Longevity

Salty Gator

Salty Gator

New Member
Hi everyone,
I was wondering how many miles/kilometers people have put on their bikes with minimal issues. So far I've almost 1000 miles with nothing more than a snapped masterlink ONCE...( and Thank God one block from my house )...I swear....nothing more than that in 1000 miles and it NEVER fails to fire right up....
Am I lucky or doing something right ?...I always maintain the bike ( this and that....this and that... )


Talk to me y'all,
Salty.shft.
 
Michigan Mike said:
Salty,
That sounds great ... what kind of motor? Tires?
.trk.
Click to expand...

I have the simple blacked out 49cc Zoom kit and the stock tires on a Schwinn Skyliner....I've enclosed a snap of the bike...the rear tire will need replacing soon...couple flat spots on it,but otherwise it works better now than it ever has .....


Thanks,
Salty.shft.
 

Attachments

  • test image.jpg
    test image.jpg
    231.4 KB · Views: 238
Salty,
You and others like you with mechanical experience will always fair better than those with limited mechanical skills. You know what to look for, what to maintain and can anticipate potential trouble before it becomes a problem. Consider yourself fortunate and enjoy the ride. I have compassion for those with little or no mechanical aptitude who want so bad to have a dependable bike but because of their limited skills struggle with even the most minor situations. That's why we like people like yourself; to speak up and offer to share the knowledge that comes so easily to you, to those who need it the most. Congratulations on your 1000. Keep racking them up.
Tom
 
i dunno the exact mileage, but i've gone 3 months of heavy riding average of maybe 40 miles a day, and all i've had was a broken masterlink 20 seconds into my very first ride (threw it away and joined the chain with a chain breaker,) broke the throttle adjuster out of my grip, probably from leaning it against the wall (my roommate is suspect on that one,) and my fuel inlet banjo bolt at the carb snapped when i was tightening it after cleaning the carb. drilled out a bolt and fixed that.

other than a leaky gas tank, no other problems. not even a flat. oh, except for the broken frame on my first bike, but what do you expect from a 60 year old rollfast cruiser?

engine-wise, i ain't complainin'.

grubee starfire 66cc.
 
2door said:
Salty,
You and others like you with mechanical experience will always fair better than those with limited mechanical skills. You know what to look for, what to maintain and can anticipate potential trouble before it becomes a problem. Consider yourself fortunate and enjoy the ride. I have compassion for those with little or no mechanical aptitude who want so bad to have a dependable bike but because of their limited skills struggle with even the most minor situations. That's why we like people like yourself; to speak up and offer to share the knowledge that comes so easily to you, to those who need it the most. Congratulations on your 1000. Keep racking them up.
Tom
Click to expand...

Hey Tom,
I appreciate the kudos and hope this helps all of us who strive to have success like I have with a build....I was actually blessed with a Dad who instilled upon me at an early age to pay attention to things and your surroundings.....to strive to attain total knowledge....and those lessons are basically why I'm able to do what I can....a lot of these issues all of us face with our MB's are basic common sense....stop and think it out .....there's no rush in building these things.....take your time....think it out ....* patience is a virtue *....* good things to those who wait *.......we all begin in the same place......a box delivered from UPS.....LOL....:)



Thanks,
Salty.shft.
 
bairdco said:
i dunno the exact mileage, but i've gone 3 months of heavy riding average of maybe 40 miles a day, and all i've had was a broken masterlink 20 seconds into my very first ride (threw it away and joined the chain with a chain breaker,) broke the throttle adjuster out of my grip, probably from leaning it against the wall (my roommate is suspect on that one,) and my fuel inlet banjo bolt at the carb snapped when i was tightening it after cleaning the carb. drilled out a bolt and fixed that.

other than a leaky gas tank, no other problems. not even a flat. oh, except for the broken frame on my first bike, but what do you expect from a 60 year old rollfast cruiser?

engine-wise, i ain't complainin'.

grubee starfire 66cc.
Click to expand...

May the stars shine upon you.......awesome....I certainly hope we get more replies with such serendipity......I truly appreciate stories like ours.......



Thanks,
Salty.shft.
 
Michigan Mike said:
Cool! Hope you get another 1000 with no problems!
.ride7a
Click to expand...


Hey Mike....
I hope so too!...even if I don't it's been a **** of a ride.....each milestone is an accomplishment in itself......now onto the NEXT build.....I don't even know where to start......LOL....:)


Thanks,
Salty.shft.
 
