Mustache Machines

Making Cool Sh*t with Tools

2011-10-17T13:29:00.000-07:00

Always be Knolling! Words to live by from Tom Sachs.

Tom Sachs, A Selby Film from the selby on Vimeo.

Random Puch Stuff

2011-10-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

Drilled, Tapped, Counter Sunk, and braced E50 Clutch
by M Myers

Michael's temporary stripped pedal arm fix.

Michael's Gila E50 Maxi project is coming along. He's awaiting a new
intake from Devin that actually fits and faces properly on a Maxi frame.

Grimeca 5 Stars with new Sava shoes!

Puch ZA50 cased matched for a 70cc DMP kit

ZA50 in pieces and a manhattan cocktail

Properly bored, welded, and case matched Puch E50 for a Gila.
Handy work by Chris Paz

Scott Campbell Carves Tires

2011-10-13T14:20:00.001-07:00

All That's Gold Does Not Glitter from Alessandro Simonetti on Vimeo.

“During the Karl Lagerfeld Pirelli calendar launch in Moscow, Renato Montagner, Creative Director of Pirelli P Zero, commissioned artist Scott Campbell to create two signature projects. To engrave a Pirelli tire and to design a special edition P Zero bike jacket by Dainese. In the summer of 2011, Campbell began working on these pieces in his Brooklyn studio in New York.”

Labor Day Weekend Impulse Buy

2011-09-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

Bought this off a guy it CT on eBay Buy It Now for a super deal.
1985 Puch Maxi Sport LS 2 Speed. Here it is as I found it in the seller's mower shed.

A little dusty with a few dings but complete.

Hippie sticker was the first thing to go!

Sometimes I wish I could crawl up inside my mopeds and build a cozy little home...

then again, too much of a good thing might be deadly.

Pristine ZA50 tranny! In the process of rebuilding with new pucks and oil seals.

As she sits now in my Brooklyn apartment. Had a set of EBRs and a
racer seat sitting around. Shocks are from my TSM

I have a Techno Boss pipe lying around too. Gonig to set this up with a
70cc K Star and 15mm Bing for Beth to ride till I finish her Rigid Bobber Maxi.

Might have to go with the natural Bandit / Trans AM theme for this build...

I think I'm on to something!

2011-07-20T12:52:00.001-07:00

Check out the work of painter/sculpter Kevin Cyr

Oh Yeah! Got one of these a few weeks ago!

2011-07-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

His name is "Mo."

Seized.

Fiberglass needs repair

100% complete

Robot face!

Loadin' up.

May convert it into me one of these, or a Magnum top tank triped!

Gila E50, 24 Mikuni, St. Ripper Mock-Up

2011-06-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

This set up is going on the mini magnum. Just need to order a CDI and

do the case matching and port chamfering for the Gila.

This is Beth's rigid which will be the new home of my Polini ZA50 with

the Rev-Run pipe. My ZA50 is running super strong and will be a blast

on the rigid maxi.

Hang Out!

2011-05-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day! Updates coming soon. I promise!

Right On!

2011-03-12T09:18:00.001-08:00

Handmade Portraits: Liberty Vintage Motorcycles from Etsy on Vimeo.

TSM Front End Mock Up

2011-01-21T17:55:00.000-08:00

I don't have the right bearing cups, but they are on order.

Also ordered new caliper pads and headlight brackets. I

still need a hydraulic brake cable and a master cylinder.

This Just In!

2011-01-20T13:42:00.001-08:00

Fresh from Ebay, my TSM's new front end! Thanx Mario!

2011 Updates

2011-01-17T17:50:00.000-08:00

So much has been going on lately there has been no time to blog.

Since my last post, I've gathered lots of new parts for both the

rigid Maxi and my Peugeot TSM. I got a DMP super stuffy crank,

bearings, seals, EBR spring forks, and a 74cc Gila with head for

the Maxi. Next step for this project is to send out the E50 cases

to get bored and welded. I know lots of people build Gilas without

welding extra material onto their cases. I however don't plan

on taking any chances of blowing base gaskets and destroying

my investments. So consider it a done deal; extra $$$ and all.

Here is a pic of the Maxi of the Maxi N with the 2.75" tire

and wheel set from my TSM.

2011 is going to be the year of fast Peugeot builds. It seems

like everyone is posting news of their GR1 and GR2 projects.

I will be converting my TSM into a 70cc water-cooled racer. So

far I've gathered Malossi engine cases and a 21 PHBG race carb.

I also splurged on one of these race swing arms

Check out the super precise chain tension adjusters.

Only downside is that it didn't come with engine mounts.

I removed my old engine mounts from the stock swing arm,

but had to destroy it in the process, though I tried my best

not to.

The results were worth it though. With a little bending and

coercing I finally got it mounted. Now the TSM looks like a

badass dirt bike!

Finally, I just won a complete front end from a 2004 Tomos

Revival off Ebay for really cheap. The Peugeot is getting a front

disc brake set up!

I hope to post more updates soon. I hate making these long

infrequent posts!

Moped #12: 1976 Puch Maxi N

2010-10-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

I bought this Puch a few weeks back on Ebay for $405. Not a bad price

considering it was located so near to Boston. I'm going to go pick it up

from my gf's parents house this weekend. I'm excited to see it in person.

The sellers photos show that this thing is pretty minty. Hooray! My first

Maxi and my first E50! Check it out!

