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hornetspit

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Yep thats me, "Hornetspit" I had some better names but can't use them. I am old old old. Be 72 in December but feel like teenager in some ways and about 92 in other ways. Just built a "ThatsDax" and loving it. Rides just fine for me. Duane at "Thats Dax" is an ok guy. Gave me plenty of help whenever I needed it. I do have a question: Do any of you use one of those Tachometer/Hour meters that you just wrap the pickup wire around the sparkplug wire and it will give you the engine RPM's or by pushing a button it reads out the total time the engine has run since it was installed? Neither is a necessary part but humor me. I just like that sort of thing. Thanks, Tom
Forgot, I am in Arkansas
 
Welcome Hornetspit! Yer def not the only old-timer round these parts... but I can't say anymore or they'll gang up on me o.O

I don't have one on my bike yet, but I've had this before and loved it : Tiny-Tach: Gasoline Tachometers

If ya want analog style and/or more to choose from there's this thread: http://motorbicycling.com/f13/egt-cht-other-instrumentation-11620.html

If ya wanna save a penny I've heard tell there's digital ones for tractors etc. for $20 or less, but I don't have a link handy...


Would love to see yer bike BTW :D
 
Welcome to the forum Hornetspit:what I do is keep a log book in which I record the dates and times of all maintenance including running hours.If your Dax has a 4 stroke,that is great because they last along time.There is no body in here that has the same system as I do,but thats probably because they have been sold out for a year now.I am BLAKENSTEIN....the happy face guy.:):):):):)
 
Ok Barely Awake and Blankenstein, Those little tacs and ultralight instruments are sort of expensive. There is one on ebay for 23 dollars and change. That includes shipping and is suppose to work on 2 or 4 cycle engines by simply wraping the pickup wire around the plug wire. That price is a "Buy IT Now" price. There are many others that are the same but are up for bid. I have bid of two of these and always get beat out by someone that is willing to pay more than 23 bucks. I stop bidding at about 19.00 dollars because shipping is like 3.65 or so. I believe I will go ahead get one of the "Buy Now". My engine is a Dax 2 stroke and may not last or it may but I still just like instruments. Used to own a ultralight one time. Actually was building it but got tired of it after about 5 years and sold it to a commercial pilot up in Fayetteville. Haven't heard how it worked out for him. Thanks for the replys. Tom
 
You being aircraft personnel, I can see why you would want a tac.I however, am not aircraft personnel.M y motor is governed and designed so that it will not over rev.I just finished mounting a new 48cc-same system as the 35.on 48 there is no gas/air ratio needle valve .It seems they took that away from me for being stupid,however what do I do when humidity and temp change?anyway, I just go by the feel for speed and rpm.It seems that the 48 controls me instead of me controlling it.-sort of keeps me in line.haha.:):):):)
 
Thats called seat of the pants riding. I actually think it is probably best not to have to many instruments or maybe just none at all. That way you really get to know your bike and what its doing just by the feel and sound of it. I know that a lot of people are not going to agree with me on not having anything (speedometer etc.). In the early days airplanes were flown strickly by the "seat of the pants" and they did right well.
 
hornetspit, (Tom), (another one?)
Welcome to the best motorized bicycle forum available. And, no, you're not the senior member. Just wait, you'll see. I'm right behind you in years, so don't slow down.
Duane, thatsdax, happens to be a neighbor and I agree, he's a stand up guy. He takes care of his customers before and after the sale, and with these little 2 strokers, that's important. We all love pictures so as soon as possible, post a couple of your bike.
As for flying without instruments...I have a friend who flew across the U.S, Carolina to California with only a tach and an oil pressure guage in a no radio, open cockpit biplane. Now that's seat-of-the-pants. Have fun, ride careful.
Tom
 
Thats the way I fly air planes on the San-Andreas video game.They have everything from crop dusters to harrier jump jets and in the relm of helicopters,they have everything from hewies to Apaches.I love landing mustangs ,bi-planes, and the monos on parking lots and golf courses without crashing and sometimes even in the street.I also invented a fancy way of landing the harrier-just before touchdown, I spin it around to get it moving backwards, just a couple feet above the ground,then I flatten up the vents and it just jumps out of the air and sits there lightly enough not to cause damage.It is too bad that at my age I should be flying real ones, but life did not go that way for me.P.S.I have two great uncles who were pilots in world war 2.
 
hornetspit, yer not the first to bemoan the price of those instruments and I'll bet ya wont be the last so please don't take offense if I seem a touch exasperated lol - I just can't for the life of me figure out why so many would rather **** about on ebay of all gawdforsaken places trying desperately to save 5 to 10 bucks by bidding on some random, generic POS sold by "some guy" o_O

It's cool - to each their own, but honestly I jus' don't understand it. I'm hardly "Mr. Moneybags" and sure, I shop around but it seems to me that sometimes $10 just isn't worth the bother... It's true however that ifn yer not very, very careful such hobbies will quickly "nickle & dime" you to death - yet unless I were to attempt to sell these bikes and thus be interested in a profit margin I just try and not think about it too much lol

Insofar as the "aircraft" gauges, those are uncertified and only for use in homebuilt aircraft. As such, they're by far the cheapest instruments of their type I've been able to find. If anyone can dig up an accurate EGT/CHT for less than $40 or so please give me a holler (and stylish lol, no oven thermometers please) :p

I will be the first to admit that such toys are really not needful on our bikes, yet I am simply enamored with flashy lights, dials, and gauges lol - I will try and resist gettin' an airspeed or a turn and bank indicator for my bike though laff

This "high-tech" and fancy aircraft instrument served me quite well on my ultralight despite being an exorbitant, even decadent ten dolla' :D I started out flying w/o even a single gauge, but only an ijit would fly without an airspeed indicator.

The Hall airspeed indicator;
4529_80w.gif


lol - while I'm ranting on, my favorite "expensive aircraft instrument" was my slip/skid indicator... a lil piece of string tied to my nose cone :D
 
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You dudes are talking about saving 1o dollars?I just received 131.oo worth of parts from Florida,and ended up paying 240.00 .However, not having change for the del.driver-giving him 60 and telling him to keep the change on a 48dollar broker charge might have something to do with it.I cannot afford this anymore.I also paid extra 20 to the person of wohms credit card I used.This is not my computer either.Bikes are all I have for transport.You dudes are a thousand times richer than I am,and on monday,I went for a ride to get new threading taps&set screws-I returned with 15 screws,2 taps,2 drill bits.The bits I dont need and did not ask for.Over 30 years ago a class2 welder/class1 mechanic taught me how to sharpen drill bits.besides that,I also returned with a new roll of aluminum insulation tape and a new hat!!! I'm 48 years old and I've got 400.00 to my name.I live in a high per capita income country and if all I end up with is a bike,well then,it better be a*****good one!! I have over 5 grand worth of bikes but its all I have to get around on besides my feet.Anyway, now its time for.......HAPPY FACES.......:):):):):)
 
lol Blakenstein, the nearly 50% tip habit might explain yer empty wallet - I wish ya lived closer cause I'd start delivering pizzas :D
 
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