RiverSide Build

[Dan]

Ol' Red has finally passed. Hartford Pot-holes and way to many miles, she cracked just behind the seat tube. Services to be announced. (First pic)

Decided on the Schwinn RiverSide as a successor. Almost identical in dimensions and steel. Really chintzy components but was every thing I wanted to upgrade. Did some experiments. The front fender has a steel strap added and 2 U-bolts over the forks. Works awesome and am quite comfortable with the fender not "stop. drop and watch the rider roll" The engine mount is nothing more the bent flatstock steel. Needs work but enjoy the invisible mount. It works great except at low RPM. Then, the whole engine does the hokey-pokey. (Not really what it's all about)

The exhaust will be just copper tubbing and a lawn mower muffler. Might keep it copper colored. Love the way it looks polished.

 

[Dan]

More pics;

 

[Mac]

Dan,
I have 2 riversides (not using anymore)if you ever get into a bind and need parts. Let me know, these are the ones I modd'ed the fender supports on.

Mac

 

[chainmaker]

Nice looking bike Dan..

 

[Dan]

Dan,
I have 2 riversides (not using anymore)if you ever get into a bind and need parts. Let me know, these are the ones I modd'ed the fender supports on.

Mac

Thanks Mac. Why do you no longer use them? Am worried your gonna say; "Ya can put a motor on em, but if you ride it you'll die" lol

Not sure if I already asked you, but meant to, did you beef-up where the rear drop outs are welded? Looks mighty thin there. Gonna make some plates but really hate to mess with the look.

Nice looking bike Dan..

Thanks Chain. Just realized she looks like your cruiser when you started her.

Will take better pics tomorrow. But tank is painted rattle can "Hammered" black. Does not match the bike but I really like how it looks. What I am thinking is do the engine cover the same and the pull-start cover chrome. Dunno, let me know what you think.

 

[Fossil]

Hey Dan, is ole red the bike you had down at Cape Henlopen two years ago? If it is I'm sure the locals are not going to be upset. Remember when you lost part of the muffler? I'm sure they do. lol
But seriously I'm sorry it gave up the ghost for you.
Good luck on the riverside new build. While I have your attention, I wanted to ask you about your HF engine. After a year of on and off tinkering I finally got it right. I had it out down at Cape Henlopen and it really surprised me. I don't have a tach but I know it was winding up pretty well. On one ride I took it down one of the long straight roads and when it hit 30 on my speedometer the clutch really hooked up and I went up to 40mph before I backed off. The strange thing is the RPM's dropped slightly as the speed increased. I am using an adjustable front pulley with a 62 tooth sprocket on the wheel and it is flying! Too fast for me. lol
I guess my question is how fast does your HF run? Two different riders said they had no problem doing 45 but that is way too fast for this chicken.

Take care and say Hi to Carol for me.

Jim

 

[Dan]

Carol says; "Hey Jim" She still asks if you folks are coming every time we have MB-ers over. Ya gotta show up for one of em.

Have had 2 HFs and both run consistently at around 5,000 RPM with a lawn mower muffler. (2 restrictive) I have a 56T rear sprocket. Does 32 to 34 MPH. To test the cam, I ran it up to 6K down a long hill. Is pouring out, but will let you know what I have on the reduction. I had swapped em out, back and forth a few times and forget. Did you ever post a link or pic of your adjustable pulley? Would love to get one. Also, did you do much with the carb adjustments? Seem to be pass/fail when I do.

Yeppers, Ol' Red was the one we brought down. Think I rode it st8 pipe like that for 6 more months. LOL, big on building, low on maintenance. Is a bit odd. Really am upset about it. For a wallyworld bike I can in no way be upset with how well and long she lasted. 2, 2smokes and 2 fours. Last one I truly beat on. But mostly, dang pot holes got her.

I would like to do a geared reduction some day. Using auto parts. Would be massive power transmission with the HF. But keep the goal of 30/35 mph. dunno, just rambling. Like you, really just want good power and fast enough. I do have to get her up about 2 or 3 MPH for city driving and keep the acceleration as much as possible. Some of why I'm wanting to go from belt to gears.

Man, I enjoy these things! Think I have learned more from MBs then High school. And that took 5 and a half yrs.