This is going to be my gf's daily rider for now. It'll be a while

before I'll get to take off the fenders, sidecovers, and throw a

Gilardoni, etc. on it. Plus I've got to finish my Debri and Solex

bikes, as well as complete my year long TSM build before I start

another super build. I'm still deciding between Polini or Malossi

engine cases for the TSM. I'm also deciding between a straight up

70cc kit or doing a 50cc water-cooled bike, which is super tempting

and will certainly challenge my building skills. I'll keep you posted as

soon as my opinion is swayed in a direction. I'm open to influence.

Puch Mini Magnum ZA50 - First Run Post Tuning

2010-10-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

Puch Mini Magnum ZA50 - First Run Post Tuning from Adam Augustyn on Vimeo.

Finally got the timing dialed in on my PowerDynamo CDI. Easing on the throttle still since my Polini kit recently seized and I have both base and head gasket leaks. I'm running with a flipped 2nd speed clutch, Za50 performance crank, case-matched 64cc Polini, and a MLM Rev-Run pipe. I've since replaced both head and base gaskets. I hope to post another video soon with top speed before moped season ends. Enjoy!

Polini Seize #1: Photos

2010-09-14T12:21:00.000-07:00

I lucked out on this one. The cylinder wall is just a little scratched and

my ring was completely intact, as well as my piston. You can see some

cooked nikasil one the top end and on the piston head.

The ring caught on the exhaust port, which spread the ring open on top.

I sanded everything down and threw a new ring on. I also flipped my

2nd speed clutch for haha's. I'm getting much more low end torque now.

Still need to reset the timing on my CDI to see if I can improve my

throttle response and prevent any more seizes, etc.

Laborless Daze

2010-09-09T06:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't gotten around to posting about my Polini cylinder

finds post-seize yet. I was on my death bed the entire 4 day

weekend holiday. Work stress/moped stress have really

taken a toll on my immune system. I had incredible body

aches and nights of 102˚ fevers. But now I'm fine. Right in

time for the work week (sigh).

I grabbed the Solex 3800 over the weekend and now it's in

my apt in Brooklyn. That's 4 concurrent projects taking up my

living space folks! Solex is rad though, has compression,

needs lots of love. Will post.

I picked up this book over the weekend. It's written by a

doctorate in political philosophy who quit his desk job to

start a motorcycle shop. The book discusses to the value of

manual labor over other types of more common / prevelant work.

So far it is really great. I've always enjoyed working with my

hands and find it a necessary balance to my desk job life /

creative pursuits here in the city. Working on mopeds is pretty

crucial for my mental health and overall well-being. Now I have

a book that explains why.

From the book jacket:

"A philosopher / mechanic destroys the pretensions of the high-prestige workplace and makes an irresistible case for working with one’s hands.

Shop Class as Soulcraft brings alive an experience that was once quite common, but now seems to be receding from society: making and fixing things. Those of us who sit in an office often feel a lack of connection to the material world and find it difficult to say exactly what we do all day. For anyone who felt hustled off to college, then to the cubicle, against their own inclinations and natural bents, Shop Class as Soulcraft seeks to restore the honor of the manual trades as a life worth choosing.

On both economic and psychological grounds, Crawford questions the educational imperative of turning everyone into a “knowledge worker,” based on a misguided separation of thinking from doing, the work of the hand from that of the mind. Crawford shows us how such a partition, which began a century ago with the assembly line, degrades work for those on both sides of the divide.

But Crawford offers good news as well: the manual trades are very different from the assembly line, and from dumbed-down white collar work as well. They require careful thinking and are punctuated by moments of genuine pleasure. Based on his own experience as an electrician and mechanic, Crawford makes a case for the intrinsic satisfactions and cognitive challenges of manual work. The work of builders and mechanics is secure; it cannot be outsourced, and it cannot be made obsolete. Such work ties us to the local communities in which we live, and instills the pride that comes from doing work that is genuinely useful. A wholly original debut, Shop Class as Soulcraft offers a passionate call for self-reliance and a moving reflection on how we can live concretely in an ever more abstract world."

Author's Website

Slate.com

The New Atlantis Article

Zink!!!

2010-09-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

Seized my Polini kit returning home from work last night over

the Williamsburg bridge. I had about +100 miles on the kit before

taking it over the bridge. I hadn't tested it on any inclines though.

I wasn't even close to pushing the bike hard, I was off the throttle

for at least 10 sec when it happened and was only about 3/4 throttle

up till then. I'm certain it wasn't an airleak, possibIy a fuel supply issue.

I guess it's no joke that these kits are fragile at the start. Lesson learned.

Fingers crossed it was a soft seize. I won't be able to pull the engine

apart till at least Friday. I'll have pics and an analysis. Sigh.

Stay tuned for more Tuning

2010-08-31T13:28:00.000-07:00

I got the Mini Magrun in running shape this weekend. I ran into

some exhaust gasket and base gasket leaks due to cruddy gasket

sealant. It was an easy fix once diagnosed, but I wasn't left with

much time to dial in the jetting and timing.

The throttle lags, not bogs, on take off. I think my timing might be

a tad too advanced. The manual to my Power Dynamo CDI claims

that 2mm BTDC is the place to be. I might set it to more like

1.7-1.8mm and see where that gets me. May even give 2.3mm

a shot just to compare. The bike is a bit heavy due to the mags,

powder coat, EBR Hydro forks, and the front brake caliper. These

are all things I think that might be affecting the running condition

of bike off the line. I do sense a lack of immediate response of the

throttle aside from the weight that makes me think a timing issue

is still the target culprit.

