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Uncle Stretch

Uncle Stretch

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I watch everybody build bikes with motors. You use strange stuff to get the power from the
motor to the wheels. I have several honda......honda clone motors in different cc's. One 50 no gear
and a 90cc auto...a 110cc auto and a 125cc with a clutch. Seems so easy to weld a mount, hook
a chain to a motorcycle wheel and hookup the electrics. Am I missing something here? Does everybody
use a motor from edgers and stuff for a reason. Seems like the cost to make it work is a bunch. :shock:
Does everybody just not like the look of a Honda motor?
 
I think a lot of the reasoning behind the more obscure powerplants is divided between being unique and what the individual had on hand when they started. I've seen a few posts where people thought they could save money by using some odd engine that was in their back yard only do dump more money into making it work for the application than it woud have cost for another motor. I'm using a Predator/ Honda type clone myself, because it was reasonably priced, has more than enough power for what I want and can be easily modified to look and perform the way I want it to. I'm also using a simple CVT to put the appropriate power to the wheel.
 
I figure its for a certain look. My Honda motor , while would be a simple build
will never look like a Clinton or a Briggs and Stratton. Just wondering.
 
The Honda is a well proven design, and is reliable and would produce more than enough power to propel a bicycle. I guess part of the fun in using a Briggs is all the backyard engineering that goes into putting the power to the ground? I went to Barbers Motorsports Museum a while back and was looking at a restored 1912 Harley Davidson model 7A. It used a leather belt that drove what looked like a 20" rim lined with leather that was spoked to it's own hub and it's hub was attached to the rear wheel hub of the motorcycle. All it had for a clutch was an idler pulley mounted near the crankshaft pulley on the engine. The idler pulley was engaged by a lever mounted near the gas tank. It looked like a doable set up if you could somehow figure out how to join the drive wheel hub to the bikes rear hub.
 
This guy that owns a flea market by my house bought about 15 of Steve McQueen's
motorcycles. He has old ones that look like a bike with a motor. A couple have the big leather
belt on a big pulley attached to the rim. I have seen several people just bolt a rim to the
rear rim and use it as a pulley. Seems easy.
 
I think the biggest reason people don't install Honda and clone horizontal cyl engines on bicycles is because they are very long. You either need to stretch the bicycle frame or buy a bike that already has a stretched style frame. Most of us build our motorized bikes with bolt-on engine kits. The guys with welding skills are able to use almost any motor.
 
Hummm who do I know that can stretch a frame , or maybe build one already stretched.
Its right on the tip of my tongue.. :lol: :lol:
I think it would be fun to build one because I have all the stuff to do it with.
My only problem is I have two small scooters , I don't ride now. Building another
would be kinda silly. I do like the ones that are being built here.
 
I wanted a cafe racer type. I built this one out of a 1975 honda 175

IMG_0319.jpg

I wanted a small scooter to ride around the neighborhood so I built one of these.
Well changed it a bunch.
DSCF0006-6.jpg

I have several real honda motors and a new 125cc lifan
in the box. I can build a frame to fit them, and have a set of 90cc Honda trail wheels
that would work perfect, but where would I ride one? I know yall have fun with the mechanics
but if your pushed for space because you build too many custom cruisers, its hard to justify
doing one of these. I was just curious why nobody used a honda motor.
 
Kim how have you been? Well I hope. Been a while since I have heard from you.

I see several people use the hub motors and they seem to turn out nice. I hate the
batteries are so expensive. Till I see yall produce your own on the Endless Sphere I will
have to pass. I bet yall are close though.
 
I think you're building all of this crap so you don't start mumbling to yourself with all of your free time. :lol:

I always thought it was a form of therapy. :mrgreen:

You need to build something with a motor on it because several hundred people here would really enjoy watching you do it. :wink:
 
Checking the prices of kits they want big bucks for the plug and play....Ouch!
Wonder what I could build for $620 probably plus shipping. Would be a heck of
a pedal only bike.
 
