my custom motorbike project

aricarmon

New Member
so this is my bike, i started with i guess you would say concept drawing back in February while i was sitting through my anthropology class, i had been meaning to start for awhile now and finally decided i needed to do it so i researched this motorbicycling and found out some general knowledge. i decided to buy the 68cc jet china kit off of ebay (i got it for $125) and decided to buy a replica schwinn phantom tank. as soon as they came in the mail i decided to finally start with my frame. i stayed up until about three in the morning laying everything and double checking measurements to make sure everything was going to fit and be rideable. the very next day i bought a huge piece of plywood and layed out the grid so i could transfer over the scale drawing. and to my honest amazement everything fell into place and seems like its going to fit. my next step is to cutout the template and make a jig that i can bend the 1" tubing around to make the frame. i plan on documenting this as i go so throw in any suggestions you guys have or any possible devastating observations you have that i can fix as i go, thanx everyone im really excited about this
 

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Nice bike! I cant wait to see pics of it when it's finished. Glad others like to draw out their creations first as well.



Good luck on your build! Looks like you need more chain links.

.bld.
 

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The Curves are what it is all about! Congratulations! Not a chop and piece together we see so often. I love the location of the motor down low where it belongs. Excellent! And the single piece curved downtube is a wonderful design that delivers so much panache!
Is a flat sided springer front end in the works? I hope you will post many pictures of your progress with this obviously well thought out project.
Gene
 
The Curves are what it is all about! Congratulations! Not a chop and piece together we see so often. I love the location of the motor down low where it belongs. Excellent! And the single piece curved downtube is a wonderful design that delivers so much panache!
Is a flat sided springer front end in the works? I hope you will post many pictures of your progress with this obviously well thought out project.
Gene

well i decided i was going to make my own leaf spring suspension like on the old motorcycles from the 30s and 40s, thats mostly going to be trial and error because i have not seen one on a light bike like mine and i dont know how many leaf springs/length of pivot point is going to work for the weight of me+bike, if you know anything about this let me know
 
Ari,

I like your approach to the task of custom bike building. New projects are always a learning experience. A well thought out plan is a key element for success. You are on the right track!

I have been involved in manufacturing for over 20 years, and I have learned a lot by asking the right questions to people who had far more experience than I. Today I find myself able to give back to others what I have been given.

Show me some pics of the springer you would like to have; and give me a little raw data, (as you build).

I can use my FEA, (finite element analysis), program to give you the specs you need with 85% accuracy.

Jim
 
Ari,

I like your approach to the task of custom bike building. New projects are always a learning experience. A well thought out plan is a key element for success. You are on the right track!

I have been involved in manufacturing for over 20 years, and I have learned a lot by asking the right questions to people who had far more experience than I. Today I find myself able to give back to others what I have been given.

Show me some pics of the springer you would like to have; and give me a little raw data, (as you build).

I can use my FEA, (finite element analysis), program to give you the specs you need with 85% accuracy.

Jim

wow that would be excellent if you did that for me, il send you some pictures later of what i had in mind and do some more sketches, thanks i really appreciate it
 
Yes, laying out a custom build is a MUST before you start. I used Photoshop (or you could use GIMP, its Free and almost as good). I took pictures of all the motor parts and the stretch cruiser frame and then figured the motor placement, designed motor mounts to fit the angle and placement, where to locate the chain pullys etc. Was a bit easier having a bike frame to start with.

Also, if youre interested, theres a free 2D cad program called CadStd that might be easier to use than drawing on paper. Heres the link CadStd - Cad Standard Lite freeware and inexpensive Pro software.

This is how the photoshop draw looked before the build:
Bike.jpg


This is the (almost) finished project:
BeachShot.jpg
 
... figured the motor placement, designed motor mounts to fit the angle and placement, where to locate the chain pullys etc. Was a bit easier having a bike frame to start with...

hey what did you use for chain pullies to change the angle to the engine?
 
hey what did you use for chain pullies to change the angle to the engine?

I used skateboard wheels, screwed into threaded rod coupling nuts that I silver brazed onto 1/2 in. hex bolts, that I screwed into a 1/2 in. threaded rod coupling nut. I cut off the kick stand attachment plate and brazed on a thicker plate and brazed the 1/2 in. threaded rod coupling nut onto that. One skateboard wheel screws into the top of the coupling nut and the other screws into the bottom of the coupling nut allowing me to adjust the height of the rollers.

I turned down the skateboard wheels by mounting them on a drill press and cutting them just like you would on a wood lathe.

Rollers.jpgrollerdiagram.jpg
 
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Very cool dynamic drawing, Aricarmon.
It has a striking resemblance to a bike I've saved in my archives.
Heck, it even has the same #7 on it.

so this is my bike, i started with i guess you would say concept drawing back in February while i was sitting through my anthropology class, i had been meaning to start for awhile now and finally decided i needed to do it so i researched this motorbicycling and found out some general knowledge. i decided to buy the 68cc jet china kit off of ebay (i got it for $125) and decided to buy a replica schwinn phantom tank. as soon as they came in the mail i decided to finally start with my frame. i stayed up until about three in the morning laying everything and double checking measurements to make sure everything was going to fit and be rideable. the very next day i bought a huge piece of plywood and layed out the grid so i could transfer over the scale drawing. and to my honest amazement everything fell into place and seems like its going to fit. my next step is to cutout the template and make a jig that i can bend the 1" tubing around to make the frame. i plan on documenting this as i go so throw in any suggestions you guys have or any possible devastating observations you have that i can fix as i go, thanx everyone im really excited about this
 

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