What motoredbikers really need

[HoughMade]

The problem with auto clutch is that you can stall the engine if you; by force of habit, rev up the engine to warm up. It would be quite funny if someone revved up the engine high and the bike shot off on it's own.

On the Grubee 4 stroke, the gearbox can be disengaged using a standard clutch lever. It is more of an on-off switch rather than a clutch.

 

[sparky]

Yea but when your on the bike trail and you're shutting it down every time you pass someone there has to be some type of shoulder problem you may have to deal with later if you're killing it then reaching around to start while moving constantly...

No more shoulder problems than scratching your left butt cheek. I can tickle, pull the rope, & unchoke without looking around... it's really not difficult at all. Most of the time I just pedal a block or so away, then crank it up while I'm riding since I have this free left hand to do whatever I want. I've carried a 12-pack of Budweiser on my leg 3 or 4 times.

The problem with auto clutch is that you can stall the engine if you; by force of habit, rev up the engine to warm up. It would be quite funny if someone revved up the engine high and the bike shot off on it's own.

I never rev up the engine unless I'm on it. Pedal away... crank engine... let it warm up at idle speeds... gradually give the throttle a couple pumps while I'm pedaling... then let 'er rip all the way.

I already have it in my mind when I get my Titan some kind of mechanical way to disengage the centrifugal clutch by way of lever so I can lock the lever down whenever I don''t want the centrifugal clutch shoes to grab the drum.
Examples would be when your going down a steep hill or your simply warming up the engine.
Now I know you can just get a freewheel sprocket but if I could rig a clutch lever and some stuff from Lowes it would ultimately be cheaper overall I would think.

The clutch shoes won't grab the drum if the throttle's not engaged, right? Doesn't make sense that a solid sprocket turning the engine's driveshaft would affect the clutch... but I dunno.

Really... if you've got a centrifugal clutch, you'd want the double freewheel hub. They're not that expensive (but prolly would be after you paid someone to lace the hub for you). So many benefits, like when you're hauling tail & the engine decides to seize... the freewheel will save your face. And the free hand is pretty nice, too.

 

[Alaskavan]

Gee. My trike is 4-stroke, CVT (no clutch), freewheel, electric start, technically frame mount? What's not to like? Oh, I can't use compression to slow down. I'll learn to live with that.

 

[graucho]

Ive been banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how to bring the mini chopper engine/tranny set up into the bike forum. We started a prototype on an old schwinn but there just to darn narrow. Even going with the wide crank. Mini choppers have 10-13" width to play with. My ideal set up would be a v frame, electric start, 4 stroke 49cc honda, centrifical clutch to a 2 speed jackshaft, then belt drive from the jackshaft to a belt style cycle sprocket. Smooth, quiet, fast, dependable. With pedals of course. Man, clean out the shop. Id better get busy.

 

[Alaskavan]

It seems to me that the problem is the conflict between the crank/pedals and the width of the engine. The practical argument for a frame mount is the center of gravity issue. The easiest solution (as far as I can see) is to move one or the other. The addition of an engine makes pedaling efficiency somewhat irrelevant. I would suggest moving the crank/pedals and routing the chain past the engine.

 

[HoughMade]

How about a short crank? I had the Grubee wide crank on my bike, but over the weekend, I replaced it with the crank off of a kids 16" bike- the crank is just as strong and has the correct size bearing. Use of a smaller sprocket will return the mechanical advantage lost with the shorter lever...but you would have to pedal faster to go the same speed. That is not a problem for me since I pedal this beast just to start from a standing stop. the crank does not go on either side of the gearbox, but is now under it. The pedals are plenty wide enough to pedal, but is more width is needed, a means of makink the pedals themselves wider could be devised.

You can just barely see where the pedal is inthis picture- I will get a better picture when I can.

 

[RedGreen]

Perhaps you could set the crank further back like the old motorcycles. That might get it out of the way.

 

[Alaskavan]

Hough, They make pedal extensions for use on recumbents (I think). Some loss of pedal speed from a smaller crank sprocket could be made up at the back of the bike. Anyway, all this is just speculation on my part, as I don't feel that the advantages of a frame mount on a conventional bike outweigh the disadvantages. I'm not looking to own a mini chopper. And I 'm not trying to go back to the future.

 

[highrider]

Freewheel sprocket that dont rotate when the wheels turn and the engine is not running and choke knob/dial on the handlebars so you dont need to bend down to adjust it.