Going for a trike conversion

[SimpleSimon]

Much as I want to build my own bike designed to suit my needs, it has become clear to me that ongoing medical expenses are not going to let that happen.

So, I am going to buy the package deal Alesterfiend is offering - complete, running bike with HT engine, plus a 2nd brand new HT engine and lots of other extras, for $300. I'll pick that up Saturday morning. It is my intention to put one of the trike conversion kits (similar to the one SpookyTooth offers) on that bike. I may well buy a kit from SpookyTooth - or might go with one of the others available on the market.

I am seeking advice here - has anyone built one of these? If anyone has advice, suggestions, etc I'd greatly appreciate it. My local bike shop owner has one of the Aztlan conversion axle kits he ordered for a guy who never pcked it up - I think I can get that for $100, but I am unsure of how complete it is, or what wheel size it is set up for. I'll find that out next week.

Input eagerly solicited.

 

[Large Filipino]

I'm just glad you're taking the steps SS. It's gonna rule I could see it ruling.
Clutch and throttle is gonna have to go on your one hand which is very doable not hard to finagle and just a coaster will do as long as you're not going too fast. And keep a fender away from your front tire just in case you need to put your foot in there!

 

[azbill]

roland at spooky has been motoring converted trikes for a few years...he gave me n vinnie a few good tips when we started building our trikes
even if ya fab your own stuff, he could probably still give pointers on a few things

the conversion kits with the little chain driving the wheel will not work for motoring without a jackshaft...it needs to be a kit with a solid axle, so you have somewhere to mount the engine driven sprocket

me n vinnie have built 5 different trikes, both electric n gas, so if ya have any ??? I can probably help too....I just haven't seen as much as Roland

 

[SimpleSimon]

Thanks, guys. azbill, I was really hoping you'd chime in here - I've been admiring your work on the trikes for quite awhile now. The SpookyToooth kit with the gas engine conversion extras looks really good to me, but if I decide to go that route it will take another goodly while to save up the funds for the kit. I looked at alesterfiend's offer when he first made it last fall, and really wanted to go for it then, but hadn't the funds. It has taken this long to save the money for it - I'm just glad it is still available.

The brake issues I figure I can deal with. The bike frame alesterfiend has is a standard diamond frame, which puts the seat pretty high. I was thinking that an offset seat post to move the seat back and down might be a good idea as well, to lower the CoG a bit. All of that is, of course, dependent on my funds and skills.

I have the components for a front fork insert conversion to make a regular bike a tadpole trike - I may just get a wild hair and go ahead and do that as well, make a 4 wheel cycle-car out of it. That's a design Tefl and I worked up last year while he was living here - he's done one since returning home and said it worked fine, but he had poor quality materials and wasn't satisfied with the strength of the front axle. If I do that disc brakes on both front wheels would give me good braking power.

I also have a Huffy 10 speed 24 inch ladies bike a guy gave me - it's complete and works well - I just can't balance it. It's a candidate for a trike conversion and that 2nd HT engine from alesterfiend. Given my short legs and poor balance, the step through on it may be much easier for me to deal with, but mounting the engine is a bit problematic. The design of the SpookyTooth kit might lend itself to mounting the HT engine behind the seat and above the trike frame for that one.

Also acquired a 16 inch salvage bike that was buried in weeds with vines grown all through the wheels and frame where it was laying. The front wheel rim is so rusty that it is unsalvageable, but the hub is fine after disassembly and lubing it. The rest of the bike has minor rust blemishes, but no serious rust damage. I already have some plans for parts from that bike.

 

[srdavo]

here's a couple threads where the HT was mounted behind the seat tube.

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=16769

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=16545

 

[SimpleSimon]

Thanks, Dave. Both give me substantial encouragement about my intent. I'll know for sure when I get everything here, make a cardboard template of the rear triangle spaces on both the bike I'm buying and on the 24 incher to see it there's anyway to line the engine up and make it fit. On the bike from alesterfiend, the engine is already mounted - it's just a matter of getting the correct sprocket on a solid rear axle and lengthening/lining up the chain and tensioner. Those are all things I know I can do.

