My First Build, My Journey So Far

My journey began late last October when I came across an ad for an engine kit for a bicycle. As a kid I had always dreamed of motorizing a bicycle so when I saw the ad from zoom cycles I thought I have an old Raleigh bike I can throw the motor on and I ordered the kit from Zoom cycles and my journey begins. My kit arrives in a few days and I start my build knowing nothing of these engines or motorized bicycles. Thru lots of research thru this forum and other websites and YouTube that there are different engines and more to it that just installing the kit. Quickly I also find that my original plans of using my old Raleigh not very practical without alot of modifying and machine work. Not to mention Raleigh has it's own thread sizes. So I abandoned my old Raleigh ( I have new plans for it now lol) and went and bought a Columbia Rambler from Walmart. It started of as a single speed cruiser. The first thing I did was completely strip the bike and replace the wheels and bearings. I replaced the headset and bearings with a higher quality Japanese set, I also replaced the bottom bracket with a sealed cartridge unit. I replaced the single speed sprocket with a shimano 5 speed cassette, I want to go with a 7 speed but couldn't get it to fit between the rear for stays. I already had to spread the frame quite a bit to get the 5 speed to fit, I had to replace the rear axle with a longer one without shoulders on the inside so I could adjust the offset on the mag wheels. My zoom cycles engine turned out to be a ZAE50 engine. I have complete taken apart and replaced the bearings with skf 6202, I port matched the case to a 40mm cylinder I got from boygoesfast, port matched the cylinder and ramped and skirted the piston, and installed a jaguar cdi, installed a jackshaft and custom made exhaust and gas tank. Now I just need the weather to cooperate so I can get it out and break it in and get the carb set up and figure out what carb I'm going to use.
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That's odd. Crome and black were the same price.

Red scotch brite pad to scuff it. The must for rust to etch (phosphoric acid) then self etch prime. Let them sit a couple days before top coating. That's what I have had the best luck with.
I got the forks thru Ebay. There's not alot of selection for a 1" steer tube. It sucks living in Canada trying to get some parts as the shipping costs as much as the parts. Shipping and duty on the forks was as much as the forks were.

What really gets me is I can order anything from China and is usually free shipping and duty. If I order from the states and they ship thru the global shipping program I will pay duty 100% of the time. If I convince the seller to ship by USPS 95% of the time I dont pay duty. Either way whether I order from China or the US it's a minimum 2 week wait.

I figured I was going to have to give the forks a good scuffing and etching before painting.
Probably gonna reseal the gas tank while I got everything apart.
 
Looking good! You have to send me that stem! Been eyeballing that one for a while. If i get the gt cranks that neckbis going on as well lol. Huffy with gt stuff 🤪
 
Looking good! You have to send me that stem! Been eyeballing that one for a while. If i get the gt cranks that neckbis going on as well lol. Huffy with gt stuff 🤪
Surprisingly the pipe wasnt to hard to fit. Had to cut it at the second weld and rotate the pipe. Luckily there was another pipe inside to rotate it on and reweld. I just have the pieces tracked together for now. Gonna take it to work in the morning so I can MIG it together. Way nicer weeks than using my gas less turd welder. That GT stem is gonna look sweet on my Columbia lol.

New Reed valve should be in Tuesday. As you remember my original isnt close to fitting. Too big for a 32mm intake and to small for a 40mm. Hopefully by next weekend the new forks will be on and the bike will be back together and dialed in. I think waiting on my threadless headset might be the only delay.

Im really curious about the body pretty on your sleeved cylinder. I want to see what is like after you've road for a while before I decide what to di with mine.

One other thing maybe you've said it before but what happened to your old bike?
 
Thanks Gary that means alot. I assumed the rambler was just a lower end model of the klunker as it came with a single speed and rigid forks.

I made the gas tank after seeing Spare_Parts make his, he is doing some great things to his bike and has given me lots of inspiration ti make my bike compete with his. Lol he is winning.

I really like the style of frame, similar to the cranbrook but I think i sloped down more in the rear and it seems to have a low center of gravity. I just wish the middle cross bar was a little higher. It makes for a tight fit with the Jack shaft. Im curious to see how my new forks are going to affect the geometry. It was riding really nice with the suspension forks until they started the violent vibrations like they were coming apart.
These are the forks im waiting for to come in
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I'm currently using a 5 speed set up, it's not very often I can get into 4th before running out of road lol. I can't wait to see what the new upgrades and pipe are going to do.

I have a Klunker build also, and you didn't miss anything worth having not having the same suspension fork on your rambler, I replaced them with rigid triple clamp type forks like picured
 
Well I got the expansion pipe completed. Unfortunately the holes for the intake were drilled and tapped on different angles so using my Oz reed valve on this cylinder isnt likely going to happen, luckily I was able to make my CDH Reed valve work with my Rungtong HP carb. I was able to get it together enough to take it for a spin and HOLY CRAP!!!!!! This bike pulls hard and long and it's nowhere nearing running right. It's running lean for sure. But man what a amazing difference in performance. The vibration is way way less and is less noticable in the seat post. Can't wait to rejet the carb and fiddle with the switches in the cdi to get it dialed in. The problem now is because of the new pipe comes out on the opposite side that it used to, so now I have to move the carb and CDI to the other side of the bike.
Gas tank also started leaking, decided not to fix it and make something different. Lol I change 1 pipe and do a few engine mods and now I'm into a complete rebuild. Im really happy with the improvements tho, I just said to my fiancee even for it running so terrible right now its runs so much better than the old bike and I thought It ran really good.

I'll keep everyone posted on getting dialed in and on improvements.
 
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Got the forks in today. Hopefully the headset will be here before the weekend. So I can get them on and test ridden. Did some wrenching on the bike tonight. Turns out the rungton carb had a 72 jet in it.,swapped it out for an 80 and switched to a b7hs from a 6. It was extra lean and hot last night, tonight was alot better, it's running a tad rich with the 80 but alot cooler too, gonna put the 6 back in tomorrow and try. The bike pulls hard and had the best and smoothest throttle response the bike has ever had but it seems to be starving for air or gas once I get into 4th and it starts trying to pull.. I'm sure the carb needs to be bigger. Got the tach fixed hitting 7250 rpm before shifting very little vibrations. Top speed today on the scary forks 68 kph or 42.25mph.
More tinkering to come.

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I have to order that stem and the gt pro series cranks lol. The clamps on your fork are much nicer then the painted ones. Spent some time on the belt sander trying to flatten the tops.
 
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Got the forks in today. Hopefully the headset will be here before the weekend. So I can get them on and test ridden. Did some wrenching on the bike tonight. Turns out the rungton carb had a 72 jet in it.,swapped it out for an 80 and switched to a b7hs from a 6. It was extra lean and hot last night, tonight was alot better, it's running a tad rich with the 80 but alot cooler too, gonna put the 6 back in tomorrow and try. The bike pulls hard and had the best and smoothest throttle response the bike has ever had but it seems to be starving for air or gas once I get into 4th and it starts trying to pull.. I'm sure the carb needs to be bigger. Got the tach fixed hitting 7250 rpm before shifting very little vibrations. Top speed today on the scary forks 68 kph or 42.25mph.
More tinkering to come.

View attachment 87943
Teach me
 
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