Bikeguy Joe builds a bike!

[Bikeguy Joe]

Huffy Cranbrook (older, good welds).
"80cc" engine of unknown origin, looks like a bGfast.
Bell 1.90's
Really crappy tensioner, got some ideas ther.
Front fender re-braced with aircraft grade rivets and mounted on the rear.
Suicide coaster brake.

After and before photos.

 

[jasonh]

good lookin bike

 

[Ilikeabikea]

Hey Joe, that looks good. Looks like my kind of bike........................

 

[Dave31]

Nice and sharp

 

[Jemma Hawtrey]

I wondered how long it would be before someone used the double cantilever bars to support the CDI . Since my bike has a 'tank' I was thinking of a similar idea..

Im guessing the colour isnt standard though.

Do you get any problems with grip from the tyres?

 

[Saddletramp1200]

Nice job Joe. And my favorite color. Black and Chrome, ok silver.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Thanks everybody.....

The tires are Bell 1.90's which have a very subtle tread, very much like street bike tires.

I mounted the CDI there as to shorten the plug lead as much as practical. I cut off the "ears" and zip tied it on.

I color matched the two curved tubes going to the rear wheel to match the tank, and shot the fender black as well, it was an awful cream color that didn't go with the silver. The "MoonDog type" fenders were going in the garbage, then I looked 'em over and decided to re configure them. I drilled the so called rivets that were in them and used Inconel rivets. No kmore shaking and rattling. Alsom I covered the clutch cover in foam and wedged little foams between the fins.....very quiet, sounds more like a little dirt bike instread of a super rattling bucket of bolts and loose sheet metal.

 

[azbill]

nice build Joe
how do the 1.9's feel ?
any different from 2.125 ?

 

[deacon]

Huffy Cranbrook (older, good welds).
"80cc" engine of unknown origin, looks like a bGfast.
Bell 1.90's
Really crappy tensioner, got some ideas ther.
Front fender re-braced with aircraft grade rivets and mounted on the rear.
Suicide coaster brake.

After and before photos.

Looks a lot like the design or my chainsaw bike. It is a huffy good vibrations or something like that.

 

[eDJ]

Nice piece of work Joe.

I don't know if anyone makes a front disc brake that could work with that or not
but I could just envision it with the disc front brake. (just for your safety)

But that's a fine looking bike.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

The 1.90's are my tire of choice for a couple reasons...they are round in profile like an M/C tire, and just wide enough to not have clearance issues.

Oh yeah, and under 10 dollars...

The bike was bought off ebay from a collage kid from the Ukraine. It was a stock Cranbrook with an 80cc engine kit. I saw that the rear mount was sitting on the inserts on the seat post and a couple of other no-no's so I ripped it all apart and gave it the "bikeguy joe onceover".

The chain tensioner is the no bearing type, and I put a small self tapping screw through it and replaced the 10mm hardware with grade 5 1/4"-20 from Lowe's. I still don't trust it completely, so I am exploring alternatives.

This is parked near an "abandoned coke machine" up by the little country store in BFE. It's halfway through the 6 mile shakedown run I took after the intial "1/4 mile to see how it ran and make sure I didn't leave lock pliers attatched to anything" ride.

Only bad thing so far is even with the clip on the top notch and two 5/16" holes drilled in the air cleaner cover, it still runs very veerrrry rich.

 

[Motoschwinn]

The 1.90's are my tire of choice for a couple reasons...they are round in profile like an M/C tire, and just wide enough to not have clearance issues.

Oh yeah, and under 10 dollars...

The bike was bought off ebay from a collage kid from the Ukraine. It was a stock Cranbrook with an 80cc engine kit. I saw that the rear mount was sitting on the inserts on the seat post and a couple of other no-no's so I ripped it all apart and gave it the "bikeguy joe onceover".

The chain tensioner is the no bearing type, and I put a small self tapping screw through it and replaced the 10mm hardware with grade 5 1/4"-20 from Lowe's. I still don't trust it completely, so I am exploring alternatives.

This is parked near an "abandoned coke machine" up by the little country store in BFE. It's halfway through the 6 mile shakedown run I took after the intial "1/4 mile to see how it ran and make sure I didn't leave lock pliers attatched to anything" ride.

Only bad thing so far is even with the clip on the top notch and two 5/16" holes drilled in the air cleaner cover, it still runs very veerrrry rich.

