Project Monkey Bike

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by P19DJG, Apr 3, 2013.

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  1. P19DJG

    P19DJG Banned

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    #1 P19DJG, Apr 3, 2013
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2013
    I picked up a 55 plate written off 50cc clucthless monkey bike through my work for nothing that was an insurance write off. Took it to the workshop & wripped out all the lights, starter, electrics & speedo etc. Just left the kill switch wired in.

    Picked up a few new chrome goodies for it today..... Gear selector, kick start, wheels, exhaust heat shield, front & rear mudguards plus a spare set of nobbly tyres.

    Now ive got it running sweet & starting first kick, the next job is to strip it down, grind off the unwanted headlight brackets & relay tags etc, paint the frame up, spray the fuel tank, tidy up the wiring harness, fit all the bits `n` bobs & my lad will have himself a little toy for playing over the fields. Once im happy with his riding & control i will drop the 50cc lump out, fit a clutch lever/cable & bolt a 125cc lump in it.... Happy days!

    View attachment 2411
     
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  2. jonny

    jonny Active Member

    Mar 26, 2013
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    Top Dad..:upyeah: All i got was a knackerd Raleigh chopper, with cow horns and only a few rear wheel bearings. Now i think about it, there were no brakes either..Hmm...what were his plans. :eek:
     
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  3. P19DJG

    P19DJG Banned

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    It will never win any concours events but it will look half decent when its finished & above all will be safe! Its got newish rear shocks already & brand new front fork internals plus new brake shoes.

    Its got front & rear drums brakes with a 3 speed all up gearbox. When the 125cc lump goes in i will swap the front forks out too & fit a hydraulic disc brake up front.
     
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  4. Screwball

    Screwball Active Member

    Mar 21, 2013
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    lucky lad.
     
  5. jonny

    jonny Active Member

    Mar 26, 2013
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    sunny cheshire
    pity you couldn't of make it road legal again, would of been a giggle to ride on the queens highway
     
  6. P19DJG

    P19DJG Banned

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    #6 P19DJG, Apr 3, 2013
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2013
    The company i work for has about 100 road legal monkey bikes & believe me i have ridden them on the public highway & it aint a good experience! Lol
    The 125cc monkeys are fun though i must admit. I was down at the workshop in Park Royal, London today & we were having wheelie contests on them..... Most enjoyable! Lol :upyeah:
     
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  7. Screwball

    Screwball Active Member

    Mar 21, 2013
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    You don't work for that drive you home company, do you?
     
  8. jonny

    jonny Active Member

    Mar 26, 2013
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    sunny cheshire
    i can imagine them being quite scary on the main roads...
     
  9. P19DJG

    P19DJG Banned

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    #9 P19DJG, Apr 4, 2013
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2013
    No im a technician for a vehicle preparation company repairing monkey bikes & commercial valeting equipment plus doing our I.T installations.

    They use the monkey bikes for the collection & delivery of vehicles in the rental business in the bigger/busy cities for Enterprise & Europcar etc. The frames or headstocks (depending on what make/model the monkey bikes are) have been modified so that they can be taken apart quickly, the seat, fuel tank & electrical harness are also quick release so the bikes can fit in the boot of the average sized car.
    The guys then deliver the car & ride the bike back to base, or ride to the customers home/work address, break bike down, stow in boot & drive car back to base.

    We have around 100+ of these monkey bikes & they do get trashed quite a bit!
     
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  10. Screwball

    Screwball Active Member

    Mar 21, 2013
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    I saw a program and there are a number of companies out there using monkey bikes & others which fold down and fit them in the boot.
    They ride to where you have been drinking and then drive you home in your car...sounds similar to your company....sort of...
     
  11. P19DJG

    P19DJG Banned

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    #11 P19DJG, Apr 4, 2013
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2013
    It was on Top Gear a good few years back. We have been using the Monkeys for about 7 years now.
     
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  12. Screwball

    Screwball Active Member

    Mar 21, 2013
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    Yeah that's right, think there was another program as well as I knew about it before Top Gear.. Thanks for that EBay link... Had a look at there other stuff and they do loads... Will keep that link, cheers....
     
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  13. JimDiesel

    JimDiesel Member

    Feb 27, 2013
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    Nottingham
    If you get the nod on any others going for next to nowt I'm looking for my next winter project pig, always wanted. Monkey bike just always ended up trying to go big!!!
    Pm me if you here of one pig :upyeah:
     
  14. P19DJG

    P19DJG Banned

    Mar 16, 2013
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    Will keep my ear to the ground for you mate, pretty rare that they get totally trashed & written off though.
    The 50/90/125cc bikes all generally have interchangeable parts. You can drop any engine in any frame but the engine parts are not interchangeable across the 50/90/125 engine range.
    The 50cc has upside forks, 90/125cc dont but they all fit the same frame/headstocks, rear shocks are the same length on all models but 90/125cc are stiffer & a bit chunkier, 90/125cc also has front disc hub instead of drum hub but the front & rear wheels/tyres are the same, so thats just a case of fitting a different hub,caliper/reservoir/hose & lever. The 50cc doesnt have a clutch but 90/125cc does but thats just a case of fitting lever & cable then connecting to clutch arm on gearbox. The 90/125cc has different size front & rear sprockets too.

    So its relatively easy to keep all the bikes maintained & road legal.
     
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  15. P19DJG

    P19DJG Banned

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    #15 P19DJG, Apr 6, 2013
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2013
    Did some work on the Monkey bike this morning with the help of my son. I figure that if he helps me with it he will appreciate the work thats gone into it plus he will gain some mechanical knowledge & learn about how his bike works. Well, thats the plan :tongue:

    Anyway, stripped it ragged within an hour :eek:

    View attachment 2412

    Ground off all the brackets that we dont need that would normally hold, number plate/tail light assembly, rear rack, front & rear Indicators, headlight & horn plus removed the metal tags that hold the main body harness to the frame as they aint needed either. Then sanded off all the flaking paint & rust plus made good the welds where i had welded the frame back together after the accident. Also took out some more of the wiring loom thats not required :cool:

    View attachment 2413

    Will de-grease it this afternoon & pressure wash it. Then paint the frame, forks & rear swing arm with the first coat of hammerite tomorrow. Got my lad cleaning the wheels & greasing up all the bearings for the headstock, swing arm & wheels.... Good lad! :upyeah:
     
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  16. brybrem

    brybrem Senior Member

    Mar 8, 2013
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    Looks like the new SIII! :tongue:
     
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  17. jonny

    jonny Active Member

    Mar 26, 2013
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    spine frame....looks like an old speed triple :biggrin:
     
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  18. P19DJG

    P19DJG Banned

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    #18 P19DJG, Apr 6, 2013
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2013
    Started giving the frame, swing arm & forks its first coat of paint this evening...

    View attachment 2414

    Will take the wheels out tomorrow (which i might add my son did a lovely job of cleaning up & polishing today as they were thick with grime & chain wax/oil) & start the second coat of paint, then hang the bike upside down & paint in all the nooks & crannies.


    De-greased the engine & gearbox, all cleaned up ready for a coat of engine paint in the week...
     
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  19. Screwball

    Screwball Active Member

    Mar 21, 2013
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    looking good and British racing Green....
     
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  20. P19DJG

    P19DJG Banned

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    Yep! British Racing hammerite Green :upyeah: Probably going to do the fuel tank in it as well as i really cant be arsed to rub it down properly & spray it with the compressor as me lads only going to trash it & get it covered in mud :frown:

    Might do the engine, gearbox & exhaust in black & the engine cases in silver. Then the lad wants "Monster" decals on it too :smile:
     
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