Kawasaki FE120 4-stroke build coming up...

[scotto-]

It's only gettin better.....installed a new Shimano v-brake on the rear today, much better braking power. This thing is pretty impressive.....you gotta ride it to appreciate it....it hauls a$$! Here's a short vid of me on the "Beast".....

YouTube - VTS_01_1.VOB

It just keeps gettin better!

 

[Dan]

Very cool. Handling looks great too. Earlier vid could just barely hear the spring. Can't with the cover.

Got me looking for a tandem Scotto

 

[silverbear]

Good deal! Nice pull away power from a stop, I see. I'm glad the bike and engine are working out as you had hoped. I imagine any weirdness in how it handles disappears as you accelerate. Does it feel at all top heavy?
I have a question for you related to the transmission. Are you also running an adjustable pulley at the crankshaft on that engine as you did on the Greyhound build? How does the adjustment work... as you tighten up the two halves of the pulley, what is the effect in terms of gearing? I ask, because I just made my migratory journey from Minnesota to the mountains of western Maryland and was able to go for a first motored bike ride yesterday. I brought with me my Greyhound/Schwinn and want to gear it for even more hill climbing power. Where I am located is twisting up, down, sometimes starting from a dead stop at the bottom of an incline on very narrow mountain roads. Top speed is not what I need, but more grunt, especially towing the dog behind in her trailer. I'm using a 65T driven sprocket and now want to tweak the gearing via the pulley. Advice needed...
SB

 

[scotto-]

It doesn't really feel top heavy per se....maybe just a little while riding solo, but it feels strange because of the gyro effect the engine has way back there. The frame does flex quite a bit which feels strange, as well the front end feels very light but everything feels fine with two people on board. It's kinda like a freight train.

Not running an adjustable sheave on this one....just the 2-1/2" fixed pulley that was on the shaft originally. We may go from a 50t rear sprocket to a 60-65 just to slow the thing down a bit. On your adjustable pulley Silverbear, you'll want to open the pulley so the belt rides lower in it to give you more low end for climbing and such. Hope this helps.....

scotto-

Good deal! Nice pull away power from a stop, I see. I'm glad the bike and engine are working out as you had hoped. I imagine any weirdness in how it handles disappears as you accelerate. Does it feel at all top heavy?
I have a question for you related to the transmission. Are you also running an adjustable pulley at the crankshaft on that engine as you did on the Greyhound build? How does the adjustment work... as you tighten up the two halves of the pulley, what is the effect in terms of gearing? I ask, because I just made my migratory journey from Minnesota to the mountains of western Maryland and was able to go for a first motored bike ride yesterday. I brought with me my Greyhound/Schwinn and want to gear it for even more hill climbing power. Where I am located is twisting up, down, sometimes starting from a dead stop at the bottom of an incline on very narrow mountain roads. Top speed is not what I need, but more grunt, especially towing the dog behind in her trailer. I'm using a 65T driven sprocket and now want to tweak the gearing via the pulley. Advice needed...
SB

 

[silverbear]

That's what I needed to know. Once there is a break in the weather between rain, ice, snow and bitter cold I'll give it a go with loosening up the pulley. Many thanks.
SB

 

[scotto-]

Very cool. Handling looks great too. Earlier vid could just barely hear the spring. Can't with the cover.

Got me looking for a tandem Scotto

I really like that Schwinn "Tango" you were looking at, did you have something else in mind?

If it wasn't for little kids runnin around, puttin their little fingers in places they shouldn't, I would prolly leave the covers off of these tranny's cause they look kinda cool without em

 

[Dan]

Oh Man! I think they stopped making em! Schwinn had a tandem like the deluxe 7 but can't find it now.

RusticoRay had your tranny and cut out a window and replaced with plexi-glass. Looked cool

 

[scotto-]

How about this for a clear cover? I didn't mean to steal the idea from RusticoRay, I just like plexiglass in all sorts of applications!

 

[Goat Herder]

I like it

 

[Dan]

looks awesome

 

[silverbear]

The clear cover looks great and also tucks in a little closer to the tranny. If you do another sometime, please take the trouble to do a little tutorial on you do yours, thickness of materials, etc.
SB

 

[scotto-]

The clear cover looks great and also tucks in a little closer to the tranny. If you do another sometime, please take the trouble to do a little tutorial on you do yours, thickness of materials, etc.
SB

I think I will Silverbear....I've got a few ideas in mind. Documentation is the part I'm not good at, I'll do my best . *(gasp)*

 

[scotto-]

Oh Man! I think they stopped making em! Schwinn had a tandem like the deluxe 7 but can't find it now.

RusticoRay had your tranny and cut out a window and replaced with plexi-glass. Looked cool

What about this tandem? Tango Tandem | Cruisers | Schwinn Bicycles

 

[Dan]

Looks great but just not a big fan of style. The cup holders are pretty cool.

Can't find any thing like the deluxe 7 after 2010! bummer

 

[hiker472]

OMW! Oh My Word......this build is insane.....insanely fun! It is so smooth, so quiet, so fast and powerful, it's almost a joke!

Finished the throttle today and braced the tranny to the rack as well. Take off on the maiden voyage (solo) and this thing performs flawlessly. The quietness, smoothness and speed were amazing....I honestly almost could not believe it, Pat and I were laughing our heads off, the thing is crazy.

Nice looking ride, but with all that weight on that rear wheel, isn't a worry whether those thin spokes will hold up? You don't want to have that rear wheel go on you at a high speed. It is a cool looking set up though.

 

[scotto-]

Nice looking ride, but with all that weight on that rear wheel, isn't a worry whether those thin spokes will hold up? You don't want to have that rear wheel go on you at a high speed. It is a cool looking set up though.

Yes indeed it's a worry as I'm sure those 14g spokes won't hold up givin the weight, power and torque that they're now under. Yes a blowout on that bike period, would be rather devastating I'm sure. Have no fear, the wheels will be upgraded, along with the saddles, the bars, a full re-grease of all things bearings and some 26x1.75 new treads. We may be popping this rack set-up onto the back of an older Schwinn tandem.....will still need the upgraded parts however.

Appreciate your concern, I truly do....I didn't make it to 53yrs. old being a complete numbskull

Cheers and thank you hiker! Let's RIDE!

 

[scotto-]

Looks great but just not a big fan of style. The cup holders are pretty cool.

Can't find any thing like the deluxe 7 after 2010! bummer

Yeah, it's a little bit much, plus the frame is aluminum and doesn't look real beefy. I'm sure sumpin will turn up....

 

[mtndistiller]

Where do yall get those transmissions?

 

[scotto-]

Where do yall get those transmissions?

Why from EZ Motorbikes.....where else? Go here:EZ MOTORBIKE COMPANY

Welcome to the forum mtndistiller, you've come to the right place!

 

[Build-a-beast workshop]

can you tell me more specifics about ez motorbikes? it looks like cvt clutches. like snowmobiles. do they sell a kit? or can you buy pieces separately like the driver/driven pulley, jackshaft etc. from what i gleaned from the site, it seemed like you have to talk to a dealer if you want something.