Yes I'm a purist, but a fanatic not at all
I like bikes that capture the spirit of old vintage and classic bikes too and your bike has definitely has it.
Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike
- Thread starter indian22
- Start date
I like bikes that capture the spirit of old vintage and classic bikes too and your bike has definitely has it.
3" rear tire came in this morning, tube & rim tape shipped separately for some reason so can't mount just yet. Photo shows the difference in size. Worked about an hour last evening & finished the saddle/air shock mount, very solid now. Also wrapped the grips with 1/4" tan leather. I'll probably dye them a darker brown, though skin oil will quickly darken them anyway with use. Grip & throttle housing are billet aluminum anodized in a copper finish, quite substantial with end tube caps bolted in place. Also the photos show the copper spring strap overlay. Rick C.
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Thanks Wret I wish I'd spotted your build thread sooner but have since read every post twice, really nice bike you've built & for those who haven't seen it I'd suggest spending some time enjoying Wret's lovely build & interesting posts. I liked the innovative thinking that went into the coaxial bottom bracket, nicely done as you said with common hardware. Having grown up (literally) with lathes & mills & learning to first weld almost 60 years ago, I am amazed at the fine work many of you guys and gals fabricate with minimal equipment at hand & just thinking out of the box. It's inspiring.
I started out to build around a 150cc/electric start, 5 speed Lifan & ordered one that got caught up in the L.A. dock strike this winter. After waiting for close to two months I opted for the 125cc/kick start only & had it in hand less than a week latter. I had originally looked for a 125cc kick & they were out of stock at the time & the 150cc were scheduled to arrive at any time ....go figure!
You also solved the problem of securing the rather wide & tall engine/transmission in a single tube bike frame & making it look great at the same time. Again great work! Rick C.
I started out to build around a 150cc/electric start, 5 speed Lifan & ordered one that got caught up in the L.A. dock strike this winter. After waiting for close to two months I opted for the 125cc/kick start only & had it in hand less than a week latter. I had originally looked for a 125cc kick & they were out of stock at the time & the 150cc were scheduled to arrive at any time ....go figure!
You also solved the problem of securing the rather wide & tall engine/transmission in a single tube bike frame & making it look great at the same time. Again great work! Rick C.
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Thanks for the words of praise Rick.
My bike is a long ways from a peddle bike with a motor kit but I've gotten more inspiration, ideas, help and support from the folks here than any other resource. I was actually blocked on a motorcycle builders site for asking a question about tires when they realized I was using a Chinese motor.
Keep up the work!
My bike is a long ways from a peddle bike with a motor kit but I've gotten more inspiration, ideas, help and support from the folks here than any other resource. I was actually blocked on a motorcycle builders site for asking a question about tires when they realized I was using a Chinese motor.
Keep up the work!
Wret we're quickly becoming a nation of parrots; if we don't mimic the tribe we are added to the menu. Buy what your told is cool & be accepted, get creative and be bannished. God forbid we should think for ourselves! I think the moderators do an admirable job on this forum & that helps attract & hold those who truly love creating varied motorized transports.
Silverbear I'm all about the copper & you're to credit. First item being fitted to the engine is a 6" piece of solid copper cookware, sans handles, bearing a pure copper Indian head concho of about 1.5" diameter & weighing one ounce. All this attached to the drive side case with five .25" brass Chicago screws. The concho has the screw base silver soldered to the back side. Looks better than factory. I'll use the same type of brass fasteners to attach a 4"x4" flat copper plate behind the cookware & just tucked under it to finish off the first phase of "copper aging" process the 125cc engine is to under go. The small addition of copper really seems to tone down the silver engine & contrasts well with it. I may not need much if any black on the motor. We'll see. That's as far as I've actually visualized at this point. I'm quite certain the rest will eventually come to me as it typically does. Rick C.
Silverbear I'm all about the copper & you're to credit. First item being fitted to the engine is a 6" piece of solid copper cookware, sans handles, bearing a pure copper Indian head concho of about 1.5" diameter & weighing one ounce. All this attached to the drive side case with five .25" brass Chicago screws. The concho has the screw base silver soldered to the back side. Looks better than factory. I'll use the same type of brass fasteners to attach a 4"x4" flat copper plate behind the cookware & just tucked under it to finish off the first phase of "copper aging" process the 125cc engine is to under go. The small addition of copper really seems to tone down the silver engine & contrasts well with it. I may not need much if any black on the motor. We'll see. That's as far as I've actually visualized at this point. I'm quite certain the rest will eventually come to me as it typically does. Rick C.
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Getting back to work on hot rod projects. The 1936 Chevy sold this weekend & I decided to jump the suspended animation build of a 1937 Ford pickup to the front of the job orders. It was put on hold after dropping in a 350 engine, mustang steering, air bags and 4 link suspension last year. Runs & drives great & already is a head turner just needs completion...photos to follow, this one has a full size bed & is a great bike hauler!! Meanwhile the Simplex Cajun Gator sits in my home serving as an object to trip over, so it's not easily forgotten. Rick C.
