Hello, I have been into old bicycles for quite some time. My first motorized bicycle was an old 26" JC Higgins with a Sears motor lever-operated over the front wheel. Now I will be going after a boardtracker themed bike. I hope to use either a worksman frame or an old 20's Hawthorne frame. I already have the hawthorne,but I am reluctant to chop it. Anyway, I hope to use a 1984 Briggs and stratton motor. It is a very old-school 3hp engine, and I think it will look great on a bike and perform well. My other option is to take a rollfast canti frame and cut the canti bars out and weld in a straight bar , but if I do that then i want a straight top bar as well. I'm starting this thread so that I don't have to ask questions on other members' threads. So far it looks like i will use the stock engine with a slight upgrade(larger jet) to the carb. Also exhaust upgrades. I plan to use a jackshaft assembly. For the right side(bicycle side) I plan to use a morrow wheel and skiptooth sprocket/chainring. To start me off, can anyone tell me if the standard hub bearings will handle the speeds of 35+ if I use automotive bearing grease? I am currently starting on the frame assembly and will post pics in the next couple of days. Also I'll post pics of the motor, but I plan to disassemble and repaint like cast iron with some vintage touches. Still, I'll show my start point for reference. I currently plan on using either a sprocket attached to the left side of the rim, or a 16" rim as a pulley with a belt-drive system. I haven't decided yet. I personally like belt-drive, but chain may be simpler. Also, do jackshafts have the ability to incorporate pulleys instead of sprockets? Thanks
New beginning (needs a name)
- Thread starter ozzmonaut
- Start date
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Re: New beginning
This is something I see in my future too.... Personally, I'd shoot for a Worksman, they are an industrial strength frame. I saw someone on here selling a bunch of them.
Have you tried the folks over at http://www.motoredbikes.com/ ?
Cheers,
Dr. T
This is something I see in my future too.... Personally, I'd shoot for a Worksman, they are an industrial strength frame. I saw someone on here selling a bunch of them.
Have you tried the folks over at http://www.motoredbikes.com/ ?
Cheers,
Dr. T
Re: New beginning
You can get a pulley for a keyed shaft as easily as you can get a cog for one. Just make sure it's tight or it will slip.
You can get a pulley for a keyed shaft as easily as you can get a cog for one. Just make sure it's tight or it will slip.
Re: New beginning
Yeah, I think I'll go with the chain setup anyway. I'm about to go pick up 6 motors between 3.5 and 6 hp that were used by an exterminating company for their pumps and they replaced all of them. The owner is giving them to me for free so my motor situation may be different depending on what parts are compatible. I'm going to start building the lower front half of my frame now. It seems like everybody is using dirtbike and moped hubs on their builds. I'm guessing standard bicycle hubs and bearings can't cope with the speed. So I actually see that as the main obstacle for me. My frame will be very different. My original plan which may change, was to build my entire frame myself. I want to construct a downtube that splits into two tubes which will run along the bottom, around the seat tube, all the way to the rear axle. But I want to place the rear triangle tubes inside those tubes all the way up to the dropouts for extra strength. But for now it's all in my head and a couple rough sketches.
Yeah, I think I'll go with the chain setup anyway. I'm about to go pick up 6 motors between 3.5 and 6 hp that were used by an exterminating company for their pumps and they replaced all of them. The owner is giving them to me for free so my motor situation may be different depending on what parts are compatible. I'm going to start building the lower front half of my frame now. It seems like everybody is using dirtbike and moped hubs on their builds. I'm guessing standard bicycle hubs and bearings can't cope with the speed. So I actually see that as the main obstacle for me. My frame will be very different. My original plan which may change, was to build my entire frame myself. I want to construct a downtube that splits into two tubes which will run along the bottom, around the seat tube, all the way to the rear axle. But I want to place the rear triangle tubes inside those tubes all the way up to the dropouts for extra strength. But for now it's all in my head and a couple rough sketches.
Re: New beginning
You should wait untill you have the engine, clutch and rear wheel.
There is stuff that will come up to be solved.
Keep it up
You should wait untill you have the engine, clutch and rear wheel.
There is stuff that will come up to be solved.
Keep it up
Re: New beginning
Does anyone have experience with using the stock bicycle hubs and bearings for a project like this? I know people motorize regular bikes but they usually don't go in excess of 25mph. Even with my 3hp, and a few carb improvements I expect to be going over 35mph.
Does anyone have experience with using the stock bicycle hubs and bearings for a project like this? I know people motorize regular bikes but they usually don't go in excess of 25mph. Even with my 3hp, and a few carb improvements I expect to be going over 35mph.
Re: New beginning
I went to motoredbikes and signed up at one point. I'm just trying to keep from being on thirty different forums. Plus this forum handles all the things I build, from vintage to ratty to motorized.Dr. Tankenstein said:
