alternate uses of common products for motorbicycling

zean

Active Member
Hi. In a previous issue of Popular Mechanics I recently read an article on different uses of common products. There were five ideas, right now I can only remember two of them: one was putting grass clippings in a flat bicycle tire to give it enough buoyancy to get you home and the other was wrapping dental floss (preferably the waxed variety) around the threads of a bolt as a replacement for thread-locker. When I think of the other three ideas I will write them down. Thankyou.
 
Beer and soda cans have been used for air cleaner housings and muffler end caps.
I used window blind brackets for fender brackets.
One member made an air cleaner housing from a tuna can.
One member made a velocity stack from a tooth brush holder.
I made a fake oil tank from a tea bag tin.
Members make fuel tanks from all kinds of things.
Using what you have laying around to solve problems is a big part of motorized bicyling.
 
For thread locking and sealing, I have used strips cut from plastic bags in the past. They work well enough.
 
Really enjoy the re-purposing. Great thread, Zean.

I use a plumber's blow bag for a muffler. Bacon grease for grease and 2 stroke exhaust sludge as polish.
 

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Heat riser gaskets for the old single-carb air-cooled VW motors work perfectly for cheap yet high quality exhaust gaskets for chinagirls and Huasheng 4-strokes.
 
My front rack is made from the back panel of a shopping cart with supports made from steel table leg braces (1/4 rod).
My front disc caliper and mount are off a chinese scooter/atv with a disc rim from another bike.
 
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If I accidentally forget my chapstick, we all need it... I use oil from my 4-stroke motor! Very manly flavor but, works in a pinch
 
If I accidentally forget my chapstick, we all need it... I use oil from my 4-stroke motor! Very manly flavor but, works in a pinch

LOL, ***! that was funny!!

Still laughing but if there were a prize or trophy, you won.


still laughing. Visions of "Hi Honey, I'm home" and kissing her. Would look like when yer cat yawns and you stick your peanut butter covered finger in her mouth. smack, lick, lick lick, smack............ mouth going up and down and giving you the stink eye.
laff
 
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If you go into my album, you'll see pictures of things I've used in my build. I'm one of the guys with a tuna can for an air cleaner cover. I built an earlier fuel tank from an aluminum softball bat. (The new one is custom-welded aluminum.) I built a replica head lamp from a stainless steel toilet brush holder and part of a sunglasses case. I made a fake acetylene tank (battery holder) from a coffee tin (or maybe it was a cookie tin?). The false oil tank is a modified toy mail box. The brass choke lever was made from old metronome parts. I could probably go on, but you all get the idea. I only fabricate parts which don't already exist in the form of some other device. But if it exists at all, I have no qualms about repurposing.
 
Hi maniac57!

Nice build, worthy of a second picture or two so we can see the mods up close. I've gotten many ideas from forum pictures and most mods I do are made with scrap. So how about some more pictures, please?

Dave
AssembleThis

.xx.
 
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