New project idea

It has been quite cold so I haven’t been riding my latest full suspension rig a whole lot, but I am very satisfied with it and I am continuing improvements and refinement.

I have a simple but excellent 12V lighting system, with bright lights front and rear. Yesterday I completed my brake light, rigging a bright red led to a simple 12V battery pack (4 AA batteries) to a simple switch attached to my rear brake lever. I soldered a metal spring and attached it to the throttle body with a small zip tie. I soldered a small metal washer and attached it to the brake handle. Another zip tie leads the washer to the spring when I squeeze. Simple and effective.

My financial situation is expected to be much better next year and my thinking is to buy a small motorcycle. But I have one more motorized bicycle idea:

I have a 140cc 4 stroke, taken from a lawnmower. I intend to convert it for horizontal use, welding on a oil slapped and closing and opening some holes. Should be very reliable. Would have to grind the drive shaft down from 7/8” to 3/4” for a chain driving centrifugal clutch.

I just snagged a motorcycle triple tree stem for a few bucks! I have a couple of nice springs that will fit the big tubes needed for the project so I am foreseeing a kind of plunger tube within a tube. I can make that work by chopping a headtube off a derelict steel bike and welding it to a cafe racer frame of my own design.

Researching pieces, I see that motorcycle fork tubes are very expensive.

I’m thinking that I can rig all this up, add all lights and mirrors and get a motorcycle tag. Has anyone done this?

 

[HumanPerson]

I have attached my seat to the frame today.

View attachment 82862

hiya timbone,
be sure to remember to reinforce the welds on the headset there with the bottom frame member coming up into it.
Not saying it won't do ya, just saying it could be healthier for both you and the bike

Love the build!

 

[Timbone]

Don’t trust those photos so much. This thing is welded for the Apocalypse - I’ve way over engineered this. Maybe in a few thousand miles a crack could develop, but I can’t see that happening.

I still have so much work to do!

 

[curtisfox]

People don't realize the work that goes into a home build until they do it themselves. Looking really good............Curt

 

[Timbone]

That is a great thing to note. Everything about these builds take TIME. Even the kit builders must put in a lot of time. You may be able to bolt a kit onto a bike in 3 hours but you still have things to do. Jetting. Adding disk brakes. Lighting system. Motor mounts.

And building from scratch is much harder. I want a full 12 V system with turn signals and a brake light. Busy busy busy!

 

[Will'smotobikes19]

That is a great thing to note. Everything about these builds take TIME. Even the kit builders must put in a lot of time. You may be able to bolt a kit onto a bike in 3 hours but you still have things to do. Jetting. Adding disk brakes. Lighting system. Motor mounts.

And building from scratch is much harder. I want a full 12 V system with turn signals and a brake light. Busy busy busy!

Yes it takes time indeed my 79cc wasn't generating spark so I took the engine off my bike. I tested it today and all of a-sudden it has spark again, so annoying and I didn't even install the new coil. I put together a 2 stroke that I'll put on the bike. I want to retap the stud holes for 1/4.

 

[curtisfox]

Yes it takes time indeed my 79cc wasn't generating spark so I took the engine off my bike. I tested it today and all of a-sudden it has spark again, so annoying and I didn't even install the new coil. I put together a 2 stroke that I'll put on the bike. I want to retap the stud holes for 1/4.

Sounds like you had something shorted out, kill switch or something.........Curt

 

[Will'smotobikes19]

Sounds like you had something shorted out, kill switch or something.........Curt

Yeah I actually adjusted it and put the pull start back on but the gap between the coil and flywheel looked too big so I took a business card and adjusted it. Even after that it didn't make spark but today it did, strange.

 

[Timbone]

Yes it takes time indeed my 79cc wasn't generating spark so I took the engine off my bike. I tested it today and all of a-sudden it has spark again, so annoying and I didn't even install the new coil. I put together a 2 stroke that I'll put on the bike. I want to retap the stud holes for 1/4.

I don’t think you can drill out a 10mm hole for a 1/4”-20 thread. If possible, go for 5/16” drill and tap. It will make a huge difference.

 

[Spare_Parts]

I don't trust that uni strut as a top tube at all. Sorry man but that frame does not look safe.

 

[Timbone]

Unistrut is strong! I used it on the bike I ride daily and it is unimpeachable. Stronger than any bicycle tube and welds really good. I prefer channel much better than tubes.