Aiming for my first build

[SoCalGuy]

Been wanting to build one for 15+ years at this point but kept getting put on the back burner. Heck I registered this account in 2011 then never used it.
Got an ebike at the beginning of the year for fun/commuting. I keep modding it and that reignited the urge for a 2 stroke lol.

Anyway for the build I'm thinking

Bike - Firmstrong Chief (I'm 6'4 and its the cheapest big cruiser I can find at $290 right now)

Engine - Avenger 85

Exhaust - A person on reddit reminded me the exhaust flange is bigger on the A85 so most after market ones wont fit + potentially choke the engine

So the new plan is to copy this long exhaust in larger tubing.​

A85 exhaust flange​

1.25" tubing (ID 28mm)​

Random 1.25'' muffler I found​

CDHPOWER 26" Bike Rear Rim

CDHPOWER Disc Brake Rotor Adapter

Disk brakes

Double springer front fork (placeholder. Might get the sunlite. Problem is the bikes head tube looks longer than normal. Standard bike left, chief right. That monarch for has options for 7" and 9" head tubes. That one in particular is supposedly made in the US. at least the bottom looks higher quality than one from CDHpower. Cant know what exactly to get until I get the bike and start measuring I guess.)

High rise handlebars (placeholder, cant know how much rise I want until I get the bike)

rack mount gas tank maybe? (don't like the look of the kit tanks)

Also plan on doing lights/signals and all, but one step at a time.

My bike tinkering is limited to my ebike and and other bikes with threadless head tubes. That firmstrong (and most cruisers I've looked at) seems like a threaded headset? Never messed with those so I assume I need a 1" threaded fork for it, please correct me if I'm wrong about that. Suggestions appreciated, especially for anything I've overlooked before I start blowing cash.

​

Will probably order the bike in the next few days. I could order everything now but I just dont enjoy seeing my savings take a 1k+ hit haha. I'll spread it 200-300 per paycheck. Bike this week, motor in a few weeks, then start dropping my wad on the $600 of parts in my ebay cart.

 

[wrench]

Welcome to MotorBicycling .com and Welcome to your new Hobby

If ya have any problems with your build they're many accomplished builders here who can give advice and tips.

Looking forward to seeing your build, Please continue to share with us.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Hi SoCal,
Looks like you got things sorted out component wise. But the Monarch springer is not well loved here, whereas Sunlite springers are.
The Sunlite is a stronger unit.
Amazon.com : Sunlite Deluxe 26" Springer Fork Replica, 1" (Threaded) : Bike Rigid Forks : Sports & Outdoors

Tom

 

[SoCalGuy]

Hi SoCal,
Looks like you got things sorted out component wise. But the Monarch springer is not well loved here, whereas Sunlite springers are.
The Sunlite is a stronger unit.
Amazon.com : Sunlite Deluxe 26" Springer Fork Replica, 1" (Threaded) : Bike Rigid Forks : Sports & Outdoors

Tom

Yeah I've been keeping that in mind, but The chief and bruiser bikes seem to have a longer than normal head tube. Look closely at these two. Normal bike on left, chief on the right.

The monarch I linked is supposedly made in america, at least partially. Has laser cut bottom bracket that are noticeably better looking than the cheaper monarchs from cdhpower and has options for normal 7in and longer 9in head tubes. Can't know what I'm doing there until I get the bike and measure it since I cant find any measurements online.

Would the sunlite fit a longer head tube? Sunlite being a known brand I would prefer to go that way but idk

 

[wrench]

I hear the latest version of Monarch is superior to Sunlite
But I also hear Sunlite is good

Made in USA Monarch attracts me to their product it's the Original

Monark Custom Bike Forks - Home

Our dual springer bicycle fork is used on many motorized and customized bikes. USA Made.

monarkforks.com

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

It just so happens SoCal that I have a threadless Sunlite in a box unused and unneeded. Postage and what ever you wish to pay.
I was building my Sportsman Flyer and did not notice the threadless description. Head tube is long for cut to fit. I was ignorant of threadless at the time and reordered a threaded Sunlite. The stationary fork has lugs for both disk and drum brake.

Tom

 

[SoCalGuy]

Well After being busy the last month I finally got to work on the bike some. Mainly Just got the new fork/stem/handlebars on. everything else was me just setting things in place, checking clearances and ordering parts lol. (wide crank, gas tank, cnc throttle, tubing to make an exhaust, etc etc)

Being the holidays I may not be able to work on it much until January sadly.

Edit: aye anyone know where grubee get their rims? (Ordered the rear rim with HD hub and sprocket from them) Might have to email them. Kind of want a matching rim for the front. Planning on getting a new front rim anyway so I can get a hub compatible with disk brakes.

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

My advice... You should stick with the stock pedal crank....the wide cranks suck & aren't needed for that engine.
If the pedal touches the engine on one side, you can simply add (or remove) a large washer between the bearing parts & the crank to center it up.

Next... The very first things I do when building a new bike are to mount the engine as solid as possible, then install the rear wheel (with the sprocket you're going to use).
Next... install the clutch lever & cable. (this will help you install the engine chain).
Next... with the cranks & pedal chain already installed, you can install the new engine chain & chain tensioner.

 

[SoCalGuy]

My advice... You should stick with the stock pedal crank....the wide cranks suck & aren't needed for that engine.
If the pedal touches the engine on one side, you can simply add (or remove) a large washer between the bearing parts & the crank to center it up.

My problem is while It just barely clears the engine, with the way the crank, motor mount, etc sit there's no room for the exhaust pipe. couldn't even dry fit the stock one pointing down. Even though I'm going to do a custom exhaust the tolerance would be really tight, and I'm not THAT confident in my pipe bending. The other option would be to loop the exhaust over the top of the engine and back down. Like I put in my original post I'm aiming for something similar to this.

If the wide crank irritates me too much I can always swap it back to stock and loop the exhaust over the top instead. custom exhaust is one of the last things I plan on doing in the order of assembly anyway.

Besides the crank, I already have the rim with HD axel and sprocket dry fit. Waiting on a freewheel sprocket for it because it didn't come with one so I haven't bothered putting a tire and tube on it yet, and a chain breaker because I did set the 415 chain in place to check fitment and I need to remove at least 7 links. Its way to long even with a tensioner and I'm not interested in extra chain flopping around effing things up lol

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

If you're planning on fabricating a full custom exhaust to fix the clearance problem?, it would be way easier to simply modify the stock exhaust.
There's lots of easy little tricks that I use for that.
Get the engine, rear wheel, cranks & both chains fully installed, & then we can come up with a solution for the exhaust!

 

[Wevil Kenevil]

My problem is while It just barely clears the engine, with the way the crank, motor mount, etc sit there's no room for the exhaust pipe. couldn't even dry fit the stock one pointing down. Even though I'm going to do a custom exhaust the tolerance would be really tight, and I'm not THAT confident in my pipe bending. The other option would be to loop the exhaust over the top of the engine and back down. Like I put in my original post I'm aiming for something similar to this.

If the wide crank irritates me too much I can always swap it back to stock and loop the exhaust over the top instead. custom exhaust is one of the last things I plan on doing in the order of assembly anyway.

Besides the crank, I already have the rim with HD axel and sprocket dry fit. Waiting on a freewheel sprocket for it because it didn't come with one so I haven't bothered putting a tire and tube on it yet, and a chain breaker because I did set the 415 chain in place to check fitment and I need to remove at least 7 links. Its way to long even with a tensioner and I'm not interested in extra chain flopping around effing things up lol

Idk how it would fit your taste but a flex pipe ( with a molded header) is always a possible work around.