Can you skim my plan for restoration?

GoldenMotor.com

Restore

New Member
Oct 7, 2015
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New Orleans
Hello. I recently received an old motorized bicycle from a friend, and I want to get it going again. I'm intimately familiar with bicycles, I used to manage a community workshop, but I have basically no knowledge of motors. (I changed the two embedded pictures into links because the pictures are so large.)

http://i.imgur.com/z9kadJE.jpg

Some of the small accessories are broken; a lot of the hardware is bent, broken, or rusted beyond easy adjustment; and the bike itself needs a general tune-up.

This is my plan:
1) Strip everything from the bike, and inspect/clean parts. Repack the bearings, adjust fork and hubs, etc.
1-b) Take apart the motor and clean and inspect it. I don't know much mechanics, but I figure broken metal is broken metal, and I can record and research any findings. Drain any fluids.
2) Find replacements for any parts that are broken. Currently I need a new ignition coil and possibly a new throttle handle.
3) Reassemble bike, incorporating new hardware or parts while necessary.
4) Try to start it. If start = false, return to step 2.
-Somewhere between 1) and 3), paint parts.

I also have a few questions:
1) The plastic seat where the throttle cable connects to the killswitch grip is broken. Are there any easy fixes or do I need a new one? I doesn't look dissimilar to a gripshift...

http://i.imgur.com/1jeNkOt.jpg

2) Any preferred vendors? I see the sponsors on the side, so this question is sort of answered because prior to the post my research led me to BikeBerry.
3) It does not have a bike chain, only a motor chain. Is the need to pedal necessary? I'm guessing you could use it to bumpstart, but if it isn't needed I think I'd rather pull the bb and replace the cranks with just pegs or a dowel to rest my feet on.
4) The gas tank is weird. It's really big, and it looks like it should fit a much larger vehicle. It isn't the small teardrop tank in most kits, it's about twice as long and is curved over the frame. I'm going to test how secure it is, but if anything jumps out to you let me know.

All things considered, I'm pretty optimistic. Given the kit nature of this hobby, it seems like I can easily buy replacements for nearly anything, and they're all designed as components that plug together instead of requiring any schemes or abilities.
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
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San Antonio Texas
Welcome to the forum....
First thing I would do is remove the spark plug and look at its condition... does it look normal? No rust or anything on the end? If it looks ok then with the spark plug removed, see if the engine will turn over by walking the bike with the clutch released, there may be a little resistance but the engine should at least move, spraying a shot of wd40 efore trying to turn it over may be a good idea.
If the engine turns over, check the carb, these usually get gummed if neglected with fuel left inside them. You can usually restore a carb by removing it, removing the float bowl, and cleaning up with some carb and choke cleaner, again, a little wd40 sprayed over the internal parts can help free stuff up and prevent any further deterioration, if the carb is stuck or looks beyond help, new ones only cost about $10 so no need to try too hard to fix a stuck or corroded carb...

Remove the exhaust and look at the part of the piston rings you can see... no rust? Chances are good the engine will start if fed some fuel and the carb is ok.

The chain, wd40 is your friend here, if you can get it clean and moving freely it should be ok, but be prepared to replace it if there's any heavy rust on the pins or if any links are rusted together.
The pedal chain, easy to replace, most sporting goods stores or even walmart may have a replacement chain.
The throttle, replace it, trying to fix that will only lead to frustration...
Everything else, replace or clean as needed, the rims are usually good as long as they're not bent, and all the spokes should be in place, it's not too hard to replace a broken spoke or 3 if the rest of the wheel looks good...
Replace tires or tubes if there are any signs of dry rot...
 

crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
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what he said, plus do not take apart the motor unless it has serious problems
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
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living the dream in southern california
Gas tank is from a 70's moped. It looks like it's held on with zip ties. To mount it right you'll need to weld some mounts to the frame.

Now for some criticism. Try not to get offended. :)

I wouldn't call this a "restoration." What you have is a low cost mountain bike with a bunch of parts haphazardly rigged on with electrical tape and zipties. If I was given this bike, I'd take off the motor, tank, and the forks and throw the rest in the trash.

