'She's Alive'

[lowracer]

Thanks Dan...
I took your advise & bought a black 2 stroke muffler for $20. I needed to cut the tube midway & connect the two sections with high temperature Silicone tubing (used for turbo charged engines) & a couple of hose clamps. This brings the muffler can lower down the fork & corrects the bend that was causing the muffler to hit my motor mount. The exhaust is now far away & wont stink up my clothes or be breathed in & makes this Lifan super quiet.
-lowracer-

 

[Dan]

LOL LR, no more terrifying words be then "I took your advise" (well, in my case, snork)

Uber cool about the silicone tubing. I like it!

Hey, funny side effect of silencing with rubber and rubberized pipe. Dogs, squirrels and lil ones (kids) seem to like it. Please see if you find that as well. Would be a really happy side effect. Was ridding past a park and this lil girl was standing with Dad. maybe 2 or so. Any way she heard my rubber blow bag and turned to look giggling. To young to even know what a MB or bike is but sound made her giggle. Dunno. But with out a doubt, dogs chase and squirrels scramble a whole lot less.

Gonna order some of that tubing, thanks! Makes muffler routing a snap too.

 

[lowracer]

Ok,
I am posting these 3 new pics of work I have done to 'She's Alive'
The silicone tubing claims to be good for 400 degrees but I am not loving it, so I went & ordered some Carbon Steel Engine Exhaust Flex Pipe, along with some quality muffler clamps & Permatex Copper Gasket Seal. I'll ditch the Silicone & that should solve my last reverse engineering problem. I am using two black Kryptonics 'Kryptos' skateboard wheels as belt tensioners/routers. The engine is so quiet using this 2 stroke 'Happytime Pipe' routed down to the wheel axle that I am loving the stealth (can barely hear a motor)
-lowracer-

 

[Dan]

Just plane uber cool Low Racer!

Has a steam-punk, functional look.
Got me thinking a lief spring, springer mounting plate when I try one.

 

[cory151]

Man if I so much as put groceries in the front of my bike basket the bikes turning ability becomes retarded.

 

[Dan]

I have the same problem with beer.


wut?

 

[lowracer]

I had the engine on the front, then on the back, then off the back, then back onto the back, & back onto the front (capeesh?..lol).
The handling is far better with the engine on the front!
This is my second MB & both are front wheel driven & handle superb as long as you keep the engine as close to the tire & as close to the fork/headtube as possible.
Its not much different handling than when I was a kid & had a large milkcrate hose-clamped to my BMX bike handlebars to deliver the newspapers everyday. I carried as much or more weight on that BMX bike & it handled great.
Keep in mind, the heaviest thing on the bicycle is you.
Depending on where you are positioned (fore/aft, seatpost up or down low) makes a far greater difference to handling (me, 165 lbs., engine, 20 lbs)
I'm sure the best placement for the engine would be down low in the frame chassis by the bottom bracket, but I want to be able to pedal it like a normal bike & this engine is fairly wide.
I'd tell anyone looking to experiment to try out a front drive to see how they like it.
Until you do, guessing on how it will handle isn't good enough.
Front drive is stealthy too. Cars coming up from behind see a bicycle rider who isn't pedaling. With this size engine, it still looks like one of those old Bike Bug front drive pedal assisted kits & police see a pedal assisted bicycle. Put that engine in-frame with a top tube mounted gas tank, & police see a motorcycle. Perception can be everything...
-lowracer-

 

[Dan]

The logic of it, is counter intuitive. I always thought rack mounts would not be fun until I rode one. With my preference for 4 smokes, they are wide and with the need for wide cranks, just makes it a tad awkward to get used to. Not that it's a huge deal and after a while becomes second nature. Is good advise and your right. I was sure I would hate rack mounted. LOL, and no mater where I put beer, a story was born. Often one that didn't put me in a good lite or leave the bike unscaved, snork.

Ya really got me thinking about trying a front wheel drive. Ya think a smaller, maybe 20" wheel would be advantageous?

Lost the link for the front wheel kick stand! That was my only concern. Parking.
The idea of using a large expansion chamber was to cool exhaust so as to be able to use a very flexible hose and vent aft of the pedals.

Last question LR, are you finding any difference in the way animals and kids react to the sound with rubber piping? I just love the thought of that. (if it's not all in my head) Good neighbor and all that. Can still see that lil kid giggling. Was really cool.