More on this later as I learn the finite in's and out's of this bike. I

managed to ride the Magnum over the bridge today into Manhattan

to work. It was stop and go 2 lane traffic the whole way and I had to

do some trick lane-split maneuvering for almost the entire trip. I did

open up on the pipe just a bit coming off the bridge. The Rev-Run

hits hard in the 35-40 mph range and I have yet the room to top it

out here on these short and busy city streets. I'm sure my low end

torque will improve once my timing is more dialed in.

Check out this music video for Summer Camp's "Round the Moon."

It reminds me of a weekend of typical moped gang antics here in

Brooklyn.

SUMMER CAMP - Round the Moon from Paddy Power on Vimeo.

Time lapse & Peds + TV

2010-08-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a pretty rad video time lapse that Aaron of the KHZ took of the

Sunday borough ride at the 2010 PEDS rally a few weeks back. Beth

and I are rockin' the bright yellow PA50. Nice work Aaron! That AC

track works perfect with the pacing of the video.

PEDS nyc rally from Aaron McLaughlin on Vimeo.

Also, did anyone see Mad Men last week? Peggy was riding

a Honda 70 in an effort to fool a competing agency to win Honda's

ad business in the US in 1960. I hope we see more Honda bikes

in up coming episodes, though they hinted that the campaign would

focus more on Honda cars.

Preview Video: Mini Mag Pretuning

2010-08-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a crappy (upside down) short video I took on my iPhone of the Magnum

Polini ZA50 running this past weekend. I had the bike tuned and timed before

I discovered an exhaust gasket leak. I fixed the leak but I hadn't reset the fuel/air

mixture via the throttle needle height, jetting, etc.

All will be resolved after this weekend. Stay tuned, this thing is gonna haul!

More french by the minute...

2010-08-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

My brother was kind enough to pick this up for me in CT off
Craigslist for $150. It's a 3800. It already looks like fun!

Mopeds = Greatest Transportation on Earth

2010-08-23T10:58:00.001-07:00

Here's a few more reasons why...

Ped #10: TSM

2010-08-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

I picked up my 10th moped last weekend, during the PEDS rally in NYC.

It's my 3rd variated bike, and my first variated top tank, as well as my

first French bike. Having just torn this thing down I'm already in love

with it!

Here I am packing it up into my car from down in Staten Island on Sunday

morning before the PEDS 3 borough ride. I won the TSM in an Ebay auction

the day before. The seller even gave Beth and I a box of baked goods from

his bakery. Best Ebay seller ever!

It's now sitting in my apt in Brooklyn. Here are some photos I took while

tearing it down.

The bike is complete with exception for the front fender. It has 550 miles

on the speedo, which is still functional. The TSM has obviously been sitting

a while, stored outside and caked in mud. The tank, seat and trim are all

in amazing shape despite the neglect. I was hoping to do a little

maintenance and get this running stock before season's end. I don't think

this will be possible due to the condition of the stock exhaust. It was filled

with rust chip and there was no seal between the header pipe and baffle.

So rather than slapping it together or shelling out $$$ for a stockish exhaust,

I'm going to take my time with this build,like my mini magnum, which I'm

approximately 1 year into as of this week. First step for the TSM is to powder

coat the subframe in the next month, then I'll take it piece by piece from there.

I'm thinking Malossi case, 70 Gilardoni, Doppler pipe, etc. I'm still doing my

research. I'll keep you posted.

In other news, The Magnum will be coming with me upstate this weekend to

finally become road-worthy. I wish I had taken video of it when I had it running

at the Orphanage the weekend before the rally. I need to invest some hours

into timing the powerdynamo CDI. Seth lent me his timing light. It will be nice

to work in a garage facing a quiet lake, rather than laying on a busy sidewalk.

Wish me luck!

Last, I'm putting the PA50-II into retirement for the season. It performed

beautifully during the rally. The pipe is getting louder. I might have an air leak

growing from the cylinder. I also need to do some work to the rear brake and

rear wheel bearings. It requires more time and $$$ that I'm not willing to

invest right now. See you in 2011 buddy!

Oh Rally!

2010-08-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Leslie, Pete, Seth, Cliffy, Mahoney, Allen, Ari, Rick and everyone

at Mission 23 for throwing together a great series of events and rides at

this weekends PEDS rally. It was seriously the best time I've had in the

city since I moved here 6 years ago. Here are some photos taken by

Michael, Beth and myself on our iPhones. I'll be posting videos soon!

Ari and I rocked kitted PA50-IIs all weekend, ketchup n' mustard style.

Beth and I rode doubles the entire weekend. I'm so proud of our bike.

It ripped through 3 boroughs, all 3 days, no issues.

Thanks also to everyone who came out. There were an overwhelming

number of people who came out, drove down, drove up for this rally.

It was impossible to meet with everyone, but I was proud to at least

share a little communal riding time with all of you through our city.

I'm looking forward to my next rally, though I'm not sure which I will

be attending next; I'm certain that this was not my last. Cheers!

PEDS!!!

2010-08-12T06:42:00.000-07:00

This weekend! This will be my first official rally. I wasn't able to get

the mini mag tuned in time to debut it this weekend. My lady and I will

be riding our yellow PA50-II with the blue seat. I'm really looking forward

to meeting everyone and sharing our beautiful city with all of you.

PEDS Trailer from John Mahoney on Vimeo.

Inching closer...

2010-07-29T08:07:00.001-07:00

Darktown Strutters

2010-07-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

Great Things!

2010-07-26T06:46:00.001-07:00

1. Scored a NOS Magnum tank off MA. Thanx Avery!

2. Ordered a PowerDynamo CDI for the ZA50. Puts out 12V at 70W

and has electronic ingition!