In my opinion, it's not worth rebuilding. I think you'd be much better off starting fresh than trying to work around all the problems this bike has. The seat is, well, besides being barely attached, doesn't... won't... I wouldn't... look, it's crap, ok? Don't know how else to say "you'll end up straddling the tire while your precious parts have all their skin removed.

Back wheel, chain, sprocket are all rust. Rust looks good on a 70 year old bike. Not a 90's junker with a cheap motor kit.

Speaking of the motor, if it doesn't run, take off the pipe, (I can see rust on the bend in front, that might be crappy, too) and save it all for parts.

Buy a new kit for $169 and junk the rest. Why fix a broken plastic throttle? Trash it.

I could go on, but you probably get my drift. Which is, leave this one by the curb, buy a bike that hasn't been butchered already, buy a new motor kit, and save yourself a ton of headaches, and probably some money...
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
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San Antonio Texas
I definitely agree with the above post... repair costs can quickly exceed the value of the bike if it's in really poor condition. You may get lucky with the engine if you can get it running without having to spend more than about $20 on it, but that's the cost of a carb and throttle right there.
It's going to need a new seat, there's no way around that one, the chains and tires are most likely trashed, so if the wheels need anything or there's rust in the bearings, that's at least another $50 worth of parts just to get the bike rolling....
You can still try to bring this one back, but be sure to do a complete assessment on the condition of all its parts, it can be real easy to trap yourself into something like this and before you know it, you spent a lot more than it would have costed to buy a new bike or engine. Look at the parts that need to be replaced and add up the prices of what it's going to cost to replace everything that needs to be replaced, then multiply that price by 2 or 3 and if it comes out more than the cost of a new bike or decent used one, replace the bike...
Do the same assessment for the engine, there's also the chance you fix a few things on the engine, get it running then a bearing goes out or it loses compression etc, it would be cheaper to get a new kit.

There is a point where you will need to decide whether to repair a few small things or replace the bike, and the same for the engine, if you need to replace more than the carb and the throttle, it's most likely going to be cheaper to buy a new kit and save what you got for spare parts.
 

Agreen

Member
Feb 10, 2013
792
11
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Southeastern GA
I would go for it, but I'm the kind of guy that hates to see anything get scrapped. I damn near cried when I had to scrap my 84 Rx7 gsl-se because the frame was so badly damaged.

Here's what you have going for you:
Free engine
Free bike frame
Neat forks (can't vouch for their quality, but I like em)
Cool head lamp
Cool moped tank

So if the frame is in good shape, buy some aircraft paint stripper and remove the paint. Carefully. That aircraft paint stripper is nasty stuff, but it works great. And it'll burn the skin off you if you're not careful. Once clean, prime it asap. Again, carefully. Because a run in the primer will show through. Paint it to suit your taste.

As for the engine, I'd take off the head. Looks like the previous owner replaced the already weak steel acorn nuts with even weaker brass acorn nuts. Get the right sized hex nuts and some washers to replace them. While the head's off, move the piston up and down to see if the engine's in good shape. Follow the above advice for wd40.

Bicycles are free. I have so many of them because people throw perfectly good bikes away. That means you have a smorgasbord of free parts if you need something like a new wheel or pedal crank (or whatever)

Once it's all properly assembled (with maybe a new seat?) You might have a decent little bike there. Just take your time and ask questions if you have them. It can be done. Most people lose patience and start throwing parts at things like this until they're "nickel-and-dimed" to the poor house. Like restoring an old classic car, it all looks so cheap until all the little cheap stuff starts adding up. Make the decision now whether you do or do not have a bike that's able to be rescued.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
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Littleton, Colorado
It all depends on what you're looking for in the way of a motorized bicycle. If you're just looking for transportation, then go with the suggestions to start fresh with a new bike and engine kit. That's the least expensive way.

On the other hand if you want a project that you can say "I did that" and show before and after photos, then take Agreen's advice and "go for it". Personally I'd go for the restoration and the satisfaction of making something from nothing and calling it yours. It won't be cheap but you'll learn a lot and can be proud of the results.
If you need help along the way we're always here to offer assistance.

The ultimate decision is yours but you did ask for advice and you're getting it.

