Raked Out OCC Chopper

[Hubie]

I stumbled across this on Facebook Marketplace and couldn't pass it up. So now I have my base frame. My plans are to rake out the front forks and give her five gears to play with. I was hoping to get 40" forks but the only place I find them is bicycledesigner.com and they are out of stock. Any suggestions on what to use if I extend what I have. I'm afraid of them bending

 

[Captain Awesome]

I stumbled across this on Facebook Marketplace and couldn't pass it up. So now I have my base frame. My plans are to rake out the front forks and give her five gears to play with. I was hoping to get 40" forks but the only place I find them is bicycledesigner.com and they are out of stock. Any suggestions on what to use if I extend what I have. I'm afraid of them bending

View attachment 204677

Our man @Jaxon makes some rad chopper forks

https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/top-fueler-forks-summer-run-2019.109188/

 

[Hubie]

Our man @Jaxon makes some rad chopper forks

View attachment 209222


https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/top-fueler-forks-summer-run-2019.109188/

Those forks are pretty cool! Never knew what they were called. Thanks Captain, I will keep Jaxon in mind. Been super busy so my build went to the back burner for a bit.

 

[Hubie]

Just an update on my build. Like I said previously, I've been busy. I even started a new job. In the meantime I have been rounding up parts and pieces and I believe I have everything I need to build this beast. I am however waiting on a phone call from a guy to do some welding for me. I haven't done it in 20 years and besides I want it to look good. (I'm finicky like that) So as of now I'm in a holding pattern while I decide what color I want this ride to be.

 

[axeman88]

I'd put an engine or motor on it. I tried pedaling one of those OCC stingrays around the block once and it was almost impossible, like riding a kiddy tricycle, knees hitting elbows, ... too short a distance between the seat and crank. I'm 6'1", but my buddy, who owns the bike and is 5'8" had the same issue.

They do take a 2 stroke bicycle engine readily. It looked like somebody was making an engine mounting bracket specifically for the frame at some point. The engine mount on my buddy's looked factory made. The drive chain from the engine is missing in this picture.

Increased rake will almost certainly make the bike low speed handling worse, and increase the turning radius, making the bike harder to ride. That said, an easy way to increase rake is to use the kind of offset triple tree brackets like we see in the picture that Capt. A. posted above.

Or, dump the triple trees and get or make a girder fork, which can actually have some suspension ability.

I'm no fan of extreme rake for bicycles or motorcycles. Even pushing the bike off and onto the trailer to take it to shows is more difficult with the front wheel constantly wanting to flop to one side.

Also has a negative effect on the ability to brake with the front wheel. The braking force goes into the fork which is poorly equipped to handle it when it's super long. There's a reason the "Buzz Bike" has no front brake.

It would be a shame to lavish a lot of love and attention on a bike only to have it kill you. That said, the safest machines are the ones that spend all their time in the garage and are never ridden.

 

[Hubie]

I'd put an engine or motor on it. I tried pedaling one of those OCC stingrays around the block once and it was almost impossible, like riding a kiddy tricycle, knees hitting elbows, ... too short a distance between the seat and crank. I'm 6'1", but my buddy, who owns the bike and is 5'8" had the same issue.

They do take a 2 stroke bicycle engine readily. It looked like somebody was making an engine mounting bracket specifically for the frame at some point. The engine mount on my buddy's looked factory made. The drive chain from the engine is missing in this picture.
View attachment 228889

Increased rake will almost certainly make the bike low speed handling worse, and increase the turning radius, making the bike harder to ride. That said, an easy way to increase rake is to use the kind of offset triple tree brackets like we see in the picture that Capt. A. posted above.

Or, dump the triple trees and get or make a girder fork, which can actually have some suspension ability.
View attachment 228890

I'm no fan of extreme rake for bicycles or motorcycles. Even pushing the bike off and onto the trailer to take it to shows is more difficult with the front wheel constantly wanting to flop to one side.

Also has a negative effect on the ability to brake with the front wheel. The braking force goes into the fork which is poorly equipped to handle it when it's super long. There's a reason the "Buzz Bike" has no front brake.

It would be a shame to lavish a lot of love and attention on a bike only to have it kill you. That said, the safest machines are the ones that spend all their time in the garage and are never ridden.

Thank you for the advise axeman88. I was going to put a springer front end on originally but, could not find one in the length I wanted. I would have built it myself but, I no longer have access to the machine shop I worked in. So this is where I am. I remember riding a kids chopper when I was a kid and thought it was the coolest thing. Now that I'm 52 it's more about the build.