Ernst from Turllock Ca

Okay, my friend and I modified the exhaust, changed the drive sprocket and I came home and am finishing up the needed tucks and nips.

The Maxxon brake light is working/looking excellent and yes the battery holder came from China today and is better than expected or imagined and includes an on or off switch.

I just did the 5 minute warm up and now will cool it down.

I heard a rattle so I need to figure out where or what is doing that but what a relief to have a working motor again.
It sounds mellow with the expansion SBP on.

So, Things are looking up. I'll be doing a short ride later on but I am a lot more respectful towards the break-in at this point than I had been before.

The new RAW motor seems to run well.

It seems more mellow than the first motor.

I do have concerns about clutch noise but I believe I will ride it a while and see if that mellows out.

My friend Dale and I modified the SBP expansion to fit and I mounted it later that day as well as installed the wonderful twin AA battery holder that powers the Brake Light. I need to shoot some video footage of that. The brake light can be seen in daylight!

Here are three photos I shot of the engine and SBP mod. You can see it's been cut and cut again.. Oh well, It will not fall apart that is for sure.








The next thing I must do is shorten the clutch cable so I will be picking up a new cable end today and will get out the cut-off disc and grinder and do that cleanly.

So now starts the new ride. It has a very strong clutch spring and more power in the low end than the previous motor. I don't know about high RPMs yet naturally.

Also I have time now to crack open the previous motor's case and see what happened to that one. My friend wiggled the piston and noticed the connecting rod wiggled in a way it wasn't supposed to. That may mean something concerning the bearings in that motor or lack of.

Today is a riding day. I shall go do my business and do it on my MaB.

Update..

I now have over 100 miles on the RAW and the engine sounds are changing. More a bearing sound now than the noisy clutch sound.

I get to ride 24 miles a day for work and it is out in the rural farm land mostly. Corn Fields, Dairy, and farm houses mostly.

Just one main highway I run for a couple miles but the rest is as I write.

I have to admit this RAW is much better than the first motor! I mean this RAW has that motorcycle action. I love the way it backs off the RPM.. Like a DirtBike sounds.. The first motor was no where near like this..

So the big rides are on hold as I will be needing the bike for work. This was my plan without knowing if I would work for this company but hoped I would.

I have to say things are working out really nice!

The only problems I am having is with the Bicygnals rear unit. I am still troubleshooting why it stops operating as a turn signal.
I noticed this morning in the cool of the AM that it worked for the 12 miles to work but in the heat of the afternoon it stopped working.
I'm thinking the AAA's are just not enough so I have ordered a 6V AA external with switch to try out.
If it works and it does then I figure I'm looking at the batteries or some kind of interference.

I need to update that thread.. I did a review.. Lemme get a link..

http://motorbicycling.com/f50/bicyignals-indicators-review-32046.html

I'll update my current issues in that thread next.. Folks should know.. I need to set up and shoot a video as well.. I'm putting that off for some reason.


So my evil plan was to get a job and ride a bike to live poor for a while till the economy picks up or I win the Lotto..
Looks like I get a nice ride each day.. Have to mix it up and take different country roads..

Oh I ran one Gallon of Lucas @ 16 to 1 and now will run 2 Gallons of 24 to 1 and will drop down again aiming at 40 to one.

I want to watch how it goes and learn.

Okay Today, Monday the First, is the official first day on the Job.


This is why I have been working to make this bike worthy and in turn it has become admirable.

The RAW sounds so sweet and yet I can tell it likes 25 mph the best which is a fine speed going 12 miles to work in my opinion.

I have learned to adjust my brakes well and I now have a tight brake lever. It's a Dual pull.

I am waiting for the battery case for the rear Bicygnals unit so I can continue to trouble shoot that unit.

I have concerns that batteries and or temperature are the next logical steps to investigate/
The Battery case should be as nice as the brake light case but will hold 4 AA batteries where the rear unit used 4 AAA batteries. I hope isolating the power supply will abate the failure of the rear to signal.

It's still an open trouble ticket because it could be road shock but one aspect at a time. I will rule out the batteries and power supply first then work from there.
I am seriously wanting these signals to work!

