Greetings from New York

[HondaJohn]

My forum name is HondaJohn, but I go by....John. My first project was based on a wrecked KZ400 that my friend picked up as a parts bike. I traded him a box of carbs and got a solid roller, minus engine, wiring loom, tank, and seat (all the easy and cheap parts to replace). I bought a clone of a Yanmar L70 from Ebay, welded in some extra frame lugs, and mouted it on a chunk of heavy duty C-channel that I milled down.

As a recent college grad with no money, and since I wasn't planning to put it on the road anyway, I didn't use a transmission or stretch the frame in order to keep the cost down (the fact that the frame is twisted and the rear swingarm is seized helped too). I installed a massive custom rear sprocket and used a centrifugal clutch on the output shaft. Its great for messing around in parking lots and rides like an old Rupp mini bike, but it can't do hills at all. I will definetely figure out a gearbox next time around.
Anyway, I'm happy I stumbled on this forum. Its good to know I'm not the only person out there with too much free time!

[Crazymanneil]

cool! I like the no transmission option:) I take it speed range is limited?

Welcome aboard.

n

[coachgeo]

Looks like you might have space to go CVT when money allows. Move battery to the opposite side. Put a Jack shaft where Battery is. Run CVT at an upward angle to it. Then run a chain downward off that shaft to another jackshaft (1:1) below it in line with your rear wheel sprocket. Run your wheel chain off that jack shaft.

[IgorVigor]

looks good

how many teeth has that rear sprocket got?
80?

its huge

looks a fairly good basic build

2 things:

Firstly, perhaps changing the clutch type would improve speed/acceleration and hill climbing?
centrifugal clutchs from what experience I have had with them rob a surprising amount of power...

secondly, can you change the front sprocket for a smaller one? for even more torque?

[HondaJohn]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I had considered using a CVT to upgrade this one, but I think I would rather spend the coin on planning out a proper conversion to a bike that doesn't have a salvage title The rear sprocket has 96 teeth, and the way it is geared it should get me up to around 40 mph. Unfortunately, the current clutch is the only one I could find that fit properly and actually used a chain. It also has the smallest number of teeth I could find, and everything else uses V-belts. I believe I saw a post on these forums with another centrifugal clutch bike that had one.

I am thinking about tracking down another rolling frame a sourcing a 5 speed transmission for my next project, but I should focus on finding good employment first

-John