Scootmeister
Member
I started this build in the early days of motorized bicycles when it was typical to build around a cheap donor bike, as they were called. Back in those days, builders would use what they had in the garage, pull a discarded bike from a dumpster, or pick up a bike at a garage sale. My donor bike was a Murray Santa Cruz that I picked up at an auction for $25. The project has been in the works now for a bout 6 years with many variations of engines and configuration. But now, I think I finally got it right. The “old school” all steel cantilever frame is made with 1” tubing, so it’s not as rigid as the newer larger frames. I welded a fork stop on it to prevent jackknifing and I redesigned the rear wheel mounts for additional strength. The Springer front end and Springer seat provide plenty of bump absorption, and the Rhino Lite double wall rims and stainless 13 gauge spokes are plenty strong for a MB. The Shimano disc ready hubs with 205mm discs and Avid calipers provide plenty of stopping power. I replaced the bicycle control levers and cables with scooter components for added durability. The best improvement has been the combination of the Huasheng / Stage III gear box with the SBP shift kit and Shimano 3-speed hub. The bike has plenty of starting power, gets up to cruising speed quickly and with the poo poo pipe is quiet as can be. There is no gear box or chain noise and the entire drive train is smooth with almost no vibration. The latest improvement has been the addition of a LED head light and LED tail light. Both are very bright and are driven by two lighting coils I wound and mounted to the Huasheng. I installed a rheostat on the headlight so I can crank up the brightness if needed at night and can dial it down during daylight riding to extend its life. For the tail light I removed the bulb and hardware on a vintage Yamaha tail light and installed a Cree LED in the original socket. With all of these improvements the bike is a joy to ride, is totally dependable, and the little Huasheng starts right up and runs like a sewing machine. It is by no means a power house, but I can cruise at 35-40 all day long. There are a few things I especially like about this setup. One, I can pull up to a gas pump and refuel without worrying about premix. Second, I don’t have to worry about batteries for my lights any more. Finally, I can get up to speed quickly and my wife no longer has to wait on me with her Vino. A little editorial note, I have tried just about every combination of engine and drive setup you can think of and this one by far is the best. The Sick Bike Parts shift kit is the key that makes this setup work, it is worth every Penney of the cost. My congrats to Jim and Pablo for a job well done on this design. Attached are photos of the final product.