Old School Eye Candy

It's been several months since I posted photos and a description of my first build, the "Red Hornet". That bike got mixed reviews, some people just don't appreciate Pee Wee Herman like I do! Anyway, since then I've been putting an insane amount of time in a Chrome Giant Stiletto with a 66cc Chinagirl, a custom springer seat, and custom springer front end. Actually, I should call the bike "Frankenstein" because I scavenged parts from OCCs as well as several other brands. The hard pan seat is fabbed from a heavy aluminum frying pan from my father-in-laws restaurant, the front wheel is an OCC wheel re-laced with ss spokes and converted to disc brake with the 3 inch tire that originally came on the rear of the Stiletto. The rear wheel is a 4.25" OCC wheel with a welded seam and re-laced with 12 gauge ss spokes and converted to disc brake. I also used a sprocket conversion in place of the freewheel. The rear fender is from an OCC, the front from a cruiser. Both chains are upgraded BMX (my chinese 415 chains started cracking). The controls are standard MB, but the cables are heavier scooter cables. The AMF Harley tank came from an old 350 sprint. It lifts from the rear and slides out of rubber mounts just like it was originally designed to do. It's held in place by a heavy rubber O-ring, so it comes off in 30 seconds for maintenance. I tweaked the Chinagirl to squeeze out a little extra power to handle the added weight of this build. Shortly I will add a LED headlight, a horn, and a Whizzer speedometer from my parts bin. The configuration on this bike makes it a blast to ride. I hope you like it.

 

[grimreaper]

nice!!

dude i got to say this is one sweet ride. first of all i wanna no where you got that frame and that springer front end and second ive been trying to figure out a way to make my bike a geared one any suggestions?

 

[Scootmeister]

Thanks, Grimreaper, glad you like it. The frame is a Giant Stiletto. I think Giant made them for about 3 years. This particular one is chrome, you don't see too many. Most were blue or red. The great thing about the frame is it's high tensil steel like motorcyle frames. I fabricated the springer front end from junk parts I had lying around. It really smooths out the bumps and it's fun to watch them work. My suggestion for gears is to go to a Shimano Nexus 3-speed hub. I installed one on my other MB and it has functioned perfectly for 3 years. I laced it to a Rhino Lite XL rim using 12 gauge stainless spokes. I hope this helps.

 

[Chopperz]

Building one too

Thanks, Grimreaper, glad you like it. The frame is a Giant Stiletto. I think Giant made them for about 3 years. This particular one is chrome, you don't see too many. Most were blue or red. The great thing about the frame is it's high tensil steel like motorcyle frames. I fabricated the springer front end from junk parts I had lying around. It really smooths out the bumps and it's fun to watch them work. My suggestion for gears is to go to a Shimano Nexus 3-speed hub. I installed one on my other MB and it has functioned perfectly for 3 years. I laced it to a Rhino Lite XL rim using 12 gauge stainless spokes. I hope this helps.

Hey Scootmeister,

Awesome Build! I have a giant stiletto as well, but had given up on the build because I couldn't find an effective way to mount the engine without welding to the frame. What kind of mounts are you using, I'd love to get a set of those!? Or do you think one of those OCC chopper mounts would work? (http://speeddemon.ca/motorized-bicycles/chopper-mount.html)

I noticed you're using a jackshaft as well - is it this: http://www.staton-inc.com/store/products/GIANT_STILETTO_Jack_Shaft_5_8_OD_x_6_1_2_long-851-27.html ? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Scootmeister]

Hi Chopperz. As the attached photo shows, I've made some recent mods to the Stiletto. The OCC rear tire was swapped out for a 110-90-16 motorcycle tire for more height in the rear and much more durability. Also, I added a Arlen Ness style LED headlight with built in rheostat that will put your eyes out when I crank it all the way up. At the lowest strength it is much brighter than any other headlight I've used. It's driven by an internal lighting coil. Finally, I added a chrome Whizzer lighted speedo, much smoother and more accurate than Stewart Warner or other bike speedos. Most recently I changed out the HT engine for a 4.1hp Homelite chainsaw engine with fully adjustable walbro carb and reed valves. I've mated the Homelite to a Sram 2-speed automatic (Automatix) hub that shifts at 15 mph to give me a quicker takeoff and higher top end (37% higher gear in second). It's taken a lot of design and fabrication just to get the chainlines right. I'm waiting on some parts and a 1" pipe bender so I can fabricate an easy breathing exhaust. Most MB exhaust pipes are 1/2 or 3/4" ID which is to restrictive for a heavy breather. I have a vintage expansion chamber that will boost the hp a little more, and I'll run the smoke to the rear with a stinger. Not sure the Sram hub will hold up, if not I'll replace with a Shimano 3 or 4-speed, but I'd like to use the 2-speed because in my state you cannot have external shifting on a MB. To answer your questions, yes, the jackshaft is Staton's. It works fine but If I had it to do over again I would purchase a fully keyed 5/8" go kart jackshaft instead for more flexibility on sprocket placement, plus they are cheaper. For engine mounts you can use any kind of strong 1 1/4" diameter clamps. You can pick up aluminum truck CB antenae mounts at freeway truck stops or oneline. I also have used Harley Davidson 1 1/4" clamps used to hold footpegs on crashguards. Both fit the Stiletto frame tubes, they are super strong and they are easy to install. I think you will like a motorized Stiletto. The frame is strong and rigid, and the triple tree is like a motorcycles. I am amazed at the way mine handles and can't wait to get it back on the road. Two suggestions, install the best brakes you can afford, and install a custom seat. Stiletto seats were designed by the same guy who created waterboarding.

