this is what i've been up to lately. 1950's moto beta 50cc

[bairdco]

so, i haven't been around the mb scene lately. after busting my shoulder i'm just not into it as much.

but that doesn't mean i haven't been doing anything at all...

remember that crazy chopper tomos moped i made? i couldn't sell the stupid thing, and then this guy calls me and asks if i was interested in trading for this:

 

[bairdco]

of course, i said, "yeah."

due to my awesome trading skills, he threw in a 90's redline cruiser and we made the trade on september 16th. he drove all the way down from santa barbara and took my moped away.

i sold the redline two days later for 200 bucks.

it's a late 50's, early 60's moto beta with a 50 cc motori morini franco 3 speed engine. matching frame and engine numbers, and mostly complete, just needs a little "tlc."

beta is still around, making high end trials and enduro bikes.

it came in on a container ship from italy in 96. story goes a guy closed up his scooter shop and shipped it all to the usa where it sat for almost 20 years in a guys backyard.

did i mention my roomate bought a sandblast cabinet big enough to blast bike frames and more?

well, blasted and painted it, got the seat redone in leather, rebuilt the engine, uhh, the rims had to be replaced because they took obsolete 24" tires so it has worksman's with 24" hookworms now, and... a bunch of other stuff.

a month later it looks like this:

 

[bairdco]

i need to adjust the cables on the strange 3 speed superpratic c hand shifter to get all the gears to work, but it'll all be working soon.

started it the other day for the first time in who knows how many years.

rode it around the block yesterday. the first time it ever worked on american soil.

so, i'm still around, just changed direction a bit.

here's a youtube video of the first start...

http://youtu.be/JmFnEUKX8ko

 

[Ludwig II]

What does it feel like, riding a bike so small your knees are up by your ears?

 

[scotto-]

You don't have to worry about pedaling it if ya run out of gas....ya just push it back home. Prolly won't run outta gas with that humongous tank however

 

[bairdco]

it feels like riding a motorized bicycle. only way cooler. and a little safer.

it's got a 2.8 gallon tank. i doubt i'll ever run outta gas.

this bike was built for the old 50cc moto gp racing back in the 50's and 60's. supposedly it was actually raced.

info on it is almost impossible to find. i found one picture of a slightly newer one. it's probably the only one in america, and maybe the world. even moto beta's history on their webpage doesn't show one.

no idea what it's worth, but it's badass! supposed to do almost 70mph. i got it up to 20 so far.

i wanted to bring it to the last race, but it wasn't done, and i had no ride.

i also just traded a custom monark beach cruiser for a 1969 honda cl175 scrambler today. it's complete and i'll probably have it running tomorrow. i wanted 400 for the cruiser, and the honda's worth twice that or more. i got some tradin' skills...

 

[Greg58]

The cl175 is a tough engine, I had a 1972. I ran a 60 tooth rear sprocket for hill climbing and take off, I never shifted before 10 grand and it would do it all day long. I'd like to see pictures if you can.

 

[birdmannn101]

You gotta keep that front fender with the airplane on it. It gives it class.

 

[Ludwig II]

For history, don't bother talking to the Italians. Look up Dutch classic 50 sites, they are really into their small racer.

 

[Ludwig II]

OK, a Beta Cigno (Swan). 3 speed hand change sports model, but not a racer.

http://www.adoos.it/postx/5a25b42c4c18caceb63abd961b60f377/bianchi_beta_cigno_48_sport

The funny little pressed boxes on the sides were common to several Beta models, so getting hold of them shouldn't be too difficult. The electrics are probably Marelli, so ignition would be best served by replacement with flint, and the lights by a candle in a bottle.

 

[2door]

Hats off, Baird.
Lots of work went into that. Your talents and dedication are commendable.
Thanks for sharing and good to hear from you.

Tom

 

[bairdco]

thanks tom. it's a fun project.

ludwig, there's a bunch of old moto beta's out there. i only found one like mine, but it's newer, with an in house beta engine.

the frame is the key. mine has a single downtube. the one like you pictured has a double downtube. i've looked at hundreds of pics and only found the one on the moped army site.

the three speed hand shifter was used on a lot of stuff, including vespas. everyone hates them because they're impossible to keep adjusted properly.

i figured out a way to completely redo the whole linkage mechanism on the engine from a push/pull set up to a pull/pull system.

it'll be easier to explain with pictures, just waiting on some cool braided titanium cables to get here...

 

[Ludwig II]

I know a man with a harem of small Italian bikes, he thinks a lot of it will either need to be fabricated, or you'll have to get used to Google translations of Italian sales sites for the bits.

Hand change is a vile abomination, which should be consigned to the furthest pits of Hades.

 

[bairdco]

yeah, all the info on those type of bikes is on italian forums. i have an awesome, super-detailed pdf file engine manual that's all italian and too big for google translate. luckily it's got pictures and the numbers for point gaps and other numbers are easily decipherable.

all the english forums have engines marked "export" and they all differ slightly. like mine has an external 7.5 volt coil (which actually stil works great) while the others have an internal coil inside the magneto and use a battery for lights. all the old import mopeds with these engines are different than mine.

the hand shifter is a bizarre thing. the "throw" on it is horrible. the clutch lever moves with it and locks into each gear and the difference between 3rd and 1st gear is almost 180°. so shifting is like breaking your wrist. first gear would be like mounting your lever on top of your knuckles.

not very practicle for anything, much less trying to race the damn thing.

but it does add to the esoteric cool factor of the bike. if i can get it to work.

for all it's quirkines, i'm still pretty stoked on it.

 

[Ludwig II]

You describe the hand change perfectly. It's a perfect antidote to speeding.

 

[msrfan]

Baird showed up at Donut Derelicts this morning with his new ride. Did a great job saving this nice little bike from the scrap pile. We heard him coming. I think he had the only 2 stroke there.

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Baird, it's a beaut! You done good. That looks like a lot of fun to cruise on.

 

[silverbear]

Pretty amazing transformation! Good to see what you're up to, old friend. (Young old friend)
SB

 

[bairdco]

thanks guys.

it's a fun bike to ride. aside from the carpal tunnel inducing pressure on your hands from riding all bent over all the time. but the way it's set up it's designed so you pretty much lay down on it and rest your chest on the tank in a full tuck position.

probably looks pretty goofy to the average driver to see a guy in full race mode hunched over and sputtering along at 40mph.

thanks for the pics, dale. rolling along the length of the parking lot was fun. everyone's heads turned faster than patients at a free hernia exam. i could almost hear necks cracking as i rode through. then everyone kinda followed me to my parking spot.

it's a rush to have so many people from all walks of life come up and admire the bike and the work i've put into it.

it's a rare little beast and even the hardcore bikers stop to check it out. we get some custom bike builders at the bar with crazy custom choppers who go nuts over it.

hard to believe a little 50cc toy bike can attract so much attention. it's probably my favorite out of everything i've put together so far.

(thanks for letting me toot my own horn... )

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Well, ya done a nice restoration there.

Plus having something that's just plain rare is kinda cool, too.