It's always something!

Timbone

Well-Known Member
Local time
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Joined
Apr 20, 2014
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1,098
Location
Louisville, KY
That's the best way to describe the HT/ Motorbike experience. If you commit to creating or buying a motorized bicycle, you've got to be willing to get your hands filthy oily dirty or your rig will be stranded in a garage gathering cobwebs.

On Wednesday's ride into work, my exhaust worked lose and I had to pull over and tighten it down. Got some power back, too.

On the return home, a big shower hit the city forcing me to find shelter. Since I had tools, I didn't waste my time, and I torqued just about every nut and bolt I could see. Left crank was loose, as well as two front motor mounts.

After a number of excellent trips around town, I had planned to ride to work this morning but as I began my pedal start. The chain sounded loud and clanky as it rolled through the drive sprocket on the engine. I just got off the bike and walked it to the garage.

Once I had returned home and looked at the bike, it was obvious that the chain was suddenly very loose and being pulled towards the spokes by the chain tensioner. In fact, the chain tensioner had moved quite a bit forward. So I reset the thing and now it is as quiet and as smooth as ever.

I am keeping a very sharp eye on the motor mounts. Whoever got the idea that standard 6mm studs were sufficient to hold these motors in place were crazy. Grade 8 6mm studs maybe. My next build will have much sturdier motor mounts.

=Timbone=
 
If you ever want car-like reliability, go GEBE, little to no tinkering, just occasional maintenance.
 
That's the way most of us learned Timbone. Just keep tightening those bolts regularly and the maintenance requirements will wane as time goes on. I must make a pilgrimage up your way to the Jim Beam distillery some day.
 
nothing is broken on my bike but I'm not going to let that stop me from spending money on it.

I'm about to start experimenting with a PZ19 carburetor and this weekend I'm going to flip the jug so I can have a straight exit exhaust that exits behind me and doesn't need expensive mandrel bends for good airflow. I'm also going to use it as an opportunity to try a ram air type system, using a scoop that I can face forward when the weather is nice and turn backwards when it gets wet.
 
That's the way most of us learned Timbone. Just keep tightening those bolts regularly and the maintenance requirements will wane as time goes on. I must make a pilgrimage up your way to the Jim Beam distillery some day.

I have ridden my road bike (pedal bike) past the Jim Beam distillery many times. Beautiful area. A little hilly. Round trip from the South side of town is 50-55 miles.

=Timbone=
 
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