Vintage bike with 16" wheels- Will it work with a HT?

Fletch

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I'm thinking about motorizing this bike bellow, but it has 16" wheels. Can it work? Should I do it?

Thanks
 

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Of course it will work.
If you do, the short wheelbase will be squirlly, brakes minimal (meaning dangerous).
There really are kid bikes- how much do you weigh?
 
Question: What do you want to do with it?

If you are using it as a pit bike, Maybe. If you want to actually go somewhere Look for something else.

When I was first looking at making a motor-bicycle I was thinking about using 24 inch wheels, but after checking out this sight and the other one I went to a 26 by 1.5 tire and I have been very happy with this set up.

I don't have any suspension other than the "give" the steel has and I am quite comfortable when I even go downtown (over ten miles over a hill.

the problem with little wheels is that they have a tendency to stop when they hit a good size pothole or rock but bigger wheels just roll over those type of obstacles.


mike
 
I just saw it on craigslist and I was thinking about adding a motor and selling it. I think it's a 1969 Sears Screamer which is supposed to have a larger rear wheel. It would definitely be more of a novelty item than transportation. I would have to use a larger rear sprocket (gear down? Or is that gearing up?) right?
 
gear u[ with little wheels

Since each revolution of the smaller wheel only moves you forward a small amount you have to use a smaller cog or "gear Up"
 
why not? sure it'll work, but i'd put the correct 20" rear wheel on it.
Do you have any idea what a mint condition, all original sears screamer is worth?
both of my bikes are 20" frames with 20" wheels and i'm running 41 tooth sprockets on both of them.
if you plan on keeping that 16" rear wheel, you will have to go down to a 36 tooth sprocket or smaller to get any decent speed out of it.
if you put a bigger sprocket on it (like a 44 tooth or bigger), with that 16" rear wheel it might wheelie like crazy because it will have so much bottom end torque.
I would get it and put a 20" rear wheel on it with a 20x2.00 cheater slick and run a 44 tooth sprocket.
both of my 20" bikes will get up to 30-32 mph with this size sprocket.
 
why not? sure it'll work, but i'd put the correct 20" rear wheel on it.
Do you have any idea what a mint condition, all original sears screamer is worth?
both of my bikes are 20" frames with 20" wheels and i'm running 41 tooth sprockets on both of them.
if you plan on keeping that 16" rear wheel, you will have to go down to a 36 tooth sprocket or smaller to get any decent speed out of it.
if you put a bigger sprocket on it (like a 44 tooth or bigger), with that 16" rear wheel it might wheelie like crazy because it will have so much bottom end torque.
I would get it and put a 20" rear wheel on it with a 20x2.00 cheater slick and run a 44 tooth sprocket.
both of my 20" bikes will get up to 30-32 mph with this size sprocket.

Well I have a general idea how much a Sears Screamer is worth, but as you can see from this picture of one bellow, it is nowhere near original condition.

If you check out this value guide: http://musclebikeforums.com/topic/6900

It would be "#5 Complete original needing full restoration." #5=$200-$300.

But it is obviously not "complete" so I don't know. They are asking $150 for it assuming they still have it. Do you have any idea what it may be worth, or what I should offer for it?

THanks
 

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I have seen mint complete, original sears screamers got for a $300-$400. they are definitly expensive, but not in the schwinn Krate category.
I can tell you right now tho, that the engine that has the intake manifold will be a problem. There won't be much (if any) clearance between the air filter and the seat post tube.
I have the version of the 50 c.c. 2 stroke that does not have the intake manifold (the carb is bolted right to the cylinder) and it is still a tight fit on my 20" frame.
if you look close, the bottom frame tube and seat post on my bike are at about the same angle as the ones on the screamer. look how close the air filter is to the seat post tube on my bike.
I have a low profile air filter on it and no intake manifold tube.

low1.jpg
 
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I have seen mint complete, original sears screamers got for a $300-$400. they are definitly expensive, but not in the schwinn Krate category.
I can tell you right now tho, that the engine that has the intake manifold will be a problem. There won't be much (if any) clearance between the air filter and the seat post tube.
I have the version of the 50 c.c. 2 stroke that does not have the intake manifold (the carb is bolted right to the cylinder) and it is still a tight fit on my 20" frame.
if you look close, the bottom frame tube and seat post on my bike are at about the same angle as the ones on the screamer. look how close the air filter is to the seat post tube on my bike.
I have a low profile air filter on it and no intake manifold tube.

low1.jpg

That's an awesome bike! What kind is it? I'm not even a big fan of small bikes either. The guy sold the bike apparently because he didn't reply. Was it worth $150 based on the pic IYO?

I've seen those 49cc with no manifolds, and remember reading that customs snagged a bunch of them so they haven't been around?

What kind of carb did they come with? Are the bolt holes spaced to equip more aftermarket carbs? Any problems with blow-back?
 
That's an awesome bike! What kind is it? I'm not even a big fan of small bikes either. The guy sold the bike apparently because he didn't reply. Was it worth $150 based on the pic IYO?

I've seen those 49cc with no manifolds, and remember reading that customs snagged a bunch of them so they haven't been around?

What kind of carb did they come with? Are the bolt holes spaced to equip more aftermarket carbs? Any problems with blow-back?

well, it's a generic "schwinn" stingray frame. It's actually a newer re-pop of the old style stingray, but not made by schwinn. I did put a schwinn headbadge on it tho.
Yep, i got the 50 c.c. w/o the intake manifold in the summer of 2009, and i have not seen any being sold since then.
the carb that it has on it is slightly different than the standard n.t. carbs that come on the h.t. 80 c.c's. the bad part is that it is not easy to get the carb off to make mods or to change the jet. the carb is mounted to the cylinder with long studs & nuts. the nuts are in recesses in the carb, so they are almost impossible to get to. as far as i can tell, the bolt holes on the cylinder for the carb are spaced the same as on the engines with the intake tube, but i'm not 100% positive on that. this carb is shorter than the standard n.t. carb because the part that bolts to the cylinder is flat.

I have no idea what that screamer may have been worth because it was hard to tell exactly how it was in the pics. I'm not an expert on these things, but i would guess that it was probably worth $100.00 - $150.00.
 
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