Cruiser with a BTR flavor

How about an update? How does it ride? Are you happy with the engine, drive train? What would you do differently if you were building it now?
How did you attach the sheave to the wheel? Is that from a 20 bike? What a great looking bike!
SB
 
That is a beautiful creation (neither bike nor motorcycle properly fit, IMO). The ingenuity is fantastic, from the shift handle to the air cleaner cover.
 
Yeah SB I would have liked to have seen the look on your face when you opend this thread again and said oooh sh**!

As for the bike itself I have only one complaint, I should have used a rear drum brake. The coaster just isn't what it should be. I've had some great coaster brakes but this isn't one of them and I end up using the front drum more than I like. Guess that I will fit a disc to the rear sooner or later. The 3" tires give it a soft comfortable ride. The engine/exhaust system sound great dosen't have the high pitch like my other 2 cycles. Thier is an abundance of power. I have never wound it out to max. The gear shift mechanisim is flawless and shifts must easier than a derailure setup.
The 24" frame is a good fit for me, I'm 5'4" but usually claim 5'6" LOL. The sheave is a standard e-bay china sheave, had to shim it out 1/4" to clear the 3" tires.

The carb manifold setup on it now is the original one that I fabricated. Had starting problems so went to a diaphram type carb. That worked great but had leakage problems with that carb so went back to the bowl carb and modified it to function properly.
You will notice that this one also features the SilverBear copper filter as all my builds have. I also copied your seat covering idea with a gray leather to match the rest of the build. I spent too much time on this build and had to hold off on other motorized bicycle projects. I am working on a 2 cyl / 2 cycle tecumseh but due to the good weather that will be pushed out to this fall!
 
Something interesting happened while i was out on a ride. The roll pin that keeps the shift lever in the selected ratio, fell out. I was quite concerned as I was about 15 mi from home. I assumed it would just go into low and I would have to ride home @ 8 mph.

Surprise!
It shifted thru the ratios like an automatic. When I came to a hill it would downshift and on the flats it would up shift. However if I went over 3/4 throttle it would start down shifting. It turned out to be a good & fun ride home. I have replaced the roll pin so that I can go full throttle as this bike can really can fly!
 
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Be kooool if you could figure out how to make it shift on its own. Kind if like a centrifcal clutch or the front half of a CVT......Glad to see it is working out for you........Curt
 
curtisfox said:
Be kooool if you could figure out how to make it shift on its own. Kind if like a centrifcal clutch or the front half of a CVT......Glad to see it is working out for you........Curt
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That would be very easy. Just change the spring to a heavier one or attach it an adjustable setup setup. The adjustment would allow it to operate in different torque ranges.

However I think that i will leave it as it is because I can wind it out in any range I want. A CVT setup does not allow this.
 

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Wow, what a great looking bike! That is simply amazing and even more so when looking at the first post pictures. Nicely done.
 
Russell said:
That would be very easy. Just change the spring to a heavier one or attach it an adjustable setup setup. The adjustment would allow it to operate in different torque ranges.

However I think that i will leave it as it is because I can wind it out in any range I want. A CVT setup does not allow this.
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Yep you are right about that,best the way you have it.......I am going to try that .........Curt
 
Russell said:
I am converting this bike to a Cruiser along BTR lines. Paid $5 for this 24" bike. It will feature: 24x3" tires, tubular in frame tank, leaf spring front suspension, 5HP 2-cycle Lawn-boy engine, manual controlled variable ratio belt drive.
I will be posting pics shortly. Wasn't quite sure where to post this build!
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I think you will love the Lawnboy.
dnut
 
The lawnboy has turned out to be a very dependable engine. It's an animal and makes the the bike fly. Just wish it had been the 6.5hp version.
 

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I thought the lawn boy engine needed the blade mounted perpendicular to the piston at top dead center to act as a counter balance in order to run correctly so I'm glad it worked out for you.
Hunter
 
Russell said:
Curtis,
Am chomping at the bit to make the maiden run. I don't need ideal weather but the snow, wind and rain is not giving me a break! One thing I have noticed with the test stand runs is that this engine eats about 4x the fuel my happy time 66 uses.
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Link for bike in snow and trailing sled

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=14da8567d717b0bcf2a10f93a6ced587&oe=5A5CBAE0

I know it is a bit late, but for future rides in snow see this. Maybe no side car, but I like the side ski. Can you not drop the bike, maybe just get stuck in too deep snow?
 
I just saw on the satellite info that there was snow dropped in the AM, in the mountains near by at 7 to 8 thousand feet. I heard more snow and rain in the area with a new storm system, with snow to come down to 6 thousand feet. I'm already living at 3 thousand feet. Once fires are out in the forest and I can get to ride on fire roads cleared recently and or trails if not too steep it would be great., Recently days at 40 to 50 Fahrenheit.When it is 30 and minus temperatures that is when a heated snow cat or maybe electric heated clothing is desired.
 
Russell- Beautiful build and amazing innovation/fabrication skills. On a DIY GoKart Forum we had a really skilled member who was a whiz with all things LawnBoy- his name was Russell, too!
 
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