Motorized Bicycle Take a Tip...Leave a Tip

[anim8r]

If you don't have a tool kit mounted on your bike, try putting the tools you need in a work glove. You can strap it somewhere on the bike, stick it in a pocket, or hang it from a belt loop....but the main thing is that you'll have a glove in case you have to work on a hot part while you're out on the road.
(except the head....don't do anything to the head when it's hot)

 

[rustycase]

Well that's gud, dog...
Sometimes yah just get stumped!
Venice will fix u up gud.
...be sure to let them tell u what the prob was so u learn.
rc

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

If you don't have a tool kit mounted on your bike, try putting the tools you need in a work glove. You can strap it somewhere on the bike, stick it in a pocket, or hang it from a belt loop....but the main thing is that you'll have a glove in case you have to work on a hot part while you're out on the road.
(except the head....don't do anything to the head when it's hot)

Like anim8r said, don't even remove the sparkplug until the engine is cold. If not, ya MIGHT damage the threads on the head.

The best tool bag I've used for years is that "green" grocery bag from the supermarket. It was free and it's held up very well.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Air Cleaner Protection For Riding In The Rain!

It stormed so hard a few weeks ago that engine performance suffered while riding in the rain. A LOT of water was pouring into the air cleaner. My next project is to fab a rain protector for the carb. It'll be made outa a tin can with a hole in the bottom for the air cleaner stud. I'll drill a hole in the chrome air cleaner cover and install a bolt. When it's raining hard, I'll simply slip on the tin can and secure it with a wingnut.

I'll keep one tin can at work, in case it REALLY starts pouring, and one at home.

 

[rustycase]

Gud deal 57.

I'm scouting for interesting tin canned foods, too.
Tuna cans are the most promising, but I've also ate some smoked oysters, and some mexican sardines that have a great oval shape. It's just kida too big for the space available, though!

...Actually, should be able to do some interesting things with a beer can and draw some entertaining attention! lol
They can be easily cut with a box cutter or scissors. I use 'em for shim stock regularly.

...but u should ignore me... I'm a real nutcase! I keep seeds from the garden and little stones for my lapidary stuff in vegetable cans I take a fancy to because I like the particular piece of commercial artwork on the label. lol
Last one I discovered was some tomato sauce by El Pato brand... It means 'duck' in Spanish, and has a kool picture of a duck on the label.
Got squash seeds stored in it. ...cheep entertainment! lol

Best
rc

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

You're funny, rc. I'm not ignoring you, lol.

Dang! My engine's carb faces downward at a 60* angle. I'll need to fab an "umbrella" for the air cleaner.

 

[CTripps]

You could probably use a downward facing 90° elbow and a short bit of pipe on the way to your air cleaner to reduce the amount of water going in. Not only would it have to be drawn up and around a sharp curve, it should condense on the inside of the tube and drain downward.

 

[DuctTapedGoat]

I would just use a properly cared for and oiled air filter.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

I would just use a properly cared for and oiled air filter.

Maybe I should re-oil the K&N filter for starters, like you suggested.

 

[Goat Herder]

I am rain and noise proofed. http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc400/GoatHerder123123/P1010004.jpg

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Instead of mounting my camera on the handlebars, I mounted it atop a 2" angle bracket onto the right side of the bike, near the head.

I hate it when the camera pans around wherever the handlebars point. Mounting the camera on the frame will prevent that. I had to tiewrap the brake cables outa the way of the camera lens.

Fearing that the camera would work loose during the ride, I looped its handle/string around the downtube. It's easy enough to remove the camera when parking the bike.

In bad weather, I'll wrap a ziplock bag around the camera. I should still be able to shoot the video in the rain.

 

[sputterputtBAM]

I bet thats gonna be way smooth video. Keeping posted.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Extra tire protection!

My nearly-new tire tube ripped @ the valve. It was the heavy-duty thick one. I felt bad just throwing it away. Instead, I cut out the valve and slit the tube all the way around on the inside. Then I wrapped the defective tube around the new tube and reinstalled it onto the rear wheel.

Extra protection!

 

[worksmanFL]

Re: Extra tire protection!

