what's an old hippie to do..

[deacon]

for the first time today I had the dreaded chain come off while riding. Yes I was wide open 19mph and the rear wheel locked. Slung me around in the road a bit but no harm done to me. the rear wheel is quite a different story.

Now this was AFTER I found that the new clear gas line was leaking like a mutha. I bought some black real gas line and fought it on the bike. Then I threw the chain.

So now I'm going to have to go buy another bike for the rear wheel. And of course I get a bit of chain and another wheel to make a trailer. Not to mention some junker gets a frame to scrap out. Not a bad deal if I can find a 20" and cheap. If not I might spring for a 24" and just fly around town. Could probably get the bike up to 22 miles an hour with that.

I had someone ask what I would charge to build him a china girl bike today. I swear I just hate to start that. My wife said I would be nuts to get involved in those. With all the trouble I have I'm sure it would be. The guy was an old easy rider fan and wanted one just like mine. If I had known I was going to throw the chain I would have sold it to him on the spot.

 

[Pablo]

What's a China Girl bike?

 

[deacon]

Just what I call a bike with a china engine. No big deal. I have never found it to be a happytime as they call them on the other site. Just needed a generic name to classify them under.

As opposed to a moped, motorcycle, mountain bike, coaster bike ect.

 

[Pablo]

Well once again I'm stealing a name from you!!

China Girl. Lots of memories there.

 

[deacon]

For me too, I spent a little not so quality time in asia. Plus I loved the novel the world of susie wong. I read it before I went to asia so I was in the right frame of mind lol. When I write that name, I see streets filled with people and the little bikes whizzing by. Of course they were lil hondas back then.

 

[deacon]

After last night's debacle with the chain and gas line, I'm looking forward to the weed eater engine and build. I guess because I started with electric friction drive, i like the simplicity of it.

If I get it working as i hope to, then the Captain America bike is out of here. I have had offers for what I have in her. which is next to nothing compared to a scooter, I will probably let it roll out of the showroom so to speak.

It is fun and challenging for sure. Actually my worst nightmare turned out not to be so bad. The rear wheel locked up and the bike went into a death skid but was controllable. It could have been worse.

I'm going to put a different wheel on her and then ride it of course, but I'm also going BTTW on the friction drive when it arrives.

Since I have no idea that I can actually make the friction drive work, I'm going to order a half link for the bike chain this very minute.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I call 'em "China co." kits.

The happy time thing came from the way a lot of fireworks are named and augi thought it was witty.

 

[deacon]

Well when mine is in the toilet, (like now) I have a hard time thinking of it as happy time lol.... however that said I do love the little bugger.

I think it is more like a woman. Hard to understand and always needs attention. Ignore her for a week and the next time you try to ride her there is gonna be trouble.

 

[Norman]

Man you got that right

 

[paul]

i never liked the happy time thing. sounds kind of sissy to me. motorized bicycle sounds a whole lot better.

 

[Pablo]

I almost expected the box mine came in to say:
HAPPY TIME

Glad it didn't.

 

[deacon]

Mine came in a plain brown wrapper. Makes even more sense lol.

 

[deacon]

The church down the street had an inside yard sale today. They had three bikes at five bucks each. All three together had less rust than is on an old screwdriver. But they were all road bikes or maybe light weight mountain bikes. I could have bought one for the weed eater project but I have two cruiser setup bikes already for that.

So guys there are plenty of cheap bikes around for the junkyard build.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I think I would have bought all three. There seems to be a shortage of bikes around here. I even went to a couple of indoor fle markets and nothin'!

 

[deacon]

Man these bikes were in great condition. If I had the weed eater motor conversion down, I probably would have bought them. I think I will buy all the yard sale bikes and weed eater type motors I can find. That motor like yours on ebay went for almost 200 bucks.

If I can stick a used week eaters on used bikes, I might can make a buck. Have a no money back plan, since they can get them worked on at the lawn mower repair shop. My problem with the china girl kit is that there is no one around to work on them, and I sure as heck am not qualified to do it. Sell the bike to a buyer who has a carb problem like pablo and you could have a real headache.

with a weed eater just send them to the lawnmower repair shop.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Roger that!

 

[Norman]

Send me your sick china engines they either will run when I'm through or they will become a nice aluminum boat anchor I got Pablo's carb working.
Norman

 

[deacon]

what was wrong with his carb

 

[Pablo]

The needle was too fat at the taper - by .005" - which to me is a LOT. Especially from the factory...

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Quality control must have been off that day...yeah.

That's why these kits need to be "gone over" right out of the box.

No QQ in China.