Texas Riding Blog

[biknut]

Our weather finally has broke here in texas so it's time for us to get our MBs ready for the long fall and winter riding season.

I gave the atomic BB a slight remodel. New handle bars, a different gas tank, and then I installed the MM shorty intake off the Cadillac. Since I had to shorten the clutch cable support, I took advantage and filled the transmission shaft cavity with grease, like norm said. It really does make it run quitter and smoother. Then I lubed the drive chain.

The Atomic BB is 1 year old this month, and has over 1000 miles on it. As far as I can tell it's running as well as ever. It easily will do 30 mph, it just doesn't have any grunt.

One thing I like about the Atomic BB compared to the Cadillac is the simplicity of it. No gears , or fussy disk brakes to worry about. Just gas it and go.

 

[Ruby478]

well i have built one for a cop here in Oak Cliff so the cops tends to just wave or say hi or pull you over just to say how cool that is .............Dallas is very laid back as long as you got all ur safety gear ur good they dont bother you

 

[Ruby478]

ima telling you man i cant wait till we can get all our surrounding riders and just ride trough town

 

[biknut]

well i have built one for a cop here in Oak Cliff so the cops tends to just wave or say hi or pull you over just to say how cool that is .............Dallas is very laid back as long as you got all ur safety gear ur good they dont bother you

Yeah that's the same thing I noticed too. I've ridden in 8 citys around DFW and never have any problems. I've been seen by the police hundreds of times by now. I was a little concerned last year when I started riding my MB but not anymore.

These are the citys I've ridden in,

Dallas
Farmers Branch
Addison
Carrollton
Irving
Garland
University Park
Highland Park

I've also ridden some hot spots without any problems, like White Rock lake, and the Katy Trail.

 

[biknut]

Yesterday I took the Atomic BB on a little 45 mile juant around town.

These are the highlights

I rode past a University Park cop early on. He turned left onto the street behind me and followed me to a stop sign. I think bicycles are supposed to ride on the right near the curb, so at the stop I was close to the right curb, but I'm fixing to turn left. He stays back a little from the sign. I made a hand signal for a left turn. I had to laugh because when he sees me pointing left, so he looks to see what I'm pointing at. I think he was a little embarrassed after he figured out what I was doing, and after I turned left he went the other way.

Then I cruised over to the Katy trail. A couple miles down the trail I came upon a bar and grill that was catering to biycle riders and joggers. They were renting beach cruisers for people to ride on the trail. I met a couple of urban bicycle riders there. These guys were'nt spandexers, they were more like hard core city bicycle rats. Their bikes were very light weight single speed looking racers. They were planning to ride from there to downtown somewhere. I told them I was going to follow for a while to see how fast they were riding. I couldn't keep up very long, because they were going about 12 mph. I can only cruise about 8 or 10. They got ahead and made a light. After the light changed I coulldn't see where they went, so I fired up the warp drive and headed down to the JFK memorial.

Nothing going on there except panhandlers looking for suckers. I think I pissed one off when I told him I gave at the office. Next I headed out of downtown, West over to Oak Cliff. Ruby478 told me he lives in Oak Cliff, so I called him, and stopped by his house for a short visit. He was nice enough to tell me about his MB, and show me the new headlight he invented.

Next I headed back to Dallas to my favorite biker bar in the world, Strokers. They love my MB there. It's only a matter of time before they make one. After gassing up on rum and coke, I rode the last 6 miles home. It's funny those last 6 miles my bike was flying and the tires were hardly touching the ground.

I pulled into my garage with 45 miles showing on my trip meter. The Atomic BB at this point in time is more dependable than some of the motorcycles I've owned in my life. The only tools I took with me today were a 10mm open end and a screwdriver, but I didn't need either one. Of course I did have a cell phone lol.

 

[lowridr]

This is great. I built 2 bikes so far and haven't gone more than 60 miles total. Built a beach cruiser back in the spring but I was so paranoid about riding in Dallas that I sold it. Ordered another kit that is setting on the shelf.
Built a bike for a friend of my sun. After reading this blog I'm going to pull down that box blow off the dust and get me another bike.
I live in Mesquite but work at SMU. Now I am excited again.
Thanks

 

[biknut]

This is great. I built 2 bikes so far and haven't gone more than 60 miles total. Built a beach cruiser back in the spring but I was so paranoid about riding in Dallas that I sold it. Ordered another kit that is setting on the shelf.
Built a bike for a friend of my sun. After reading this blog I'm going to pull down that box blow off the dust and get me another bike.
I live in Mesquite but work at SMU. Now I am excited again.
Thanks

You should't have any problems riding anywhere. I've ridden through SMU several times.

happycheapskate lives in or near Mesquite. He's not having any problems riding wherever he wants.

