OP Cruiser, first build

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Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
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Central CA
Work in progress. Starfire GT-4, steel wheel with 12g steel spokes, Shimano coaster hub and 22 tooth sprocket.

Went with the Sick Bike Parts engine mounts both front and rear after spending hours with various hardware store parts and being less than convinced re their reliability. The Sick mounts work good.



Yeah, these things take a whole lot more time to put together than the instructions would have you believe.
 

scotto-

Custom 4-Stroke Bike Builder
Jun 3, 2010
6,505
24
38
Ridin' inSane Diego, CA.
Welcome to the forum Mike B, your bike is looking great so far. Take your time and enjoy the build, chances are it won't be your last one! I've said this before and I'll say it again.....I really do like that OP aluminum frame, cheers!

dnut
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
0
Central CA
Thanks.

I'm a 2 wheel junkie. Bikes, scooters, motorcycles, minibikes, I love 'em all. Got 2 tickets before I got my license for riding my homemade minibike on the street.

This is my first motorbike, but hey, 2 wheels...

My engine kit was made 2 years ago. The inside of the gas tank was half covered with a nice layer of rust. Naval jelly, alcohol rinse and POR 15. Yeah, that took an hour itself.
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
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Central CA
Well I put the chain on and it hits the chainstay even with 2 washers added to the rear axle, so I raised the motor about 3/4" to get a better angle on the chainstay. This took another 2 hours and fabbing a new spacer out of the aluminum spacer thingys they give you. So the motor is raised up nicely, nice and solid mount as before and a few extra scratches added to the frame.

I hate these things. The next one I do will be a friction drive. I don't want to go fast, I just want to have fun.

Oh, forgot to mention that the chain hits the tire too, so I bought a 26x2 tire for the back. More work.

I sure am glad I didn't buy an expensive bike to put this on -laff
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
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Central CA
Except the carb didn't fit.

Too high.

So, I redid the motor mounts one more time. I really hate these things.

Now the carb fits, the chain doesn't hit the tire or the stay and good thing I bought those half links, the chain guide is looking good too.

I also ordered up a friction drive kit for my next build. 33 cc Robin Subaru from Staton. I don't care if they are slow and chew up tires, tires are easy to change. I know because I already changed 3 of them.

:-||
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
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Dallas
You must be doing something wrong. I didn't have any trouble with mine. You might consider trying it like this. My motor is all the way down, about 1/4" above the the chain guard.



 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
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Central CA
I was trying to do it w/o using the tensioner, but gave up. It looks good now and there is good clearance all the way around.



You have a different tensioner I see. Yeah, these things are all different.

Ordered up a length of 1" id flex exhaust pipe too. I don't like the way the muffler fits, so it's going to see the hacksaw soon.
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
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Dallas
The bottom fork on these Roller's are pretty narrow, I noticed that on mine. Does pretty much rule out running w/o a tensioner.
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
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Central CA
When I removed the clutch lever / sprocket cover to paint it I remembered seeing a relieved area at the rear right behind the sprocket. I got the chain on OK and no more rubs, but the the chain bound up every once in a while and I thought I'd have a look.

Yeah, I saw a nice deep scratch. So I relieved the area some more with the Dremel.

I really hate these things.

Really, why not just put a 1/8" sprocket on there that used BMX chain? Then we wouldn't need this clunky 415 stuff and the clearance problems would not be so bad. BMX chain fits the rear sprocket.

And they could sell more replacement front sprockets too.
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
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Central CA
OK.

I put it back together and gave it a spin (by hand, not riding) and clunky, clunky, clunky.

I love these things...

Figured it was the half link on the big chain, so I removed it and put a half link in the small chain.

No clunky.

Life is good. I also figured out my muffler mount and my flex tubing should be here soon and the chop saw and the oxy-acetylene rig await.
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
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Central CA
Custom exhaust done. I found that 3/4" copper fittings slip over the muffler pipes perfect. And that copper flex pipe fits into the fittings perfect. Just cut the brass ends off and you are good to go. The pic is right before I brazed it together. Not the whole thing, just the pipe. The muffler was cut off right where the bends started. I'm just going to put some slits in the couplers and secure to the header and muffler with stainless steel hose clamps. Looks good, follows lines of bike. Plenty of clearance frame and pedals.

The front mount is 1.5" Sick with the steel plate they give you with the motor kit, a 1/8" rubber pad and a 1/8" aluminum plate. 30 mm long socket head cap screws. You can see the copper pipe section I lined the front of the clamp with.

The rear mount is 1.25" Sick with the aluminum spacer they give you with the engine kit cut off so there is no more groove, 1/8" rubber pad, 1/8" aluminum plate and 40 mm long socket head cap screws. Copper backing the clamp in front and one of the steel plates from the kit in the back.

I like it. Now on to the wiring.
 

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Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
0
Central CA
Tomorrow I ride

Yeah Baby!



Just need to hook up the gas and go get myself a fresh gallon and mix it up 25:1 with my Husky premium chainsaw oil that ain't failed me yet.
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
0
Central CA
Thanks, I think so too. I've got a lot of hours in it...

Here's the flip side.



I think it needs a little roundy on the chainguard. A little more dremel work.

But first we ride!