Building another friction drive

Urban Fatbiker

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Local time
4:25 AM
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
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585
Location
Nashville TN
I have a family member wanting a cheap powered bike. I looked around my shed and drug together my old reduction friction drive. It ate sprockets and chains, but a good learning experience.
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Day one:
First I drug out a frame, an old Trek I robbed of about everything. and collected whatever I had to assemble it, actually came together nicely. I was impressed how quick it came together.
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Day two:
Modified the FD scissors frame for direct drive. All the old crap off, hack apart, saw grind weld, repeat, till my old 25cc mounts to line a roller up correctly.
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Now I need a roller, outboard bearing mount, and start fixin it to the bike.
 
Day 3 went backward cause I did't like the geometry. Chopped the pivot and reworked the sloppy crap in front.

Day 4 I finished roller, outboard bearing mount, spring anchors, clutch arm. Added gas tank mount.

Somewhere on here I have a video of buzzbike running on a trainer. And another video, of the trainer frame stripped and used to line up wheels. I kept the hardware.
The roller and shaft, with M8/1.25 thread matches exactly, and so does the bearing speed rating. If the roller wears I'll be able to reuse the shaft for a new one.
A bracket I used as a gas tank mount. Nothing left but plastic and a heavy freewheel, and yes I might add the freewheel after testing.

Cleaned up sharp corners, painted everything.

Should be ready for final mounting and cabling!
Pics later.
 
Day 5:
Ends with a fully assembled bike, only item remaining is bullet connectors on the kill switch wires.
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Turned out looking kinda ratrod nice. We'll see on Day 6 how she runs, Hoping that engine starts right up, its a tough little motor.

If its good, my 6 days of creation are complete, and I can rest on Day 7.

It may need a different tire, we'll see.
 
Day 6 and SUCCESS with smiles for miles!

I swapped the carb and intake for a stock look, barrel carb no adjust its ran for decades, or sat for years always works.

Started three pulls first time. Most every time since, one pull it runs. Great little motor.

I finishrd it out with reflectors, mirror, lights, spare gas can, and a boombot mount (he got my old one), water bottle mount, front bag.

Rode it here, happy, packed up and took it to them. He's asking, will it get to the dollar store without pedaling a lot? I said I'll let you know in 20 minutes.
🤣

I came back.
"I pedaled the three times you saw...and same at two stops getting there. Thats all."

He asked but did I do the big highway long hill?
"Yep all the way to the light no pedalling and NO HANDS damn this thing is stable!"
The throttle is a friction shifter 😁 and it such a nimble bike I miss it already.

I even ran out the spare can, came back for refills. I maybe rode it 20 miles or so.

Its a sweet ride much impressed with myself!
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He just texted, took his first ride up tp a local parking lot to get a feel and he loves it.

I think that's the first time I busted out a project in 6 days, made it so good I wanted to ride it all day, then give it away, smiling all the way back home.

And on the Seventh Day he said we shall ride.
So it be done.
I can now rest.
 

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