Grubee Starfire GT2 on shwinn del mar...between 400 and 500 miles so far..motor running strong..do not ride it to hard..MM 48sprocket and adapter , KMC kool chain...about 28 to 1 fuel mix...had two rear wheel flat on stock ties..buoght a set of Hemisphere kevlar wall and heavy duty thorn proof tubes..wrapped inside of rims with good electrical tape..no more flats..I stay on top of everything that can loosen up especialy chain tensioner
 
I've noticed there's varying definitions of "problem" as well as "fix" TBH :D

I commute every weekday and sometimes I even "miss" the turn to my job and gallivant off to see what's changed over the next hill. I roam far and wide every weekend in search of nothin' at all or just to load up with groceries. I've racked up so many miles in such a short amount of time I've lost count. I suppose it woulda helped if I hadn't accidentally reset my GPS at 1100mi or so... I look at my pile of worn-out tires with some small pride.

While I've had "nothing" at all in the way of problems with my build (generic 66cc HT), I give a lil tweak to somethin' almost every day, every Saturday morning I do a light tuneup (mostly cables and chain), just about once a month I do a fairly major overhaul (bearings, fuel/air, another mod).

My bike has thanked me for this attention by giving me nothin' but pleasurable crusin'. Sure, I've had a coupla flats - but even those I blame on the cheesy tubes that came with my bike. I've had to replace the entire front end - but that wasn't the bike's fault, I was a fool and let another ride it. I don't think my MB approved of this sharing and threw my friend in a turn - I guess it's a monogamous relationship or nufin' heh

Yet I hear of so many that resent this maintenance, neglect their bike, ignore even such simple things as chain lube. Irritated that they would need do anything at all, slapping on some duct tape and a twist of bailing wire - they blame shoddy manufacturing for their continuing woes.

They're right - but it wasn't the Chinese lol

I suppose in many ways it's this disposable culture of ours, there's an expectation that all responsibility ends at the wallet. So many products are like that too - you buy it, use it, chuck it - without a thought to gettin' a lil more by adding a bit of yourself. There's two very different ways to look at these things, "How long will this last?" and "How long can I make this last?"

I love tinkerin' and it's one of the main reasons I motorized a bicycle of all things. I think that many so irate at the poor quality of these kits, disgusted with the continuing "problems" and angry that they "wasted" their money on such "garbage" misunderstand the concept of such a pastime. I for one am a lil disappointed that my project has gone so well, I need to get another as I've so few "problems" left I sometimes just sit and stare at my bike, wondering what to do... then I hop on and just ride the dang thing lol

It's not just a vehicle, it's a continuing project and as such the fun never ends ;)
 
Last edited:
I have a raleigh mountain bike with a pk 80 on it and have just reached 4000kms and the only thing that has broke is the leaver on the fuel peacock after some heavy trailing, that said I have a norco MB with the same engine and half the kms and I am at it 2 times amonth trying to get the same preformace from it.

MOTOR BOYS

Not sure how to add pictures or if this works I am pretty new to the site. If this comes up as apage jit is the bottom bike on the page and the norco is a red one, near the middle. The rest of the bikes are other builds I have done in the past 2 months .
Seeya
 
Last edited:
giving this some thought, and reading the replies, it's funny what some people consider problems, and what "I" consider problems (and some of you other guys, too.)

for instance, when i cleaned and rebuilt my carb, then broke the banjo bolt on reassembly (there's a picture of a generic one in case you have no idea what i'm talking about) i freaked out for a minute, made a few calls trying to find another one, smoked a few cigarettes until i wasn't so p155ed off at "cheap chinese junk," then went through my box of old hardware, found a bolt that fit, drilled some holes in it and made my own. it's been working fine for 2 months.

a lot of people would be waiting two weeks for a new carb to come from ebay.

that being said, i'm not putting down people that have little to no mechanical (or Macguyver-able) abilities, and i'm always trying to help people out, sometimes to the point of absurdity, (like the one thread where the final solution to the stalled bike problem turned out to be, "i'm supposed to use the clutch when i stop?" or the 4 pages that ended with "oh, i have to pedal away from a light?")

i think that's why these bikes are having a hard time breaking into the mainstream, fad, distinction. people aren't building go-carts out of 2x4's and tricycle wheels anymore, they're buying them, and they expect them to work. and when they stop working, they end up at the thrift store or selling for half of what they were new. with these bikes, there's constant maintenance, even if that means just making sure your exhaust baffle's not falling off...