3. Mini Mag back from powder coater and starting get pieced together!

iPhone 4

2010-06-24T06:47:00.001-07:00

I'm really looking forward to my new iPhone 4. My pre-order is scheduled

to arrive this afternoon. I was lucky enough on the day pre-orders began

to walk into the AT&T store around the corner from the office and make

my order before things got screwed up with their account databases.

I've been a little lazy in charging my digital camera and my 1st generation

iPhone takes really crappy photos. So stay to tuned for crisp photos and

lots of 720p video edited in iMovie for iPhone. I always have my iPhone

on me when I ride so I have no excuse now for seldom updates.

In related news, I've made deal with Cool Nathan of the Orphans. He

gets my old iPhone for mounting my new set of Gazelles with tubes to

my Puch Grimeca 5 Star rims once they come back from powder coating.

I think it's a pretty good deal since mounting these specific tires is a

nightmare and Nathan is the local tire mounting pro. Plus by posting this

and with my previous handshake I make this deal official. Thanx Nate!

Mega-Updates: My Week Off

2010-06-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

So last week was my first paid vacation ever. I spent the week in

CT at my father's house. I took over his garage for the week to

finish up some moped projects. I brought my trusty Hobbit up

from Brooklyn run free on the country back roads.

I mounted up a blue seat to make it a better 2-seater ride for me and

my gf. Also, thanks to Terry Dean for the Yellow Sebac shocks. I left

them jacked up to suit the weight of riding doubles. This project is

nick-named the Swed-Ped or Swedish Moped. I have more blue parts

to mount including pedals, pedals arms, and BMX bars. Right now it

looks kinda dumb with just a blue seat, but comfort trumps looks in

this case.

Thanks to Dan from The Metal Ponies for hooking me up with this

Magnum frame (and sweet MP patch). She's pretty rusty but cleaned

up nice with a 4.5" radial sandpaper disk.

I also hacked off about 1.5 lbs of extraneous mounts

and metal tubing. I couldn't do this to my original Magnum

frame because it was in such nice condition. I also drilled

holes to run all the wiring through the frame.

This frame is now with my mags, swing arm, and tank at Orphanage

Mopeds awaiting powder coating.

The Thule rack on my Cherokee make a nice drying rack for the Derbi

swingarm and kick stand that I painted up.

Here's the Derbi partially together. 60cc MetraKit with 15.15 SHA Carb

performance reeds, 15mm intake, and Metra exhaust. I got it to start

up a few times for several minutes. Sounded like a throaty chainsaw

when it was running. Best sounding moped ever! It's having spark

issues from either a bad coil or old points. I can't source either so I

think I might go with an HPI CDI on this project. It deserves it. Also

upgrading to a 19mm intake and a 19mm PHBG race carb in the

near future.

I also took a motorcycle riding course at Tunxis College in

Farmington, CT. My brother and I both passed the driving and

the written tests and managed to swing through the DMV before

closing early for the holiday weekend to get our motorcycle licenses.

Best class I've ever taken! I rode a Yamaha R200 all week. Fun!

She Moves!

2010-05-22T19:30:00.001-07:00

So I packed my tools, parts and the Honda PA50-II and headed out

of the city today. I've got a weeks vacation next week which I plan to

get various moped projects completed including:

• Modifying (stripping down) a Puch Magnum frame

• Replacing the stock carb on my Hobbit with a 21mm Malossi Kit

• Clean and get the Derbi running, possibly kit it

• Clean out carb and replace rear tube on the Express

I'm also taking a 3 day motorcycle driving course this week and will

hopefully obtain my motorcycle drivers license here in CT.

Arriving at my Father's house this evening managed to put the

PA50-II together and finally open the throttle up here on the the nice

country roads. I haven't had it outside the city since I've got it running.

I threw my GPS in my pocket and here are the initial results:

Running a 70cc DR Kit

Proma Pipe

Boyesen Performance Dual Stage Reeds

Stock Carb jetted 92

Stock variator (not notched) Stock weights

Stock clutch springs

Looking forward to seeing what a 21mm intake and carb will do.

Stay tuned, lots of updates this week.

¡¡¡Campeona Del Mundo!!!

2010-05-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

ZA50 Overhaul: Part 01 - Performance Crank, Bearings, Seals

2010-05-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post. Main reason for my lack of posts

is that I've been riding my DR-kitted, Proma-piped PA50-II a bunch.

It's my first running and registered, moped here in the city. I'll post

some photos of the Honda and videos soon.

I've organized my work space a bit in preparation for finishing up

the Mini Mag.

The big "To-Do" on this build for me has been to install this ZA50

performance crank I ordered from 1977. I finally got my hands on both

the E-20 and L-17 crank bearings I needed to start this installation.

The key to doing this task properly is using a set of digital calipers to

take several measurements to make sure everything fits properly.

Any miscalculation here creates slop in the crank and could easily

destroy an engine.

My goal here was to match the width of the outside width of the stack

crank and both bearings with the new bearings and crank. I took

severalmeasurements and got an average width of 58.35mm

(see below).

Next I measured the new crank before mounting the new bearings.

My average width measurement here was 36.35mm (see below).

I next measured the width of the e-20 bearing (without the race).

My average measurement was 12mm (see below).

Same procedure goes for the L-17 bearing. Average measurement I

got here was 10mm (see below).

So, as luck would have it 36.35 + 10mm + 12mm = 58.35mm which

equals the width measurement I had for the stock crank! Any

difference below 58.35mm would have to be made up with shims.

