Kawasaki FE120 4-stroke build coming up...

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quantogs

New Member
Dec 28, 2009
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SoCal
Nicely done Scotto! Pretty soon I'll have my bike on the road which happens to be a tandem also. Only difference is that I removed the stoker's saddle and bars in favor of a B&S 5hp flathead. Working on the mount and jackshaft at the moment. Depending on your gearing and when the governor on the engine kicks in, I'd say your bike should do low 50s. Maybe faster, I think it just comes down to your nerves. My personal best is 52 on a pusher. Keep us informed on your upgrades as I will do the same.
I don't mean to hijack the thread ScottO but I did promise to show you pics of my most recent project. I finished it a few months ago, it has only 1 mile on it!!! Waiting for the weather to warm up and then I can take it somewhere and see how far it goes til she breaks! Like anything there will be some R&D put into it.




P1280040 by quantogs, on Flickr

P1280016 by quantogs, on Flickr

P1280021 by quantogs, on Flickr


P1280022 by quantogs, on Flickr

P1280045 by quantogs, on Flickr
Ok, so it's not a "tandem" anymore...but it does haul me nicely!
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
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Moosylvania
Thats purty awesome Quantogs. Really like the uniqueness. Defo one of a kind.

Kristof, a lot to be said for rack mounts. The room it saves and all the noise and vibes behind you. Your tensioner is great
 

Kristof

New Member
Jan 21, 2011
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Aliso Viejo, CA
My tensioner is actually an engine belt pulley tensioner that I found laying around in my school auto shop. The bronze hook like thing, I think is for brazing...not sure. And the spring I got from home depot.

I need to make improvement though, because it is really scary when at low speed. It whips back and forth like no other and makes a lot of noise, because the chain is hitting against the frame.
 

scotto-

Custom 4-Stroke Bike Builder
Jun 3, 2010
6,505
25
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Ridin' inSane Diego, CA.
My tensioner is actually an engine belt pulley tensioner that I found laying around in my school auto shop. The bronze hook like thing, I think is for brazing...not sure. And the spring I got from home depot.

I need to make improvement though, because it is really scary when at low speed. It whips back and forth like no other and makes a lot of noise, because the chain is hitting against the frame.
Prolly needs a bit more tension....just a guess. We were working on the tandem today and thinking of putting a spring loaded tensioner on the chain using a carved out urethane skateboard wheel for the roller.

We installed a suspension fork up front with a 24" wheel that I laced up and an Odessey 24"x2.1 Path tire on it. Man did it improve the overall handling on this beast, it's much easier to ride solo on it now.....nice! Also finally installed a new wireless Cyclometer and added a kill switch to the front handlebars so the pilot can now kill the engine, as well as the original kill switch on the engine itself.....a good safety measure. I'll post some pics of it soon.

dnut
 
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newbie tryin

New Member
Mar 13, 2011
20
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Australia
Thats awesome! get one of the schwinn comfort seats (without the middle horns) and maybe some training wheels (to keep it fun) so as to not worry about falling over!

looks awesome, but dont go too fast in test runs!! (bit heavy at that height, maybe training wheels will help :)
 

scotto-

Custom 4-Stroke Bike Builder
Jun 3, 2010
6,505
25
38
Ridin' inSane Diego, CA.
Don't worry, this thing is tried and trued now mate. It's gotta Schwinn comfort saddle on the rear now, new grips fore and aft and all the bells and whistles we could think of. All that's left is to get is a new saddle for the pilot and maybe a matching 26" tread for the rear, if they make one in the 26" size. This thing hauls!!!!!!!!!

Cheers! dnut

Thats awesome! get one of the schwinn comfort seats (without the middle horns) and maybe some training wheels (to keep it fun) so as to not worry about falling over!

looks awesome, but dont go too fast in test runs!! (bit heavy at that height, maybe training wheels will help :)
 

newbie tryin

New Member
Mar 13, 2011
20
0
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Australia
Don't worry, this thing is tried and trued now mate. It's gotta Schwinn comfort saddle on the rear now, new grips fore and aft and all the bells and whistles we could think of. All that's left is to get is a new saddle for the pilot and maybe a matching 26" tread for the rear, if they make one in the 26" size. This thing hauls!!!!!!!!!

Cheers! dnut
Thats awesome! im getting one of those comfort seats for the wife too!!! im still making my bike, wish I had some of your bikes awesomeness rubbing off on my bike!! Sounds like your setup is good to go, record some videos or adventures and share it with us if possible :).trk

Thanks!!
.trk
 

scotto-

Custom 4-Stroke Bike Builder
Jun 3, 2010
6,505
25
38
Ridin' inSane Diego, CA.
Thats awesome! im getting one of those comfort seats for the wife too!!! im still making my bike, wish I had some of your bikes awesomeness rubbing off on my bike!! Sounds like your setup is good to go, record some videos or adventures and share it with us if possible :)

Thanks!!
I make it easy for ya......look out below, here's some vids!

YouTube - Pullstart MVI_1426.AVI

YouTube - 49.6 mph. on the Tandem

YouTube - VTS_01_1.VOB

YouTube - San Diego Ride #5 VTS_01_3.VOB

YouTube - San Diego Ride #5 VTS_01_2.VOB

And these are my comfort saddles of choice:



super comfort for my cruisers



and for my Mtn. Bikes, a carbon fibre Selle Italia Flite



Comfort is where it's at, cheers! dnut
 

newbie tryin

New Member
Mar 13, 2011
20
0
0
Australia
Whoooooaaaa!!!!!! Nice and nice and NICE!!!! those are the cloud 9 comfort seats and they somehow remind me of the day 6 comfort bicycles!!!

Im going to watch the movies with the wife sometime soon :) this might get her even more amped up for my build :)
 

scotto-

Custom 4-Stroke Bike Builder
Jun 3, 2010
6,505
25
38
Ridin' inSane Diego, CA.
Yes it is quiet, so quiet in fact you can barely hear the engine up front with a passenger on board, seriously.

All the vids shot with helmet cam were with two riders on board, this is how it gets ridden most of the time and it handles very well this way. We did a 40mile group ride as seen in some vids here and it performed flawlessly till a rear blowout just before the finish......BANG! It sounded like a gunshot.

Cheers dnut

Almost forgot, it has a surfboard rack on it now and a trailer for long hauls......this thing is insane!

Pics fully loaded soon.....

Man, your bike is quiet!

How's the ride? Were there two of you on the bike at times?xct2
 
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scotto-

Custom 4-Stroke Bike Builder
Jun 3, 2010
6,505
25
38
Ridin' inSane Diego, CA.
If yer bringing a tandem to the Death Race next week, prepare for battle......this is your competition. Just watch out for this freight train...it'll be moooovin' fast!

brnot