Cobra Cycles Flat Track Racer

[Lurker]

Kris,
The wheels are 26x2.5 that came from chopperus.com and the tires are Fat Franks. I am not too happy with either of these purchases. I don't like the wheels because they are aluminum and the spokes are only 14g. They also had some Issues with the spoke coming loose when I first started to ride them. But I think for your average mb they would be ok, I'm just really really picky. The tires are good tires but I hate the reflective stripe. I will be buying Felt Quick Brick or Cooker race tires for my next bike. As for the rest of the info on the bike, just read the thread, most of it should be there if not just ask I will be more than happy to answer.

 

[Lurker]

Lurker,
Can you give us an update on your cooling issues? I have to think that with the bike and engine in motion, it should't get any hotter than any other air cooled, finned gas motor. I thought the finned flywheel, tins and shrouds were because the motors are built to run stationary power equipment like shredders, pumps and such.

Thanks

I still haven't been able to get a hold of a laser thermometer yet so I have been running it with the shroud for safety's sake. I know Cobrafreak has been running without the shrouds and his seems to be fine but you may want to ask him. I think it all depends on where you ride. I live and ride in the city with lots of stop and go so I think I need them. You can also run a thicker oil in the summer; I some times run 20w50 in my bike.

 

[harry76]

That is a sharp looking bike do you have any videos of it running? I would love to see and hear that thing go.

Thanks man, i must say your bike definitely has inspired me. Ive got myself a Honda GX160 for a future build. Youve really made a few of us stepup and try bikes with bigger engines. Yours and Cobrafreaks bike must be such a blast to ride.

I have a video just starting the motor for a testrun. I should have my bike going next week if all goes well..... then maybe i can start focusing on my gx160 build. My bikes in the DIY section 98cc Villiers Beach Cruiser.....

 

[truckd]

cool bike!

 

[dash]

that is so cool

 

[Kris Blake]

Kris,
The wheels are 26x2.5 that came from chopperus.com and the tires are Fat Franks. I am not too happy with either of these purchases. I don't like the wheels because they are aluminum and the spokes are only 14g. They also had some Issues with the spoke coming loose when I first started to ride them. But I think for your average mb they would be ok, I'm just really really picky. The tires are good tires but I hate the reflective stripe. I will be buying Felt Quick Brick or Cooker race tires for my next bike. As for the rest of the info on the bike, just read the thread, most of it should be there if not just ask I will be more than happy to answer.

Thanks for the reply and the info. I am using the cream Felt Quick Brick tires on my build which is coming to a finish (2 weeks?). I went with Worksman but when I saw yours.....
I am definitely going to look these up. Maybe lace up some drum hubs with 11/12 gauge spokes?
Way to be picky, it reflects in the end result! Your build looks great!!!
Kris

 

[Lurker]

I have been very busy with other projects lately so no new news on the bike. However one of my projects has been a website which has required me to take some new photos of the bike. The site is not finished yet but the page with the bike is pretty close so I thought you guys might want to see some new photos.

Enjoy... or not, whatever

Link to my personal site
VEKST CO.: Motorcycles

Link directly to the flickr gallery
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vekst/sets/72157626948663341/

 

[culvercityclassic]

Hey Lurker,

Checked out the site...looks good... keep us updated

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Site's coming along pretty good. That bike always looks good. If it were me, I'd never sell it, but I think you'll have no trouble getting a fair price on that bike. It's an awesome piece of engineering.

 

[harry76]

Sell that thing? NOOOOOOOOOO WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not unless you plan on doing another, id love to see what you would come up with next.

Is your freewheel crankset a bought item or did you make it? Its very very nice.

 

[cobrafreak]

I think it's a bought item. Look up shift kits for motorbikes and you will see them. I am looking forward to bike #2 myself. I hope it's not so nice that it won't be ridden. I live by "If I can't use it, I lose it".

 

[Lurker]

Thanks, guys. Don't worry about me selling it there will be a second bike. However next time I plan to document the build, so that should be good for the community.

The crank set is a piece that I had to make.
It consists of an extra wide crankset
a freewheel adapter with a 15mm center bore bolted to the crank spindle
22t freewheel
34t sprocket welded to the 22t freewheel from an old 10speed (it slips right over the freewheel)
If you look at the photo closely you can see the allen screw that goes in to the spindle and the spot weld marks

 

[hoodoo]

I have been lurking on this site for almost a year or more now, and I thought you guys might be interested in seeing something from a new person. I bought one of those 4stroke kits and built a bike with that,(first photo) but soon got fed up with the lack of quality and how slow it was. So I decided to build my own. Over the past 6 months I have been building this in my kitchen (literally in my kitchen) and I just finished it today. It uses a gx200 clone with a cvt and has a top speed in the high 60's low 70's. On the test ride I let off the throttle around 65ish. I hope this can be a inspiration to a few people.

Beautiful bike or is this more of a motorcycle? Not criticism, just curious, we build for different reasons.
I like that first bike of yours, especially with that cylindrilical tank.

 

[harry76]

Beautiful bike or is this more of a motorcycle? Not criticism, just curious, we build for different reasons.
I like that first bike of yours, especially with that cylindrilical tank.

Just my $0.02....... You could argue this bike having a working set of pedals is more of a bicycle and less of a motorcycle then some bikes here with running boards and no pedals/cranks.

 

[harry76]

Thanks, guys. Don't worry about me selling it there will be a second bike. However next time I plan to document the build, so that should be good for the community.

The crank set is a piece that I had to make.
It consists of an extra wide crankset
a freewheel adapter with a 15mm center bore bolted to the crank spindle
22t freewheel
34t sprocket welded to the 22t freewheel from an old 10speed (it slips right over the freewheel)
If you look at the photo closely you can see the allen screw that goes in to the spindle and the spot weld marks

Hurry up with that second build Lurker..... you have some damn good ideas, and you have ideas you havent yet thought of, that id like to copy LOL

 

[hoodoo]

So my buddy was entering a car show a few weeks ago and asked me to bring my bike; I thought it was a silly idea to bring a motorbike to a car show but he insisted, so I did. Long story short I ended up winning a ugly little plack that says "1st in class" and I didn't even enter the show, I just parked my bike next to my friends car. It really stole the show to my surprise, It had a crowd around it all day long I couldn't believe it. It's really nice to see all of my hard work pay off. I couldn't believe how many people took an interest in it, little kids loved it and older guys wanted it. I had quite a few people offer to buy it but I cant part with it yet. at least not till the end of summer. I think in the future I will start making them for others to buy. But I need to streamline the build process and change the design a bit first.

Has any one else taken their bike to any sort of show?

I have, two parades, weekend car shows, and our museum events and the folks loved them (and might don't look near as cool as yours)...people see what is most familiar to them and they miss the details which is really fun. I love it when they ask, what year model is that bike, and I tell them 2009 and 2010. Everybody loves these things. They are something you don't see every day.

 

[hoodoo]

Just my $0.02....... You could argue this bike having a working set of pedals is more of a bicycle and less of a motorcycle then some bikes here with running boards and no pedals/cranks.

Got me, bike was so cool I didn't see the pedals.

 

[NewOrleansFlyer]

Is this bike build on a 24 inch frame?

 

[Lurker]

No, this is a 26in frame

 

[cantona7]

how did you mount your engine? I couldn't really see whats under there. Did you have to fab the whole bottom end? Or is it a steel plate type of mount?