What's up with the Ambassador?

[Quenton Guenther]

If anyone finds a NE5 for sale, they should buy it! The NE5 is very close to perfect, and depending on the year only needs minor upgrades to make them "bullet proof". I have several NE motor with over 6000 miles on them [ask Jay on this site as he rode several of them]. The 2005 to early 2007 only needs a copper head gasket & mushroom lifters to make it reliable. The late 2007 & early 2008 only needs the mushroom lifters modified to make it a great motorbike. There are additional upgrades to improve the performance, but even those are minor, such as milling the head, installing the flow-thru muffler insert, and the intake manifold kit.
I will not comment on the new motors or motorbikes because I promised a Whizzer dealer that I would not make comments unless they were positive. However I will say that I would buy any earlier NE over the current or future models designed in Tiawan.
If anyone finds a NE5 Whizzer for sale, buy it! They have actually increased in value over the last 6 months, and if you can find one for under $2000.00, grab it.

Have fun,
Quenton

 

[Hal the Elder]

Hey Quenton:

I promised myself that I'll order a pair of Mushroom Valve Lifters as soon as I bring my NEW 2006 NE5 home.

But about the head gasket...is this a potential problem that will eventually surface? If so, then I'll install a Copper Gasket.

Can the head be removed with the engine in the bike frame?

Although I rode a Whizzer once back in 1951 (57 years ago, Man!), I have never owned one, which is why I'm asking what may seem like an elementary question to you!

HAL

 

[MotorbikeMike]

Head gasket and lifters

HI Hal, YES I have changes quite a few head gaskets in frame. Here is how I do it.

Remove tank (4 screws, and the fuel line), remove spark plug, I then use a set of long ball-end allens, remove, lap head, screw in the bolts, torque to spec, spark plug back in, re-install tank, and off you go!

Lifters proceedure, drain oil, pull carb, 2 screws on timing cover, break loose the nuts on the lifters, pull side cover with same ball-end allens, slide cam out.
Unscrew the bolt-tops of the lifters, drop into the crankcase. Slide new EX. up, assemble in place, slide new intake up, assemble in place. Rotate engine to align the timing marks (one up)slide cam back in. Replace side cover.

Adjust valves, replace compression release cover (2 bolts), slide carb back on (2 nuts).

Done!

Recheck EVERYTHING!, go for a ride, come back, recheck EVERYTHING, now you are good for the long run.

If your NE is new, you'll need the valves a bit loose so they can seat, OR you'll be re-adjusting quite often till they are seated.

Mike

 

[Egor]

I love my Whizzer, but it makes me crazy. What is puzzling is that there is so many different varriations of this bike. If there were one way they did what they do we could just compare one to the other. The lights on mine come on with the key, and my friends, so that means that they are run off the battery. There is one fella that says his come on with the engine. If they only came on with the engine running obviously they would be running off the mag. Lights that run off the mag are very tricky as the voltage increases as the engine speeds up, so they limit the voltage to what the system can stand, but if a lamp goes out the others get the current and poof out they go. My old Bultaco was notorious for that. I have to admit the carb on these bikes is JUNK if you look close to the insignia on the side of the carb, first impression is that it is a famous KEI-HIN carb, look close at the spelling, another attempt from the Chinese to copy a legend and they messed it up. Mine last week popped the top off and now the threads will not hold it in place. I took the gasket off that goes under the cover to get it to stay on for now. Mine also has a flat spot in the running just off an idle, it goes lean. That means that the cut in the slide is too large, that is the rounded look in the slide you can see if you look into the carb from the outside. I have a drawer in an old tool box full of good carbs but the bolt pattern is not the same as the Whizzer.
Persevere, you will find harmony with your bike and then it will sing the song of a simple flat head engine to your ears, as it propels you through time to a place that simple people crave. Wow did I just say that LOL. Have fun, Dave

 

[InfoCentral]

I was hoping to get a green or a red one but something to think about. Right now I have two motorcycles and Moped. There are a slew of bicycles that I can play around with so I might just try putting one of those engine kits together. Of course after all the other projects are finished...

 

[n8ygn]

08 ambassador clutch photo

I not sure if I already did this but here a photo of the clutch on the ambassador 08 if you look closely you will see two small pulleys to the rear drive belt the large pulley for faster speeds top end the small for slightly better torque on the low end. I only have about 20 + miles on it on the larger pulley it ran 40+ on the smaller pulley I had it to 37 may have ran faster but it is getting too darn cold here lately after I get it broke in a little more I will let you know how it is doing. I live in a development which is curvy and up and down grades and it seems to run fairly well. Taking off on upgrade from a stop it does take off slower but it still goes and I wouldn't have to peddle it if I had peddles but it will run up to 35 a lot easier than I have heard you all saying whizzers are doing and mine is not broken in. I do have one problem my driveway is steep and it is not making it up my hill. It is getting better though ever mile more I drive it, the other day I made it halfway up. My drive is steep so don't hold this against the ambassador it is getting better. If I would upgrade anything first it will be the battery not many cold cracking amp if you know what I mean. Dane

 

[Egor]

n8 - Ask Quinton, but I think you still have to move the cam. That made the most improvement on mine and the restrictor in the air flow. That is a lot of stuff on the Left side of that engine! I would like to have seen the two speed on there, Oh Well. Have fun, Dave

 

[n8ygn]

reply to the two speed on the ambassador

It has two speeds by taking off that double brass pulley and reversing it so that you use the small side instead of the larger side. It isn't a bike with two speed transmition so to speak just a reversable pulley that has to removed and then reinstalled and belt replaced and tightened.

 

[Egor]

n8 Actually it has a variable transmission, that is all the stuff on the left. With the cover removed and the bike on the stand you can watch the pulleys change shape as you rev the bike up. It goes from low to high by changing the size of the pulleys. The two inside pulleys are for initial speed. The two speed I was referring to was the original trans, called the ByMatic. Have fun, Dave

 

[jbcruisin]

Quenton's bikes

Quenton mentioned that I rode his bikes. They do run great & are fast!! Mine is running very well with upgrades & tips I got from Quenton. Here Quenton is again pulling the wheelie ( love showing this picture). I always remind everyone to notice his feet are off the ground. I rode it but didn't try any wheelies. I didn't want to end up in his pond.
I'm surprised that there are NE5's still for sale since they don't make them anymore. They're great bikes and are sure to become rare since they are out of production.