 

[Mac]

Dan,
I only re-enforced the frame by the seat tube, just plated over the 2 drop out tubes, nothing on the dropout's themselves, I didn't care for the ride, went to a GOOD Aluminum Mtn bike, front suspension, good brakes, flex plastic fenders etc.. much lighter with a good road feel, just my preference.

I did have a problem with the aluminum rims, I had 2 of them fail, blew out the sidewall where the brakes were on the rim, VERY thin, but I was riding in the winter, salt & sand, most likely the cause. Just keep an eye on them!

Mac

 

[Fossil]

Hello again Dan
This pulley goes on the engine. I think your setup has the clutch in that location. Here is the link.
Sheave, Variable Pitch - Sheaves - Sheaves and Pulleys - Power Transmission : Grainger Industrial Supply
I never changed the carb. The Whizzer carb was not even close to fitting so I just left well enough alone. The original carb works great so I am not going mess with it. I do think the air cleaner is allowing it to breath well. It is from a 138cc Whizzer so I'm sure it will flow enough to feed the HF.
Tell Carol will try to get up north one of these days I promise.

Take care.
Jim

 

[Dan]

Victory is mine! so far with the engine mount any way. Took the whole day. From rolling out of bed to Carol yelling at me to come in from the shop but the thing is perfect. Rite, tight and solid. My first attempt wound around the engine with bent flat stock giving it to much room to "spring" Now is just a simple bridge from down tube to seat tube, bent up at both ends to allow for 2 ubolts. All well hidden as the engine and tranny over lap the back and the front bellows out over top. Will post pics. From the sides, it still looks like there is no mount. That the engine is married to the bike frame which was the goal.

The end game is to make the whole thing look as it were mas-produced and came out of a box in 1950 some thing like that. Kinda think I am gonna miss the boat on that one but getting closer.

Really is my favorite build so far. After I get this down, gonna do same build on a Felt heritage. Cost almost as much adding parts to make the Riverside look like one. And I would have cried, I mean qivering lip, sobbing whalin' cryed if I scratched up the tubes like I have on this one. Easy fix though.

 

[silverbear]

Nice looking bike, Dan!
SB

 

[Dan]

Thanks SB. Really needs a set of "Silver Bear" style brand grips. Came with pleather ones that were kinda cool. Using the left one but gonna find some real leather stitched ones for her.

Woke up. Fell out of bed and dragged a wrench across my mount. Really kinda proud of it. You craftsman would prolly smile politely at my attempt but thing is rock solid and almost as incognito as I had planed. all 16 bolt holes lined up perfectly. Kinda amazed.

Do have to cut the corner or grind off some of the left rear mount to clear the chain. Will be ridable today and hope to be working on the muffler tonight.

Been following your copper exhaust thread SB. My first attempt will be soft tubbing and bending with heat.

 

[silverbear]

Enjoy your new ride, Dan. Good deal on the copper exhaust. Once you have it figured out I'll do what you do. Actually with the soft pipe you probably don't need to heat it. When I ran a resort I had to do a fair amount of propane work, sometimes installing new lines and I had the tools for that kind of work. Among them are a set of spring coil deals for each size of pipe. Slide it over the pipe where you want the bend to go and ... bend it. It keeps it from kinking. Your hardware store will have them and may allow you to use theirs from behind the counter... they do flaring work, making new pipes for customers... so will have those tools. It you have a pattern of the bend laid out on cardboard and take it with you (being sure to buy your copper pipe section from them (they'll cut it to length) you can do it right there at minimal expense.
I don't know why I had it in my head that only hard copper pipe would do. Soft should be fine. Right now I'm using flexible SS pipe and it works well. But, I'm a fool for copper, so let us know how it works out.
SB

 

[Dan]

Wohoo! Maiden voyage. Well, actually the second on this bicycle but had a Honda 50cc on it. Would have kept it but tranny failed and waiting on a part. Was shocked how "tinnie" it sounded. The HF, especially with out a muffler sounds like an angry lawn mower under water. Vids :: whisper drive/HF Engine video by dan3xd - Photobucket Vid is of old red bike. With not even the manifold, lost some power, (I think. no speedo, GPS or tach yet) But love the sound. Am thinking going from the manifold right into an open air shock wave catcher and disperser. Read soup can with some steel wool, snork. Would stop the sound/shock waves from echoing, keep the cool Chitty-chitty Bang-bang sound and work as a sort of super-discharger. We could market it as the "Super-Pooper!" So every body save your cans! lol We will get filthy rich! Who doesn't want a super pooper?

