Felt Slater Motorized Bicycle Project

Re: Felt Slater MB Project

scottmanesis said:
I was just curious if you were/are going to share the info? It is pretty cost prohibitive for most people to strip down their bike, box it up, ship it both ways plus pay for whatever labor involved.

Throw a guy a bone, jeeze. Maybe you could make an instruction manual an sell it if money is your priority, but to just hold the knowledge for the sake of it is kind of uncool. Just sayin.
Click to expand...

I've posted openly before on how to make 'in frame' tanks... Barely posted links to them just above.
The reason that I'm 'holding the knowledge' of my new method of making the tanks is because there are many other motorbike dealers here in So-Cal who would love to know how I do it.

Bike building is my full time job now; It's how I feed my kids & pay my bills, & I need to try to stay in front of the competition! ;)

chainmaker said:
Sweet Bike Norm, How do you rate the forks to the Beefy ones? Do You make adapters for them? I think I want to do one of these Felts at some point>> Nice Work

Cheers
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These Felt forks are bullet proof!!! But they only fit 1-1/8" frames.
I haven't made a brake adapter for them yet... Maybe soon. :)
 
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Re: Felt Slater MB Project

Here's a update on the Slater... The engine got a full port & polish & was pretty fast on the last LA club ride, but it really would've gone a lot faster with a smaller rear sprocket; so I decided to go 'all out' & install a SBP HD shifter kit, a Shimano Alfine 8-speed hub & front & rear Clark 185 hydraulic disc brakes.
Here's some pics of the rear hub installed & ready to go.
vmbshimanohub.jpg

vmbfeltslaternewhub.jpg
 
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Re: Felt Slater MB Project

I am so curious about how you will attach your sprocket to the hub with this setup.

I've got a Worksman with rear wheel drum brakes that I'd like to keep if I can only manage some way to safely, securely, and relatively economically attach the sprocket.
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

73 Fat Chick said:
I am so curious about how you will attach your sprocket to the hub with this setup.

I've got a Worksman with rear wheel drum brakes that I'd like to keep if I can only manage some way to safely, securely, and relatively economically attach the sprocket.
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It's going to have a SBP shifter kit... It's gonna run the engine through the pedalling chain & use the shifter hub to have 8 gears! ;)
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

Regular voice: Awesome bike. Very cool! I dig the simplicity Art critic voice: simple lines and an understated beauty enhanced by subtle coloring and playing with various tones rotfl
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

A little update... I took the rear wheel off to relace it for the front disc hub, & I put the new rear wheel on for a test fitting for the custom rear disc brake mount.
Here's a pic...
vmbfeltslater7.jpg
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

Man your bike just keeps getting (and looking) better and better everyday! It's not hard too tell that it is your dream bike and no expense spared fo sho. Keep up the great work....can't wait to see it with all the extra goodies (gears, s/kit, disc) installed. Cheers!

dnut
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

Here's some pics of the (slow) progress on the Slater.
I had the large parts powder coated black to match the bike.
vmbfeltslatershift2.jpg

VMBfeltslatershft.jpg
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

I haven't given up on this one!!!
I've been a little slow in getting it finished because of customer builds & trying to work through some tough brake lever problems... I think I might switch to dual pull cable discs untill I can work out a better system for the hydraulics.
I also need to find a 'twist grip' shifter for the Alfine hub.
Here's a pic of the front hydraulic disc.
vmbslaterfrontdisc.jpg
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

Here's todays update... I removed the large rotors & hydraulic calipers.
I installed 160mm rotors & cable calipers & a dual pull lever.
I also welded on a front caliper mount made from two of my bolt on mounts (I put two 'back to back' to make it extra rigid), & the rear is made from two also.
Here's some pics...
vmbfeltdisc1.jpg

vmbfeltdisc2.jpg
 
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Re: Felt Slater MB Project

I finally got 'er done!!! (^)
I got the parts I've been waiting for to finish it this morning & I took it for a 16 mile ride today & it ran real good! I was flying down Venice Blvd passing every car in my way!
I think there are way more gears than it really needs; 1st gear is low enough to climb a tree at full RPMs!! :-{
I also bought a axle chain tensioner to keep the axle from pulling foreward during hard riding. I'll install it tomorrow.
I'm gonna take the bike to the Willow Springs race to run it on the big track to see what it can really do.

Here's a couple of pics I took today...
vmbfeltslaterfinished.jpg

vmbfeltslaterfinished2.jpg
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

What kind of geared hub are you running again? I only ask because I've heard some mixed stories about those hubs, I.E. the hardened internal gears exploding and jamming up the entire mechanism catastrophically :o Anyway, the bike is BEAUTIFUL. Got a ride to be proud of there Venice :)
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

LS614 said:
What kind of geared hub are you running again? I only ask because I've heard some mixed stories about those hubs, I.E. the hardened internal gears exploding and jamming up the entire mechanism catastrophically :o Anyway, the bike is BEAUTIFUL. Got a ride to be proud of there Venice :)
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Thanks! :)

It's Shimano Alfine 8-speed disc brake hub. So far it's working good; but I think i'm gonna change it to a Sturmey Archer 8-speed with drum brake. (only because the SA has a 'twist grip' shifter that I think will work better on this bike.)
I really wish I could find a 'twist grip' shifter for this hub, because the dual disc brakes are working great!!
vmbshimanohub.jpg
 
Re: Felt Slater MB Project

I won't be bringing the Slater to the Willow Springs race on Saturday to show off what it can do on the big track because I sold it yesterday!!
The buyer offered to let me take it anyways; but I said no, because it would be just my luck if I wrecked it & had to refund his money.
 
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