Greetings mortals.
Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man made of mud, spit and paste.
Been around for a handful of years and I'm told I have questionable taste.
I grew up when krate bikes were popular and always dreamed of motorizing one. About three years ago I moved to Panama City Beach, Florida. Scooters, bikes and mopeds are popular here cause its a tourist town, and twice a year they host Thunder Beach Bike Week Rally. I'm tired of just being a witness, I wanna be a participant. So this year, I blew a huge chunk of my tax return on this beat up, hand me down, run over by a car Schwinn beach cruiser.
It was a turd I rescued from a dumpster and recycled into this unholy bastard creation I call the Schwinn Outlaw. When I started this project back in February, friends and family called me mad, crazy, insane. Today they still say those things to me, but they also say I've done a decent job.
I don't think I've ever seen a motorized krate bike before, or even an adult sized krate based on a full sized 26" frame. But I thought it was a cool idea that needed to be done, so I set to do it myself. I've dreamed about this bike ever since I was little, and since so very few of my dreams have ever came true in the 45 years of this sorry excuse called my life, I made a commitment to myself to fulfill it. I'm gonna make this dream come true. Here it is, 7 months in the making, $1400 and counting. I've had to deal with shipping delays, alignment problems, nuts, bolts and parts rattling loose or fall off completely, broken chains, bad carbs, and even had my magneto rust and die due to the salty gulf atmosphere.
Here's a rundown of what's been done so far. I stripped, sanded and painted the naked disassembled frame and replaced everything except the chain. New crank, chrome web sprocket and pedals, 26" 140 spoke coaster brake rim, high back sissy bar & banana seat, 20" 140 spoke disk brake front rim, 28" triple tree forks, ape hanger handlebars, chrome horn, bullet headlamp, Bell handle grip mirror, extra thick self sealing inner tubes and matching flame tread tires. The motor is a 66cc Grubee GT5 Super Rat from Gasbike.net, painted and detailed with a racing carb & air filter, polished covers and grade 8 Allen bolts. It does 30 with ease, is capable of more, but seeing as its just a Schwinn, that's pushing the limits of its design. There's no suspension, even the seat is unsprung, not to mention it's still breaking in. I want this thing to last for a while. To be honest, I don't WANT to go any faster, I built this thing for looks, not speed. Right now I have a cheap blinky tail light on it now, but I've got an Iron Cross motorcycle tail light and friction drive generator on order from Amazon.com that should be here by next week. About the only thing I can think it needs now are flame decals on the gas tank to match the helmet I wear as a concession to my wife. Maybe an offset intake manifold pipe to clear the seat post as its quite a tight fit for the air cleaner.
Monday I go into town and (try to) get it registered and tagged so the cops will get off my back. I've stamped 49CC and the MFG date from the dogtag onto the motorcase, as well as 6 numbers for a serial#, so wish me luck.
_____________________________
The More I learn, the more I realize how much I do not know.
Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man made of mud, spit and paste.
Been around for a handful of years and I'm told I have questionable taste.
I grew up when krate bikes were popular and always dreamed of motorizing one. About three years ago I moved to Panama City Beach, Florida. Scooters, bikes and mopeds are popular here cause its a tourist town, and twice a year they host Thunder Beach Bike Week Rally. I'm tired of just being a witness, I wanna be a participant. So this year, I blew a huge chunk of my tax return on this beat up, hand me down, run over by a car Schwinn beach cruiser.
It was a turd I rescued from a dumpster and recycled into this unholy bastard creation I call the Schwinn Outlaw. When I started this project back in February, friends and family called me mad, crazy, insane. Today they still say those things to me, but they also say I've done a decent job.
I don't think I've ever seen a motorized krate bike before, or even an adult sized krate based on a full sized 26" frame. But I thought it was a cool idea that needed to be done, so I set to do it myself. I've dreamed about this bike ever since I was little, and since so very few of my dreams have ever came true in the 45 years of this sorry excuse called my life, I made a commitment to myself to fulfill it. I'm gonna make this dream come true. Here it is, 7 months in the making, $1400 and counting. I've had to deal with shipping delays, alignment problems, nuts, bolts and parts rattling loose or fall off completely, broken chains, bad carbs, and even had my magneto rust and die due to the salty gulf atmosphere.
Here's a rundown of what's been done so far. I stripped, sanded and painted the naked disassembled frame and replaced everything except the chain. New crank, chrome web sprocket and pedals, 26" 140 spoke coaster brake rim, high back sissy bar & banana seat, 20" 140 spoke disk brake front rim, 28" triple tree forks, ape hanger handlebars, chrome horn, bullet headlamp, Bell handle grip mirror, extra thick self sealing inner tubes and matching flame tread tires. The motor is a 66cc Grubee GT5 Super Rat from Gasbike.net, painted and detailed with a racing carb & air filter, polished covers and grade 8 Allen bolts. It does 30 with ease, is capable of more, but seeing as its just a Schwinn, that's pushing the limits of its design. There's no suspension, even the seat is unsprung, not to mention it's still breaking in. I want this thing to last for a while. To be honest, I don't WANT to go any faster, I built this thing for looks, not speed. Right now I have a cheap blinky tail light on it now, but I've got an Iron Cross motorcycle tail light and friction drive generator on order from Amazon.com that should be here by next week. About the only thing I can think it needs now are flame decals on the gas tank to match the helmet I wear as a concession to my wife. Maybe an offset intake manifold pipe to clear the seat post as its quite a tight fit for the air cleaner.
Monday I go into town and (try to) get it registered and tagged so the cops will get off my back. I've stamped 49CC and the MFG date from the dogtag onto the motorcase, as well as 6 numbers for a serial#, so wish me luck.
_____________________________
The More I learn, the more I realize how much I do not know.
