Simplex 5 speed build

[ndian22]

Bolt is temporary and funky but works great as a spring loaded momentary contact on/off & beam selector for high power, low power & flasher settings...have to do till I fab a better one. Rick C.

[Ricks]

I like off some off topic & given that we allenjoy juvenile hobbies, still we are adults and mainly stay targeted on the Servi-Cycle forum theme. I'm also aware of the very subjective role a moderator plays & am certain they will "guide" us back when it's called for. No complaint on my part.

In the 4 years I have been running this forum, only once did I intervene because I didn't like where the tone of the conversation was going.

 This is such a small group of people, I don't mind if we get off topic a little, keeps things friendly and relevant to the idea behind this hobby, which is FUN!

Carry on.

[oil-lamp]

One question? Didn't that engine come with a charging system?  If so there are many routes you can go. I found a led bulb that works from 6v to 36v and from off to bright with no in between. Its under headlight in category farms tanks seats etc.

[ndian22]

Thanks Rick kinda thought that might be your view point & it is a good nature group of enthusiasts here.

Oil-lamp the wiring harness is setup for charging, but I didn't purchase the necessary pieces to complete the system. My reasoning is typical of my eccentric personality. Seldom ride after dark & when I do it's typically just for a couple of miles or less. I really like simple and clean lines and since the the size bike I had in mind & the original design plan utilized most of the non-motor space with a pedal bracket/co-axle drive; there is now little room for even a small motorcycle battery, voltage regulator etc. that would look good to me. An Ion battery, led headlight has been the only lighting system in mind from the start & that will be concealed from sight along with the CDI and coil. My tail light design for all my bikes is a very bright led red flasher clipped to my back pocket, runs on AAA batteries and the cops love it...call it the old guys butt light! Small town live and let live philosophy.

Bracket for headlamp is of 1/4" steel, heavy duty.   Rick C.

   

[carryall]

Rick C., I'll assume you read my battery/tail light/brake light thread.  (I had the same rational)   Amazing how long the little Ion battery packs last using LEDs.     

[ndian22]

I did carryall & my experience with the 2500 lumen version battery pack used mostly on the brightest setting gives great light at low drain. If I were to require several hours of light at a time I'd not only go to a charging system I'd also opt for a Gullwing or BMW. This has worked for me & seems to satisfy the local police here.
We've been hammered lately with winter storms which is not our normal weather pattern. Those living North of the Mason Dixie have good reason to laugh at this, but a little is a lot when your local services aren't prepared to handle large scale road and power problems due to winter weather. I've been hampered in the shop, especially welding. Power is on enough for lighting but little else. Photos show the ugly results of weld beads that should not have been attempted which will require a lot of grinding...then re-weld. 

I'm adding a 10 tooth idler sprocket for chain tension on the final drive chain & an idler roller to the short primary chain like some of the old Harley's etc. ran. With 3 chains it would be difficult to maintain all of them in  perfect tension without the idlers. Rick C.

[carryall]

You opted for "manual adjustment" over an automatic or "spring tension" I see.  Pro's and cons to each.  I debated on doing something similar (tensioner) but ended up "anchoring" my jackshaft, and slotting out the engine mounting plate some more, in order to move/adjust it forward as needed, and making a pair of rear axel tensioners to pull/adjust the rear wheel back.  BUT, you've got the more critical, and less forgiving, drive chain(s) to deal with, and a lot less room to do it.  Not to mention the significant increase in H.P and torque transfer using chain drive over belt drive.  Pretty cool.  Matter of fact, I just watched Mecum motorcycle auction this weekend on T.V., and saw a few of the old "Board tracker" bikes of the 20's/30's (of similar design going for INSANE money)...Hard to believe that those guys usually didn't even have BRAKES! (ALOT of racers AND spectators died back then!)  Crazy speeds on a 60degree wooden track!

[ndian22]

Those auctions are so much fun I'd like to attend one someday. Youtube has quite a few board track bikes Popes,  Excelsior (Schwinn), Harley, Indian etc. and original footage of early day races at various tracks: along with the bikes and men who raced them. It's an interesting study of a time when men could be men & engage freely in very dangerous pursuits that would never be allowed in this day of political correctness under a nanny state that purports to be able to provide protection to each and all when it can't even balance it's own budget!

