Re-doing my 8hp Briggs Bike

[msrfan]

I started building this bike over 20 years ago. John at Banzai Machine had just completed a bike and I took this one to his shop to get the motor mounts welded into the frame. His partner, Roger, says "where's mine", so I gave it to him. We have been trading stuff for years and were good friends, so I had no problem giving it up. Roger tacked it all together and got it running. He lightened the flywheel so much it had way to much acceleration and engine impulses making it too uncomfortable to ride. He had me store it with a couple of other bicycles and told me if anything happened to him just keep them. He passed on a few years later and it sat in my shed for an appropriate grieving period. I wanted to ride it as a tribute to Roger so I put a stock weight flywheel on it and cut down a guard to fit. He had a tank mounted lever engaged clutch on it for a Whizzer type drive train. The 8hp seemed to slip the belts so I changed it over to chain final drive with a modified 3rd Millennium auto clutch and a 72 tooth rear sprocket. Now it was a pleasure to ride.This is what it looked like for years and I rode it off and on to Donut Derelicts.

 

[msrfan]

After the great success I had using 3D Motorsports clutches on 3 builds, I decided I wanted one on this bike along with a kickstarter like on my Chopper bike build.


https://motorbicycling.com/threads/daves-1962-schwinn-briggs-bike.62250/


I also wanted a new look as the fuel tank was leaking anyway. I changed the bars to extended Torringtons, added motorcycle levers with a double brake cable setup, welded a clutch housing into the seat tube, put on a Sachs moped tank, changed back to belt drive with a modified 3D Motersports clutch, changed the intake tube to make room, fabbed up a kickstarter that crossed over to the right side and built some heavy duty wheels with a moped rear drum and a motorcycle front brake. Also added plenty of gussets, rear axle adjusters, changed the seat, tires and made sprockets to run a special chain. I was able to keep some of Rogers touches like the exhaust pipe and a cool engine head stay. Control cables lights and paint should finish it.

 

[msrfan]

I'm adding a custom primary cover, kickstand foot, chrome flywheel cover and maybe a bobbed rear fender to keep the rear wheel from throwing dirt into the clutch and carb. I get a lot of my inspiration from Ray, Gilbert, Silverbear, Jeff, Norm, Curt, and tons of the other builders on this forum.

 

[curtisfox]

KOOOOOOOL! Looking really good, that’s The beauty of the forum. So many builders, so many ideas, and most are for the better. Like why didn’t I think of that,LOL. Love the kick start, will be doing one myself, and belt drive is my favorited. Glad to see you are back doing more.........Curt

 

[mason_man]

Like Curt said Dale. You're a man of many Talents!
I haven't said much but I have seen a lot of really cool projects going on the forum here. Tinsmith,fasteddy,Indain22, Gilbert, Andy, biknut,and so many others.
I hope it's okay to post some pictures of some future projects I'm doing with racie,a couple European bikes. Here's 2 projects race's doing. Don't let him know I posted some pictures.

You guys have really inspired me as well.


Thank you!
Ray

 

[indian22]

Dale and Ray....Super work, excellent photos and wonderful props....

I'll ditto your remarks and credits for inspiration & include both of you guys work while I'm at it!

You know I'm lovin' that Simplex truck project. Your 're absolutely killing it! Engine fits snuggly and looks quite proper in the duplex frame. Twin tubes sure spoil you for ease of secure mounting, but I always wish they would have added a few inches of length & height to facilitate the use of larger engines. Please keep feeding us with updates and photos of your current projects.

Rick C. (big & old fan)

 

[Greg58]

I'll be watching the progress on this thread, great ideas.

 

[indian22]

Ray I meant to comment on your use of the Whizzer motor in the Simplex truck frame and got distracted, but now I'm back on track. What a wonderful combo and fit, just so appropriate in many ways and a modification that I've not before seen. Both the Simplex and the Whizzers are part of my youthful recollections and that they be matched up in a build, any build, but especially in a truck is awesome. The decades that both were manufactured correspond and I'd so like to see both a Simplex bike and truck displayed together and both powered by Whizzer engines....

Many Simplex frames exits, but the engines are relatively scarce. Adding a Whizzer, new model or original, is such an obvious choice that I completely overlooked it!

I sure hope you start a "truck" build thread on this forum so we can see the progress as it unfolds to completion!

Now back to your wonderful Briggs upgrade!

Rick C.

 

[mason_man]

This is Brian Scott's board track frame and front fork. It's a Mike Simpson product.
We'll be installing a new generation motor with open over head valves.
Dale's gonna give me some help putting it together.

Ray

 

[indian22]

What a great project and know you're excited about being involved in it Ray.

Rick C.

 

[zing]

Aspirational ! Really nice work !!!!!!!

 

[msrfan]

I found a cool horn at Long Beach Cycle Swap. Made a simple clutch lever lockout, reinforced the kickstart pedal, went back to a Morrow rear brake (the double cable lever didn't perform well), installed my cool pedal chain and got the flywheel cover to fit nicely.

 

[curtisfox]

KOOOOOOOLL! What are the sprockets off from, or did you make them? Like the simple clever lockout........Curt

 

[msrfan]

Hey Curt. My grandson laser cut the front sprocket from a blueprint I made and we designed it on his Solidworks program. I hand carved the rear sprocket with information in my machinist handbook and had it welded onto a Morrow sprocket so it would thread onto the hub. Still need to put both back in my lathe and clearance the edges a little so the rollers slip into place without hanging up. The chain is 1'' pitch conveyor chain from McMasterCarr. Just wanted something different looking.

 

[curtisfox]

Really awesome! Looks like the old first series bike chain. Nice work like it a lot. KOOL bike .......Curt

 

[indian22]

I've also been in the redoing mode for the past year. I also like the clutch lock, I've never felt confidence in the kit style lockout.

All your changes make a difference. Are you sure that horn's not a submariner's Klaxon? I'm pretty sure it will cause those who hear it... dive!

Nice work on all.

Rick C.

 

[msrfan]

Thanks Curt, I'm really having fun with this one. I'm using an original Whizzer rear sheave because the repop one didn't line up with the spokes when I changed to the Morrow hub. It's held on with hook head bolts that I made for another bike years ago. I filed slots under the head of the bolts with an 1/8'' round file to grab each spoke and used cap nuts on the other side I had to taper to fit next to the corner in the pulley. Thanks Rick. That horn is real loud and raspy. The 3D Motorsports clutch lever lockout works fine but has no return spring. I like it to pop out of the way when I grab it. You know you can't buy this stuff. When we want something special or have to create a part to do the job or fix a problem, you better have a few tools and an idea how to do it. I love custom pieces like we make for our builds. And when they look good it's a real bonus. Trying to pass this down to the kids. Most think if it doesn't show why make it look nice. I tell them to deburr edges and holes and smooth out rough ground surfaces so it works correctly and don't cut you when you touch it. Also when it's time to take it apart, everything goes as planed.

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

Don't know if it was plasma cut for area under my truck hood where I was changing a bulb, but they didn't do smoothing out the finish. It was like a Great White Sharks mouth. Didn't get cut and side marker works again, though makes me think shotty, is this the new age with CNC Plasma so no need for different stamp shear and thats that?

 

[msrfan]

Exactly, I've changed a few window motors in cars and even gloves couldn't save my arms.

 

[msrfan]

Changed out the Briggs coil with a Honda unit. Works as well and looks better. Plus added a kill button.