A good resource for shims is McMaster-Carr.

Next step was to remove the old bearing races and install the new

ones. The tools which come in handy here are WD-40, some

3-in-1 motor oil, a Bernz-O-Matic torch, a hammer, and a set of

flat punches.

The stator-side race is the easiest of the 2 bearing races to remove.

I heated the inside of the stator engine half with the torch for about

30-45 seconds. I then flipped the engine over and tapped on the race

the the opening on the stator side. There is a little notch

(pictured above) where you can rest a small punch on the edge of the

race to tap it out.Throw some 3-in-1 oil in there if you have any trouble

getting it loose.

The transmission side bearing race is a bit trickier. There is no place

to seat a punch on the race to pop it out. You have to rely soley on

heat and lubrication, plus some smacking to get this guy to fall out.

Again, torch for 30-45 secs the inside of the transmission half of the

engine then lubricate with 3-in-1 oil. Repeatedly smack the engine

case, crank side down on a towel covered hard surface, such as a

concrete floor or metal table. You should start to see the race move

after a couple of hits (see photo below).

Reheat and repeat smacking until it drops out. Also, wear

heat-proof gloves or oven mitts. I should have mentioned this

earlier. Below is a photo of my old bearing races, pretty

tarnished from years of the bearings resting in there unused.

I used the same process, heat, tapping and lubrication to get the

new races in. Be extra sure that the races sit flush to the surface of

the engine case when installing. YOu should not need to strike them

very hard to seat them properly, you might damage or crack the

engine case. Your best bet is to just add more 3-in-1 oil to slide

everything into place.

Next are the oil seals. Going with the same theory as installing the

bearing races, I also used heat and lubrication here, but in the form

of dish soap and warm water from the sink. Any force via tapping was

done by gently tapping with a hammer and a wooden chopstick. You

have to be careful not to puncture, tear, or stretch the seals. Again,

make sure you seals are facing the proper direction as depicted

below as well as make sure they are seated flush.

Make sure everything is dry before bolting everything together.

In Part 2 I'll go into detail about final assembly and measuring end

float, etc.

Please leave comments regarding my process. I'm no expert for

sure and this is my first ZA50 build. My goal as always is to share

in order to create a resource for others. Above is just what worked

for me with the resources I had available at the time. I consider this

a work in progress. Thanx!

EBR Hydros Pit Bike Caliper Bracket Fab: Part 01

2010-04-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos at my first attempt to create a mounting plate to

fit a set of CRF50 pit bike hydraulic brake calipers on a set of EBR

hydraulic forks. I', using 1/4" aluminum plating to fabricate the bracket.

I'm using Michael T's Puch Grimeca 17" 5 Star bolt-on rotor kit from Treats.

I still have to shave down the spacers and source some 8 mm bolts

but this looks like it's going to work. I may play around with moving

the caliper to a different position on the rotor.

Also, I've got my performance crank in for my ZA50 Mini Mag build.

Still waiting on one more bearing.

Honda PA50II - First Stock Run/Fail

2010-03-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

So having gotten plates for both my PA50-II and my Magnum II

last week, I was eager to have at least one of my peds running

this Saturday. My Proma pipe did not arrive in time to set up my

DR kit so I switched out to stock before peicing everything back

together. I also did not have the proper jet sizes or performance

reeds to run the DR kit.

The Honda started after only a few tries. It would only run with

the choke on. It would sputter out if I tried to push it past 10 mph.

I'm pretty sure the Keihin carb just needs another thorough

cleaning. I'm definitely running into an air flow / fuel flow issue

inside the carb. I hear these things are pretty fussy when not

properly cleaned. After all, this bike has only 230 miles on it and

hasn't run in over 20 years. In my next attempt, i'll also try running

it without the air filter, though mine is brand new, as a test.

By this coming weekend I should have my 78-92 jets, my

Boyesen performance reeds, and my Proma pipe. I will get

the moped to run solid as stock first before attempting to run

the DR kit and new pipe.

I did have the Boyesen dual stage reeds for an unmodded

cylinder installed on this run. I was impressed with the low end

torque and attribute it to this reed upgrade. I may throw the stock

reeds back in just to compare.

Plated: Thanx Herald Sq. DMV!!!

2010-03-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

Got plates today for my Magnum and PA50. My first time registering

mopeds at the DMV, so I was super nervous. It was so easy, just have

to have all the right paper work. Class C on both bikes too! Whoo!

With any luck, I'll have the Honda on the road this weekend.

I'll keep you posted on any developments.

No Mopeds

2010-03-22T13:51:00.000-07:00

I was bummed not to have my mopeds running and registered

to ride around this weekend in the beautiful 70 degree weather.

Luckily, Ryan let me take his around the block in Bushwick just

to get a little in my blood. Hopefully this weekend...

Gettin' Gaskety 2: 78-83 Honda PA50 Tran Cover

2010-03-20T05:18:00.000-07:00

So since I've had my 1980 Honda PA50 in my apartment, I've had

this transmission leak in the rear wheel. From what I could tell it is

the old gasket that is to blame. I'm sure sitting with oil in it for 30

years makes old asbestos gaskets weak.

I researched all my usual OEM Honda parts suppliers and this

transmission cover gasket is listed as out of stock or discontinued.

So I decided to go my own route and make a precision gasket myself.

I scanned in the transmission cover into Photoshop, traced it in

Illustrator, and checked my measurements with my digital micrometer.

I then printed my .pdf and spray mounted it to the back of a sheet of

gasket paper. Then I cut with scissors, a hole punch, and my Xacto

knife.

