(ORBO) WARNING !!!! DROPBEAR AHEAD.

[Funkme]

Ok I'm in.

After thinking of a few names like:
Chubby Bandit,Chunky Monkey,Grizzly.
I settled on Dropbear.
I think it will suit the style of bike I am building.
For years I have wanted to build one and this years off-road build is the perfect place to enter and have some fun...
I will be building a bike designed in Switzerland for downhill ski slope riding in the summer season.In the Alps they call them Monster Trotti.
Hanesbrink I believe originally designed this style of bike and believed to be the first Fat Bikes.

Starting price for this bike is $3,500 up to over 9,000 for electric version.
A lot of dosh for a oversized wheel bike???



I am going to build a similar bike with junk I have around,cost of mine $0.00.
With a simple single speed setup for now,maybe a few gears.
I will use one of these frames,they are a dime a dozen here and I have so many that I use for chop parts.I always find them by dumpsters.

I have a few wheel choices

But after thinking on it,I don't want to use atv/quad wheels.1-They are heavy,and 2-I want to be able to ride this around the streets,not just for downhill.
So have decided to use 2 front 10-3.00 scooter wheels.

Makes it also easy to use the same braking system.All I have to do is fix a freewheel to one side.
Will use a triple tree fork set up from a old motorcycle.
Will end up looking like a a lovechild from a motorbike & MTB...
Now its time to start collecting parts....

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Great idea and great theme!
Rock on Miss Funk!

Luke.

 

[metalchewy]

I love the idea. Great plans !!

Building... riding...

 

[Fv2]

Now this I can get into, can't wait.

 

[KJV]

 

[OddJob]

Way cool! Love to see the Hanebrink design implemented here on an ORBO build! Funk it up and Rat on!

 

[Funkme]

No updates,had a bit of rain come down yesterday,but will get out and try a mock up...

 

[Funkme]

Have been playing around with the front end.
Have 3 sets of forks.
1- from a old zundapp (like but heavy)
2- from a old garelli (one fork is kaput)not sure if I can get it bouncy again.Had to angle grind everything.
3- I took the fork from off my mini chopper,I will swap them out with proper forks anyway.Very cheap chinese made.The whole chopper needs a upgrade,engine is loose,held on with thin allen key bolts,etc.
I have a 4th idea,the forks from 67.
Here is a mock up.

These are the chopper forks,longer than the other forks?

Will post pics of other forks later today...

 

[Funkme]

pssst no the bike wont be pink...Thinkin along the lines of grey and black,color of a dropbear...

 

[LukeTheJoker]

That looks crazy cool!

Luke.

 

[Fv2]

Well I think the dog is upset you took the forks off the chopper.

Personally, I want to say don't take the forks off 67. That's a great bike.

Just curious, will the hopped up bike with tiny wheels be easy to pedal?

 

[Funkme]

Well I think the dog is upset you took the forks off the chopper.

Personally, I want to say don't take the forks off 67. That's a great bike.

Just curious, will the hopped up bike with tiny wheels be easy to pedal?

Hmmm your guess is as good as mine....
Hopefully yes.Those wheels are not so heavy.
The forks on 67 are to short,so they will stay.
No grease in the steering bearings on the chopper,so glad I did it...Also 2 bolts snapped inside the fork clamps.They are just cheap forks,Have found some tsx forks that I can fit on...

 

[OddJob]

Funk, my apologies on the full suspension. I had forgotten what your mock up looked like for Dropbear. That is definitely fully suspended... And with that, @Falstaff , I don't think this bike will be pedaled. It will just spring from place to place "dropping down" on unsuspecting prey!

 

[Funkme]

Someone gets it...

 

[metalchewy]

Hmmm your guess is as good as mine....
Hopefully yes.Those wheels are not so heavy.
The forks on 67 are to short,so they will stay.
No grease in the steering bearings on the chopper,so glad I did it...Also 2 bolts snapped inside the fork clamps.They are just cheap forks,Have found some tsx forks that I can fit on...

With the Heat around here, bikes left outside have the grease baked out of them if the aren't sealed bearing units. Everything goes dry.

Sorry to hear on the breakage. Sounds like a better more fitting set will be in its place. ;-)


Building... riding...

 

[Funkme]

Funk, my apologies on the full suspension. I had forgotten what your mock up looked like for Dropbear. That is definitely fully suspended... And with that, @Falstaff , I don't think this bike will be pedaled. It will just spring from place to place "dropping down" on unsuspecting prey!

I think we see this type of frame everyday,as it is soooo common,we forget the suspension...
But the truth is we all know it was copied/modified from these excellent 70's mono x bikes

 

[LukeTheJoker]

That is awesome!
Cant wait to see your version come together!

Luke.

 

[OddJob]

Any bear "drop-pings" lately Funk?

 

[blown240]

Cool build! We had an original hanebrink at the shop I used to work at, that thing was unstoppable, but at the same time exhausting!

 

[Funkme]

Cool build! We had an original hanebrink at the shop I used to work at, that thing was unstoppable, but at the same time exhausting!

Just looking at them is exhausting. Not practical for everyday riding or beach rides.I see the fun in them when you have