In heindseit I should have combined this with the sprocket ID thread I posted, if a mod wants to delete that one so this isn't double posted please do.
I purchased this from some less than reputable seeming people a few days ago. I met them in a parking lot, and they arrived in a Kia SUV, hatch up, with this hanging halfway out the rear. It was incongruously shoved in the back, kept from falling out by a single ratchet strap. According to them, an uncle purchased it in a storage unit auction. They had "heard it run" (doubtful...) and assured me it was all original paint, etc. None of the story really added up, but we settled on a price and it came home with me. It had bits of blue tarp stuck to it, and appears to have been stored outside for awhile.
Overall, at one point someone did an quality restoration on the bicycle. The pin striping is well done, plating was nice, etc. The motorwheel appears to have been restored to that level as well. All of the clamps for the battery box, tank, headlight, horn, etc, are lined with felt to prevent scratching on the frame.
But, I can't figure out why someone completely butchered the motorwheel installation and rammed the rear fender into the rear tire. I'm guessing it had a drop stand at one point that raised the motorwheel to an acceptable height. The motorwheel drive chain is also excessively long in current position, indicating it was mounted higher at one point. It probably had rear fender stays then, as the rear fender is just rammed into the tire and beating around now. The bearings are missing from the front wheel, and the hub is flopping on the axle. The front chainwheel is digging into the frame, and jammed in place. Overall, it's a mechanical disaster that doesn't roll.
I'm very interested in learning more about the frame, mainly, what is it? What is original to the frame, and what's reproduction?
My research so far shows the battery box and grips as repop, I'm not sure what else is. The pump is pretty flimsy, I'm guessing it is too.
For more details, it has a Morrow rear hub (missing hold strap), 28" front wheel with a tubeless non bead tire, missing head badge with four mounting holes (vertical holes 2.75" apart, horizontal about 3" apart). The engine turns over thankfully.
I will be disassembling the bike and engine completely before trying to start or ride.
If someone can prove this was theirs, returning it to them would appropriate. I do have a fair bit invested in it, but life's a gamble, if an owner comes out of the woodwork hopefully we can work something out. I've never owned a bicycle this old before, and have been dreaming of finding a teens era motorcycle since college. While it's technically not a motorcycle, it's close enough for now! I look forward to learning more about it, and bringing it back to life. The motorwheel itself has been fairly easy to learn about, as their is a lot of info on it and the Johnson brothers on the web.
I purchased this from some less than reputable seeming people a few days ago. I met them in a parking lot, and they arrived in a Kia SUV, hatch up, with this hanging halfway out the rear. It was incongruously shoved in the back, kept from falling out by a single ratchet strap. According to them, an uncle purchased it in a storage unit auction. They had "heard it run" (doubtful...) and assured me it was all original paint, etc. None of the story really added up, but we settled on a price and it came home with me. It had bits of blue tarp stuck to it, and appears to have been stored outside for awhile.
Overall, at one point someone did an quality restoration on the bicycle. The pin striping is well done, plating was nice, etc. The motorwheel appears to have been restored to that level as well. All of the clamps for the battery box, tank, headlight, horn, etc, are lined with felt to prevent scratching on the frame.
But, I can't figure out why someone completely butchered the motorwheel installation and rammed the rear fender into the rear tire. I'm guessing it had a drop stand at one point that raised the motorwheel to an acceptable height. The motorwheel drive chain is also excessively long in current position, indicating it was mounted higher at one point. It probably had rear fender stays then, as the rear fender is just rammed into the tire and beating around now. The bearings are missing from the front wheel, and the hub is flopping on the axle. The front chainwheel is digging into the frame, and jammed in place. Overall, it's a mechanical disaster that doesn't roll.
I'm very interested in learning more about the frame, mainly, what is it? What is original to the frame, and what's reproduction?
My research so far shows the battery box and grips as repop, I'm not sure what else is. The pump is pretty flimsy, I'm guessing it is too.
For more details, it has a Morrow rear hub (missing hold strap), 28" front wheel with a tubeless non bead tire, missing head badge with four mounting holes (vertical holes 2.75" apart, horizontal about 3" apart). The engine turns over thankfully.
I will be disassembling the bike and engine completely before trying to start or ride.
If someone can prove this was theirs, returning it to them would appropriate. I do have a fair bit invested in it, but life's a gamble, if an owner comes out of the woodwork hopefully we can work something out. I've never owned a bicycle this old before, and have been dreaming of finding a teens era motorcycle since college. While it's technically not a motorcycle, it's close enough for now! I look forward to learning more about it, and bringing it back to life. The motorwheel itself has been fairly easy to learn about, as their is a lot of info on it and the Johnson brothers on the web.
