starting a board tracker/vintage inspired bike build

[tattoomark]

I sent a message to Bikeberry, so we'll see if they respond. The engine has a 6 month warranty so they might cover it. The other option is just to pull off the drive sprocket and take it down to ace hardware and see if they have something that fits it

 

[tattoomark]

Here's what Bikeberry sent back:

Good Afternoon Mark,

Thank you for contacting BikeBerry.com. We apologize that you are experiencing difficulties with your engine kit and your 415 chain. When placing your chain onto your drive sprocket, if there is a small amount of your chain that is not allowing the teeth to allow properly, please file the teeth down a little bit on your drive sprocket to allow your chain to mount properly. If your drive sprocket is more then a little bit too large, please provide us with a photo so that we may better work towards a resolution for you. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us at your earliest convenience.

Best Regards,
BikeBerry Support Staff

Niche Webstores, Inc.
583 Explorer Street
Brea, CA 92821
1.800.317.0479 Direct
714.706.3400 Local
714.255.1146 Fax
support @bikeberry.com

 

[truckd]

Glad! to see that they at least contacted you, now it's my turn to deal with bikeMotorKit.com regaurding the order they messed up,

 

[harry76]

Their advice is to file the drive sprocket to fit the chain?......... O.O you're kidding me aren't you? Sure, that will work but is far from ideal. Doesn't sound like good advice to me.

 

[silverbear]

Sounds like they want you to fix their problem. Not very good customer relations and not very good advertising for them. They could have apologized, sent out the right sprocket and made a friend plus some free advertising for standing behind what they sell. Instead they're standing way over in another room hoping you'll go away.
SB

 

[truckd]

Just a thought
Have you thought about going to a moped shop and purchasing a better drive sprocket?
I know your on a TIGHT BUDGET ! but considering the advice given by Bikeberry, time delays on the build and yer frustrations, that little bit of extra $$ might be worth it in the long run.
I too have to deal with another co. with a low sence of business integrity and morals so I feel yer pain.
Sorry! fer you.

 

[tattoomark]

Well i think the first thing im going to do is buy a $10 segment (I only need about 2.5 feet) of #41 chain to see if that remedies the issue. From what i can see, a #41 is a little bit wider than a 415 chain. That might be the real issue with it not meshing with the drive sprocket. I can check if that will work before even buying it, and if it doesn't, I'll already be at the gokart shop, so I'll just buy a different drive sprocket. I was pretty bummed out about Bikeberry's response to my issue. They DID respond, but this is 100% a manufacturing/packaging problem, and they wouldn't fix it. And suggesting that i file down the drive sprocket is very questionable. In order to maintain reliability, sprockets and chains should be a pretty precise mechanism, they shouldn't be force fit. Im going to call bikeberry off the number they gave me in the email and see if they can actually help me out lol. thanks guys for the advice and encouraging words, I'll be riding in no time!

 

[tattoomark]

they did ask for a photo too, so I'll post some up here and send them a link to this thread...tehehe let them see how valuable customer service is!

 

[tattoomark]

Okay, so the bike is together, running and riding. I still need to get a front drum brake, and get a new shifter pushrod to actually be able to shift through the rear hub. Right now its stuck in 1st gear but has way more balls than i thought this setup would have. Pulls me from a stop and actually pulls the front wheel off the ground if Im not careful! (probably because the seat is so far back but cool anyway). My solution to the drive sprocket issue was to just take the chain to a gokart store (dave's kart and cycle) and get the right type of sprocket with the same number of teeth. The one that came from Bikeberry was not the correct type of tooth for this chain. I think it was for a strange chinese chain size or something.

Pics Pics Pics!!!!!!!! coming right up

 

[tattoomark]

Here's my solution to the extra slack in the drive chain. It works great and uses the jackshaft mounting bolt (u bolt) to mount it up. Simple is good and it works great.

Here's the full side view. Seat is mounted absolutely as low as possible. I wanted it real low like the real BTR's, solid strut mounted to the upper seat stays.

I'll get more detailed pics as the details progress. I still am planning some sort of faux oil tank behind the seat tube, lettering, and pinstriping, a leather seat pad (riveted to the seat pan), cream tires, CORRECT BARS, and some sort of filler piece for the drop loop. I have a nice piece of scrap plate brass that i might drill out to make a cool looking filler piece with some speed holes or something. Also i might make a brass plate to fill in the center of the pull starter. Oh and i need some old looking steel pedals too. I was thinking of some names for the lettering job. Any suggestions? I was thinking of calling it 'Brass Monkey' with of course green and gold striping.

 

[\./]

Beautiful work, are you leaving the air filter as is?

 

[tattoomark]

Thanks! No Im definitely putting something more vintage looking on there. I was thinking of making a velocity stack for it.

 

[tattoomark]

 

[fasteddy]

Boy, does your bike ever fit in there. Nice work.

Steve.

 

[\./]

Check out my build and the air filter on it, maybe it'll give you some ideas

 

[truckd]

Hey! Where is a pic of my bike?? (LOL!) maybe in time you can get a rear fender and make a Faux crank case plate?
NICE JOB!

 

[TheOtherChris]

Very nice look to your bike but watch your six.

With the seat that close to the rear tire it wouldn't take much to pull your pants (or worse) right in.

 

[truckd]

If you haven't decided what color to paint yer bike maybe this will help, 1908
Flying Merkel, I saw this and immediatly thought of yer bike.

 

[MotorizedEtc.]

Very nice bike, I just ordered the SBP HS air filter for mine.

 

[\./]

hey hows the build coming along?
any updated pics?