New Builder in Lehigh Valley, PA

[HouseOfEl]

I was thinking about that, and I might do it just for color match. But honestly, I just realized if I can fabricate a gasket from caulk, I can probably fashion something to absorb vibration. The base bike is some off brand model that I've seen two sellers using (and very different prices). I'm guessing it's the engine that's really making the prices different. Anyway I got mine from californiamotorbikes.com but umotobikes.com has the same bike, even the same promo pictures.

Anyway, the only thing that is giving me trouble so far is the drive chain length (gonna pick up a chain breaker once my girlfriend's car brakes are done in an hour or so) and the fact that I only got one nut for my pedal arms. I went to auto zone to get some nuts and ended up with some lock nuts that you see in the second picture. I definitely want to swap those out for the correct ones, I can't get a tool in there to tighten them all the way.

 

[KellT]

Looks pretty good for the first bike build. Lemme know how that chain tensioner holds up. I'm thinking of welding on a plate with eyelet on the chainstay since Ive heard those tensioners are crap. Then again with the dropout extention, I may not even need the tensioner

 

[HouseOfEl]

Thanks man, yeah I must say it's looking pretty clean. I got a little too excited tonight and tried to punch a hole for the throttle set with the chain breaker. It would've worked if the vice part of the breaker didn't bow the handle bar up top. I'm gonna just drill the real hole a half inch down and cover the mistake with the brake lever.

I'm 95% done. My back wheel was locked up so I had to loosen the flower nut. But SOMEHOW before I came to that conclusion, I tightened the clutch arm so tight that I shifted it or some nonsense. Now when I pull the clutch arm away from the bike the clutch disengages (free spin/pedal mode) and when I push it towards the bike it locks it up - which is the opposite of what it was doing before I tried tampering with the clutch line. Thought about doing a suicide clutch and just using my hand to reach down and drop the clutch until I can figure the BS with the wire out.

 

[Frankenstein]

Allentown PA here as well, crazy city but found nice folks here, anyone wanna ride? Weather's been nice last couple days.

 

[bakaneko]

Weather's been nice last couple days.

You spoke too soon...

 

[Frankenstein]

It's almost 70 degrees now, if you want to tear up the road nows the time!

 

[Frankenstein]

One of my best friends here in the lehigh valley, good riding buddy too. The old guy riding the bike ain't too bad either.