what did you do to your motorized bicycle today?

[Davezilla]

It could be from the rain if the bike has to be stored outside... I had that problem with my 84 Kawasaki KZ700 and it would bearly run after a hard rain but I found out it could take in water from the vent on the gas cap so I started taping a plastic bag to the tank to cover the cap if it was going to rain hard when I rode it to work and problem solved.

The condensation tho can't be totally ruled out if the bike is parked outside or just from the high humidity from all the rain etc since the alcohol in the fuel can absorb lots of water as well.

Easiest thing to do if you have to store the bike outdoors would be to just cover the tank with a plastic bag so rain water can't find it's way past the cap, it won't help for condensation but it will stop rain from getting in.

 

[curtisfox]

Also put some SeaFoam in the gass it pick up the moisture and passes it through..........Currt

 

[Commander Billypool]

Well had tough discussion today after attempting to start the Nexus 3 speed with the shift kit setup I decided to disassemble it to remove the bearing that locks the action on the bottom bracket. I need to peddle start this with that bearing if I change it's direction I can push start or coast it down hill to start it. That's easy finding or ordering one may not be. The aluminum kit that secures the bottom brackets was moving it's light gauge without much hardware to hold it together with the added load of the system and my standing up on each peddle at 200 lbs. It's not staying tight in the housing.
Well that's about all I torn down the bike back to the frame and although disappointed it's not much good the way it's setup if I'm in luck I'll find a way to reverse the locking bearing or purchase one that will fit the kit. I'll get the use of the coaster brake but I'd intended to mount a roller on it later anyway the side pull was temporary. Well looks like this kit might be as well may have to drop the kit and use the single speed sprocket setup on this for a while wait see.

 

[Powertool]

Installed a new 415 drive chain on my Roadmaster Rocket , the old one failed - after 4,200 miles...

 

[GoreWound]

today I mounted my motor.
had a nice chat with kcvale in the chatbox too.
and took a few pictures (saving them for later though, gonna dump a whole pile when i get around to starting a thread.

still a long way to go, but i am a very big step closer.

 

[Commander Billypool]

Stowed it for now.

 

[GoreWound]

did the throttle and the wiring, got tension on the chain.
my exhaust needs some bashing to get into place, gonna do that later.

thinking of starting a thread for the build, maybe tomorrow.


P.S. anyone else have the throttle not return all the way on its own? will that work its way out over time? should i just toss out the whole twist grip/ carb and replace with a better set (already considering a dellorto clone, unsure where a better twist grip assembly might come from though)

 

[wheelbender6]

There is a throttle cable adjuster atop the carb. See if that adjustment takes care of it.
I used an old thumb shifter for a thumb throttle. It was just more comfortable for me.

 

[wheelbender6]

Gorewound - I found this idea for supporting the OCC seat. It was on Ratrodbikes.com

 

[GoreWound]

Thank you Wheelbender!
picture saved for later.

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Only a few more days until 2015, when I have to get serious about preparing to get my bike legally registered. So I have been riding here and there and all about this side of town. I love my bike, the way she purrs when I hit just the right cruising speed. And the way people look at it as if to say "WTF is that?" Once in a while, somebody even screams out "That is AWESOME!" Those moments are good.
BTW: I have to put some turn signals on this bike soon, per the new law. Anybody got a brand they like? Suggestions on what's easy to use and sufficiently bright?

 

[Davezilla]

been thinking about a full lighting package for mine as well and I think LED is the way to go with a good bright cree led for the headlight and a strobing tail light but still need to look for some nice led signals to complete the package.

Just search "bicycle led headlight" on ebay and lots of results will pop up, the cree type leds are what you want for up front because of their superior brightness and it's amazing how far they can send a lot of light.

 

[curtisfox]

Search for motor cycle lights also they have a lot of led. Our local FleetFarm store has some really small round lights that you could use for turn signals,kind of look like they might work like on the corners of back rack. Kind of like the ones that fit in the corner of older pickup box bed tubes................Curt

 

[fatdaddy]

did the throttle and the wiring, got tension on the chain.
my exhaust needs some bashing to get into place, gonna do that later.

thinking of starting a thread for the build, maybe tomorrow.


