New performance bike build

Hawaii_Ed

Member
Local time
5:29 AM
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
697
Location
Orlando, FL
My first build was my cheap beach cruiser just to get my feet wet and see how this hobby goes. I have had over 1500 fun miles on the cruiser and it needed a little work. I also met my friend 5-7 heaven with his 40MPH Dragon Lady and decided to build something to try and keep up better. I like the happy time quasi-motorcycle look, and decided to go with that and a shift kit. I have a pedal commuted for years, living in Seoul and Tokyo and othe places around the world where biking made a lot of sense. So I had a 2000 Trek 4300 that I rode for years. It is a solid frame that fits me well, and has that 'old pair of jeans' familiarity. It is much lighter than the beach cruiser, has a suspension fork, and should be a very good canidate. It does have the top exposed cables, but can fix that easily. It is pre-disc brake, but I plan on converting it soon.

I got my new zoom 80cc slant kit and twist shifter today. I can start messing with that stuff and mount up the engine when the shift kit gets here. I was very happy with the speed and packaging of the zoom kit. The black paint job is pretty bad, they missed several big spots, so I will paint it up before installing too.

I plan on doing the regular upgrades on this motor, and will def do an expansion pipe ASAP. My goal is upper 30's, maybe even 40MPH. :cool:

Build pics to come soon!
 
Hey Ed,

When you finish your build and get the bugs worked out, we can ride from your home to Waikiki!:devilish:

That'll be SOME ride! If for some reason you're not up to speed, we can take the bikepath from Waipahu most of the way to town.

I can ride to your place, then we can motor to town. The wives can follow in the van.

Take your time.

Maybe next weekend?:D
 
Okie, got all my parts in the mail today, and got to work!

- The handlebars and stem had a little fading/crinkling in the paint, so I stripped and painted them a nice satin black the other day.
- The shift kit is nicely powdercoated, but the navy grey constrasted with my color scheme, and I took the time to scuff them up and paint a nice black too.
- Got the handle bars sorted out, twist-shift on the left. The cables are exposed on the top of the tube, so I sheathed them and mounted the tank. Worked fine, still shifts and brakes :)
- This Trek 4300 is 1 3/8 seat tube, and I got the stuff for 1 1/4, so it will take some mods to make it work. I need some bigger clamps. The great tech support from SBP already responded with directions for the mods :)
- I got the cranks off OK, but did not have a bottom bracket tool. I had one back in the day, but have no idea where it is after years of moving around the world. So will pickup one in the am, along with the rest of my parts, and hope to ride it Friday night :)

Here are some pics of the progress, and last weekend's beach trip so you all know what I look like too!:cool:
 

Attachments

  • DSC08130.jpg
    DSC08130.jpg
    101.2 KB · Views: 619
  • DSC08132.jpg
    DSC08132.jpg
    115.2 KB · Views: 587
  • DSC08133.jpg
    DSC08133.jpg
    106.1 KB · Views: 583
  • waikiki.jpg
    waikiki.jpg
    113.8 KB · Views: 666
Hey Ed,

Good work Ed! Can't wait to see your creation.:geek:

So you solved the gas tank location you were concerned about. That's great.

You and Julie make a lovely couple. :D

See you guys tomorrow at the beach!

Talk to you after work today.
 
Wow, what a day! This build had some issues, the good news is: IT IS ALIVE!

- I started the day by getting the bottom bracket tool, new clamps, and some other little bits.
- Got the BB out, and it is a cassette style. SBP includes a slightly wider crank, and I guess you need it, so I wanted to put it in. :unsure: My wife had a cheap bike we got living in Italy with bearings and a three piece. On :geek: the test fit it was too big. :cry: But...I have an OCC Chopper for a future build, and it worked perfect! So got the cranks on. :D
- Modified the mounts for the seat tube, everything went together easy.
- This is a new slant engine with the wide frame mounts. The old plate I had on my cruiser would not fit the front. The engine just cleared my 1.5" tube, but it works. Unfortunately, I did scrape it a bit getting it in. :cry: Can clean it up some, but it is a speed demon, not a show bike. :cool:
- SBP includes a jump guard to keep the drive chain on the sprocket. It has to be exactly your seat post size, and you can not ride without it. Since I ordered the wrong size, I had to 'adapt' and covercome. I cut up and ground down my shimano XT front derailer to fab a mount for the guard. Took more effort than it should have, but it worked.
- Buttoned up some other stuff,it all looked good. Double checked all my connections, and jump on for a test pedal first. In my hurry, forgot to air up the tires! Went back, got the pump, and triple checked all nuts!
- Pedal ride went good, chain felt great, nice and smooth. I also installed the chain tensioner set up with the kit, makes it easy to dial it in. So time to give it a run! I flipped to gas, and started pedaling, and it fired right away! :cool:
- Of course the shift kit is a whole different world, but this motor feels so much smoother and revs so much faster than my old kit ever did. I ran it up through the gears some, went up and down, and then hit the main road for a bit. It hit 33MPH in 6th and was still going. :helmet: I this kit and engine! It was sunset with no lights, and some traffic, so I shout it down and went home easy. :)

So now I have just a few tweaks to do, the chain guard needs installed, clean up the wiring, move the CDI box back some, and then break it in.

Here are some pics. The reflectors make it hard in the low light, but you get the idea!
 

Attachments

  • DSC08135.jpg
    DSC08135.jpg
    98.8 KB · Views: 503
  • DSC08137.jpg
    DSC08137.jpg
    123.2 KB · Views: 514
  • DSC08138.jpg
    DSC08138.jpg
    120.6 KB · Views: 493
  • DSC08139.jpg
    DSC08139.jpg
    135.5 KB · Views: 580
  • DSC08140.jpg
    DSC08140.jpg
    122.2 KB · Views: 499
Forgot to mention, I also went with 11 tooth sprocket over the stock 10. I tend to ride in the flat, and value speed over pull :)
 
Holy Moley! What a build, and so quickly too!

I get to see it up close, 'cause Hawaii Ed's bringing it to the beach with us today!:D
 
Spent a lot of time yesterday tweaking on the bike. The bearing cranks would not stay tight for some reason, kept getting slop, which threw out the chain alignment too. So I went back to the stock casette style. It is narrower than the sbp crank, but the chain cleared the frame. Adjusted the drive gear back as far as I can, and it all seens good to go. I also J-B welded my jump guard together. So far, so good. I met 5-7 Heaven for breakfast, and ran it down to the beach. I only have about 40 miles on the engine, so did not want to push it too hard, but did a good run at 42 MPH for a bit before backing it down. Great engine, and the shift kit is an amazing mod, it is a total different world!

Ed
 

Attachments

  • beach1.jpg
    beach1.jpg
    145.6 KB · Views: 480
  • beach2.jpg
    beach2.jpg
    185.9 KB · Views: 544
  • beach3.jpg
    beach3.jpg
    160.4 KB · Views: 432
Last edited:
Back
Top