Hi, I'm new

R

Rogwillsie

New Member
Hello, Fellow motorbikers. I just found this website tonight and will leave a brief message as it is late and I need to go to sleep. I'm really glad to have found you as I have wanted to communicate with others who have experience with motorized bikes. I bought and mounted an engine a month or so ago and loved riding it then it broke down. I thought I had used the correct mix of oil and gas--one to twenty--but the engine seems frozen. I'm really upset about it and don't know how to proceed from here. Any thoughts will be welcome. I can also provide some tips on installation for others who may be having difficulty with that. Anyway, I'm glad to be here and look forward to some exchanges.
 
Welcome Rog, I would say just pull the head off and take a look. Sounds like it seized up. That is possible even with the right oil mix.
 
Well, I'm surprised but I tried to use my bike yesterday, just a short run up the block, and it worked fine. The last time I tried to use it the chain came off and the engine seemed tight. Because I am new at this I am in a quandary about what the real problem is when something doesn't work. My main problem has been with the chain coming off (and damaging the spokes). I thought at first it was the idler and bought a new one. Then I thought it was the axle of the rear wheel coming loose. In both cases I was experiencing a loosening of the chain and was trying to figure out why. I still am not sure things are right with the chain, but, at least, I think the engine is OK. Any ideas about maintaining the chain at the proper tension?
 
Is your chain becoming lose or riding up and off the sprocket? There should be a little less then an inch of up and down. If you walk the bike, watch how the chain goes. Look for wobble of the sprocket or not seating properly.

No worries. You will be up and running soon. Just part of learning these lil wonders.
 
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Hey Rog, How well did you get your rear sprocket lined up? Does the chain vary alot between tight and loose like Dan said. If so your sprocket needs lined up a little closer. It could either be running out side to side or up and down. How does it look when you spin the wheel with the chain off?
Just a couple ideas.
 
throw the chain out, replace with # 41, you are half way home. throw away the tensioner that may fix it. some rear sprockets need to be ground a bit thinner for the chain to settle in.
 
Now I am scared of the machine. This evening I took a ride, after adjusting the chain tensioner. I rode maybe a mile out and was returning home when the chain broke! Didn't come apart at the place the link can be removed either. The reason I am afraid is that I was riding at some speed, probably 25 or more at times and in traffic. Fortunately, I felt and heard that something was wrong and stopped. By then the chain was off and wound around the back sprocket. If the broken chain had thrown me into a car it would have been curtains. The last message was from stude13 with the suggestion to throw the tensioner away and get a #41. I don't understand what you mean.
Grinding the teeth on the sprocket I understand and that sounds like a good idea.
 
First thing is that your rear sprocket should be aligned with the hub to make it center as possible. Sometimes there's a gap of about 2mm between the hub and the center hole of the rear sprocket. Try to put a spacer in the center hole to fit the hub as tight as possible. I use a nylon hose slit lengthwise and place it in the center of the sprocket to act as a spacer. After you have centered the rear sprocket, tighten the nuts opposite nuts at a time to properly seat your sprocket on the hub. For the chain, I usually cut the chain as short as possible then the tensioner at it's lowest adjustment and move the tensioner along the frame to attain correct chain tension. Then check the drive sprocket in the engine, sometimes the nut gets loose. Put washers on either side of the hub to attain the correct chain alignment. Hope this helps. :-)
 
Thanks, Technocyclist. I've attempted to view the alignment with the bike suspended and turning the wheel. It's really hard to judge, I've found. I'll try what you have suggested to align the rear sprocket and the engine sprocket. Others have also commented that perhaps the chain should be replaced, the sprocket filed so the chain fits better, etc. There just seem to be a lot of possibilities to solve the problem. I'll keep working on it. I also need to repair or replace my chain which has broken. Any advice on what to do about the chain?
 
You can replace your chain with a motorcycle 415HS chain or better quality. You can easily get this from motorcycle shops. You will need 2 of these, because 1 would be too short. You'll also need a chain breaker for this. You can also use the half-link BMX high tensile chain. The good BMX chains have a tensile strength of 1300 kg to 1500 kg, which I think is more than enough for the power of the engine. YBN (a.k.a. Yaban) BMX chain seems to be good, light, and very slippery. Good for high speed rotations. You can also try Wippermann Connex 1G8 Nickel Plated BMX Chain. Maybe you can get it from online bicycle shops or your local bicycle shops. It can sometimes be a great challenge finding parts like these. Also, get a good lubrication oil specific for chains. Do not use WD-40. I usually combine graphite powder lubrication with chain oil, because even if the oil dries out, there's still the powder lubrication. Also, it keeps the clearances in the chain, and tends to tighten your chain without affecting lubrication.
 
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