I'm sure most of your guys' manuals recommend mounting your engine, tank and tensioner on bits of bicycle inner tube to prevent marring/scratching the paint on your frames. But how many of you guys actually do this? I'm about to assemble my first kit and am trying to figure out which way to go.
I can see the pros and the cons. The rubber will definitely keep the paint from getting scratched and will also reduce vibration all around. But the mounting won't be as solid as a metal to metal mount.
FUEL TANK: The fuel tank is no problem since it is fairly light and not the source of vibration or any significant load.
ENGINE: The engine is another story. Using the stock mounts and some inner tube on the engine mounts I could see how although the vibration transmission will be reduced it is not as solid a mount as using no rubber at all and the engine will have a tendency to be pulled by the chain torque to the left when the bicycle is under power. So what I thought of doing is using the rubber inner tube but also drilling a hole through the U-shaped engine straps and the bicycle frame itself and putting in a screw (a set screw of sorts) to prevent the engine from twisting under torque to the side.
TENSIONER: With horror stories of the tensioner loosening and jamming itself into the spokes I thought of using the same method as on the engine. Use the rubber inner tube and also drilling a hole for a screw to prevent the tensioner from loosening, twisting on the frame and into the spokes.
What do you guys think?
I can see the pros and the cons. The rubber will definitely keep the paint from getting scratched and will also reduce vibration all around. But the mounting won't be as solid as a metal to metal mount.
FUEL TANK: The fuel tank is no problem since it is fairly light and not the source of vibration or any significant load.
ENGINE: The engine is another story. Using the stock mounts and some inner tube on the engine mounts I could see how although the vibration transmission will be reduced it is not as solid a mount as using no rubber at all and the engine will have a tendency to be pulled by the chain torque to the left when the bicycle is under power. So what I thought of doing is using the rubber inner tube but also drilling a hole through the U-shaped engine straps and the bicycle frame itself and putting in a screw (a set screw of sorts) to prevent the engine from twisting under torque to the side.
TENSIONER: With horror stories of the tensioner loosening and jamming itself into the spokes I thought of using the same method as on the engine. Use the rubber inner tube and also drilling a hole for a screw to prevent the tensioner from loosening, twisting on the frame and into the spokes.
What do you guys think?