Building my first motored bike in Santa Cruz, CA

E

ELGordo

New Member
Local time
10:31 PM
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Messages
3
Location
Central California
Hi Folks,

I'm starting with a Micargi Tahiti cruiser I found on Craigslist for $100 and hopefully ending with a nice dependable errand bike.


TAHITI-L.jpg
My shopping list so far:

66cc engine (planning to buy from Venice Motor Bikes since they are located in, and ship to CA)

Wald 804 moto bars

Tektro Caliper brakes front and back (eventually want to upgrade to HD wheels with drum brakes, but not enough $$ right now)

Rear rack

Leather saddle

Chrome pedals

ANY tips are appreciated... especially if you've registered a motored bike with CA DMV before... can this be done????

Thanks all!
 
Go to an auto parts place and get a sheet of gasket material made of cork. I bought some to make a gasket, which was not successful, but it turned out to be indispensable material on everything else. Use it to pad all the parts that mount to the frame. This will keep your gas tank from slipping (and you don't have to risk over-tightening the bolts and tearing them out) and makes your tensioner bracket rock solid. The tensioner wants to pull inward as you ride -- no matter how much you tighten it, unless you make some kind of modification.

I used E6000 adhesive to hold the cork in place. Don't put adhesive on the bike. Put it on motor parts.

Also: Be sure to solder the electrical connections. The connectors that come with the motor look like the standard kind, but they are total junk and need solder to get a good connection.

Here's a collection of links I've found: http://tab.bz/lb0c0
 
Here's a tip that will save you a lot of grief: Before you install your new gas tank, line it with novolac epoxy. This kind of epoxy is the "latest and greatest," and it's apparently the only stuff that'll stand up to the lousy ethanol-laced gasoline that most of us are stuck with. (I don't know how much of an issue this is with 2-stroke engines, but maybe you'll eventually change from your 2-stroke to a 4-stroke).

I couldn't believe how quickly the new tank on my first build became a rusty mess inside. And I wasn't savvy enough at that point to have an in-line fuel filter, so my carburetor got plugged up with rust sediment, too.

Below is a link to the kit that I bought. Pricey at $45.00, and it's a lot more material than we need for our little MB tanks. Maybe you can find another, cheaper source of novolac epoxy to swish around in your tank. Or maybe you've got a buddy or two that you can split this liner kit with.

Good luck with your build!

http://www.caswellplating.com/restoration-aids/epoxy-gas-tank-sealer.html


-Max
 
Make sure to check/adjust your wheel bearings before you mount the engine.Maybe a tiny smear of shoo-goo/goop or locktite, on the fender mounting screws and the chainguard screws also (big vibrating points).
 
ELGordo said:
Hi Folks,

ANY tips are appreciated... especially if you've registered a motored bike with CA DMV before... can this be done????

Thanks all!
Click to expand...
It's easy to register a motorized bicycle in California.

Fill out the form and send them $20
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg230.pdf

A ton of info here in the Laws forum if you want to slog
through it.
 
UPDATE:

Engine mounted with JNM super mounts, Handlebars replaced and rear fender replaced with rack. Sprocket mounted and true! Still need to properly affix the carburetor and exhaust pipe, install the gas tank and line and the chain, throttle and clutch. Considering the 8 hours I spent on the @$#%^&' sprocket, I'm calling this halfway.

Thanks for all the help so far!!

Before:
Photo0112.jpg

After:
Photo0125.jpg
 
Looking good. I love cantilever style frames. There's a reason that type has lasted. They have a functional springiness and an enduring beauty.
 
Last edited:
UPDATE:

Adjusted and secured tailpipe, Installed Throttle and Clutch controls, and CDI box.

Ordering some novolac epoxy to seal the gas tank, and will install the chain and trim and route cables while I wait.

Photo0128.jpg
 
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