My nearly-new tire tube ripped @ the valve. It was the heavy-duty thick one. I felt bad just throwing it away. Instead, I cut out the valve and slit the tube all the way around on the inside. Then I wrapped the defective tube around the new tube and reinstalled it onto the rear wheel.

Extra protection!

Thats a Grrreat Idea!

Thanks for sharing!

The same exact thing happened to me with the other valve - Presta.

(I probably messed it up on my own as I didnt know you needed an adapter for a rim with a Schrader Valve hole opening.)

Thanks again!

 

[CTripps]

Re: Extra tire protection!

My nearly-new tire tube ripped @ the valve. It was the heavy-duty thick one. I felt bad just throwing it away. Instead, I cut out the valve and slit the tube all the way around on the inside. Then I wrapped the defective tube around the new tube and reinstalled it onto the rear wheel.

Extra protection!

I tried that set-up with my new tube and tire, but I couldn't get it to settle properly between the tube and tire. I changed to using it as a liner between the tube and the tread of the tire. I'm hoping to reduce the puncture problems I'm plagued with, so the debris now has to go through a new kevlar lined tire, 2-3 thicknesses of old tube and then the new self-sealing tube. I'm pretty sure the pressure variations I have now are all due to the overnight temp hitting freezing with the days not much warmer.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Re: Extra tire protection!

I tried that set-up with my new tube and tire, but I couldn't get it to settle properly between the tube and tire. I changed to using it as a liner between the tube and the tread of the tire. I'm hoping to reduce the puncture problems I'm plagued with, so the debris now has to go through a new kevlar lined tire, 2-3 thicknesses of old tube and then the new self-sealing tube. I'm pretty sure the pressure variations I have now are all due to the overnight temp hitting freezing with the days not much warmer.

The old tube slipped around the new one like a glove.

If it hadn't, I would've pumped up the tube a bit. Then I'd slip the old tube over it, wrapped electrician's tape around it every 12", then installed the new tube.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Re: Extra tire protection!

I tried that set-up with my new tube and tire, but I couldn't get it to settle properly between the tube and tire. I changed to using it as a liner between the tube and the tread of the tire. I'm hoping to reduce the puncture problems I'm plagued with, so the debris now has to go through a new kevlar lined tire, 2-3 thicknesses of old tube and then the new self-sealing tube. I'm pretty sure the pressure variations I have now are all due to the overnight temp hitting freezing with the days not much warmer.

You could try pumping up the tube a bit, wrap the old one around like a glove, then secure with electrician's tape. Then install new tube.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Unsure if I mentioned this before.

When I was running friction drive, I modified my two rear support struts.

Every vendor offering friction drive allowed their engine and drive housing to rise maybe 3 inches when the quick-release was loosened. Good enough to disengage the friction roller.

Engine motor mount bolts were always a pain to get access to, even when the roller was raised 3 inches. Sometimes, I wish I could raise the drive housing high, maybe 12" or more.

What I did was simply cut off the tops of the support struts. When the quick-release was loosened, it allowed the drive housing rise rise off its struts. The housing was almost perpendicular to the ground.

This allowed EXCELLENT access to motor mount bolts, even to the front pivot nuts and bolts!

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

I adjust the carb on my Tanaka 47R engine quite often.

When I changed tire diameter, I adjusted the carb.

When I swapped from 50:1 two-stroke oil to Opti-2 100:1 ratio, I adjusted my carb. When I inadvertently put the wrong mix in, I adjusted the carb.

I USED to carry a screwdriver in my pants pocket to adjust my carb. I ALWAYS worry about jabbing myself, if I fall off my bike.

So now, I adjust my carb's "L" and "H" settings with the fingernail on my forefinger.

It's much safer, and hey, it works!

 

[Jumpa]

I came up with this idea because my wife got tired of using her beautifully manicured fingers as a truing gauge as a way for me to true my rims . Tools needed
1.) Channel locks
2.) Vise grips
3.) Table "you don't really care about"
4.) Old bike frame
5.) your spoke tightener

I gently spin the rim when it hits I make minor adjustments and before you know it , the rim doesn't hit the channel locks any more. I personally like to take the rubber off the inner rim part and use a screw driver to tighten / loosen spokes . It really worked nicely. It isn't 100% perfect but then again what is?