Silverbear the drive side case is as copper plated as it will be. The flat plate is 1/8" thick solid copper with 5 brass Chicago screws securing it in place. My calico miniature Persian inspected and approved so I suppose I'll treat the opposite side case in a similar fasion, though noticeably unique. I'm not a big fan of mirror image, though I do strive for balance. Also my stock of copper cookware is almost depleted, so I'm starting to rely on available copper plumbing supplies, remember I'm the guy who used two stainless steel commercial sinks to tig up a fuel tank for his rat rod pickup project....I always wanted to build something that used everything including the kitchen sink! Rick C.
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As you can guess, I like it a lot. Those Chicago brass screws are the cat's meow, (as in the first picture).
SB
Rear 26"x3" came in & now mounted stands 27.75" makes a huge difference. really filling out the rear triangle. Before & after photos don't really do it justice. Only major element remaining in the build is the co-axial peddle bracket/engine drive, but a ton of small details to attend to along the way as well as other projects requiring attention.
We had a five year drought broken in May with 27.5" of rain in just 30 days (an all time state record) with another 10 plus inches in June. Indian Territory can no longer to be regarded as a desert state, at least for the moment.
Rick C.
We had a five year drought broken in May with 27.5" of rain in just 30 days (an all time state record) with another 10 plus inches in June. Indian Territory can no longer to be regarded as a desert state, at least for the moment.
Rick C.
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Let me know if you could use a piece of 40mm shaft. I still most of a kart axle left. Probably no big deal for a guy with a lathe though.
AWESOME !!! Been a while since i looked at your build progress,,, man it' looks great! Any how i thought i read something about a 5 speed transmission ,,, or maybe not. I found this on E-Bay & thought you might be intrested in it. Keep up the great work on it ,,, can't wait to see it finished. You have to check out all the pics of this shifter! Later DOC
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Thanks Wret for your kind offer, I've already turned a 3/4" x13" shaft for the co-axle some while ago & cut a short key way on the pedal side for sprocket adjustment, with clip ring cuts for the bottom bracket bearings, drilled tapped and square tapered the axle ends...now I just need to remember where I laid it down at the shop cause it's sure not at home! I just ordered a 2" bottom bracket shell rather than turn one (having a lathe doesn't mean I always use it) as the shells are very inexpensive. I also located a 25 tooth one piece ring (sprocket) that I'll drill and mount to a short length of 1.75" aluminum rod that will be keyed to the pedal side shaft. 25t up front 14t on the rear axle, equals a very high 1.785 ratio...maybe help me pedal a bit in a pinch, hopefully the pedals are just a place to rest my feet & the 125cc 5 speed will do all the work. Copper looks like a basis for a headlight. Rick C.Let me know if you could use a piece of 40mm shaft. I still most of a kart axle left. Probably no big deal for a guy with a lathe though.
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DOC thanks for the praise & the shifter info, the 5 sp. click shifter was used on the fine Simplex bicycles (not affliated with the Simplex Servi-cycle motor cycles of New Orleans), think it was a derailler system but might have been a multi-speed axle ...1950-ish? Slick little item yet won't work for my use. The 125cc engine I'm using has a integral 5 speed transmission using a foot shift lever, motor cycle style. Rick C.AWESOME !!! Been a while since i looked at your build progress,,, man it' looks great! Any how i thought i read something about a 5 speed transmission ,,, or maybe not. I found this on E-Bay & thought you might be intrested in it. Keep up the great work on it ,,, can't wait to see it finished. You have to check out all the pics of this shifter! Later DOC
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I've been using a small led rechargable light source on my Indian Navaho build (photo) for a few weeks & have been impressed with not only the performance but also the quality of this low cost light, $18., battery pack, charger & shipping cost included. Brand name is Cree. It produces 2500 lumen on high beam & half that on low. I don't ride much at night but the battery has only required charging once...puts out a lot of light.
I decided to get another for my Cajun Gator Simplex & fabricate a copper headlight housing based on the small Cree light source & various bits of copper plumbing & flat plate. Rick C.
I decided to get another for my Cajun Gator Simplex & fabricate a copper headlight housing based on the small Cree light source & various bits of copper plumbing & flat plate. Rick C.
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1937 Ford V8 bike hauler at the shop & a 1967 SS396 project car that was just traded for. Hasn't been tagged since 1977, a California car. It's going into the body shop next week. The 396 engine will go into the machine shop for a complete rebuild too. The Simplex Cajun Gator build will continue to go forward as well. Rat rod Chevy is getting a new Mustang 2 front end as well. Color us busy and happy with the current projects! Rick C.