 

[lowracer]

Dan,
I think a 20" (406) rim would be the strongest setup. As far as parking, it can be challenging. I use a small velcro strap attached to the front brake lever & handlebar grip to keep the brake tightly squeezed to avoid roll-away. Then its easy to just lean the engine/handlebar-end up against a pole, tree or wall. The Lifan 152f 100cc 2.5 hp engine is super quiet w/stock exhaust. Just adding the Happytime pipe makes it sound almost as if there isn't an engine running at all. I only hear the mechanical whooshing of the engine & no exhaust note. I also have a Subaru Robin EH035 bike (see pic) & it is night & day louder compared to this setup. Will let you know what happens to the sound once I remove the silicone tube & replace it with the steel flex pipe but I am not expecting much noise difference on this engine. The silicone tube seems to be enlarging once hot & has a slight burning rubber smell. I am afraid it will melt away one day & the reason I am replacing it now. I think the 400 degree rating may not be enough for the hot exhaust gases coming out of the header pipe.
-lowracer-

 

[Dan]

Still looking for a front wheel kickstand. No luck yet and I know I found some. Now am thinking a center mount kickstand. Great to have any way. Makes working on the bike a snap and parking easy.

Don't mean to ramble on your thread LR. I just get excited at new concepts and projects.

I still can't find engine specs for the Lifans. Thinking about using this engine; LIFAN 4HP OHV Recoil Start 3/4 in. Horizontal Keyway Shaft Engine - LF160FAQ at The Home Depot

CVT would mount right up

 

[lowracer]

2 more pics.
Was reading in here that these Happytime mufflers could be somewhat restrictive. I may need to get a sausage type Ace hardware muffler that will fit perfectly into the 1" steel flex pipe coming. Will need to open up the muffler can to see how much restriction is inside 1st.
-lowracer-

 

[happycheapskate]

re: front engine

I think front engine bikes can be very stable. The steering angle and wheelbase length will probably have a lot to do with the outcome.

YouTube - Megola Motorcycle, German motorcycle, rotary engine German airplane inspired motorcycle, front wheel drive with engine built into wheel.

 

[Goat Herder]

I forgot about those in wheel rotary motors. That's pretty wild. I would love to see and hear one of those in person and ride it

 

[lowracer]

Happycheapskate,
This Rocky Mountain Flow dirt jumping frame has horizontal track ends (ala fixie) on the rear which does allow almost 2" of axle movement to adjust wheelbase. I haven't experimented with it yet, but have thought of it since this MB goes so fast, the extra wheelbase could make a difference at higher speeds. (Clocked 53 mph the other day).
I normally cruise along in the 30's-40's range with the engine spinning in its mid-range.
-lowracer-

 

[happycheapskate]

Is there no rear brake?

 

[lowracer]

There is no rear brake.
I got the front Shimano V-Brake dialed in & since 85% of braking forces go to the front wheel, I run front brake only on 4 of my 5 bikes. This bike with the engine also supplies some engine braking when i let off the throttle before the centrifugal clutch disengages.
-lowracer-

 

[WildAlaskan]

man that sounds crazy front brake all the time that would get me killed if i tried that i dont mean flippen over the handle bars the front wheel would slip so easy on the ice and i cause me to lose control

i like the concept of front wheel but i like the concept of 2wd even better it would be so sweet to have a in frame and a front mount

 

[lowracer]

WildAlaskan,
I only ride my MB's when its dry & warm outide & just for fun. I do trips to the post office or grab lunch. Definitely not commuting here. For ice, I guess I'd go for a motorized tadpole trike...
-lowracer-

 

[WildAlaskan]

@lowracer

completly understandable man i am forced to use my bike as a commuter or taxi and bus around so i rather enjoy having a motor on my bike and its good to see that in recent years there have been more year round commuters on bikes so the cagers are at least a little more aware of mtr bikes


alot of people i work with think im crazy driving around in the cold but its so fun i dont mind at all

 

[lowracer]

I did a one wheel pusher trailer to see how I liked that arrangement with this engine & didnt much like the handling. So now the engine is back on the rear rack for another go at rear rack mount. The powerside of the belt drive can be a straight shot without idlers by being on the rear rack. On the front drive version, I needed to route the belt around the front V-Brakes which robs some power & less smooth under power (slight bucking).
I'm going to go one step further & build a longer, stronger rear rack with even more support points.
Sure do wish I could weld...
-lowracer-