't let me down yet. It's been a good bike for the job.

And don't forget the good old stem mounted shifters. Not too hard to find. And they work very well for this job. On an older motorized bicycle of mine I used one shifter for the rear set of chain rings and the other for my choke. The best part was that I could use either hand for either job.
 

fatdaddy

New Member
May 4, 2011
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San Jose, Ca.
I also used a Cranbrook for my personal build. But with the Newport you already have a pedal chain tensioner, ( the derailleur.) so the chains on both sides would be a lot easier to set up. I like my axle set all the way back in the dropouts for max support. To do this I added a link to the pedal chain and stuck on an old derailleur I had laying around. That gave me enough to get the axle all the way back in the dropouts. The Newport is set up like a Mountain bike, (kinda,) so you wouldn't have this problem. Plus dual brakes!!!, Sounds like a win win to me.
fatdaddy.
 

xseler

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2013
2,886
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I think the blue one is just a single speed.

That white and black one still speaks to me.......lol
 

Master-shake

New Member
Feb 24, 2013
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texas
It has 12 gauge spokes too, I found out from the huffy website. Only problem with the bike is that it isn't sold in any of the stores in my area, I have to order one online and have it shipped. That doesn't give me the opportunity to look over and inspect the welds before I actually buy it (I used to be FPI in the aerospace industry). It may not seem like a big deal to most but I've seen some huffies I could slide fishline through the pitting, and then there are some unsightly welds all around as well (the panama jack's welder sucked!! I have yet to find one with nice welds.)

I think I might just order one anyway because they are so pretty and if the pitting is minimal I'll keep it. Maybe I can just have a customer order it.
 

truckd

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2010
2,837
134
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palmdale calif
I've delt with a few huffy's and came to realize that you basically have to go through the whole bike re-wrenching, re-greasing and general examination of mechanics, I do how ever like their wheels.
I have one of those @#$%^&*( son in laws who doesn't have a C.D.L and goes through bicycles more then you might use toilet paper,so every Christmas we get him a CHEAP Huffy Cruiser and to keep him out of our pockets until the Christmas I go through the bike, I just take the fenders and handle bars off (got about 5 sets) and make exhaust's for the chinee engines out of the bars and trade them out with the ones he's had for the last 8 yrs. and get a pair of sun light peddles, I just couldn't see building a M/B with a whole bike.
Have you ever tried www.bikebuyers.com they carry some good quality Cruiser bikes at decent prices.
Here is a Firmstrong for $129.oo
http://www.bikebuyers.com/touch-men.htm
If you are dead set on selling the cheapest M/B you can build then check out the upland sold at K-Mart for the same price as a huffy, they're built a little better but don't come with 12 gauge spokes.
 
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Huffydavidson

STREETRACER/MANUFACTURER
Jan 29, 2012
1,076
4
38
st.louis,mo.
Mine is a Cranbrook but I converted to 7th Speeds move your shifter to the left side and get a label maker so you can turn the numbers right side up this what I did for my shift kit clutch on the left and then dual brake lever on the right . Run a 410H by KMC and you'll have no tire rub.brnot
 

Scott.D.Lang

Member
Jan 1, 2013
406
2
16
Chicago
nice looking bike but if you are building them to sell you might not want to go with a huffy I just got a 200$ offer on mine and I have a lot more then that in the motor and mods Ive done. I could be wrong but considering how fast my sons broke down trek sold for 325 with a stock BGF motor the only reason I can see my bike has not even gotten a decent offer on it is the fact that its a huffy even though its a well built frame. So if you do use that bike remove anything that sez huffy off of it and do not tell anyone what the frame is. just my opinion.
 

kevyleven007

Active Member
Sep 25, 2008
1,217
8
38
texas
I almost bought one about a year ago. It looks like a good cruiser to me. Its the only huffy cruiser I have seen with 7 speeds and v brakes. And they don't sell it at wall mart. I first saw it at academy.