Last night I had my son ride the bike around me in the grassy park so I could see and hear "The Iron Dragon". The speed was about 16mph tops, and my son said it felt very powerful riding on grass. It was his first time on a motorized bike. Now he realizes why I like to commute to work on an MB.
It's also LOUD.
After riding on grass, we headed home, which is adjacent to the park. The rear tire started rubbing badly on the engine housing and we barely made it home. Upon inspection, I found that the rear wheel was wobbly because of a loose quick-release axle skewer. Tightened the axle, realigned the engine housing and it's good to go.
R X R'd the engine. Clutch looks great.
A great mod I did was to cut off the top of the stock rear engagement strut.
If I take off the seat, the engine housing can be lifted almost perpendicular to the top of the tire! Of course the nuts on the all-thread engagement support on the right side have to be removed to lift the engine assembly
.
Great for maintenance, removing the engine and header, and loosening those hard-to-reach bolts underneath.
The 26 X 1.95 Kenda tires came with the bike and look new. It's those hybrid mountain tires with smooth tread in the center and mountain tire ribs on the edges. Rims are quality double-walled with stock spokes. TP is 40psi as recommended.
This engine sucks a lot of gas. Maybe it's because of testing and tuning. I did a three-mile leg of my work commute yesterday.
The "Iron Dragon" is fast and furious, but ill-handling. It's also a very short Giant Rincon bike with a 14" frame.
A 1.5liter goped tank is bolted directly opposite the engine. The sloshing fuel in the tank is an eye-catcher, which makes you notice that it's not a pedal bike. I'll install a tank cover for camouflage.
Hawaii Ed is getting a motorcycle tank for his OCC chopper. I could use one for distance riding, might need an electric fuel pump to feed the goped tank.
I have a pump on "The Dragon Lady" that isn't being used and can switch that over if fuel can't flow from the reserve tank to the peanut tank.
Maybe that's why "The Dragon Lady" seems so stable above five mph. That bike has 20 pounds of engine over the front tire and a 2.5 liter Happy Time tank.
Steve, I carry that gallon container when Hawaii Ed and I ride long distance. Otherwise "The Dragon Lady" has both engine tanks and a Happy Time reserve tank.