It Works, Man!

[Mesquite Hugger]

@Mesquite Hugger , any klunking around in your bike building area lately?

Hey Oddjob, thanks for asking!

I'm not making the kind of progress I've been wanting to make, but lots of fun ideas and parts keep popping up:

A dumpster bike yielded a set of triple tree forks -

An old Puch offered up a light drum brake:

My friend with the old MX bikes came up with two more pairs of handlebars to choose from:

I've been helping the same guy put together a 22" BMX bike and learned that 18" moped tires will fit 22" bmx rims (which seems cooler to me than it should).

I did grind the tabs off of the worksman frame and have been stripping the paint.

And I have been klunking a bit on the old Huffy.

And that's about it. (But I am excited to get back to work on the Klunxer.)

PS. I've really been enjoying the Build-Off greatest hits posts. There are some seriously creative and talented builders on this forum.

 

[OddJob]

I've got this klunker on my radar....but the PPI on my radar screen isn't picking up any activity.
Any movement on adding those cool parts you showed us a couple weeks back?

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

Hey, Oddjob,

Thanks for checking in!

How about a yes and a no on the progress?

Spencer on the Tumbleweed

I finally finished putting a bike together for a friend of mine (my handlebar supplier) and delivered it to him at coffee this morn. So, I am now free to work on the Worksman. I'm going in a different direction with it and hope to post the new plan in the next day or two.

I did a little mocking up this week:

This is the Klunxer with 24" wheels and the triple tree fork

After trying different combos, I plan to run a 26" front and a 24" single/coaster in the back.

That's it so far.

 

[toro1978]

Great find on that fork. It looks awesome on that frame and with these handlebars.

 

[GeePig]

That Puch looks like Christmas come early to me - handlebars, forks, wheels, levers, pedals, seat frame....

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

That Puch looks like Christmas come early to me - handlebars, forks, wheels, levers, pedals, seat frame....

I agree - it's always fun to see what can be used on the next project. After the buildoff, I will grab a few parts from it and hopefully do a cheap part-out to share the wealth.

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

Great find on that fork. It looks awesome on that frame and with these handlebars.

Thanks! The steerer tube on the fork is about 1/4 inch short. My next step it to figure out if it's better to modify the fork or the frame.

 

[GeePig]

I agree - it's always fun to see what can be used on the next project. After the buildoff, I will grab a few parts from it and hopefully do a cheap part-out to share the wealth.

I actually found myself looking at the mopeds listed on the local auction and sales sites last night for my next projects as well.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Your Worksman is coming along nicely! Love the triple tree forks!

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

Thanks, BFtD!

PROJECT CHANGE/UPDATE

Finding the triple-trees ended up changing everything! Seeing them on the Worksman frame took me back to my first BMX bike. For Christmas 1976, my parents gave me a Yamaha Moto-Bike. In retrospect, it was the coolest, most enjoyable bike I've had. (It was also the only bike I've been able to wheelie for more than 10 feet.)

So the new plan is to build the Moto-Works, Man! as a tribute to that first bike. It'll be Yamaha yellow with black & white strobe stripes, and (hopefully) a black polo seat. In true motocross fashion, the front tire will be taller and skinnier than the back tire (26x2.125 & 24x2.30) and, of course, they'll be knobbies.

(The greenest August yard I've ever had.! What happened to the desert I grew up in?)

Yesterday, I dug through the garage and found almost everything I need to build it as a single-speed with a coaster brake. I just need a seat, a seat post, rims strips, some paint, and garage time!

Yes, I'm stoked to build it, to share it on RRB, and to try wheelying it while riding it to work.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Thanks, BFtD!

PROJECT CHANGE/UPDATE

Finding the triple-trees ended up changing everything! Seeing them on the Worksman frame took me back to my first BMX bike. For Christmas 1976, my parents gave me a Yamaha Moto-Bike. In retrospect, it was the coolest, most enjoyable bike I've had. (It was also the only bike I've been able to wheelie for more than 10 feet.)
View attachment 166720
View attachment 166721

So the new plan is to build the Moto-Works, Man! as a tribute to that first bike. It'll be Yamaha yellow with black & white strobe stripes, and (hopefully) a black polo seat. In true motocross fashion, the front tire will be taller and skinnier than the back tire (26x2.125 & 24x2.30) and, of course, they'll be knobbies.

View attachment 166722
(The greenest August yard I've ever had.! What happened to the desert I grew up in?)

Yesterday, I dug through the garage and found almost everything I need to build it as a single-speed with a coaster brake. I just need a seat, a seat post, rims strips, some paint, and garage time!

View attachment 166723

Yes, I'm stoked to build it, to share it on RRB, and to try wheelying it while riding it to work.

Those Yamaha Moto-Bikes are so cool! I think it'd be awesome to see you build an homage to that bike of yours!

Also, did you know that Worksman actually made a bike with triple tree forks? I saw this one pop up for sale a week or two ago, but it must have just sold.

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

Those Yamaha Moto-Bikes are so cool! I think it'd be awesome to see you build an homage to that bike of yours!

Also, did you know that Worksman actually made a bike with triple tree forks? I saw this one pop up for sale a week or two ago, but it must have just sold.

I have seen that one on the forum and have admired it a great deal. So cool.

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

There's progress! (Nothing like a deadline to ya moving)

I cut 1/4" off the bottom off the bottom of the head tube - the fork fits nicely.

The handlebar clamps are going to work.

It's closer to paint - just need some more sanding, but I like seeing the original green.

And last night I laced up the 24" rear rim - it needs to be trued up, but it came out pretty straight already.

My next goal is to have it yellow before the weekend is over.

I'm trying to decide on buying a new polo seat, an old Troxel seat, or making my own out of a skateboard deck.

I am enjoying this - thanks for all the encouragement!

 

[kingfish254]

Glad you found just the right spark to light a fire under your butt. . You're having fun now!

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

Ready for primer after work tonight.

The next time I get one this shiny, it'll get a clear and no paint!

 

[kingfish254]

Why not do clear on this one! That looks wicked!

 

[Jake Sensi]

Why not do clear on this one! That looks wicked!

WICKED INDEED!!

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

I loved the way the bare metal looks but wanted to push through with the Moto-Bike theme, so...

This evening I'll clear it. Then assembly can begin this weekend. It's really nice to be at this stage!

(But my next build will be polished steel with clear. I've been wanting to build a single-speed mtb/klunker. It'd be nice to build a Worksman that looks a little like a Cook Brothers bike.

 

[kingfish254]

I loved the way the bare metal looks but wanted to push through with the Moto-Bike theme, so...

Gotta build what the bike tells you it wants to be!!! That yellow is gonna be cool!

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

For those of you (Kingfish254) who have waited for a followup on the saga of the crooked MX bars, I found a solution!

A grinder (with a shield in place) and a bench vice were also used in the operation.