New Member :)

bennyboy

New Member
Local time
9:44 AM
Joined
Mar 9, 2008
Messages
19
Hi first of all I would like to say that I prolly been reading through this forum for the last month getting ideas for my current build.
And alittle bout myself I live in Iowa and own a 1983 elcamino gas hog and with gas price expecting to reach atleast 4 dollars a gallon I am building somethin that I have wanted to for awhile now a motorized bicycle.

About the build:
Frame is a mongoose bmx
Engine is a 31cc troy built weedeater.
My plans and what I have already gotten outta the way:
I have already modified the engine a bit so it would clear the frame in all directions so theres no rubbing or anything its all mounted nice and snug. Custimizing the rear tire is the big thing that I have been working on. I wanted to try and get away from the whole chain or belt drive aspect of this and its sorta making it a monster haha and less of a bicycle every day. The weedeater im using is a straight shaft design with a flex shaft(which I do plan on using to drive the bike with alittle modding, could be the weak link but oh well live and learn right.) So what I had to do sense I am using the drive shaft and the coupler thing where you would attach your stuff to I had to change the free axel to a fixed axel to alow it to mate up with the adapter so I installed radial bearings into the frame where normaly it would tighten against. this has taken the most time to figure something out that would work thank goodness I work at a radioshack that is inside a farm store lots and lots of bits and peice to work with ranging from actuall mower parts to tractor and whatever you could imagine its around just gotta keep the eyes open. So the axel is now fixed to the hub will post pictures which should be soon here. My hopes is that this all works and the flex drive doesnt blow apart which it may but it will still be inside steel tubing so if it does no injuries should incure and I have my eyes on a thicker flex extension for a ratchet set that may work out perfect for a replacement in the event of malfunction. Over all whats left is for me to cut down the drive shaft and to open up one side of the rear frame for the radial bearing like I did to the other side(tough work seems the frame is a hardened alloy not steel cause the weight is still pretty low I can left this thing with one hand still with the engine in place but it is proving very tuff to cut or grind out) and then it should be ready for a test ride and pictures.

Would gladly appreciate any input especially on the whole flex drive setup if anyone has tried this. gearing might come into play but I am light small kid for 23 weighing in at 130 I think it should move no matter what this is after all the prototype and if it doesnt work well then there will be swearing and then its back to the drawing board. But I do have a good group of friends around here and prolly one of the best small engine mechanics that I know happens to be my twin brother who lives with me imagine that luck. This has gotten him interested in making one for tooling around town on. But everyone seems to think it should work after taking a good look at it. But that should be a good run down on everything. You all have a great day and let me know what you think. I just look at it and see pure fun screaming back at me I cant wait. haha byes
 
Welcome to MBc :cool:
Your the first that I have read trying to use a flex shaft.
Hope it works out well for you.
Post your pictures in the picture gallery when you can. Can't wait to see it.
 
It may be that it takes a bit more of modification to the bike to even get it to work like I mentioned putting radial bearings in the frame and also making the axel fixed to the hub. I just think if it works and with a slick paint job, which is going to be great first time that I will be able to show case my talent. Because once the beast runs I will also make a few sheat metal panels to streamline it a bit also prolly work in a sort of free air ram intake kinda like you see on some of them street bikes with the vents towrds the front that just smash air into a airbox with the filter. Which brings up the point were its prolly going to look less like a bmx bike with a weedeater engine and more like a small street bike. Also it will get a front light pod in the bars with light on the front a speedo on the back. So many ideas I work at radio shack I got all these little gadjets hanging around me so I cant help just like peice stuff togeather in my mind and then I just wander into the farm store part and look to see what good auto lights we have avaliable so I might be bring some nice ideas to the board. But thats enough for now and thanks for the input so far :)
 
Welcome Benny. Fascinating ideas. I really look forward to pictures of you build.
 
thanks everyone for the welcomes :) Looks like my only problem is finding the right times to grind on my bike without distrubing others haha thats what I get for living in a apartment. Power tools tend to make some noise good thing I live above a bar and the music does get load at times so I try to limit the noisie things towards them times. The good news is im no longer not the only on building here my brother is starting to gather up stuff for his own project I think its going to be a biker build off with some racing to follow so it should be fun :) well back to work for me you all have a great day.
 
G'day Benny & welcome.
I see your not lacking words or ideas...methinks your gonna be a handy asset to MBc. :cool:
 
haha there is nothing handier than a radio shack employee living in a small town. The thing I wanna try to figure out is a low cost effective lighting system I used to also be into RC cars which if you get serious enough into the body modding on those there are full blown lighting kits brake lights head lights and such that are all tied into the servo systems that you have on the cars granted the LEDs they use arent very power full more for looks but shouldnt be to much of a problem switching them out for some high powered LEDs. Brake light will be activated by small switchs instaled on the brake levers so when you pull the brake presto you got your brake light. Turn signals can be just any old 3 postion rocker switch sorta about as far as I have gotten on that idea but the great thing is that the batteries are really cheap (well if you have a radio shack handy that has them on clearance) they come with chargers and there all either 7.2v or 12v charge up a couple packs and just take them along and they have about a 30 minute to a 1 hour charge time no generators required :) The big thing though is I aint to keen on drawing up plans or diagrams cant ever get it on paper like it is in my head so I just usually go off the top of my head but I will keep you all posted on that stuff later first step is to get the bike running right.
 
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