Tom
 

wheelbender6

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
4,059
221
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TX
As you clean and lube the bike, you will discover all the things that should be repaired or replaced. I agree with Crasius that you shouldn't disassemble the engine. If it won't run, replacement engines do not cost a whole lot.
Replacement throttles are available from almost all engine sellers. I made a thumb throttle from an old thumb shifter. It was easier on my aging hands and it survived some good falls.
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
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San Antonio Texas
I agree with everyone's points whether to restore or start new, but ultimately the choice is yours... If you want something that's going to put up a challenge that you can sit back and say "I did this" or "I brought this one back from the dead" then I'd definitely say go for it...

But if you're being budget concious and need cheap transportation, this is where it's time to asses what you got, what you can keep, and what needs replacement before making the decision to take the jump into this. There are a lot of advantages to building new, but building new also has it's disadvantages since the old one will already have certain issues taken care of, and of course, if you have easy and cheap access to new or used parts, this is a huge advantage.

either way you decide to go, we're here for you if you get stuck on anything and need advice or help.
 

Restore

New Member
Oct 7, 2015
2
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0
New Orleans
This is fantastic, thank you for all of the advice. My primary bike is a '73 Schwinn Varsity and my daily beater/rain bike is a fixed gear cruiser I built out of trash parts, so I welcome the challenge of rebuilding it. I now won't dissemble the engine much other than to check the piston, and I coincidentally already have the proper chain for the motor. Here is a shot of the spark plug, in person it doesn't look as wet/shiny as the picture.

http://i.imgur.com/u6U5402.jpg?1

I think that's oil, but it could be carbon. Either way, the project will be a learning experience even if I jump ship before it's running again. From what I can tell of the bike, it was built by someone who was into modding and projects, and then owned by someone who didn't take care of it and let it fall into disrepair. I say that because of the custom front fork, the back wheel was relaced with motorcycle/wheelchair spokes, and on the other side of the bike a heavy duty drum brake was installed. However, the bike is dirty and in overall disrepair (hence my guess about the second owner). I will keep you all updated and in a few weeks will be back with a painted and polished asphalt assassin.

BRAP BRAPPPPP!
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
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Littleton, Colorado
Overall the plug doesn't look bad. The oily residue appears, at least to me, to have come from a plug that wasn't tight in the head. The porcelain looks okay. Not too dark and not too light. Color can be decieving depending on what oil and fuel you're using. We often say to look for a chocolate brown color but all of my plugs run a shade of grey because of the oil I use.

We wish you luck and please keep us posted on your progress. We've all seen the 'before' pictures now you can show us where it will end. I think you're making a good decision.

Have fun.

Tom
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
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San Antonio Texas
Definitely sounds like you know what you're doing already so I say go for it and keep us posted... sometimes just giving it a good cleanup will drastically improve how the bike looks when taking pics of it...
I would definitely fix that seat tho if you plan on keeping the nanner seat... that bike can be made into something really cool pretty easily with a little paint, cleanup, and replacing the broken parts etc... it should go pretty smooth actually if everything is in decent condition..
 

Agreen

Member
Feb 10, 2013
792
11
18
Southeastern GA
Spark plug looks OK, but I have a vendetta against multiple tip plugs. Get an NGK b6hs or b5hs. Most auto parts stores sell them. The next step is disassembling the carburetor and give it a good cleaning. Get some carb cleaner and make sure you spray through the main jet. When you pull the bowl off, the brass tube that you see is where the main jet is. It's usually a flat head or a small hex that unscrews. Clean the needle carefully too.

Once the carb is clean and reassembled properly, see if it has spark. The wire needs to be changed, obviously. Sickbikeparts.com has a good replacement plug wire and boot. The wire literally screws in to the CDI. The CDI has a small screw post on it designed to tap in to the wire. Once replaced, place the plug in the wire (keep the plug out of the head) and lay the spark plug against the head. Spin the engine quickly and look for the plug making spark. Without the plug in the head, the engine will spin faster.

If you have spark and a good carb, the only thing left is compression. When you take the head off, you should be able to see the condition of the cylinder before getting too far.

So there you go. All that stuff should give you a good running engine. Then you can worry about whether the clutch works properly and tuning the carb.