Ok after looking at all the posts Wheelbender showed me using honda clone motors.....
I have a 50cc motor that has no gears and I'm not sure if its a complete motor or not.
If it runs I will build a bike with a motor. I have all the stuff and it won't cost anything
but a little time and some welding . So maybe stay tuned. :shock:
 
The reason is the style of bike most popular is the "boardtrack racer" or similar bike from that era which is closely related to a bicycle. And one of those engines just do not do justice to that style build. I've always had a fascination with those early motorcycles but could never afford a real one. Cafe racers aren't as easy to make look good, or maybe they just aren't as popular.

Also your statement "seems so easy to weld a mount, hook a chain to a motorcycle wheel and electrics" says to me you've never done it...... If it was the case then wouldnt stretching a bike simply be cutting a piece of tubing and welding it? :D
 
I am thinking that the pictures you showed are all like mopeds & motorcycles. Untill you do a motorized bike you will never realy understand the true meaning.
Just my thinking...........Curt
 
Sorry I don't get to this portion of RRB as much as I should. I have looked at some of the
builds , and they really get close to duplicating the look of old motorcycles. I am envious
of the talents used to do it. Since I build custom frames, I recognize the quality of the work
that is put into one of these. Don't fool yourself Harry, I can build with the best of
them.
I figured the parts used,are to duplicate a style, and not ease of use. The figuring
out the parts to use , probably is a lot of the fun in the build.
I have a bunch of parts, and plan to build something. I doubt that it will look like
an old excelsior , but sticking a Gruby motor on a new style frame doesn't either.
I have no intensions of riling anyone here, just wondered....not a biggie.
 
Now you have us curious....Uncle Stretches gears thinking now....motorcycle motor....hmmm whats next.....Sbc? :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
Uncle Stretch said:
Sorry I don't get to this portion of RRB as much as I should. I have looked at some of the
builds , and they really get close to duplicating the look of old motorcycles. I am envious
of the talents used to do it. Since I build custom frames, I recognize the quality of the work
that is put into one of these. Don't fool yourself Harry, I can build with the best of
them.
I figured the parts used,are to duplicate a style, and not ease of use. The figuring
out the parts to use , probably is a lot of the fun in the build.
I have a bunch of parts, and plan to build something. I doubt that it will look like
an old excelsior , but sticking a Gruby motor on a new style frame doesn't either.
I have no intensions of riling anyone here, just wondered....not a biggie.
Click to expand...
 
Uncle Stretch said:
Sorry I don't get to this portion of RRB as much as I should. I have looked at some of the
builds , and they really get close to duplicating the look of old motorcycles. I am envious
of the talents used to do it. Since I build custom frames, I recognize the quality of the work
that is put into one of these. Don't fool yourself Harry, I can build with the best of
them.
I figured the parts used,are to duplicate a style, and not ease of use. The figuring
out the parts to use , probably is a lot of the fun in the build.
I have a bunch of parts, and plan to build something. I doubt that it will look like
an old excelsior , but sticking a Gruby motor on a new style frame doesn't either.
I have no intensions of riling anyone here, just wondered....not a biggie.
Click to expand...

I think you missed my point Uncle Stretch, Im not doubting your talents, you've made it quite clear on numerous occasions during this post just how talented you are :D
I simply meant that stretching a frame isn't as easy cutting a piece of tubing and welding it, and making a motorized bike isn't as easy as hooking up a chain.

I never said fitting a Grubbee would look like an Excelsior, I use vintage stationary engines from the 50's and earlier to better copy the look, and that goes to answer your initial question. That way the bike has the vintage look and has a soul of its own. I'm often flagged down by elderly people wanting a look.

Also this forum for motorized bikes is pretty much dead, check out the "boardtrack" section over at Motorbicycling.com. Here is a quality build in progress worth checking out
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=36691
 

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