Merkel Board Track copy

AWESOME! THANKS MUCH

I am going to put this and all your stuff on print and save for referance when I get started and the BSA......................Curt

Brett777 will be building another I can tell this will get him going
 
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curtisfox said:
Brett777 will be building another I can tell this will get him going
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Ha! Once I got over my teething problems, yes, Im really happy with these machines now. With the change in pipe mine runs just great, & the vibrations are gone. Ive also learnt to take the insert outta the fuel cap & leave it out :-)

Sorry, dont wanna hijack, just answering Curt's comment: Im gonna order the worksman loop frame from Pat for mine & change everything over to it.
 
More stuff done! Herm came out tonight for a break from the usual stuff. We finalized the gas tank mounts and modified the fuel tank petcock etc and fabricated some fuel lines...I love copper!
After that we fired the engine up (he hadn't heard it run before) and gave everything a good spin-up to see what would fall off (luckily nothing). If it hadn't been pouring rain I'm sure it would have had it's maiden voyage, but that will have to wait until another day...all that's left to do now is build a period correct kill switch and a little cap for the steering stem.
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I see you have some rubber hose at the ends of the fuel lines. Is that to prevent the copper fracturing from vibration?
 
Brett,
Yes exactly...I'm not really worried about the copper fracturing, but it does make things much less prone to vibration and leakage (I have had problems before with brass fittings) and it makes it a lot easier to attach and disconnect as well.
 
Good idea. As you probably already know, on the old Harleys with copper oil lines they put a loop in them to prevent fracture from vibration.
You must be looking forward to taking that masterpiece for a ride.
 
Yes, those old engineering solutions really do work.
Oh yeah brother! Getting really itchy to try it out...cold around these parts today, just above freezing and a strong north west wind, but supposed to get a bit milder over the weekend...maybe Sunday morning? Only the kill switch left now :)
 
Herm came out this morning (20 Nov.) and we had the Flying Merkel on the road for the first time! After some slight teething problems (seat too low and our bellies too big to get our feet up on the pedals and right leg choking the engine to death when applying the brakes) everything else seemed to work perfectly, including the pedal start system and the compression release...in fact you can simply walk alongside the machine with the compression release engaged, let it go and the engine will fire right up. I had it puttering along very happily at about 50kph with a whole lot to spare. The machine handles perfectly and sounds very sweet without being too loud. As I said, the seat was raised about two inches which made it a lot easier for us to get our legs up on the pedals and we modified the intake stack to make it impossible to choke the engine when running with the right leg. After that took some outdoor pics of the bike and the two idiots who built it. Herm seemed pleased as punch when we put it in his truck to take home...I had a great time helping build it and I know he will have a ton of fun riding it around his neighbourhood and as a pit-bike at the local drag-strip.
I want to say thanks to one and all for all the positive input during the build, not to mention the technical assistance and encouragement. When the weather gets warm again, maybe I can figure out how to take some video and post it.

Finishing touches ...kill switch, steering stem cap and gas cap.
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Mortorbicycle Porno
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Two idiots...I'm the one on the left.
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WOW.................. just................... WOW :-).............. one of the nicest bikes around, and built on a budget. A true inspiration!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
That is a nice bike!!!!!!!! looks larger when your standing next to it, like the old ones did.
Ever think about doing a Ivers Johnson M/B they have a similar frame and tank design as the Merkel and on one has yet to do one, looks you two guys would have the ability to do that, they were Baige & Brown and a good looking bike, look one up on the net
 
Thanks so much for all the positive responses guys, I've been gathering bits and pieces for the next job...a friend has asked me if I can build him and Indian board track bike from around 1926...going by the picture he sent me, it looks like a very good candidate for a CV belt drive set up. In a way, I wish he had asked for something from the early teens, could have leaned the engine back against the seat post similar to the look of the old Indian singles. Yes truckd, those Iver Johnson bikes are a really good looking old machine, will definitely put one on my bucket list.
 
Goldy,
Thanks for sharing that awsome build. Every time I get to the point where I think of just saying good enough with the tricar I see the Merkle again as you post how it is moving towards completion and that renews my resolve to make it better no matter what it takes.

Thank you.

Steve.
 
Wow this bikes just asgood as the bsa if not be even better, and you look almost ezactaly like my uncle jim!! Even both of my parents agreed about that!
 
I think this one is a little better than the BSA, not as complicated in the front end and not much in the way of fenders and gaurds etc, but more technical in terms of the drive line and compression release. Maybe if I get ambitious over the winter I'll gear up the BSA clutch and engine so I can pedal start it too.
By the way, Uncle Jim must be very handsome...is he a backwoods hick too? :D
 
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Kinda, he bought a entire street block and turned it into his private "junkyard" but the city madehim scrap most of it so he moved out into the boondocks (near my house) and is re-starting his collection. T one point he had 2 sets of band brake wood rim bicycle wheels and a old motorwheel (its locked up tight as a drum and he's hidden it somewhere tokeep me from fixing it). He's alo got a boat motor that I'm planing to use for a mb poject
 
He sounds like a pretty cool guy! I was reading the thread you wrote about the outboard...sounds like it might work...ever seen those bikes put together with the Nimbus car engines? Some of them are so good they could easily pass for a Henderson or an early Indian...with a little forethought and perseverance I don't see why you couldn't come up with something that would work. Figuring out how to set up the cooling system might be the biggest hurdle.
 
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