Not the right forum for that outburst, even so.... Your right about loss of life and I can also see why the government banned it's practice.

Your also right about belts and chains. On motorized bikes with pedal power two chains alone can be frustrating, exponential with three without tension. Manual install looks cleaner , to me & in reality adjustment takes place maybe once or twice a month during daily riding. Weld on tension tab prevents the disaster of having a bolt on device pivot into the spokes which tears up the spokes and can toss the rider over the bars. I use the bolt on for aluminum frame bikes (don't really like the way they look and the spring type is really ugly).

I will also use a rear axle adjuster as you pointed out, to precisely align as well as tension the rear rolling assembly & it will be the only adjustment available for setting the tension on the pedal side chain & getting the drive side secondary chain close enough to allow the frame tension sprocket to do it's work. By the way 3 chains are very common on motor bicycles equipped with 4 cycle engines and centrifugal clutch, which might be jack shafted or use a co-axle on the bottom bracket as I've done (easier to do a co-axle drive on a bicycle cause the pedal bracket is already in place and aligned). I'm really not dreaming all this stuff up as I go, just never seen it on a Servi-Cycle (kinda).  Still having fun! Rick C.     

[carryall]

As much art, as they are engineering...

[Ricks]

Love those old motors!  Rick, your bike is going to be really nice. I have been following your build on the motorbicyle forum.  Some of those guys over there do very nice work.

[ndian22]

Wow, Cyclones are among the rarest & that yellow one should be framed and hung on a wall...till I get around to riding it!

Thanks Rick the MB forum covers the spectrum & some builds are very special, but then I'd put the quality here on that level also and in my opinion it's more difficult to perfectly restore an old motor vehicle than than to fabricate a custom. Done both on cars, trucks and motorcycles & that's my take. Can't say that I prefer one over the other; though for the past few years I've concentrated on the hot rods, off roads and one off motorized pedal bikes. Whatever inspires me. Probably get some more accomplished on the "Gator" late this week  Rick C. 

[carryall]

Restoration was much harder "back in the olden days" though, before the internet.  Now with the click of a few buttons on "the web" (and a PayPal account) anyone can find just about any parts and info you need.  BTW Rick (ndian22)  Your guys in the muffler shop, do they typically use a "course" grade stainless steelwool for muffler packing? (Lustersheen)  I'm re-doing my removable baffle, and looking at replacing the standard "glass packing" and going with stainless steelwool for better sound and durability.

[ndian22]

Net does make life much easier. I'm located 100 miles from a metro area added on to actual search time when I get there. Ebay & Craig's list huge help on the "odd" & common items alike.
SS wool is great for custom building & tuning. I suggest very loose packing first, test & add or subtract wool to suit. The tighter you pack the louder it gets. I like a mellow burble (kinda sounds like a color selection at Sherman Williams) & on the quiet side of obnoxious. Have fun with it.
Adding hammered copper to the plates behind the tank. Gives a bit of shine and a lot of contrast. 
 

[carryall]

Don't know if it would be useful for any of your applications, (or not) but, copper can be soldered very nicely and easily to dissimilar metals, (and glass) using a copper foil tape applied around the edges.  I used to make/sell stained glass windows (and bronze art castings) with my partner, and we incorporated all sorts of "things" using it.  Just a thought that may/may not apply...

[ndian22]

I greatly admire stained glass but never tried my hand at it. The foil you used, was it adhesive backed like circuit board copper? I've soldered, silver soldered,leaded and brazed over the years...whatever the metal & engineering specs demanded as well as using gas, plasma, TIG, MIG and ARC welding. Been kinda like a job over the years & paid a lot of bills.

Stainless elbow, 90 degree, was too large to fit between the exhaust studs, ordered another that hopefully will fit. Internet orders can also be a process of trial and error. Thought I was about done with ordering parts for the Gator but I've been wrong before.