Here is my latest Fosscati Billinudgel Bullet 2010 build. The differences between this and previous Billinudgel Bullets is that I stove enamelled the tank in the kitchen oven and I spray painted the engine cover black to match the bike. I've finally managed to get the engine mount nearly perfect after so many builds but this bike had a few serious problems.
The chrome literally fell off the handlebars during the build (really bad chroming from Schwinn in China but that's nothing new). The front v-brakes were harder to set so they worked effectively than any previous D7 I've had and I spent 15 hours fiddling around to get them to work (problem caused by poor precision welding of bosses to forks). I used axle spacers to help get over the problem and filed the caliper holes to allow the shoes to go low enough to hit the rims and not the tyre. I split the downpipe on the poo poo exhaust trying to bend it cold using wooden blocks in a vice - I didn't want to use gas and discolour it. The Grubee freewheels have also taken a quality nose dive and I had to dissemle it and rebuild it using grease and loctite on the flange. The sprocket clamp is my own fabrication in stainless steel.
Have to order a whole new one because they don't sell just downpipes.
The rear rack is always a nightmare to fit because it isn't very precisely measured and is a brute force job using 2 strong men.
That's about it but the bike will eventually have it's long exhaust and also a Brooks 119B black leather saddle with a bum area about the size of a cricket pitch and huge coil springs (5 springs in all). The saddle is my Xmas present to myself and I'm hoping it will be supremely comfortable. Incidentally I don't think the HS motor could pull this bike because it is steel and weighs a ton. I wouldn't even consider trying to use one.
In my view and from my experience I much prefer the alloy Schwinn cruiser frames because they are better crafted but this steel frame comes with springers and the alloy frames don't and can't fit them cos headtubes are too long. The quality at Schwinn has taken a nose dive on next years models and I am seeing all sorts of little corner cutting tricks in the manufacture. Sadly the prices haven't nose-dived to match the quality fade - this bike retails for Aus $975.00 and it isn't worth the price believe me. For an extra $150 you can get an Electra which is about 30% better made.
The chrome literally fell off the handlebars during the build (really bad chroming from Schwinn in China but that's nothing new). The front v-brakes were harder to set so they worked effectively than any previous D7 I've had and I spent 15 hours fiddling around to get them to work (problem caused by poor precision welding of bosses to forks). I used axle spacers to help get over the problem and filed the caliper holes to allow the shoes to go low enough to hit the rims and not the tyre. I split the downpipe on the poo poo exhaust trying to bend it cold using wooden blocks in a vice - I didn't want to use gas and discolour it. The Grubee freewheels have also taken a quality nose dive and I had to dissemle it and rebuild it using grease and loctite on the flange. The sprocket clamp is my own fabrication in stainless steel.
Have to order a whole new one because they don't sell just downpipes.
The rear rack is always a nightmare to fit because it isn't very precisely measured and is a brute force job using 2 strong men.
That's about it but the bike will eventually have it's long exhaust and also a Brooks 119B black leather saddle with a bum area about the size of a cricket pitch and huge coil springs (5 springs in all). The saddle is my Xmas present to myself and I'm hoping it will be supremely comfortable. Incidentally I don't think the HS motor could pull this bike because it is steel and weighs a ton. I wouldn't even consider trying to use one.
In my view and from my experience I much prefer the alloy Schwinn cruiser frames because they are better crafted but this steel frame comes with springers and the alloy frames don't and can't fit them cos headtubes are too long. The quality at Schwinn has taken a nose dive on next years models and I am seeing all sorts of little corner cutting tricks in the manufacture. Sadly the prices haven't nose-dived to match the quality fade - this bike retails for Aus $975.00 and it isn't worth the price believe me. For an extra $150 you can get an Electra which is about 30% better made.
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