Kent seachange build

Here's my first (for myself, I have put together a few others) build, an imaycc 80cc kit (came with the little bike computer) on a Kent seachange. Swapped for mag wheels. Removed rear coaster brake, rear dropouts are too narrow to put both a sprocket and a disc brake on so I just have a front disc brake. I welded on one of those universal disc brake adapters to the front fork (just screws/friction don't keep the caliper and bracket from twisting and moving) and stopping power seems adequate. There's also a VM18 Carby and ngk bh6s on there now and she's running way rich with 30 pilot and 75-85 main, next step is to see how the 65 does (70 is stock) and pick up a couple smaller pilot jets. Right side "brake" is my killswitch.

I got in a small accident with this (guess the brakes weren't adequate) and had to replace the front light, throttle assembly (thumb throttle is SO nice!), some of the cables and their jackets, and lost my right mirror mount.

I had a pull start on it. It's not on anymore. Worked 1-2 times and the springs shredded themselves up.

I now have a cdhpower engine since I stripped the crankshaft taking the pull start off and the imaycc also leaked oil everywhere. Oh and millions of little metal shards from the pull start springs. It's a spare parts engine now.

Fun facts: a standard 27.2 seatpost won't fit this. I bought a nice aluminum one. I bent out where the clamp clamps the post. I sanded down some (then got lazy) of the outside of the new post. No dice

Also fun fact: good luck finding 26" suspension forks with disc brakes with a 1" threaded downstem. Cdhpower makes a 29 so I have that coming in. I did find a 26 for about $100 and the 29 was about $65. I wanted a triple tree but it was hard enough finding a regular one.

I also found that my petcock was leaking from the threads. On the to-do list is get some permatex gas tank sealer on those threads. I also self-tapped the gas tank strap into the frame, so it shouldn't rotate around

These knockoff exhaust pipes are alright, nothing spectacular but for $50 it sounds like I have a better bike than I really do. I added a Briggs and Stratton 5hp muffler to this as well (haven't tested yet, waiting for that front fork).

More pictures to come when the new fork (with built in disc brake mount) comes in and she's painted (any color suggestions? I took the red and white stickers off the mag wheels because they looked tacky)

Topped out only at 32mph so far (10/36t) but the leaner main jet should fix that

Todo:
Front fork
Replace patriotic grip (hockey tape)
Carby jets
 

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Also shown is my amazingly redone mounting tab for the exhaust. The stock one snapped at both the top and bottom. I had a piece of perforated steel bolted through the exhaust (in this picture) and another 1/2 in NPT thread bolted to the end. This also leaked oil everywhere and I welded that support to the exhaust after welding the 2 bolt holes closed. I also welded the NPT nipple and closed those bolt holes and the Briggs and Stratton muffler screws right in nice and tight (more pics to come)

Also in this pic you can see how I have the front brake (left side) as more of a thumb throttle than a correctly oriented handbrake
 

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You know honestly for a $100 bike it's not bad at all. Doesn't feel like it flexes or anything and the mag wheels make a huge difference.

Although next time I might go with something a little nicer out of the box, either with disc brakes and mags and suspension built in or at least some of those things. Or, you know, a standard size seatpost.

But in a more general way yeah the bike is pretty sweet. Nice bright lights for night riding and of course half the fun is the tinkering. Can't wait to stop paying $40+ for a fuel fill up too
 
My friend has a kent seachange and he has a phantom85 on it, really good bikes for the price of under 100$. With inflation, I was at Walmart the other day and the average cruiser was 198$! I hope you have fun with your bike man! Also, how'd you go about mounting your vm18? In the photos it just looks like a stock mount? Not sure though.
 
Looks nice!
Yea, I just finished up a Kent seachange, it was getting close to a tight fit, but everything worked. They are a decent deal at wally world " rollback" for 98 bucks. I still have the coaster brake but added front and back rim breaks, a mz65 clone and a muffler, with a 44t sprocket I can pull some decent hills now without "pedal assist!" I also added a front basket and a Wald rear rack, for that good utlitiy and old school look
The nearest thing I can find that walmart has that is close to being as cheap is the Huffy 26 inch rock creek for 128 dollars....it would need an offset manifold from the carb to the engine to fit...but not a bad low budget mtn bike option...about the only way to come out better is to search for used and stumble upon a bike or scour the pawn shops.
 
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