what did you do to your motorized bicycle today?

GoldenMotor.com

CaptainDishman

New Member
Feb 28, 2013
14
0
1
Salem, Virginia
Finally had the time to break out the bike I bought before the summer. Bought it from a guy that couldn't keep the chain on it, but said it ran. The downside, it hasn't run in a couple of years. I took off the head and checked for corrosion, none. Checked the gastank, none. Got a new chain that doesn't really fit the drive sprocket. After some searching of the boards, turns out I need to force the chain on and make it play well with the sprocket. The bike is extremely hard to pedal and the chain and sprocket make the worst noise I've ever heard. I'm not so sure that it is ready to gas and go. This bike is like Frankenstein's monster, barely held together with nuts and bolts and made from about 2 or 3 different bikes. This is going to be the scariest ride ever... wish me luck!
 

Rambler

New Member
Jul 25, 2009
48
0
0
U.S.A.
Went for a ride to Meineke and had them tack a fender washer to the end of my pipe after the original endcap and broke off when i hit a bump in the road. Then I got about 1200 feet away from the garage and lost spark. So I pedaled home and am stuck with a useless bike until I get the darned spark loss figured out. It's not the sparkplug or the cable, I just replaced the magneto not too long ago, and fear it may be the cdi. Will run some tests later when I have some time, but I am grounded for now.

*edit*
Good luck with the franken bike.
 

FMB42

New Member
Sep 27, 2013
107
0
0
Idaho
I removed the head on my first gas (cheap Eb*y) bicycle engine kit only to find some aluminum "shavings" sitting on top of the piston (this aluminum was probably shaved off of the cylinder stud holes by the threads on the (cyl) studs when it was installed in the factory. Oh well, this is why you should always do a partial or, better yet, a complete tear-down on these engines before you run them. I'm going to replace the studs (and practically every other fastener on the engine) anyway so out they go.

I'm sure am glad that I spent time reading various threads here in the Motorbicycling forum before I began this project (otherwise, I probably would've just started her up right out of the box).

Btw Rambler, did the shop arc or gas weld the fender washer onto your bike? The reason I ask is that arc welding may have knocked out your CDI.
 

Danschutz

New Member
Aug 19, 2013
392
0
0
Wyoming
Bent my rear axle the other day and Im pretty sure the ride home the bearings gouged the races so I decided to swap my coaster brake wheel back on. As I messed with it I remembered why I didn't like the wheel in the first place, it spins pretty bad. Never having messed with a coaster brake I took it apart and sure enough bearings were pretty dry. So far Ive wiped off all the old grease on the axle and tomorrow I'll regrease everything with red bearing grease and see if it helps a little.

While I have your attention.......

I need some HELP picking out a new rear wheel for my new build.

Its a 70's Huffy frame and I have to spread the frame just a little to get my newer coaster brake wheel to fit so I was wondering can I get a 26 inch freewheel with just one sprocket without all the added width? Something like a bmx rear wheel but 26 inch. Heck even something wide enough for three sprockets may fir.

If you chuckle at my question please remember Im a newb! lol.

Thanks,
Dan.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Bent my rear axle the other day and Im pretty sure the ride home the bearings gouged the races so I decided to swap my coaster brake wheel back on. As I messed with it I remembered why I didn't like the wheel in the first place, it spins pretty bad. Never having messed with a coaster brake I took it apart and sure enough bearings were pretty dry. So far Ive wiped off all the old grease on the axle and tomorrow I'll regrease everything with red bearing grease and see if it helps a little.

While I have your attention.......

I need some HELP picking out a new rear wheel for my new build.

Its a 70's Huffy frame and I have to spread the frame just a little to get my newer coaster brake wheel to fit so I was wondering can I get a 26 inch freewheel with just one sprocket without all the added width? Something like a bmx rear wheel but 26 inch. Heck even something wide enough for three sprockets may fir.

If you chuckle at my question please remember Im a newb! lol.

Thanks,
Dan.

Dan, if Im following you correctly........ you're wanting a coaster brake rear wheel on the bike.

As far as I know all single speed coaster brake hubs are relatively the same width, if you want a good heavy spoked 26" coaster wheel you can get a good one at a good price at http://huskybicycles.com

I hope Im following what you said correctly....... sorry if I missed something.

Map
.wee.
 

trackfodder

Member
Sep 8, 2008
347
3
18
I like the Worksman bike rear wheel. It is about $66 and has 0.10" spokes, 4" sprocket. Coaster brake. Actually, I got fed up with the brake and went to foot-operated bike rim caliper. With a motorcycle front wheel with disk brake/ go kart caliper I can shut down safely from ~55 now.
 

Jeckler

New Member
Jun 4, 2013
101
0
0
Mesa, AZ
After not doing ANYTHING to mine for over a month due to moving into a new house, I broke it out again yesterday. Ran OK like always, but I decided to mess with the air screw after removing the brass cap. I found that it was screwed in tight. After some tweaking of it and the idle screw, I settled on 1.75 turns out for now. It runs so much better. I still need to use up my break-in gallon, pick up some different jets and get some different oil.
 

crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
4,032
158
63
USA
fixed rear fender for the 4th time : (

painted an old barrel black to replace the one on there that had wrong transfer port height from factory

finished first premium build in just over a year as I'm beginning to get a bit of health back - bought 2 more clairmonts while they're on sale to see if I can build 2 more : )
 

Danschutz

New Member
Aug 19, 2013
392
0
0
Wyoming
Dan, if Im following you correctly........ you're wanting a coaster brake rear wheel on the bike.

