what did you do to your motorized bicycle today?

Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Goat Herder said:
I almost hate that when that happens.;) Can't find nothing else to fix that's part of the fun lol. Then it's mandatory to have to park it next to the T.V. at night after work and stare at it:)
Click to expand...

I just park it in front of the shop, Get a cup-o-joe or a cold drink and stare at it untill I find something I consider "wrong" with it. Sometimes that takes two or three hours. There are some days I prefer spending time with my bike rather then my girlfriend.
My Hussy don't argue with me.dance1
fatdaddy.
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

I began work today on an extension lever for my choke, to be mounted on a small quadrant behind my tank and within easy reach (unlike now). It'll be little more than a pretty brass lever working a steel rod linked to the original choke lever on the carb. I'm hoping to find it easier than fishing around down there whilst not falling over.
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

I have often wondered why the choke lever in a nt is on the right side of the carb. I have to try and reach over with my left hand while keeping it running with the right. If you get something made post pictures, I would be interested.
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

I'd like to run a cable for the choke so I can control it from my bars, probably use a thumb shifter. Then I'll use a grip shifter for the clutch. :-) But I'm not sure how to make a secure mount for the cable jacket. I don't want to resort to a series of zip ties and super glue... Might be able to run it under the gas tank mount though, that's put it in the right spot. :-)
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

On the pre-WWI Harleys, there was a small lever on the right side of the back of the tank that worked the spark advance- I am thinking take bellcrank for a U-controll model aircraft, mount it on the top bar, right side behind the peanut tank... after you grind off one of the long arms. Dip the roundel of the other long arm in black liquid vinyl handle stuff before as well- mount with the small arm facing backwards and the big arm up. Now drill a hole into the choke handle the same diameter as the tag hole in the bellcrank arm- rig up a pushrod between the two such that pushing the big arm foreward engages the choke-not as handy as on the handlebars, but much better than reaching with the left hand or (as I do) waiting until you have enough speed and coasting while you let go of the throttle to muck with the choke.

Then again, maybe I can design something that others will favor
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Sounds complicated but classy! :-) I think if you used a cable it'd be pretty easy, because the choke doesn't have any resistance. It wouldn't have to be held by much.
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

xenodius said:
Sounds complicated but classy! :-) I think if you used a cable it'd be pretty easy, because the choke doesn't have any resistance. It wouldn't have to be held by much.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I though about using a cable. But then I would have to develop a mount that would keep the cable sheath stationary whilst the cable moves in it. A simple lever that moves a steel rod up and down, the other end of which is connected to the carburettor's choke lever, is easy for me to make and looks more vintage (in keeping with the overall mid-teens styling of my bike.

Talking of which: I located the shiny brass guts of an old metronome in my junk bin. (Alright, ONE OF my junk bins.) Where the pendulum came up through the escapement body is formed like a small quadrant. A large part of my work is precisely done for me. I am on to designing a lever that will work. "Re-purposing" saves the day again! Now I don't need to whittle and hack with file and jeweler's saw to form a decent looking quadrant to hold the lever.
 
Last edited:
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

I fine tuned the breaks. layed all my wires. Detailed the whole bike and went for a 30 mile ride. It has been a fun week since my motor has broken in! Thinking about getting a smaller sproket. 44t is to large for me
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Replaced my stock carb with an NT. Now I get real good low end and medium throttle but it tops out at the upper end.

Do I re-jet it right away or play with that goofy pin in the carb barrel?
Right now it's in the middle position. I played with this pin in with my stock carb and it didn't really do anything (I'm thinking about dropping it one notch anyway).

With the new carb the oscillation is gone and from zero to 15 mph it bolts like a stripped ape. It just seems to run out of fuel at max and my brother just pulls away.

My brother re-jetted by drill press and it didn't do anything until he pulled a little choke and now it's freaking amazing through the entire throttle range! Speaking of choke all my choke does is kill the engine, cold/hot/or slightly warm choke is always bad. It starts fine with out the choke but boggles until it warms up 15-20 seconds.

And now I haven't pulled the plug yet, but I'm sure it's lean at full throttle.
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Pulling the choke enrichens the fuel/ air ratio so your assessment of too lean is spot on (if I am reading what you said correctly). If you are referring to applying the choke all the way and the engine runs poorly that seems normal, the choke is only there to aid in starting when the engine is stone cold. To help diagnose what the carb needs for tuning, try partial choke settings in small increments instead to see if there is any improvement. If there is than you are too lean, if it is worse you are too rich.
As for the issues at full throttle, definitely do a plug chop at full throttle to be sure.
(Don't forget to let the engine cool down completely before removing the spark plug.)