 

[lowridr]

Well I took down the box with the motor in and started going through it. I ordered the same kit as the last one but did not get it. the last kit was silver, this one is black. Last kit had the duel break handle, Not here.
The intake manifold was poorly made. welding wire and chunks of metal from the saw they used were in side. Real mess compared to the other one that was forged. I used a dremel tool to clean up the inside. I also installed a hose connection for the boost bottle. Have not tried one of these yet. Any one out there try one yet? Let me know what you think of it and are there any tips I need to know. I also reshaped the flange and gasket to get better air flow. Redid the exhaust flange as well.
This is were I may have gone to far. When I looked in side the cylinder I saw extra material from the casting that would disrupt the air flow so I removed the cylinder and smoothed ports inside and out. Cleaned up every thing very carefully then broke both rings as I started putting the cylinder back on. Forgot I'm good at taking things apart.
Guess it's good I haven't found a bike yet.
I thought of sending the kit back before I did any thing to it but it took 2 months to get it. Kept getting back order notices. They already had my money. Not happy with Bike Berry. Two orders with problems both times.
Ordered some more rings so should not hold me up when I find a bike.
Check back latter.

 

[biknut]

Yesterday I rode a long ride around town.

Basically to downtown and back the long way, through North Dallas. About 42 + miles. No problems at all. One car honked at me somewhere downtown, but I'm not sure why. He probably wanted to stop and try to buy my bike out from under me.. A car did stop me a little later to ask questions about my bike. It was a guy about 60 years old.

The weather was about perfect. When I got home my 1/2 gl tank still had plenty of gas.

I made this movie of what I saw.

China Girl and Proud of It - YouTube

 

[Texhun]

Hey Bik, I'll put up a video soon of my bike going around town, you will be able to see very clearly of what kind of a boring ride I have to put with. If I could find a good excuse to drive 2 and a 1/2 hours to Dallas just to ride around with you for an hour I would do it.

 

[biknut]

I'm trying to get a ride up on October 15th around White Rock lake. There's 3 of us so far. Anyone else wants to come you're welcome.

 

[lowridr]

Enjoyed your video. Saw some familiar places. Plan to have a bike together for your Oct 15th White Rock ride. Picked up an old 6 speed cruiser for $5o. Needs some work, but that’s half the fun. Got the new rings for my motor and broke another one. Ordered another set and got them this weekend. The Bike is a Centrix. Can’t find much about it but looks like it will do just fine.

 

[biknut]

Tomorrow morning we ride around White Rock lake. I'll post some pictures of the inaugural Dallas Motor Bicycle ride.

http://motorbicycling.com/f35/dallas-motor-bicycle-ride-33988.html

 

[biknut]

I saw another MB riding through Farmer Branch. I turned my truck around and chased the guy down. He was riding home from work. He said he's been into MBs since 05. This was the first gas powered bike I've run across by accident. Since he's been riding so long I ask if he's ever been pulled over, and he said no.

 

[Dirt Road Cowboy]

That's cool. I haven't seen anyone on a MB around here.
I guess I'll just have to start a new trend!

 

[Texhun]

See!! How many more guys like this are riding around that we don't know about? That's Neat!

 

[wheelbender6]

Ft Bend County Sheriff passed me today while on my China girl on the way home from work. No problemo. No other motorbikers spotted though.

 

[biknut]

See!! How many more guys like this are riding around that we don't know about? That's Neat!

Yeah I'm sure there's a lot more we don't know about. This makes 4 MBs I've seen by accident. 3 ebikes, and now 1 gas powered. I also know of about 6 other locals that are around Dallas.

 

[biknut]

Ft Bend County Sheriff passed me today while on my China girl on the way home from work. No problemo. No other motorbikers spotted though.

The Sheriff is the highest law officer in the county. Good to know there's no problems riding where you are. Now if we can get you some riding buddies.

 

[bigbird1219]

i see tons of people riding down our a busy street here in Corpus, in fact, saw a guy cruising a chopper style MB in the rain today. mad respect for the guy who is in that much need that he has to ride a MB through the rain and cold.

really wish i could get a group riding down here