What is it?

planb · Mar 2, 2010

Hey All,

I've stumbled here looking for information after recently acquiring my first 'motorized bike' project:

An odd-ball, front-motored, rear-belt-drive, motor-bike 'contraption', mounted to a 50's era Schwinn Spitfire that I fell in love with.

(see pic)

It runs, and everything's there...I plan to do a 'sympathetic' restoration — keeping everything as original as possible (no repainting, re-chroming, etc)

Where should I post to get some feedback on what this thing is?

Thanks!

-Ric

2door · Mar 2, 2010

I have my doubts that it was ever 'patented'. It appears to be a mix of bicycle and riding lawnmower. I can almost see how that engine drive belt would work. It twists 90 degrees? This is common mower technology but strange on a bike. It will be interesting to see if anyone has ever seen anything like it.
Good luck.
Tom

Tad Bit Tipsy · Mar 2, 2010

Wow, PlanB, that thing is more like PlanW, for WTF!!! Clean it up and get it rolling, that's all it needs to turn heads all day long. Good Luck!!! Shoot some video of that thing hauling down the street.

planb · Mar 2, 2010

Thanks for the encouragement! I will definitely post some video...may even wear my 'WTF?' t-shirt in your honor

bairdco · Mar 2, 2010

that thing is nutty. definitely looks home made. i agree with 2door about the "patented" thing, but it's pretty awesome what some people can come up with.

it's like the "you got chocolate in my peanut butter" commercials of the past. guy crashes his bike into a lawnmower, and voila!

can you imagine what his friends, or wife, was thinking while he was building this?

"c'mon honey, it'll revolutionize the bicycle as we know it..."

NEAT TIMES · Mar 2, 2010

Git Er Going!! And Enjoy. Put "plan B On The T Shirt, I Don`t Know What Wtf Means. Lol. Be Carefull Where You Stick Your Fingers. The builder went the extra mile reinforcing the rear wheel sheave. Ron

Elmo · Mar 2, 2010

Shore is different. That appears to be a kids bike rim used as a pulley on the back wheel. How is it fastened to the spokes? A very interesting find. Bet it could tell some stories if it could talk.

longhair · Mar 2, 2010

planb said:
Hey All,

I've stumbled here looking for information after recently acquiring my first 'motorized bike' project:

Pretty cool contraption, but I'd definately get a gas mask of some sort or breathing apparatus if you get that MB goin...... that exhaust will be pointin right at your mug Lol

bairdco · Mar 2, 2010

i thought of that, too. also, don't mistake the exhaust pipe for the handlebars...

planb · Mar 2, 2010

2door said:
I have my doubts that it was ever 'patented'. It appears to be a mix of bicycle and riding lawnmower. I can almost see how that engine drive belt would work. It twists 90 degrees? This is common mower technology but strange on a bike. It will be interesting to see if anyone has ever seen anything like it.
Good luck.
Tom

you're probably right about it being a 'home-brew' although the 'body' is apparently machine fabbed out of sheet-metal (well done).

And yes; belt 'twists' from the vertical shaft motor to the horizontal shaft on the central drive pulley — by way of an angled, spring-loaded idler pulley.

A second lever-activated idler pulley engages the power to the rear wheel hoop.

planb · Mar 2, 2010

longhair said:
planb said:

Hey All,

Pretty cool contraption, but I'd definately get a gas mask of some sort or breathing apparatus if you get that MB goin...... that exhaust will be pointin right at your mug Lol

Click to expand...

The exhaust pipe is kicked out and down more than the first photo indicates (see new photo attached here) — so not any more of an issue than a front engined velosolex, etc....in terms of inhaling exhaust gasses (esp when moving).

Finally; Check out the 3 foot-long spring-loaded, front pivoting 'kick-stand' — that is secured to the body with a spring steel clip on the right side of the body when it's in the 'up' position.

planb · Mar 2, 2010

Elmo said:
Shore is different. That appears to be a kids bike rim used as a pulley on the back wheel. How is it fastened to the spokes? A very interesting find. Bet it could tell some stories if it could talk.

It does appear to be a kids bike rim, or baby buggy rim used as the rear drive hoop. ingenious?! (see spoke holes). It's tied and soldered at each spoke with stainless wire — and then reinforced with the flat metal 'spokes' that radiate out to the bike rime where they are riveted.

2door · Mar 2, 2010

The more I look at it the more I can appreciate the builder's inguinuity. I'd bet dollars to donuts that the exhaust pipe used to be a handlebar. The belt tensioner mechanics are crude but great design. How the hand lever is mounted reminds me of my old Cushman Eagle shifter. This thing deserves to ride again. Rube Goldberg, maybe, but still signs of genius there. Keep us informed and please let us know when you ride it the first time.
Tom

bairdco · Mar 2, 2010

that kickstand looks like it'd make a great catapult.

K.i.p · Mar 2, 2010

That looks like something somebody was "inventing", and likely upon advice or self education painted the "patented" lettering to word off copycats. Somebody with big dreams perhaps? I think it would be awesome to get it running and preserve it. That machine is fabulously quirky, don't change a thing!

Bikeguy Joe · Mar 2, 2010

Hmmmm shouldn't have let the roto tiller and the bike spend that moonlight night in the shed together.....

Creative Engineering · Mar 2, 2010

It definitely proves one thing...The idea of motorizing a bicycle, (home-made style), has been around for quite some time.

It also shows that those who would motorize a bicycle have as much fun in the building as they do in the riding.

Jim

Creative Engineering · Mar 2, 2010

K.i.p said:
That looks like something somebody was "inventing", and likely upon advice or self education painted the "patented" lettering to word off copycats. Somebody with big dreams perhaps? I think it would be awesome to get it running and preserve it. That machine is fabulously quirky, don't change a thing!

K.i.p.,

I thought the same thing regarding the "patented" lettering.

Jim

planb · Mar 3, 2010

Bikeguy Joe said:
Hmmmm shouldn't have let the roto tiller and the bike spend that moonlight night in the shed together.....

I guess that one could draw a similar conclusion as to the heritage of most of the modern motor-bike fleet; having been the product of an illicit wood-shed encounter between Jr's abandoned O.C.C. chopper bike and and dad's under-used chainsaw, etc., etc.?

To me, the cool part about this particular contraption is that there are no pre-fit kits involved — making these garden-tool adaptations, not just quirky shade-tree engineering — but a necessity of those times.

And a lot of the details here would make a roto-tiller proud!

2door · Mar 3, 2010

Planb,
I think it would be interesting to hear how you came about this bike. Where did you find it? What were your thoughts when you first saw it and do you know any history about it? Take a few minutes from your restoration work and tell us something about this thing.
Tom

What is it?

New Member

Attachments

Moderator

New Member

New Member

a guy who makes cool bikes

New Member

New Member

New Member

a guy who makes cool bikes

New Member

New Member

Attachments

New Member

Moderator

a guy who makes cool bikes

New Member

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles

New Member

New Member

New Member

Moderator