Also, what a huge difference the springers make! Took about 3 nano seconds to love them and never want to ride or build with out them!!!! No kidding, well worth the money. Made roads I avoid normally, pleasant. Had to use a small Ubolt to hold the worksman hub brake arm but will figure out how to hide or blend it in. The very visible ubolts on my invisible engine mount will disappear as soon as I paint them or encase in rubber tube. Really like the look threw under the engine effect.

 

[Dan]

More pics. Last 2 are normal mid build, work bench.







Still lots of cosmetic work 2be done, but really great ridding MB. I forgot to say, the seat on the riverside is the most comfortable I have ever sat on. Bar none. Is a cheaply made but really well thought out pc and crazy comfortable.

 

[fasteddy]

Dan, thank you for the idea. I have U bolts on the Monark/sidecar and the new shiney finish draws your eyes right to them. Instead of using tubing or painting them I'm going to use black heatshrink tubing to hide them. Once it's shrunk on it should be waterproof and stop the rust.

Like your new build.

Steve

 

[Dan]

Thanks Steve, I hadn't thought of heatshrink. I just got done paining them. Gonna try it next time. I have used colored fuel lines b4. Works well enough and like the look of it matching so heat shrink would be perfect.

While I was at it, painted the mount and engine side cover gloss black to match the bike. Painted the pull start cover chrome. Came out way better then I thought.

Have to check with speedo and tach Thursday, but think the springers smoothed out the ride so much, I have not lost any power. That it just feels not as fast. Pouring here today and tomorrow is supposed to be worse.

I really mangled the seat and downtube, lol. Really boggered up the paint even with careful taping. A lil paint will fix her up.

Sitting there watching paint dry, (hey hey, do I knock your hobbies? snork) Came up with a new idea for a tranny. Gonna be cool. Simple and some what cheap to make.

 

[fasteddy]

Dan, don't know where the heatshrink idea came from. Sitting here reading your post and saw tubing and then heatshrink came to mind.

Well if you have an extra chair I'll come over and watch the paint dry with you. I don't have a hobby.

Is the new trans going to be unveiled soon or do you have to wait for the patent to kick in? Cheap to make and motor bikes should never appear in the same sentence.

Is that a Venice/Sportscar Pat springer? Want one for the trike I want to build this winter. Glad it is working out so well that you think you are losing speed. That is a testament to quality.

Given up on the perfect paint job myself. Now I just settle for the damned stuff sticking where I put it and the fact I put it where it should be.

Here in the rainy North West it has been remarkably dry and warm. We are guaranteed to pay for it later however.

Sweet build.

Steve.

 

[Dan]

I really enjoy that. The sharing of thoughts always brings concepts to mind.

C'mon over! We got lots of chairs and I'll put the coffee on!
Really could have used a voice of reason a few hrs ago. Was gonna do a quick second coat on every thing. Was going from my morning job to the afternoon gig. The pull start cover looks terible now and needs to be sanded down. Rattle can malfunction and rushed it. Not a huge deal. More of an annoyance.

Will test with tach tomorrow. Supposed to stop raining. But it is night and day in comfort. Next build, I am going with the HD version and disk brake. But this really is money well spent.

 

[fasteddy]

Dan, better than 50 years ago I bs'd my way into an after school and weekend job with a father and son who restored Rolls Royces. I was the shop boy as they called me. I thought the word slave was far more appropriate. Being good Scots they got thier 75 cents an hour back every way they could short of my personal injury.

One day they let me spray primer on a frame. Ever after my name was changed to "Curtains". Seems that's what they call paint runs in Britain. As I'm typing this I still hear Mister MacIntosh yelling out "Curtains Laddie, come here".
I did learn over the years that you can't put 3 coats on all at once. Well not and have a sucessful job.

When I build the trike I'll be after the rebuilt springer from Venice.

Steve.