 

[Chopperz]

View attachment 47022Hi Chopperz. As the attached photo shows, I've made some recent mods to the Stiletto. The OCC rear tire was swapped out for a 110-90-16 motorcycle tire for more height in the rear and much more durability. Also, I added a Arlen Ness style LED headlight with built in rheostat that will put your eyes out when I crank it all the way up. At the lowest strength it is much brighter than any other headlight I've used. It's driven by an internal lighting coil. Finally, I added a chrome Whizzer lighted speedo, much smoother and more accurate than Stewart Warner or other bike speedos. Most recently I changed out the HT engine for a 4.1hp Homelite chainsaw engine with fully adjustable walbro carb and reed valves. I've mated the Homelite to a Sram 2-speed automatic (Automatix) hub that shifts at 15 mph to give me a quicker takeoff and higher top end (37% higher gear in second). It's taken a lot of design and fabrication just to get the chainlines right. I'm waiting on some parts and a 1" pipe bender so I can fabricate an easy breathing exhaust. Most MB exhaust pipes are 1/2 or 3/4" ID which is to restrictive for a heavy breather. I have a vintage expansion chamber that will boost the hp a little more, and I'll run the smoke to the rear with a stinger. Not sure the Sram hub will hold up, if not I'll replace with a Shimano 3 or 4-speed, but I'd like to use the 2-speed because in my state you cannot have external shifting on a MB. To answer your questions, yes, the jackshaft is Staton's. It works fine but If I had it to do over again I would purchase a fully keyed 5/8" go kart jackshaft instead for more flexibility on sprocket placement, plus they are cheaper. For engine mounts you can use any kind of strong 1 1/4" diameter clamps. You can pick up aluminum truck CB antenae mounts at freeway truck stops or oneline. I also have used Harley Davidson 1 1/4" clamps used to hold footpegs on crashguards. Both fit the Stiletto frame tubes, they are super strong and they are easy to install. I think you will like a motorized Stiletto. The frame is strong and rigid, and the triple tree is like a motorcycles. I am amazed at the way mine handles and can't wait to get it back on the road. Two suggestions, install the best brakes you can afford, and install a custom seat. Stiletto seats were designed by the same guy who created waterboarding.

Hahahah funny stuff with the waterboarding! - Yeah the seat was one of the first changes I made. And yeah, I wanted to jackshaft it so I could keep the rear disk brake, and going to put one on the front too. Yeah I just have to be careful with my build, and keep the bike as subtle as possible, as MB's are illegal here. Would you mind attaching a close up image of the engine mounts so I can get a better idea as to which ones to order and how to install!?

Thanks!

 

[Scootmeister]

I'll try to get some to you shortly, Chopperz. Right now I'm tied up decorating my other MB to ride in the Spirit of Christmas parade with a bunch of Whizzers, Cushmans, and modern scoots.

 

[Scootmeister]

You're in luck, Chopperz, I couldn't sleep tonight and I found this old picture of my Stiletto build "in progress" while perusing my computer. As you can see from the photo, I used Kuryakyn type clamps and custom "t-mounts" to hold the engine in place. You have to be able to cut and weld the mounts or have someone to do it for you. The length of the mounts depends on how you want to position the engine in the frame. I just experiemented until I found the positioning I liked. When I swapped out the HT for the Homelite engine I was able to use the same mounts by sliding the clamps on the frame. The soft Chinese mounting bolts were replaced with #8 hardened bolts. By the way, I get zero movement and no excessive vibration from this setup. I hope this helps.