As far as I know all single speed coaster brake hubs are relatively the same width, if you want a good heavy spoked 26" coaster wheel you can get a good one at a good price at http://huskybicycles.com

I hope Im following what you said correctly....... sorry if I missed something.

Map
.wee.
I probably bumbled my point lol. I have a coaster wheel but I want a freewheel that has either the same width or maybe a little bigger because my other freewheel wheels are so much wider I just don't want the stress on the frame. My current bike I had to spread the frame to get a freewheel with 5 sprockets in there, but like I said this older Huffy is much narrower.

I found a Point Beach Schwinn on Facebook that I might be able to buy for 80 bucks if the seller would get a hold of me, I think that rear wheel would solve my issues. Actually I might keep the Schwinn as is and paint the frame flat black or a flat darkish blue color. My only issue with the Schwinn is I'll probably be stuck again with sub par wheels. Geez it's confusing staying on task when I can't visualize the end product due to my lack of knowledge lol. But with you guys helping it sure makes things easier!

Dan.

I like the Worksman bike rear wheel. It is about $66 and has 0.10" spokes, 4" sprocket. Coaster brake. Actually, I got fed up with the brake and went to foot-operated bike rim caliper. With a motorcycle front wheel with disk brake/ go kart caliper I can shut down safely from ~55 now.
I've heard great reviews on that wheel and your set up sounds great but its all Greek to me!
Dan.
 
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Huffydavidson

STREETRACER/MANUFACTURER
Jan 29, 2012
1,076
4
38
st.louis,mo.
WELL, after a week of self imprisonment In the "Bike Kave" I rose to discover that the world was just as I had left it . Damit anyway. 6 CDI's 2 rolls of solder later its goods to get some second hand smoke . Today I ran the mail man down on my bike because he left without delivering me my three packages . I knew you had them because the tracking numbers in I for delivery yet the box was empty . So being the complete maniac that I am , I jumped on my bike with just my shorts and t-shirt and Fire mother up. After , hijacking what was rightfully mine I return back to the "bike Kave". dnut
 

xseler

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2013
2,886
151
63
OKC, OK
Well, I found out that my bike absolutely hates 9000ft elevation. Didn't think it was gonna start --- ran like poop when it did. Never did get the carb adjusted to where it was acceptable. Decided the bike won't go to the mountains anymore.

With this in mind, I think that a question we should ask a 'newbie' is "what elevation do you live?" when they post that 'won't start' thread.
 

happycheapskate

New Member
Nov 26, 2009
1,989
3
0
Rockwall TX
I put new pedals on it. I tried to bend back the Dax Friction Drive tension strap by standing on it, but it's stout! I will have to use a hammer or bench vise! (it got bent by falling into the wheel weeks ago when some trash in the wheel knocked it loose.)
 

happycheapskate

New Member
Nov 26, 2009
1,989
3
0
Rockwall TX
If it's the "china doll" engine, you could customize a carb for that elevation, and bring a spare for everything lower. Since it's so easy to swap carbs on the china kit engines, that is probably the best solution.

Well, I found out that my bike absolutely hates 9000ft elevation. Didn't think it was gonna start --- ran like poop when it did. Never did get the carb adjusted to where it was acceptable. Decided the bike won't go to the mountains anymore.

With this in mind, I think that a question we should ask a 'newbie' is "what elevation do you live?" when they post that 'won't start' thread.
 

CTripps

Active Member
Aug 22, 2011
1,310
1
38
Vancouver, B.C.
Well, I found out that my bike absolutely hates 9000ft elevation. Didn't think it was gonna start --- ran like poop when it did. Never did get the carb adjusted to where it was acceptable. Decided the bike won't go to the mountains anymore.

With this in mind, I think that a question we should ask a 'newbie' is "what elevation do you live?" when they post that 'won't start' thread.

There's information about air density and altitude available at this site: Engineering Toolbox. More specifically, this page covers air density and altitude.

I haven't explored the altitude factor much, I found it when I was looking at air temperature and it's effects on volume (thread regarding that is here).

Hope the links help a bit.
 

FMB42

New Member
Sep 27, 2013
107
0
0
Idaho
Well, I found out that my bike absolutely hates 9000ft elevation. Didn't think it was gonna start --- ran like poop when it did. Never did get the carb adjusted to where it was acceptable. Decided the bike won't go to the mountains anymore.

With this in mind, I think that a question we should ask a 'newbie' is "what elevation do you live?" when they post that 'won't start' thread.
My 1976 Yamaha RD400C had a a small section/portion of the intake airbox that you could remove for high altitude riding. Removing this part returned the performance back to reasonable levels at ~ 8 thousand feet and above (it was a real dog at these altitudes unless you removed this part). Maybe you could try running a less restrictive air filter or airfilter cover at high altitudes...

Anyway, I recently ordered a couple of stock connecting rod small end bushings and received needle type bearings by mistake. Today I checked one of these needle bearings out only to find that there is no way I can run them. There's way way too much end-play or "side to side" clearance between the needle bearing/rod end and the piston pin bosses. Oh well, I've got another upgraded bushing on hand that I should be able to press in and ream as needed (I wanted to try a "practice" run on the bushing replacement procedure with a cheap stock bushing first).