It's a somewhat tedious process but results are perfect every time!

So to save you the energy of drawing this yourself, I've posted the

.pdf of my gasket on my website here. I'm pretty sure this works for

1978-83 Honda Hobbits and PA50s, as well as some Caminos. The

vectors are preserved in the .pdf, so feel free to make adjustments

as needed.

Also, check what came in the mail today!

Still waiting for my Proma pipe and ZA50 performance crank to arrive

at Orphanage. It's getting down to the wire. It's been close to 70

degrees temperature here all week in Brooklyn. I need to button up

these bikes and get them on the road ASAP!

Several Irons in the Fire: Progress Update

2010-03-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

So, no real news here. I've got several orders out to various places for

various parts for the MiniMag and the PA50. There is so much to keep

track of now that I've got 2 builds in progress in tandem in my tiny

apartment. For the sake of settling my brain, here's a list of things

to come (or in progress):

• Pit Bike fork tubes from Ebay were too big in diameter to

fit my Magnum EBRs. I'm going to save them for another

project.

• Ordered hydraulic EBR forks with a caliper mount for disc brake

(just came in today)

• Mounted black blank skate deck seat on the magnum with LED

brake light and aluminum bracket (still need to notch out to fit the

tank back onto the frame) I need to pick up a jigsaw to do this.

• My ZA50 performance crank should be arriving at Orphanage this

week. Rather than pulling the old bearings off the stock crank at

the risk of damaging them, Chris Paz is sending some new

bearings. This is the last piece to be completed before putting

together my 64cc Polini case matched ZA50 rebuild. I will probably

smooth out the transfers some more before assembling. Not sure

yet if I'm going to bother with porting the intake. I can always do

that later.

• Once the engine is reassembled, I still need to wire this thing. Then

completely disassemble and powder coat. I need to find a quality

yet affordable shop locally to do this. I'll need to repair and paint

the tank and body panels as well.

• Just now I got in a bunch of OEM Honda parts for the PA50

including brake shoes (front and back), mirrors, floor boards,

air filters, etc. I've also replaced the v-belt. I got these Boyesen

stock replacement reeds and I cannot figure out how to install

them (see photo below)

• PA50 tank is cleaned and has a new petcock.

• Ryan at Orphanage ordered a Honda Proma exhaust for the

Honda. Not sure what kit, intake, carb combo is best for this

bike yet. I'll hold off till I learn more. Plus I need more info on

upgrading the variator.

That's all I can stand to remember for now. I'm sure I missed

something. Oh well, here are some more photos.

Honda PA50-II = Tonka Truck

2010-02-22T12:35:00.000-08:00

I made the trip to to Connecticut this weekend to grab my new

PA50 - II that my brother picked up for me on Craigslist. I spent

several hours disassembling, cleaning, and getting to know my

new moped. It is definitely the cleanest ped I've ever gotten the

chance to work on. The brilliance of the yellow paint mixed in

with the metal and black bits reminds me of my old Tonka dump

trucks I used to play with in the sandbox.

Here are some photos (click them for high res):

So now the Honda sits in my living room in Brooklyn with my

Mini Mag.I placed some parts orders today for a couple OEM

bits that are either missing or need replacing. I will definitely

post more once my parts for this guy start arriving. I have not

maybe any decisions yet as to how I'm going to kit this bike.

I'm open to any suggestions. My goal for the short term is to

have this registered and running stock for the end of

March thaw out.

Supreme Stopping Power!!!

2010-02-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

Yep. So here it is. A cheap pit bike hydraulic brake caliper set up

off of Ebay and a bolt on disc brake plate from Mike Thomas of

the Tom Cruisers (more info here). I'm waiting on a set of pit bike

fork tubes I won on Ebay to arrive by mail. My current EBR fork

set up does not have a mount for a brake caliper. These new fork

tubes will hopefully slide right into my EBR triple trees. I'll post more

about this once those fork tubes arrive.

Some Thoughts & Parts

2010-02-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

So somewhere between last week and now I gotten tired of the look

and feel of the stock Magnum seat and trunk. For me, I just feel the

need to sit lower over the bike, maybe due to better aerodynamics?

So late the other night I decided to take one of my old trashed skate

decks and make a custom seat.

This is where I ended up after about 20 min of work, no measuring. I

really just wanted to get a quick mock of the look and feel of this type

of set up which I've seen done on other Magnum builds. I have to say

that my first impression is very positive. I just feel more tucked and

comfortable positioned lower and further back on the bike.

So I ordered a brand new blank skate deck and a sheet of some 1 inch

outdoor industrial gymnasium padding to create my final seat. These

materials should arrive next week. My new seat will be much more

precise and integrated with the tank of the Magnum.

I also dropped my stock speedo into my vintage bullet headlight.

Unfortunately the speedo that came with this bucket is not currently

functioning. I may try to fix that, but later down the road.

I also mounted a bracket for my new 12v LED tail light.

It mounts easily with this new skate deck seat design.

Last I moved my buddy pegs to the shock mounts.

Some longer bolts and spacers made from old shocks

made this set up possible.

1980 Honda PA50-II: Bro's Photos

2010-02-07T21:33:00.000-08:00

So my brother Eric sent me some photos he shot of the

Honda he acquired for me this week off Craigslist. He also

confirmed that this bike does have ONLY 230 MILES on

its functioning odometer. I can't wait to have this guy up

and running. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!

Craigslist: ¡Hola Honda!

2010-02-03T12:40:00.000-08:00

When it rains, it...