Okay wish be luck.

Today was the continuation of a loud ping that was suggested it was detonation.

Indeed it was detonation as the head had come loose.

Mind ya, I tightened the head on Thursday of last week but I am riding 24 or more miles a day.


So if you hear a loud ping it may well be time to tighten your head.

I ran premium in the last motor.

Mike Why so am I destroying the motor? By the way I take offence at your Slight Mike.. You don't know everything friend so please don't be a smart ass.

And why does premium make for a better gas for a 2-stroke?

Sad news.

http://www.modbee.com/2011/08/03/1801788/ceres-man-dies-after-his-moped.html

He was riding a Beach Cruzer with a motor. Don't know what he had for lights but the scuttle-butt at work was that he was to blame some how for being rear ended.

Video Moped Rider Killed In Ceres - Video - KCRA Sacramento

I am aware that the truck driver was of importance in the community and Stacey Davis, the motorized bicycle rider, is described by a local resident as "some guy that ran up and down the road on that thing."

I have experienced trucks coming too close and it seems that farm and ranch types are the only ones doing such a thing.
I get more respect from the 18 wheelers than I do from the local farm/ranch types when I ride.
So A moment for a fallen MaB brother.

Mike B said:

I'm not trying to be a smart ass.

You said your last motor got so hot it was dieseling (you couldn't turn it off with the kill switch)

Now you have pinging or knocking which is detonation.

Either of these can destroy an engine.

Higher octane gas is more resistant to preignition.

That all. I'm done. Over and out.

Click to expand...

Actually the head came loose is what it was.

Yes the last motor and mounting was not the best. Over worked black painted motor and a new rider learning. Yes that is true.

So reread your comment and you will see why I took the defence.

Good enough Mike.. Be well.

-------------------------
Update on the use of this RAW motor for a ride to work.

It is definitely getting some wear. I will be doing some work on it this weekend but I expect both it and I will be on the road 7 days a week for a couple of months.

I hope that this motor will stand up to the load but I have a spare RAW here ready to go in if it doesn't.

I read that most of the HT types don't much last 1000 miles. We shall see.

Update:

The RAW is over 500 miles now.

I have been using my Kiddy Kart trailer to haul my work stuff but to my surprise the trailer is not that well made. It has nice aluminium tubing around the the trailer that is visible but under the trailer where the axil is, it is thin steel tube which was welded to other thin steel tubes. Simply put this is not a design that will hold up to metal fatigue. I wouldn't trust it to haul children which is what it's sold for.

The other issue is Zinc spokes. I have three broken spokes from yesterdays ride. So that means I need a rebuild but I must travel 7 days a week because I work 7 days a week until November. This leaves me to get a rush build of a new wheel and to have my friend put on a sprocket. I hope this work out.
It wouldn't be life if things weren't exciting. I'd rather not have the spokes breaking but there it is.
The new wheel will have stainless steel spokes so they should last a little longer. I will rebuild this wheel with the thicker spokes once I am riding on the new wheel.

So I ride 25 miles a day, 7 days a week and will ride about 2500 miles before this seasonal job comes to an end.

Simply put this is an endurance effort. The outcome is unknown..

Speaking of that.. It's time to go because I will be riding slower and safer today.

Saddletramp1200 said:

Ernst, Northern Tool has some real sturdy wheels with tires that would be ideal for a trailer. There 24.00 each in Houston. Might give it a look.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I will check into that.

Update:

I bought a wheel from Pirate and it;s a good looking 12 gauge Stainless Steel spoke unit.
I ordered the 36T sprocket and Wow it is wicked fast. I had to borrow a wheel with a 48 tooth sprocket and was basically running at 18 mph for a week.
So tomorrow is the maiden run to work and back for this new set-up.

I now have a rear coaster brake. Let me say it throws my balance off to hit that but if I have to lay it down or run out into traffic I have to admit it's the thing that will allow me to slide it down to the pavement if I lean it over hard.
Not the kind of scenario we want to think about.. you know road rash and all but it's better than running in front of an 18 wheeler.