All I can say is it's clean and mean... Heading off to the drag races... I love the black fender and the metallic gray.

 

[Easy Rider]

Nice Bike Joe. I bet that clutch lever makes a difference.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

The clutch lever is a bit large....it's a really cheap motorcycle lever that came with the bike. Not as bad as the BGF lever that came with it originally.

The clutch was full of more dust than any bike I've seen, even with 100 times the mileage, so I'm not sure what kind of life this engine has had. I know the kid said he rode it "about 30 miles" but from the looks of it when I got it, and considering the carb was set up with the clip holder under the clip, I think it was more like 30 feet. Not a speck of dirt was under the fenders, around the engine, ect. ect. I think he just slipped the clutch A LOT during his "test ride".

 

[OSCAR383]

The 1.90's are my tire of choice for a couple reasons...they are round in profile like an M/C tire, and just wide enough to not have clearance issues.

Oh yeah, and under 10 dollars...

The bike was bought off ebay from a collage kid from the Ukraine. It was a stock Cranbrook with an 80cc engine kit. I saw that the rear mount was sitting on the inserts on the seat post and a couple of other no-no's so I ripped it all apart and gave it the "bikeguy joe onceover".

The chain tensioner is the no bearing type, and I put a small self tapping screw through it and replaced the 10mm hardware with grade 5 1/4"-20 from Lowe's. I still don't trust it completely, so I am exploring alternatives.

This is parked near an "abandoned coke machine" up by the little country store in BFE. It's halfway through the 6 mile shakedown run I took after the intial "1/4 mile to see how it ran and make sure I didn't leave lock pliers attatched to anything" ride.

Only bad thing so far is even with the clip on the top notch and two 5/16" holes drilled in the air cleaner cover, it still runs very veerrrry rich.

those tires are my fav as well because they look so good on the cruisers and as you stated $$$ in you pocket compared to other tires

 

[Hot Dog Piggy Tails]

Oh I meant to ask you if you had to oval the front tube and lengthen the mount bolts to get it to slide over the thick front CranBrook tube? I just picked up an Huffy Ocala looks like the same frame Curious?

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

It came with the mount part of the case hogged out with a file so it fit over the frame.

You can also make a mount with a muffler clamp. There is a current thread around here somewhere with that info.

 

[deacon]

Don't know how I missed this tread but its a nice bike.

 

[Hawk]

Bikeguy Joe,
The other day you were kind enough to answer my question on Coaster Brake Arm fitting. I have a 1957 Schwinn Corvette I was trying to motorize. After you solved my coaster brake problem I discovered that the Schwinn frame requires the engine to be mounted "high" to clear the sprocket and/or Chain Guard. Plus looks like I would need to fabricate extend mounts. Well, I am not to good at that and became frustrated. I thought it would be easier because it was a pretty standard frame for years and years ( strongest welds too).
So could you spare some more advice?
I have a Raw 80cc kit. Today I looked at the same Huffy Cranbrook you built. I read a lot of your posts ( you are so good about helping folks). Anyway you had good and bad things to say about that bike ( mostly said away due to welds) But it looks like it would be inexpensive ( read-"Cheap!") and even I could bolt in an engine fairly easily to that bike as my first build---no special custom work.
My other choices would be my son's Mongoose Mountain bike with a "V" frame and oval tubes. But I love the dual bar cantilever look cruiser bike look and think the Mtn Bike would be practical ( strong, multi-speed and handbrakes) but ugly.
I also have a 1979 Schwinn multi-speed Suburban I could use--also a lightweight round "V" frame, but not too kool or even a little kool!
I have a real kool Schwinn OCC Chopper.....but with Barry's mounts and exhaust and chain, you are talking about another $125-150 and not very practical for real use.
Last choice---the dealer who sold me to engine ( you called him an idiot the other day re: his "get a handbrake" comment--Ha Ha!) also said while he would not take back the engine ( even tho still packed) he would cut me a deal on a Micargi Rover or Stealth--ready to go---already built with an 80cc engine for "only" $300. ( then I miss the fun, frustration and feeling of accomplishment of my first build)(or failure)). That might be a good thing. What would "BJ" do----assuming he had limited abilities like me?
Thanks in advance
Jim Hawkins
Indian Wells CA

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I would not buy the Macargi fo'sho'
I WOULD opt for the Schwinn V frame, and make a 'retro bike". "antique motorcycle looking" ride.