So, I had my brother pick this one up for me back in CT.

He's going to hold onto it for me till I get a chance to

come up and visit again.

1980s Honda PA50II. Mostly complete, except for a

foot guard and some mounting bolts. Not running.

It evens has the original key for the ignition switch. If my eyes

don't deceive me and the odometer and cable are both functional,

this moped has only 230 miles on it! I will have my brother confirm this.

Looks like the Sachs rebuild might be pushed aside to

learn this guy and get him running stock first, then vroom!

The nerd herd keeps growing, and growing, and...

Dumpster Find: 1978 Sachs Balboa on Ebay

2010-02-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

So this past weekend I ran up to Connecticut and got a chance to

pick up this moped that I won on Ebay a week earlier for super cheap.

I already have a Green 1978 Sachs Balboa with a 505/1-A enigine.

However the frame is a bit torqued and I soft-seized the engine.

The owner of this bike picked it up at a junkyard near Ellington, CT.

It's mostly complete, only missing the air filter box, side covers,

a speedometer cable, and a seat. The tires still hold air!

There is some front end damage. The front forks are twisted

and the headlight mounts, headlight, and speedo casing are

heavily bent. I plan on using the forks from my green Balboa

on this frame.

The paint is in great condition though a serious cleaning is

definitely ahead of me.

This Balboa also has the 505/1-C engine which has (in my

opinion) a nicer cylinder, intake, and Bing carb than the 505/1-A.

The piston and cylinder have some slight scratches in them that

I may try to sand out. I'll post more about this later.

So now this red ped sits in my garage in Connecticut till

warmer weather and time permits to making a stock runner

out of this pair. I slapped on an extra Sachs seat

I had lying around. Stay tuned for more on this project.

MLM REV-RUN!!!

2010-01-31T21:10:00.000-08:00

Work has been kinda hectic as of late but moped progress is still

being made. One of the few remaining pieces of my Mini Mag

ZA50 build shipped to CT this week: My Motion Left Mopeds

REV-RUN exhaust pipe! So I had the chance to head up to

Connecticut this weekend and pick it up.

I had the time to mount it tonight when I got back to Brooklyn.

It mounted right up no problem! My 5.5" pedal crank arms

have no problem clearing the pipe chamber. Also my stock

(shortened) kickstand is fully functional with zero interference

(unlike with the chrome Boss pipe.) I can't wait to run this thing!!!

Ebay Treasure: 1960s Puch Headlight / Speedo

2010-01-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

Searching through Ebay auctions this weekend I found this rare item.

It's a 1960s Puch headlight enclosure complete with speedometer,

sealed beam headlight, wiring, speedo cable, etc.

Apparently the headlight housing has only a few scratches and paint

chips. The chrome only has a few pits and no rust.

The best part is that the odometer only has 2.9 miles on it and

the speedometer gauges up to 80 mph!

Needless to say I won this auction. I can wait to mount this to my

Mini Mag build. The stock headlight is very stout and the stock

speedo and housing mounts on top of the top fork plate, ruining the

clean flat line that runs from the seat across the tank. This will

certainly make my project more streamlined and unique.

Jumping the Gun: Mini Mag Mock Up

2010-01-03T16:28:00.000-08:00

Piecing together my first dream moped has been a tedious

process. Just making sure I've ordered the proper parts alone

has been quite stressful. Until this point I could only assume

that what I have collected for this project would fit all together

to create what I envisioned in my mind. So to start 2010 off on

the right note I decided to put this thing together.

Click photo for larger version.

I was hoping to tuck all my wiring (CDI and Coil) under the right side

compartment cover. Looks like this will not be an issue!

I just ordered this LED tail light off of Ebay. This should mount

nicely under the rear compartment. I'll have to make a custom

mounting plate to bolt to the rear fender bracket on the frame.

I'm pretty psyched. I'm sure there will be snags down the road

but at least now I can be sure I'm headed in the right direction.

ZA50 Case Polishing: Part 2 (7hrs)

2009-12-30T07:12:00.000-08:00

I put in 4 more hours of polishing last night. It was just enough time

to get through the first layer of tarnish on almost the entire engine

case. Click on the photos below to see larger, full size images.

The shine and reflections on the case don't really appear to

photograph that well. Some of the tarnish has settled into to some

of the creases and scratches on the case, high lighting them.

It will be a challenge to remove this tarnish without sanding,

but I'm determined.

I snapped a photo of the teflon gasket I worked on with Bob from

The Moped Garage. This gives you an idea of how precise we were

in creating this gasket. Click on the photo for a larger, full version of

this shot.

ZA50 Case Polishing: Part 1

2009-12-29T06:39:00.000-08:00

So this is my first attempt at polishing a moped engine case, let

alone polishing aluminum in general. I've ready plenty of posts on

the Moped Army forum about how to go about achieving a mirror

ball finish on a material so soft and finicky as aluminum. It seems

as though many people take vast and various approaches to polishing

their cases. Below is my account of how and what I was able to

achieve in just 3 hrs.

Polishing my ZA50 case is pretty much the last task that is

preventing me from completing this build, or at least bolting

everything together and getting this bike running. I promised myself

I wouldn't skip any steps or take any short cuts that would prevent

me from being 100% satisfied with the quality of this build. One of

these hurdles to overcome is case polishing. Luckily the frigid cold

air of winter has settled over the city, which is conducive to indoor

activities, like my task at hand.