P.S. anyone else have the throttle not return all the way on its own? will that work its way out over time? should i just toss out the whole twist grip/ carb and replace with a better set (already considering a dellorto clone, unsure where a better twist grip assembly might come from though)

The most common problem here is the cable. all it takes is one busted strand in the cable to gum up the works, or a little corrosion. take off the cable and make real sure it's sliding smoothly. i always use a little lube of some kind. sometimes just 30wt oil. making sure the entire cable is lubed. it will also cut down on the corrosion factor. BUT, I always make my own throttle cables so I lube them before soldering on the slide end. you can still work some oil down it though. I also sometimes use a thinner cable in the larger cable housing, (less chance to "hang up") And of course make sure the cable is long enough to let the cable reach to the bottom of the slide stroke. THEN the obvious, check the idle screw, Turn it OUT to let down the slide.
fatdaddy.

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

In Canada it is got to be cold, then I would suggest beside bigger return spring if it is like my Briggs Bike, use stuff that does not get thick as it get colder. Graphite Powder, not liquid.

I put a small amount in a cloth and pull the cable out of the cover through the cloth while cusping the cloth with powder around the cable. It is a messy job and don't breath the dust. Maybe wear gloves.

I use big wide arc bends for cables. Some say it has more surface area and therefore more friction, but there is a happy median and too tight an arc bend and cables don't move good.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Hillman-Group-3-g-Powdered-Graphite-Lubricant-703185/100137063

 

[DaveC]

In Canada it is got to be cold, then I would suggest beside bigger return spring if it is like my Briggs Bike, use stuff that does not get thick as it get colder. Graphite Powder, not liquid.

I put a small amount in a cloth and pull the cable out of the cover through the cloth while cusping the cloth with powder around the cable. It is a messy job and don't breath the dust. Maybe wear gloves.

I use big wide arc bends for cables. Some say it has more surface area and therefore more friction, but there is a happy median and too tight an arc bend and cables don't move good.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Hillman-Group-3-g-Powdered-Graphite-Lubricant-703185/100137063

That's a real good idea for everyone. Petroleum oils attract like a magnet every particle it can constantly. Soon there's a gummy coating that people just keep adding more oil to making the problem worse. Very next time I'm in Home Depot...

 

[Rudz]

Uni filter on Rutoung carburetor is great, and the Park Tools beam torque wrench is my new best friend.

I planned on getting my voodoo exhaust installed, but I had a ridiculous headache and didn't want to do the 40 miles round trip like that.

Maybe tomorrow morning, if it's not raining

 

[Semaj]

I removed the toggle switch that was precariously taped to the side of my tail light and hooked up a button that is supposed to connect somewhere along a bare section of the brake cable and gets pushed when the cable gets pulled closer to something that it can brace a little plastic arm on. I hoodwinked it from a cheapo bicycle break lights blinker system I got off of ebay for 7 dollars and voila my temporary break lights are a success! Sadly I have no tail lights so its really not all that great. still a work in progress.

 

[GoreWound]

thanks for the throttle tips guys, as of now i doubt it's the cold (bike is inside right now) I did drip a few drops of my chain lube into the tube (it's all I got) but right now i am glaring in an accusatory fashion at the grip handle itself.
that handle barely fits together, lots of play. all plastic.
i might just put a heaver spring inside the carb for now, but i have already put that twist-grip on the list of things i need to replace.
probably worth mentioning that the carb is on that list as well.

 

[redneck82]

this past weekend i had some repairs to do... took a 75 mile road trip on my bike to a friends place to repair my exhaust and replace mounting studs that had broken off... project turned into a whole new custom exhaust and modifications all around...

this is how it sat as i limped it cross state... was a good ride though...
the weld that held the stock muffler to the manifold had broken off, so as a band aid, i took a round muffler from a junk generator and stuck it on there with a zippy screw to dampen the noise...
once i got where i was going, we set to work on building a whole new exhaust...

we fabricated a new flange from flat stock and used iron pipe for header...

used a random piece of 2" exhaust pipe we had laying around for an expansion chamber and welded 2 baffles in before closing up the ends...

the finished product... added a whole lot of low end power as well as calmed a whole lot of the vibration on the top end, also added a good 5mph to my cruising speed...
when all was said and done, i finally took the time to fab up a tank mount for the rear mounted tank on the rack...