Lowering the clip on the slide needle will raise the needle and enrichen the ratio up to 3/4 throttle. If you are having issues above 3/4 to full throttle that indicates that the fuel jet is too small.
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Took off my old intake pipe that I soldered a 90 degree 0.5" copper fitting to, to clear my small frame, and put a 45 Degree .75" copper fitting on it.
This time I got it 100% airtight, I'm 99% sure of that, and I am not putting wires, fibreglass and JB weld on it this time.
I tested it out, seemed better, but I just fit the carb on for now and it kept blowing off. I'll try to clamp it on tomorrow, It needs a bigger clamp, the copper fitting fits over the carb tangs, not in it, and I am not sure how clampable the carb tangs are. I would then have to cut tangs into the copper piece.
I did some other stuff yesterday, long story.

Anyway, here's some pics:
 

Attachments

  • CIMG6461.JPG
    CIMG6461.JPG
    153.5 KB · Views: 224
  • CIMG6465.JPG
    CIMG6465.JPG
    134 KB · Views: 213
  • CIMG6467.JPG
    CIMG6467.JPG
    137.8 KB · Views: 232
  • CIMG6470.JPG
    CIMG6470.JPG
    149.5 KB · Views: 234
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Crap, forgot the most important picture.
#6473
 

Attachments

  • CIMG6473.JPG
    CIMG6473.JPG
    144 KB · Views: 220
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Keep that broken vice for your next trip to the metal scrap yard; they'll pay you a bit of cash forit that you can put towards one, hopefully, that is not made "off shore"! I use a vise today that I got from my dad who got it from his dad and who knows who before that! It has never let me down and we all have used it hard. Great photo that you took and shared with us, thanks. BMF
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

GearNut said:
Pulling the choke enrichens the fuel/ air ratio so your assessment of too lean is spot on (if I am reading what you said correctly). If you are referring to applying the choke all the way and the engine runs poorly that seems normal, the choke is only there to aid in starting when the engine is stone cold. To help diagnose what the carb needs for tuning, try partial choke settings in small increments instead to see if there is any improvement. If there is than you are too lean, if it is worse you are too rich.
As for the issues at full throttle, definitely do a plug chop at full throttle to be sure.
(Don't forget to let the engine cool down completely before removing the spark plug.)

Lowering the clip on the slide needle will raise the needle and enrichen the ratio up to 3/4 throttle. If you are having issues above 3/4 to full throttle that indicates that the fuel jet is too small.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help, any choke at any setting kills the engine.
The major problem has been at WOT, so re-jetting is the answer.
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Going out tonight to (hopefully) finish my choke extension lever. And I'll try to remember pics too.
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Um....I went on a great overcasted 3 speed peddal trip to my local Harbor Freight and picked up goodies a heavy duty chain breaker, some 1.00$ 2 part clear epoxy, and a 1.00$ finger LED light. I worked more on my 4 stroke kit install I'm getting close. I also used RED KOTE I wanted my new gas tank to never rust and did that yesterday but you have to wait 24 hours for it to fully cure, better safe than sorry that's kind of the whole point of doing it and add some patience. I also picked up some cables for my ATV thumb throttle dual brake.

Cheers to all,
 
Re: what did you do to your motor bike today?

Well, I went over the old girl with a fine-tooth comb. I set her in the bright, near-blinding, sunlight this afternoon. I cleaned her up. I looked, and tapped, around for cracks. I touched up nicks in the paint, checked for loose screws, nuts, bolts, fasteners of all kinds. I tested the batteries, air, fuel filter, & air filter. Checked wheel & chain alignment.

Then, off I rode to try out my new choke lever extension. And let me say: I LOVE IT! Super easy to reach and work. Why didn't I do this sooner? Oh yeah, pics! I put some below. They're not the best. I used old brass scraps and metronome parts. But it looks good and it works.
 

Attachments

  • Choke Lever Detail 2.JPG
    Choke Lever Detail 2.JPG
    82.4 KB · Views: 185
  • Choke lever detail.JPG
    Choke lever detail.JPG
    76.7 KB · Views: 207
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top