Indian Tadpole

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indian22

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Dec 31, 2014
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Glad you picked up on Velo's clutch. I've been holding back on building my 100cc Lifan powered motor utilizing the same manual clutch, with the small output shaft I'll need to use a shim bushing to match up with the clutch, no problem there, though I really don't like the cheap looking red sheet metal supplied for the actuation cable attachment. It may well be strong enough, yet I dislike the appearance. Gaining a mechanical advantage to lower engagement effort and or feel seems to be something the clutch designers are also aware of as some mention is made in their website about altered hand lever designs used with the clutch. I've been too busy with other projects, bike and non bike related, that I've put the V-twin on ice, as well as the Lifan and sidecar. When I'm satisfied that the Simplex is ready I'll return to work on the side car first. I fear I've more projects in mind than the Lord has granted me time to complete!

Rick C.
 
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fasteddy

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Time is sliding by for me as well Rick, as well as the ability to do everything. The red plate that mounts to the motor and anchors the throw out bearing and clutch cable is heavy aluminum.
A quick trip through the sand blaster removed the red coating.

Like the rest of Velodromes Flying Merkle build the clutch was well thought out. I'm shamelessly working on copying it to fit the tri car.

Steve.
 
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indian22

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I agree I thought his clutch a great improvement. I thought the stock plate rugged enough just kinda' bland to my eye, all except the red, which doesn't work for me...but many love it & that too is good. Glad you've put your hands the tri car project once again Steve. It's a beauty! Rick C.
 

indian22

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Nothing wrong with gilding the Lilly Steve. You know I'm a fan of exposing the moving parts, but nice sheet metal work is also admirable.

Hope you're in good condition for the condition you're in & able to task a few things each week. I'm back on the Simplex Copper Gator with a vengeance with the small changes that mean so much when you ride a lot. I'm really close to certification of the bike as an acceptable candidate for pairing with a sidecar finally. I can almost see eyeballs rolling at that statement, but I feel the need to get that project rolling at last.

I'm guessing the 3D clutch has been sorted out?

Rick C.
 

fasteddy

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Rick, I am indeed in good shape when you consider the shape I'm in. That comment is a personal favorite of mine.

Still trying to find a solution to the clutch problems. When it's activated the plates won't separate. Have a good start on Velodromes work around. There may be a plan B and the parts are being ordered. Hammering rain the past few days so I can't weld outside though the forecast says we may have some dry days coming up. Fall/Winter on the Wet Coast were you don't tan, you rust.

Copper Gator side car. That has my undivided interest. Great to see the Copper Gator again.

Here is a link to Indian22's Simplex frame based Copper Gator.

https://motorbicycling.com/attachments/20181022_100202-1224x1632-jpg.99302/

Steve.
 
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fasteddy

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Rick, I forgot to mention that the chain guard is there for personal safety only. When I was a kid I didn't own a pair of pants that didn't have a generous amount of material removed from the inside of the right leg by a bicycle chain and sprocket and the resulting frantic attempts to remove the material jammed firmly in between the chain and the sprocket so I could use the brake to prevent the rapidly approaching disaster.

Success was usually fleeting and the resulting crashes are suitable fodder for campfire stories. If you can get a half dozen old guys around that fire we'll be there for hours exchanging stories.

Steve.

Here is a better link to Rick's builds.

https://motorbicycling.com/threads/old-guys-simplex-moto-peddle-bike.57770/
 
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indian22

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Tom I'm with you on that. These long threads that "chug along" are sometimes referred to as "marathons" & I suppose that's sometimes intended as a derogatory remark, but I view it as a complement. My Old Guy's Simplex thread falls into this category.as well. I'm a reader and I tend to gravitate to the multiple page threads as sources of information that I shamelessly plunder in the planning & execution stages of my build. I not only find concepts, vendors and technique, but also glean much encouragement which leads to elevated enthusiasm for my own projects. Along the way I avoided many problems and solved others using insights chronicled by others dealing with similar situations. Fabricators which are willing to dig a little deeper, will find nuggets of great value. I've read many of these threads multiple times from start to finish & not just those that are active, many excellent yet inactive threads are still available from this sites startup days.

"Keep this thread chugging" Steve & you will inspire many others along the way.

Rick C.
 

fasteddy

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Hi Tom,

Many years ago a group of my life long friends and I got together around a fire in a back yard. Over the course of the night the conversation went from the bicycle era, Remember the time that you, to the time years later when it was, Remember the time you said hold my beer and watch this.
There was more than a few, "How bad is the scar?" thrown in as well.

Of that gang I'm the last member. Some day we will once again be sitting on our bikes at the top of Horse Killer Hill daring each other to be the first to try it.

Steve.
 

fasteddy

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Hi Rick,

My attitude since I took this thread over from Silverbear is that it's like a sunny Saturday when the door is open and everyone drifts by your garage and the conversation flows around a variety of subjects. The only difference is that there is a written record of what was said on all those Saturdays for everyone to see years later.

I like looking back at old threads as well as new ones to see what was talked about. When I looked back at this one I see people who were here and have moved on from the forum and I wonder what happened to them.

When I look back at this thread I get to see so many absolutely perfect ideas that had the air let out of them when they were tried. Then again there were so many ideas that were put aside when I saw someone else's perfect idea that was far better than mine.

I'll keep chugging along.

Steve.
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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Hi Curt,

The clutch will come together and your right, I will keep at it until it does work. Every time I have doubts I thing of all the good friends who have been with me since the start and all the good friends who have joined along the way.

Failure is not an option.

Steve.
 

fasteddy

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Silverbear who started this tread and I spent summers at his place in Ely, Minnesota building bike over the years. We always called it Bike Camp but due to my ill health our last gathering was in 2014. We hope to start again next summer and finish some of his builds.

There is a second tri car being built by Silverbear that he calls the Indian Hiawatha based on a Hiawatha bicycle. I'll put a link below.
I built a wicker and copper front seat for it that is at the end of the thread. It will be a one of a kind build.

Steve.

https://motorbicycling.com/threads/indian-hiawatha.32998/
 
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Tom from Rubicon

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The build is back on again at long last. Health has improved enough to get back at it.

I've ordered a crank set from Pat at Sportsman Flyer. It will be nice to have some superior quality parts on the bike. I asked him if it was possible to get a custom sprocket made for the rear wheel so I can use their rear sprocket mount. I like idea of the fit that you will get with a three piece mount.

It will be a while before the parts get here but still lots of small things to work on.

Steve.
Pat is the best.
 
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Tom from Rubicon

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Apr 4, 2016
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Just a quick update and a thank you for everyone who has stopped in to look at the thread. It's not dead and abandoned and fortunately neither am I.

I've been fighting a bone infection in my left knee for two years now and I have to go back in to have surgery on it in a couple of days to replace the replaced knee with a temporary replaced knee that will dispense an antibiotic for about 8 weeks and then when the infection has cleared up they will replace that one with a permanent replaced knee once again. It will be as much fun as it sounds as well.

From previous experience my guess would be that I'll be back at the tri car some time in March to finish it off if everything goes well and sooner if I can drag myself into the workshop.

Steve.
You make my knee troubles just a minor inconvenience,