Anybody built one of these?

GoldenMotor.com

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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sounds like you are good to go then alot of trouble to get to this point but its a bike thats more than worth it
I think next time I could do it a lot easier. I've got enough Caswell left to do another bike too.
hummmm.
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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nice not even done with this one and looking to the next one you might need the 12 step program for MBs:)
I can stop anytime I want.










No, I can't. It's true, I've very sick. Just one more. I'll quit after just one more, I swear.
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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This is the end of this pre motorized thread. Everything done up till now was to prepare the bike for motorizing, which was a lot more trouble than just any old bicycle. Sealing the tank frame involves disassembling pretty much the entire bicycle, which is exactly how the bike sits at this time. In a hundred different pieces.

As soon as I get the new tires I ordered I'm going to start going in the other direction, which means putting it back together, and installing the motor. I'm going to start a build thread after I get started. I don't expect much drama with this build. Most of the hard work was in the pre build. The actual build should go pretty fast I think, because I already have all the parts to just bolt it together. See you in a few days.
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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northeastern Minnesota
Thanks for the detailed sharing. It helps anyone who follows behind you with this or a similar frame. Whenever I do something new with a build (or any other creative project) there's a lot of staring involved trying to figure out what the project wants me to do. And there are always right turns and wrong turns along the way. I am always reminded that by the time I'm done I finally have a pretty good idea how to go about it. Caswell sounds like good stuff. See you at the new thread!
SB
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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This is the end of this pre motorized thread. Everything done up till now was to prepare the bike for motorizing, which was a lot more trouble than just any old bicycle. Sealing the tank frame involves disassembling pretty much the entire bicycle, which is exactly how the bike sits at this time. In a hundred different pieces.
As soon as I get the new tires I ordered I'm going to start going in the other direction, which means putting it back together, and installing the motor. I'm going to start a build thread after I get started. I don't expect much drama with this build. Most of the hard work was in the pre build. The actual build should go pretty fast I think, because I already have all the parts to just bolt it together. See you in a few days.
Actually there might not quite be a hundred pieces.

 

Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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You'd better get down on your hands and knees then and see where the rest have rolled to.
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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I guess I'm not quite done with this thread yet. One more post.

Wow, these tires look little. I'm not sure about these tires. I just mounted one on the front rim. Low profile is an understatment, and 3" wide is quite the overstatment. The actual width is 2 11/16". That's a 1/16" less than 2 3/4". The stock tire is 3" wide. They're super low profile too. They're 1 1/4"
smaller diameter than the stock tires. The stock inner tube was too big to fit in this tire. I had to go to REI and buy some smaller tubes.

The tire is made in China. The brand name on the tire is "King Wheel". The tire is designated on the side wall as 24x3. 3 of what we don't know lol. One thing for sure is, there's probably not going to be a chain clearance problem with these tires. I'm worried about the kick stand being too long though. I guess we'll see. So right now it's a mystery how my bike will look with these tires. It might look great, or it could be a huge bust. That's part of the fun of it isn't it?

 

Harold_B

Active Member
May 23, 2012
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Grand Rapids, MI
I think I would be concerned about damaging a rim on a sharp impact or if nothing else the rough ride. The short sidewall might not have much give/cushion. There's always the Felt Berm Master tires at 24x3 with a nice looking knobby. Just my two cents though....
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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I think I would be concerned about damaging a rim on a sharp impact or if nothing else the rough ride. The short sidewall might not have much give/cushion. There's always the Felt Berm Master tires at 24x3 with a nice looking knobby. Just my two cents though....
I totally understand your concern Harold, especially about the ride. This experiment is fraught will possible pitfalls. Having said that, the search for, the look, often overrides sanity, and practical considerations like comfort. If it looks right, it's worth it's weight in potholes. If it doesn't, it just ends up on pile of woe. I think silverbear will understand what I'm talking about.

It's all about the look lol.
 

Harold_B

Active Member
May 23, 2012
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Grand Rapids, MI
I certainly get it. My pile of woe is sorted as salvageable and keep for later, good as new and sell it on eBay, or junk for recycling. I think it's great that you're treating the 6 like something special yet it's still just a bike to be remade the way you envision it. Rims can be replaced should they get bent. Perhaps it will depend also on where you ride and the distances. I switched out my Quick Brick tires for higher pressure Continentals. A few 30 mile round trip rides to work down moderately bumpy roads and a I bought a new triple spring seat! I'm swapping out those tires this week. The 6 is looking great and I really want to continue to watch the build so when you start a new thread how about posting a link in this one?
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
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northeastern Minnesota
The look a person wants is such an individual thing. If the bike were mine (which unfortunately it is not) I'd go with those thick bricks even with having to clean them pretty often. They sure look good to my eye.
SB
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
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The look a person wants is such an individual thing. If the bike were mine (which unfortunately it is not) I'd go with those thick bricks even with having to clean them pretty often. They sure look good to my eye.
SB
This things not baked yet. I don't know how it's going to turn out, but I promise it's not going to disappoint.

I'm not that much into the authentic retro look like truckd. I'm more into modern urban, with hints of retro. I'm a big fan of the urban lowrider look.
 

Harold_B

Active Member
May 23, 2012
997
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Grand Rapids, MI
I think it's unavoidable to "design" this bike in my mind just as I'm sure it is for many others. It's a beauty. It's tempting to throw my two cents out there about what I would do but I know how I feel about my bike and the process and the 6 is not mine! I try to not make suggestions on aesthetics and focus on function but I'm sure I cross that line now and then. (Pssssst, BK, the black tires will make it look totally bad @ss.)
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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I think it's unavoidable to "design" this bike in my mind just as I'm sure it is for many others. It's a beauty. It's tempting to throw my two cents out there about what I would do but I know how I feel about my bike and the process and the 6 is not mine! I try to not make suggestions on aesthetics and focus on function but I'm sure I cross that line now and then. (Pssssst, BK, the black tires will make it look totally bad @ss.)
No way to cross the line Harold. I get some of my most inspired ideas from seemingly odd, off the cuff comments.

Color coordination is like a black art.
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
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Bending the coaster brake arm on this bike is a lot of $%*#ing trouble. What with an offset motor and fat tire, it makes the bend in the arm need to be a really hard bend, and then a quick hard bend back. If you don't have a oxy acc rig get one because you got to get it red hot to make those kind of bends.