The 24 inch bike I'll just have to check the fit of things on.

 

[vegaspaddy]

hi simple simon,

if you are still looking for a trike conversion kit i have one sitting in the garage and will give you a real good deal on it, i was going to build one up myself but i have no more room for bikes in my 2 car garage, one dodge caravan + 6 bikes, 3 motorized and maybe a new 2 wheel project this fall.

i will post a pic as soon as i find it, i wiped my hard-drive and forgot to save the bookmarks i had.......

 

[vegaspaddy]

hi simon,

found the link i knew i had some pics of the trike parts around here,

scroll down to the middle of the page post #45 to see all the parts.

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=7756&highlight=trike+conversion&page=5


"the conversion kits with the little chain driving the wheel will not work for motoring without a jackshaft...it needs to be a kit with a solid axle, so you have somewhere to mount the engine driven sprocket" as quoted by azbill

yes this kit does have the smaller sprocket, but the rear axle is one solid peice so i think it would work for you, the front mount is holding the cassette which you can easily disguard and setup like this

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showpost.php?p=56976&postcount=16

AZBILL IS THE GOTO GUY HERE, COUPLE OF TRIKE BUILDS UNDER HIS BELT

i am nearly sure the kit i have is pretty much the same as the one they used on azvinnes beauty.


send me a PM and i will get back to you with a price, i will also have to look into shipping costs as i was getting ready to put this in the buy/sell/trade but you can have first dibs if you are interested.

 

[azbill]

vegas' rear is the same
it is a start

thanks for the props, but I am still learnin

that rear end is now 129 at choppersus
http://www.choppersus.com/store/product/740/Trike-Kit---Heavy-Duty-BLACK/
the basket is 30$
2 hollow hub wheels 35-50$ each (choppersus has a really nice set of trike mags for 120)

roland's price is high but includes everything
I have tried, but couldn't beat it in total
but, if on a budget and buying piece by piece (my usual way), I can give some leads

this is the type of rear that can't be easily motor driven
http://www.choppersus.com/store/product/239/Trike-Conversion-Kit-20"/

hope that little bit helped you SS (I am still working on a design based on your sketch-up)

 

[SimpleSimon]

vegaspaddy, I've PM'd you. Thanks a bunch for your offer and the links.

azbill. the trike conversion kit my LBS guy has is the choppersUS chrome style - I looked at it, and while his price is very fair it just won't work without serious mods.

So, based on measurements and modelling, I think I can fit the new HT engine kit into the 24" Huffy ladies frame bike I have, with modification/lengthening of the intake manifold. I can do that readily enough. I'll either take it to one side (left probably) or maybe just straight back. I have a 2/3 sized steel shopping cart a guy gave me that I plan to remove the wheel frame from and mount as a rear basket above the trike suspension, if I can make it fit.

Tried using my Craftsman scroll saw with a metal cutting blade on some scrap aluminum the other day, and at the lowest speed it will run at it works just fine, even on one inch thick stock. Fabbing up anything that way will be slow, but it will get done, and I have plenty of experience with using double-sided tape to re-attach a cut off section to stabilize a piece for cutting on another axis. Scrap aluminum plate stock I can get for scrap metal spot price from a manufacturer here in town, in very small quantities (which is all I'll need).

I'm not in a hurry - I'd love to have it finished and rideable by the end of May. If everything works out I'm gonna drive to northern Idaho to visit a friend and eat some buffalo in early July - I'd love to take the trike along. It'd be a great vehicle to cruise the Highway to the Sun in Glacier National Park with, and I can stay in National Parks and campgrounds for free. Heck, if finances allow, I'll cruise on over to augidogs motor bicycle hostel.

My dream is to get it running well, get everything dialed in and worked out, and hit the road to various parks and scenic areas with trike along. Another friend lives in Asheville, NC, and she keeps demanding I come hang out for a few days - the Great Smoky Mountain Parkway would be a fantastic motor biking excursion.

This is gonna be fun!