I started with the materials in the above photo. Including Noxon Metal

Polish, Mother's Aluminum Polish, 600 & 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper,

and a pile of rags. My attempt at polishing this case is not to smooth

out every imperfection in the case molding, but to buff out the tarnish

and stains within the top most layer of the aluminum surface. Some

people start with 200 grit and move their way up to 2000 grit, skipping

only a few grits in between. This allows them to really sand down all

the scratches and seams. I plan on riding this bike pretty hard here

in the city and I'm sure to put some dings in my case over time, so

for now a light buffing will do best for my intentions with this bike.

I began wet sanding with the 600 grit paper by hand, constantly

dipping the paper in a tray of water and wiping the sanded areas

with a dry rag. After reaching a dull but lighter tone of metal surface

I move on to 1000 grit, and again dipping it constantly in water and

wiping with a dry rag. Once the scratches from the previous grit paper

start to smooth out I took some of the Noxon polish and start wet

sanding with that as the lubricant. The Noxon polish has a very fine

grit to it that makes it a very fine abrasive above 1000 grit sandpaper.

My last step was to use the Mother's polish and clean dry rags to

really buff hard into the surface. A very very small amount of Mother's

polish goes a long way. Once your towel turns black, you have to

switch to a clean rag, otherwise you are just rubbing tarnish back in

to your surface.

After 3 hours of just polishing the transmission cover to my ZA50, this

is where I ended up. The rest of the engine is an indication of what

the cover looked like before I started.

Though it's not 100% perfect and the surface is still scratched and

pitted in places, I'm completely satisfied with where I've ended up.

I plan to leave the cover as is and move on to the rest of the ZA50

engine body. With any luck I may even be able to piece this engine

back together and mount it onto the frame next week!

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-24T06:46:00.000-08:00

The Lowest of the Low, etc.

2009-12-22T06:22:00.001-08:00

My apologies for the lack of updates for a while. The freelance

projects have been piling up, making up for a very slow year.

Oh well, at least there will be lots more funds now to finish the

mini mag and purchase new projects next year.

Here are just a few updates about my progress on my Magnum

build. Bob Bielk of The Moped Garage worked with me on creating

a Teflon gasket to replace the gasket between the halves of my

ZA50. It's fits perfect, first try. Keep an eye out out on Bob's

website and on Ebay for this particular gasket. I'll post photos soon

after the holiday of how this gasket looks in place.

On December 12th I attended the holiday party at the Orphanage

Moped Shop in Greenpoint. It was a great time hanging with

everyone, talking shop, and picking up a few last minute parts at a

discount. I even ran into an old high school buddy who rolls with the

Mission 23. I'm looking forward to riding with everyone in the warmer

months!

I'll be spending most of my free time this winter hand polishing the

ZA50 engine case. This means lots of grades of sand paper, some

Mother's Aluminum Polish, and lots of hours and elbow grease.

I'll post my progress on this once I begin.

Last night I mounted my new clubman bars and Magura grips that I

picked up at the Orphanage holiday party. Here's a couple of photos

of how they look on the mini mag.

These bars are definitely mustache material!

These prototype hybrid Maxi EBR forks I ordered from Treatland allow

me to drop the bike pretty low. Notice that the trees pass right through

the top plate. I will have to readjust the trees once everything is

mounted to avoid the bottom plate from smashing against the spring

housings. But for now, this looks pretty mean.

This build can't go fast enough! I'm still looking to get my wheels

powder coated. I just need the time to source out a few more paint

shops in the area. I will also be handing off my gas tank to a body

shop to have the folds and dings removed. I know my patience with

this build will one day pay off, and likely in time for spring.

Case. Set. Match: 64cc Polini to ZA50

2009-11-29T20:19:00.001-08:00

Thanks to a little help from reader Gabe B of Magnumdash and some

of his case matching photos on Flickr, I was able to continue with my

Dremel and wrap up this engine overhaul.

I brought the top 2 transfers all the way down into the case. This will

allow for better flow and cooling of the piston.

I also smoothed both side transfers further into the case. This will

hopefully create a bit more top end speed and power.

Case Matching: Puch ZA50

2009-11-27T15:33:00.001-08:00

I did myself a little case matching today on my ZA50 today.

This is my first attempt at case matching. I figured I would

share my experience.

I used a Dremel tool with high speed cutter attachments #115

for the initial cuts and a #117 to finish the tight corners. These

attachments are meant to be used at high speed on the Dremel.

Slow speed will cause them to jump and lead to less accurate

results. There is no need to buy the expensive carbide bits.

They are expensive and meant for harder metals. Aluminum is

soft as cheese.

I used a bench vice and MDF board shims to secure the engine.

I taped down my 64cc Polini gasket to the engine case with electrical

tape. I traced the inside opening of the gasket with a Sharpie marker.

The black areas represent material I will need to remove with the

Dremel tool. I start with the #115 bit to make my first cuts. I angle the

bit at 45 degrees to the flat surface of the top of the case. I follow up

with the #117 bit to fit in the tighter corners and smooth out my first

cuts. Be sure to brace your body against a bench or table and steady

your Dremel with both hands.

I placed the gasket on the case after cutting away at the case for

about 15 min. I'm really pleased with the results.

You can continue to smooth out your cuts with a small fine hand

file and some medium grit sand paper. Here's a look into the case.

I went about 1/2" into the case with my cuts. I will finish smoothing

out the cuts after I get the engine back to Brooklyn. This is a close

up of the stator plate side transfer.

This is a close up of the transmission side transfer.

I've got the cases soaking now in a pail full of degreaser

overnight. Tomorrow I will wet sand and polished the cases

with some Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish to make this

thing super shiny.