Mandarin Missile

[PigPen]

I've been slowly putting this bike together for a few months. I'll have motivation to work on it for half a day. Then it goes on the back burner for a bit while I start cooking a different stew. Finished it up a few days ago for a 40 mile ride around San Diego County.
A friend of mine had put one of these motors in a road bike frame, and I always liked how it looked, compared to the beach cruisers board tracker clones. Seemed a bit more "race". Lighter frame. Skinny wheels. Everything you need and nothing you don't.

My dad found this old 70's Sears frame in the rafters of his shop. Perfect donor frame. Good friend travis bought four of these motors and was kind enough to let me put a bike together with one. (I still owe you!)

So here we go...
The "Mandarin Missile"

I drilled out the side covers, made the exhaust from a few sets of different handle bars. The tank is aluminum, the inspiration is from 60's and 70's drag bikes that had small tube fuel tanks.
Drilled rear sprocket.
THe rear seat fairing was made from aluminum scraps that were left over from other projects. It's shape was dictated by what I had available so i was limited with what I could do.
After the 40 mile ride this weekend, seat padding is on it's way!
Trying something different. Lot's of cool bikes on here, but I don't want to contribute by offering more of the same.

California in December is a **** I wouldn't wish on anyone!

 

[Danny3xd]

Great build PigPen! Really unique. Muffler and tank are wild.

 

[Porkchop]

If you did this all yourself, you've obviousg got skill and tools or access to tools. I like the handlebar bar exhaust idea. That's unique. Or was, now that rest of us know now ! Thanks ! By the way, where do you sit on that thing ?

 

[PigPen]

If you did this all yourself, you've obviousg got skill and tools or access to tools. I like the handlebar bar exhaust idea. That's unique. Or was, now that rest of us know now ! Thanks ! By the way, where do you sit on that thing ?

porkchop, thanks. Ya I did it all my self. I'm lucky enough to have good friends who share their knowledge and tricks with me. The handle bar idea was Perichbrothers as I think he is know by on this forum, travis as he's known by outside.
You sit on the rear rack. In front of the rear seat fairing. Lower center of gravity and a bit further back. Wheelies with some well timed throtle. Imagine it as a poormans streetbike, or cafe or something along those lines.

 

[Porkchop]

I wonderd if your seating was as you said. Seems to be to uncomfortable to me. My dad was a mechanical engineer and made my brother and I help him do things around the house and cars when we were kids. I hated having to help him because he had a bad temper with a short fuse. I praise him now for the knowledge he taught me. That, working for a large engineering company for 30 years and a good friend that owns his own machine shop about a half mile from my house comes in handy !

 

[PigPen]

Uncomfortable? Yes. Deffinatly feeling it in my kidneys after the fourty mile ride yesterday. But I quess I have it in my to abuse my youth to the fullest, while I still have it.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

You sit on the rear rack. In front of the rear seat fairing. Lower center of gravity and a bit further back. Wheelies with some well timed throtle. Imagine it as a poormans streetbike, or cafe or something along those lines.

At least you know that no thief will steal your seat. It's a major problem here.

Why don't u wrap your rear rack with two bicycle tubes, then inflate them. That'll be your seat padding.

A Russian forum member has a tube seat like that. Looked good.

Cool tank. How many ounces does it hold?

A small suggestion would be to heavily brace your rack, for safety.

Or maybe a banana seat?

 

[ibdennyak]

You put more time into your exhaust than I put into an entire build!!! Cushy seat would be a plus IMO....unless you have "buns-o-steel.

Welcome, and enjoy.

 

[Pablo]

Looks cool. Can't wait until you finish. What kinda seat are you going to use?

Seriously - at least put some custom padding....that just looks dangerous to Tony and the boys especially when the rack bars break..........let alone the gut on the seat tube top.....

 

[PigPen]

Tank holds a bit over 3/4. Of a quart. The rear rack will evently lose the aluminum suport bars and be replaced with thicker stainless round stock. Im not going to go overkill on the seat padding, it wont do much to compensate for the ridged frame and skinny tires, and imo would be in opposition to the core idea I had with this bike. But don't worry my friends, the gold wing grandtouring version may well be on its way....as soon as I can find a way out of this darn bubble suit I've been wearing.