(here's a tip for that, after you get it tight with a screwdriver, get some vice grips and crank it down another full turn...)

this is a tough hobby if you don't know what an air leak feels like, or which way to turn your left side pedal to get it off.

but at least, according to the hundreds of "my bike died!" threads, you're learning...

oh yeah, here's a banjo bolt...
 

Attachments

  • banjo.jpg
    banjo.jpg
    50.9 KB · Views: 159
To some degree you'll probably see exactly what Bairdco is talking about in almost any hobby and especially those requiring some mechanical aptitude to be successful in. Bike Guy Joe, me and several others here fly or have flown radio control planes. I can't tell you how many times we have seen a newcomer to the hobby arrive at the flying field with an ARF (almost ready to fly) plane and it would become apparent almost immediately that he was in no way prepared to launch that plane into the air. With no prior flight skills or experience many of these guys expected to hook up the battery, start the engine and fly away performing aerobatics and otherwise thrilling the crowd with his aeronautical prowess. It just ain't that easy and neither is throwing a bicycle engine kit on that old 10 speed you had hanging in the garage and successfully riding it to work every day with the dependability that one comes to expect from their properly maintained automobile. As I said in an earlier post, I can appreciate that there are some without skills that see a motorized bicycle and immediately imagine themselves cruising down the road without a care in the world, thrilling the crowds and thumbing their noses at the gas stations. It just ain't that easy... Our bikes look simple and the layman will look at them and ask himself, "It's just a bicycle; How hard could it be to build one?"
The answer: It's not hard, nor does it take a rocket scientist to keep one running; but it does require some mechanical skill to install the kit correctly, to be able to visualize what happens when cable 'A' pulls on lever 'B' and to know how and to make adjustments based on how far lever 'b' moves or doesn't move. McGuiver skills help, in fact they are often valuable tools especially when spare parts are days or weeks away. I would bet that all of our successful members have fabricated their fair share of brackets, holders and various doo-dads to keep a machine running. But fabrication skills go hand in hand with mechanical ability. You have to know what the part does before you can make a subsitute. In short, our hobby is not for everyone, few hobbies/sports/past times are. That being said, I still find it a source of satisfaction to be able to sit here and 'talk' a guy through a problem. Even experienced mechanics find there is a learning curve with these bikes and who of us at one time or another has not said to himself, "So...that's how you get that thing to work right." I have and freely admit it. The difference between me and the guy who didn't know he had to open the choke to keep the engine running is that I know what a closed off air intake will do to an internal combustion engine. (I always ride with my choke open)...:)
Tom
 
I am interested in finding out how long a weedeater engine will last. I have a friction drive 30cc homelite weedeater engine and the only thing that has happened in the 300 miles I have ridden it is the cheap bearing that I put on the outboard side of the friction roller failed. I have not seen any posts on these engines longivity. I guess most of them do not last that long. I had a few issues with the carb at first but what can you expect from an engine that was pieced together from 4 junkers that had lain outside in the rain for a couple of years.
Elmo.cargo
 

Attachments

  • EMRALD MOUND 1.JPG
    EMRALD MOUND 1.JPG
    103.6 KB · Views: 176
Last edited:
Elmo,
My guess is that your engine will last as long as you care to tinker with it. If you have the knowledge and skill to "piece together" an engine from four junkers then you have what it takes to keep it running. A little care, some maintenance and mechanical common sense and you'll be riding a very long time. Have fun, ride careful.
Tom
 
my motor lasted a little over 1000miles, then seized (close to home) but up until the last week , it ran smooth. I think i killed it by overreving it down hills and going too fast (30mph) , it was a standard boygofast with standard rear sprocket. the chain sprocket gear bearing was going bad ,(had lots of play in it) which poses the question, should i have limited to riding around 20mph to get more life out of it??? if anyone knows of a better beefier motor, please let me know.:) thanks
 
c3po said:
my motor lasted a little over 1000miles, then seized (close to home) but up until the last week , it ran smooth. I think i killed it by overreving it down hills and going too fast (30mph) , it was a standard boygofast with standard rear sprocket. the chain sprocket gear bearing was going bad ,(had lots of play in it) which poses the question, should i have limited to riding around 20mph to get more life out of it??? if anyone knows of a better beefier motor, please let me know.:) thanks
Click to expand...


These things are Wild Animals....unpredictable at best...BUT.....if you pay attention to the SMALL things....that can prevent BIG things.....it's okay to bang it as fast as you can go but not for long and certainly not downhill......if you want a heavy duty motor try Dax....he's pricey but I've heard good things about him.....all in all just be smart...think it out....



Laters,
Salty.shft.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top