mastronaut
Look Ma, No Hands!
Yep I sure am loving my moto-bike! Here are the latest pics ot off the digital.... 
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what's your opinion on Motorizing classic bicycles?
- Thread starter bairdco
- Start date
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my humble opinion...
My first antique bicycle I pulled out of some blackberry bushes in my friends backyard, it had been abandoned there by another friend of ours who split town. It was a rusty beat-up late 40's Hiawatha, looked pretty rough but the tires held air. I rode that bike all over Portland for the next few years. It was always around and friends visiting would cruise around town on it, everyone who rode it absolutely had a blast on it. Something about riding a balloon tire bike makes you feel like a 9 year old kid...
Anyways, a few years later I started building a whizzer out of her. My friend who used to be sort of a "dealer" of whizzer kits in the early 2000's and had built several himself, helped me source a sacrificial 1999 24" blue Whizzer re-issue. We quickly stripped it of all usable running gear and began to fit up the Hiawatha. I made my own motor mounts using some originals as templates. I welded truss rods straight to the front forks realizing they needed to be re-enforced to be able to withstand the abuse and stresses that the bike would soon be experiencing. We had to bend part of the frame (the rear fork) to be able to fit the drive belt. In short, we did irreversable damage. Our theory was: "what would some kid in the 50's do to get this dang motor into his bike?" I have no regrets whatsoever, I love the look (i guess some would call it "rat-rod") and after almost 5 years, it's still running strong...For what its worth, I say do what you want, there will always be haters and complainers, but you can't hear them if your whizzing down the road with a great big smile on your face!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25188425@N08/3890854655/
My first antique bicycle I pulled out of some blackberry bushes in my friends backyard, it had been abandoned there by another friend of ours who split town. It was a rusty beat-up late 40's Hiawatha, looked pretty rough but the tires held air. I rode that bike all over Portland for the next few years. It was always around and friends visiting would cruise around town on it, everyone who rode it absolutely had a blast on it. Something about riding a balloon tire bike makes you feel like a 9 year old kid...
Anyways, a few years later I started building a whizzer out of her. My friend who used to be sort of a "dealer" of whizzer kits in the early 2000's and had built several himself, helped me source a sacrificial 1999 24" blue Whizzer re-issue. We quickly stripped it of all usable running gear and began to fit up the Hiawatha. I made my own motor mounts using some originals as templates. I welded truss rods straight to the front forks realizing they needed to be re-enforced to be able to withstand the abuse and stresses that the bike would soon be experiencing. We had to bend part of the frame (the rear fork) to be able to fit the drive belt. In short, we did irreversable damage. Our theory was: "what would some kid in the 50's do to get this dang motor into his bike?" I have no regrets whatsoever, I love the look (i guess some would call it "rat-rod") and after almost 5 years, it's still running strong...For what its worth, I say do what you want, there will always be haters and complainers, but you can't hear them if your whizzing down the road with a great big smile on your face!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25188425@N08/3890854655/
PCHiggin
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
D
dopehead
Guest
ok guys here is my take on the situation...but before we go any further please see www.myspace.com/dopeheadsmopeds . I have built over 20 of these motorized engine bikes ive used grubee,boy go fast the guy in canada you name i,t slant head, black head jack shaft nox...whatever I also repaired them and have been inside the guts of these more than once.. true there engines do little harm to the frame of the bike as long as you use the u bolt technique of attaching but it does take a toll on the rear hub also any other extras like fenders.. which have to be cut for chain....the best thing is to find repop parts to replace any part that you dont want to have exxxxtreme abuse to it is so much easier to find a 8 dollar crank at your used l.b.s. then to pay 45 dollars on ebay for the original.... I do believe the old ballooner frames would be a much sturdier choice then the chineese frames which i have seen bend under motor pressure. as far as the engines themselves go the cylinder main bearing and shaft usually hold up the life of engine...the clutches are bad to much pressure especially over 250 lbs toasts them...the carbs have a three lb pressure float so if you leave the gas on it will leak...the clutch lever should be upgraded to a quick shift for front derailer. the mounting bracket under the muffler often gives way.. and the choke will without doubt quit closing.. if you get a 49 cc you will be much happier than a 66cc and will almost always beat them in a race....66cc tops out before the end of the throttle length but 49 tops out at engine top end. even though there is adjustment notches on the main jet itself the carb was made for 49cc well guess ill quit babbling...but in short if you are diligent about checking for loose bolts and take care of your engine...replace muffler gasket often.. it is a good investment for a buck and a half. have a good week
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AntonyR
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Honestly I think that's your best work. Getting completely unrelated parts to work together is much more rewarding than any kit. There's not much conversation needed on how you took something out of a box and bolted it on. This one looks like something that could have been in "Chitty-chitty Bang-bang"!
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