Shanghai Scrambler

Spent the day proving that a long enough lever or big enough hammer will bend any piece of metal into just about any shape. As the pictures show, I'm fabricating an indexed drop down kickstand to balance the weight of the rear-mounted engine. The two legs are kickstands from fold up bikes someone gave me eons ago and the base is a steel rod bent in the shape of a triangle. 3/8" bolts hold the legs in place via pivot points behind the axle on the dropout plates. Detent balls under pressure from fairly strong springs will index between the up and down positions. The third picture shows notches for the detent ball. Will be just short of a miracle if this Rube Goldberg setup works.

kickstand pieces.jpg


kickstand frame.jpg


kickstant detent plate.jpg
 
Squared everything up on a chopping board before tack welding the base to the legs. A threaded rod held the mounting plates at a true 90 degrees.

Squaring Up.jpg


Making sure everything is level so it's straight on the bike.

Flat check.jpg


Here's how it holds the rear tire off the ground.

Side view.jpg


From the rear.

Rear.jpg


Viewed from the front. Note the vintage brake levers robbed from my Raleigh donor bike. I like the way they feel better than modern levers (they are harder to install with their funky tightening screw and they're not threaded for cable adjusters.)

Front.jpg


Found a U-shaped piece of tubing in the parts bin that fit perfectly on the seat spring bolts to serve as a grab bar for pulling the bike up onto the stand.

Grip top.jpg


From the rear.

grip rear.jpg


Last step was to remove the aluminum side kick stand that will now go on the Raleigh/Bike Bug build which will use up more spare parts.


Note+++++Please let me know if you guys enjoy these detailed mechanical posts. If not, I'll move on to something else like how to make beer or catch big crappies!
 
Was surfing archived threads and came across an idea from a former member known for his friction builds (I think his name was Cannonball). Anyway, he came up with a scissor lift to activate and disengage a gravity clutch. Since i'm not happy with my simple lever activate system, I decided to duplicate his scissor design. To my surprise, the scissor lift provides such a mechanical advantage that I was able to replace the lever with a locking clutch control used with Chinagirls.

The system works great and allows the rider to engage and disengage without letting go of the handlebar. Better control means safer operation and a more pleasant riding experience. And, for what it's worth, the system gives the bike a much cleaner look.

My very first motorized bike as an adult was a friction drive using a snowblower Tecumseh engine and a derelict bike with coaster brake only and bald tires. It was a blast to ride until the engine vibrated off the frame and bounced into a ditch. Hopefully, I'll have better luck with this one.

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Took her out for a quick scoot to the river. She rips up to 30, but lots of noise from roller on knobby. Get a little vibration on top end, but not much for a friction setup. My 10 year old HuaSheng continues to impress with its durability. Can't tell any difference in power between it and GX50 on the Way Back Machine.

Wifey wants to keep this ride for visitors since it's so simple even Joe Biden could ride it without falling off.
 
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