The real change for me is that after breaking four spokes on my OEM wheel on my Giant boulder after 1300 frame miles I had to borrow a friend's wheel off his boulder that he doesn't ride any more. The rent of it is an 18 pack..
The wheel I borrowed has a "rag-joint" adaptor on an OEM Giant Boulder wheel and that is size 48T.
I am not disrespecting a wheel that kept my perfect attendance record on the new job but 18 mph is not the best speed to do 12 miles each way in my opinion.
I expect to travel at 28 mph tomorrow with the same effort of the RAW that it made for 18.

I'll see about posting some pictures when I know the results of this latest hardware mod Pirate Cycles
I went with the 36 tooth since I ride on the flats mostly.
I also went single speed on the peddle side where I was 21 speed.. I used the smallest drive sprocket and the provided wheel sprocket size..

I'll know more after tomorrow.



I still have my bicygnals hack on the list so keep an eye open.

Bummer issue here.

I used some wire to hold the "arm" of the coaster brake and that didn't hold while I was testing the stopping action this morning. I hit 33 mph and simulated a Disc brake failure.
The arm spun around and for a moment the peddles locked up as well.
I couldn't do anything about it so I didn't use the brake the rest of the way to work and back but the wheel came loose as in the peddle drive gear side backed out and the wheel could wobble.
I see that the peddle gear side has a nut that looks to be a locking nut and that the gear itself has a special nut that looks to take a very thin wrench.
I also understand that on the brake arm side that the nut that tightens down there is for adjusting the breaking action so it is designed to not be tight.

I have not used a coaster brake since I was 12 I believe and then I didn't work on it at all.

So what do I do to adjust this wheel back to running shape? I mean the proper thing to do.
Again I have had to use wire to hold the arm because of how things are but the wire being used now will not come apart so easy. I will continue to look for a better solution but this will function for now.

is the wheel
This is the ad on pirate 26" CB-110 Wheel and sprocket adapter. (Pick your Sprocket)

Edited to reflect what I have learned thus far.

The thin wrench I assumed I needed is called a Cone Wrench.

From Chat these links were shared with me.

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae265/ICrazyhorse/Bicycle Parts Components/11014_small.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcudaQU3m...ABQk/4rm2lfp95h8/s400/perry_coaster_brake.jpg
Overhauling a Coaster Brake Bike


Perhaps the answer I am seeking relates to tightening down the "Cone" and then "locking" it down with the locking nut.
At this point the locking nut and the cone are acting as one nut. That seems to be the focus of my query.

Okay.. I have this 12 gauge spoke wheel and it has a "coaster brake" so that is the way it is.
I found out that "coaster brakes" are a concern and that maintenance and rebuilding them are part and parcel.

I trust now that I have wired the arm of this brake with a much better gauge of wire that I will not suffer the same "spin" that I did this morning.

As I mentioned to a Chat-Mate there isn't an obvious way to secure the arm to the frame because of the modifications I have made to the structure of the rear end. Wire is the obvious quick fix and quick fix is what I need because I am riding 24 miles a day 7 days a week until November.

I may consider a different wheel after this seasonal job is finished.

On a brighter note it is fantastic to ride at 27 mph again and at an easy rpm.

Okay then I welcome input since I look to the membership for advice and this is the way it goes for a few more weeks..
I trust Pirate Cycles is selling a wheel that is not unsafe for MaB'ers

Excellent. That adds more reading and reference material for this problem.

With Pirate Cycle selling this wheel I'll bet there are a few who will find your help useful like I expect.

Thanks for the reply.

Thanks guys.. It was an "ACK!" moment but I have followed the advice of y'all and a local bicycle shop and it seems to be fine.

It did get rather warm when I tested it for a high speed braking. I need to have skill in using it after all.
A day could come that I have a choice of hitting an 18 wheeler travelling at high speed or locking it up. I choose locking it up.

So other than the issue of safety from failure and seizure possibly it is a firm rear wheel.

I have a cone wrench now and did adjust.


Now I have a drag issue. 1000+ on this RAW and new ratio on the chain.. See next post.