what did you do to your motorized bicycle today?

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maniac57

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
22
0
memphis Tn
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Hardest thing to true is an egg-shaped wheel, but it is basically the exact same process.
Just place your feeler on the outside of the rim and go for it!
It's nowhere near as hard as some people think, just time consuming.
No telling how much money I've saved over the years truing my own wheels...
 
K

KenX

New Member
Apr 20, 2013
252
0
0
Lake Fork, Texas
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Skarrd said:
took it on it's first trip to work and back, co-workers were asking me where i got it and how much...

still a bit tricky getting the darn thing to idle while it's cold and choke ON, but eh, it doesn't take long before the choke needs to be turned off.
Click to expand...
A properly tuned engine isn't that hard to start. There is a learning curve. It use to take me probably 10 strokes. Now 2 strokes. IMHO it's all about timing.
 
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bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
2,417
3
38
Lebanon, PA
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Trueing a wheel is the one thing I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to learn how to do. Up until now I've been content paying a bike shop to do it. I have done literally everything else to my bikes, from servicing hubs and bottom brackets to changing tires and pressing in bearing cups. I just never thought I would figure out how to true a wheel. But it was kind of necessary at this point for me to learn to do it myself, because I couldn't afford to order a new hub adapter AND pay to have the wheel trued. I also can't wait till my next paycheck for one or the other, since my bike is my transportation to work. So it was either learn to do it myself or take the bus for the next two weeks. I had a little cash on hand from making tips, just in case I absolutely had to take the wheel to the bike shop after screwing it up trying to do it myself. But once I got everything set up and got started, I realized I would be able to true the rim myself. And boy, what a sense of accomplishment. Now I can literally say that there is not one thing I haven't done to my bike myself, at least mechanically speaking (I didn't weld the dang frame, lol but everything else was done with my own two hands). I feel like a master mechanic now, lol.
 
mapbike

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Made a pile of extra gaskets last night while sitting at kitchen table talking with wifey and watching the big screen..... very tedious work but better quality than the ebay replacements.

Fun Fun....







Map
reddd
 
mrfubs

mrfubs

Member
Jun 13, 2013
306
12
18
michigan
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Brilliant idea you have there mapbike!

What thickness is that materiel?
 
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bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
2,417
3
38
Lebanon, PA
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Good job, mapbike. Anything you can do or learn to do yourself will definitely save you money, with the added benefit of knowing its done the way you want it done, versus paying someone and not always knowing. In the case of making gaskets, its more a sense of knowing the quality of the material you're using, and also being able to port match the gaskets better.
 
mapbike

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

bigbutterbean said:
Good job, mapbike. Anything you can do or learn to do yourself will definitely save you money, with the added benefit of knowing its done the way you want it done, versus paying someone and not always knowing. In the case of making gaskets, its more a sense of knowing the quality of the material you're using, and also being able to port match the gaskets better.
Click to expand...
You're 100% correct, the material I used for these gaskets is a high quality material that is resistant to oil, fuel, & water, its easy to work with because it is very fleable but it is also tough enough to stay together and form a nice seal, I sprayed the base gasket with Copper Coat and I always use the Permatex High Tack sealant on my intake gaskets.

http://secure.nhbragg.com/product/fpg-3023-karropak-sheet-gasket-material-306875/

Map
reddd
 
dodge dude94

dodge dude94

New Member
Jun 8, 2012
1,017
1
0
East Texas
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Installed my NGK BPR7HIX plug today.

MAN! WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Gained 2mph flat ground speed, up from 32 mph. Part. throttle response and acceleration is amazing!

Old B7HS on bottom, new plug on top.




Spiffy fuel filter. :D

Might set up a youtube account to post my fly-by video. idk. :D

*EDIT*
Here's the video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8yK2db9D3Y&feature=youtu.be

:D
 
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bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
2,417
3
38
Lebanon, PA
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

I took the Huffy wheel off the cruiser to inspect the bearings and true it. One of the bearings was shot, I replaced it with a spare. I did true the rim, though it was nowhere nearly as badly warped as I had thought. I trued it anyway, in order to get better tension on the spokes. It did not take very much at all to get good tension. I put the wheel back on the bike and test drove it. I would not call the wheel good as new, but it will survive a few trips back and forth to work until my Sportsman adapter arrives and I swap this wheel out for a wheelmaster wheel. I did figure out the source of the problem, though. It was improper cone adjustment causing my wheel to lean to one side and rub the frame, and eventually causing my bearings to self destruct. Oh well, live and learn. The wiggle is still there and I am still unable to determine exactly what is causing it. Luckily, I do not have to use this wheel much longer and I have spare bearings in case I should have another failure before swapping out rims.
 
mapbike

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Dasmailca said:
Mapbike
Suitable for head gasket ?
Click to expand...
If you're referring to the gasket material I use for intake and cylinder base gasket the answer is no..... you must use a metalic material sucha as aluminum, copper or brass, standard fi er type gasket material will not work for head gasket but is good for all other accept head gasket and exhaust gasket which needs to be something made to take the exhaust heat.

I have made my own head gaskets several times but without proper tools it would be very difficult to do.

Hope this answers your question.

Peac, map
reddd
 
bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

today i finished up a friend's bike. he did most of the heavy work due to my shoulder, and i laced up a wheel. then i finished rebuilding a tomos moped engine for a custom "chalopy" moped i'm slowly building.

now i'm drinking beers and icing my shoulder...
 
mapbike

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

bairdco said:
today i finished up a friend's bike. he did most of the heavy work due to my shoulder, and i laced up a wheel. then i finished rebuilding a tomos moped engine for a custom "chalopy" moped i'm slowly building.

now i'm drinking beers and icing my shoulder...
Click to expand...
Hope you get that shoulder better soon bro, and by the way I love an old chalopy, so be sure and show us some pics as it goes if you feel like it, my project are moving real slow right now so Im feeding off of everyone elses engineering. ......!

Mapbrnot
 
Huffydavidson

Huffydavidson

STREETRACER/MANUFACTURER
Jan 29, 2012
1,076
4
38
st.louis,mo.
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Routine fastener check and Juiced her up. Started my next custom fabrication project . Phone/GPS/Video Camera Mount . I have it designed and all drawn up in head. I'm awaiting my builders communities approval . They're discussing it like I'm laff
not even there.
 
Huffydavidson

Huffydavidson

STREETRACER/MANUFACTURER
Jan 29, 2012
1,076
4
38
st.louis,mo.
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

The last head gasket I made was out of a pie pan. For the stud holes I simply used a notebook paper punch. $3.00 works on all the gaskets. O on the exhaust I use a license plate off a car. Nothing bets free material .
 
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mapbike

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

I buy .016 thick aluminum sheets at a local hardware store and make my head gaskets from that, I use a hole punch from a set I got at HF and use a hole saw for the center bore of the gasket.

Map
 
dracothered

dracothered

New Member
Jul 25, 2012
973
1
0
Howell, MI.
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

I checked my front end geometry today on the AMF build and it looks to be good I think.



It looks to be about 3" of trail which if I remember right is in the good range.
 
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