Planet Minis

redhandmoto

Tor-A new one in my ass, is what: the CT70 clone has bit me once more. Or rather, I bit myself with it. Again.

Yep, vibration found more connectors than my PDI ever thought about. Went to go down to the corner grocery this afternoon. Pulled the tarp off, turned on the gas, got it chuffing and Ooops! The rear brakes are locked. Again.

Well, Fawkety-fawk McFawkerson! Another 85 degree afternoon busting knuckles outside.

Well, let's see - Ok, a nut has vanished from the end of the gizmatchie that keeps the brake hub in proper alignment and all that. Take it all apart on the right hand side and move to the left. And there see..the lower left hand shock bolt and washer have taken a hike, too.

Well, Salaaam-a-bitch!

Ok. Let's get Zen about it. Didn't think people were serious when they said China-bikes were put together hand-tight, did you? Overlooked a few things, eh?

Well, I had to go to the hardware anyhow since I'm out of blue loctite, and the hardware has the one metric nut I need, but not the other, so I go to the Big Four dealer parts desk and get to rummage through the 'unorganized' nut-and-bolt box checking for thread pitches and what-have-you, and the man comes out of the back with a big old acorn nut that's a exact match. Halleluyah!

Back on the patio, sweating like a donut in a baggie, get everything sorted and put back together, and get ready to roll, but no...the clutch cable is grossly, impossibly out of adjustment. The gears don't want to gear, hardly. Again. We've done this before...

Tool bag open again, back off the locking nut, crank, crank, etc., etc., etc., finally, all is well. Off we buzz, copious sweat drying off the face and torso from the freshening road breeze. Shifting smoothly! Braking decisively! Running like a top, running like a deer, running like a turpentined cat! For three blocks.

Then I ran out of gas. For the fourth time. In six weeks. Because when the level drops below 1/4" inch, the pull of gravity is insufficient to move it down the fuel line, and what did that guy say about fitting a little vauum pump?

Well, Faw.... Etc.

Nice Lady walks out to the end of her drive with a jerrycan: "You picked a good spot to run out in." Bless her heart; gases me up, and we're on the road again.

Note that every single mechanical adventure -and there have been many - has been caused by the casual PDI I gave it outta the crate. My fault; I did it; failed to check every last bolt, nut, screw, wire, etc.

The saving grace is that I did buy the thing as a 'learning' (to wrench) bike. In that sense, I'm getting my money's worth, in the knee-bone-connected-to-the-thigh-bone way. Grow daily more confident and familiar with the simple what's and where's and why's: just wish I didn't feel like I had to carry a full metric socket set and open-ends with me everywhere...even with it, I still fear nuts and cables and wheels may fly off at any moment...

So. How much of a problem is it to retro-fit some kind of gas gauge/sensor to the tank? Else, I'm own just strap a clear tank to the handle bars with zip ties and watch it like a hawk.

Or something.

cdoublejj

If i was in the mood i'd think of something. i saw carbon fiber tank being made on Z's site .if the same process was used but fitting the a flot in side before sealing, that would be sweet. of cours the ct tank is pretty flat on bottom i'v seen gas caps with float built but would still have to lift the seat. or better yet hook an electric float level up to the cap!!!

on the other handthe tank is plastic your could cut and jb it puttinga float in that way too.

redhandmoto

Open it up, insert a float, and close it back...now that's an idea. Believe I oughta haunt the scoot sites for the right part-out and give it a shot. Huh...now the wiring...

FastMC

Hahahaha...I love your posts !!! Most entertaining. As far as fuel range, just watch your mileage and guage it from that. I just top mine off every time I ride it. I've had to push my CT home a couple times.

cdoublejj

the electro sport gauges come with a fuel meter and it tells you ohms it need to be and yata yata kinda pricey

Acewell 2700/2800 Series Digital Speedometers for Motorcycles - ElectroSport Industries

redhandmoto

Yep, there's the old, tried-and-true "pay attention" method. But:

- can't watch the mileage, really. The replacement for the speedo cable I busted because it wasn't tightened down on the housing won't be in 'til next week; and

- I am easily distracted, grossly inattentive. This is the only one of four bikes we have that I routinely leave the kickstand down on, noticing it only when it starts scraping. One day, that, too, will bite. Badly.

Yes, I gotta big jerrycan full of high test in the shed, but ya loose track of the days, the miles, the errands. An aux tank makes sense - where should I hang it? And where, then, will I keep the twenty-pound canvas G.I. toolbag I feel compelled to drag around? Mon Dieu...

redhandmoto

Z, that aux tank is da nutz, ok. What'd they clip ya for that? If it's more than twenty bucks, I'm getting an REI gas bottle.

makotosun

Go to REI - find a camping fuel bottle that is the same diameter as a bicycle water bottle. Then get a silver, black, or color matched aluminum bicycle water bottle holder and mount it somewhere it won't catch your pants. Then keep a 3/4 or full liter of extra fuel along with you and no more issues.

I use those bottles to carry extra 2-stroke oil on my cross country vintage enduro. Just make sure the one you get is made for fuel. The water bottle cap gaskets will not hold up otherwise. MSR and several others make what you need. Should be under $20 for the full meal deal.

CrawlerD

Makotosun, I have been meaning to ask you about this, glad it came up. Since those bottles don't vent, do you just leave it 3/4 full? or is there a vent? I saw pics of the bottles setup on yours awhile ago but cant find it. Can you post up some more?

redhandmoto

One I saw had a fill line way down - like 3/4s...no vent...

Long Crapper

Next time open the gas cap and put your mouth over the spout and pressure blow gas threw the lines. I've done that when I have runout of gas and sometimes it would put enough gas in my carb to get me down the road aways. Once I had to stop twice to do it and it actually worked a second time.

gstegman

Just put a schrader valve on your gas cap and carry a small bicycle pump. Just image the looks you will get adding pressure to the system on the fly .

redhandmoto

Lol! That's great: "The engine has died. I'm giving it mouth-to-mouth."

Actually, I usually try picking up the rear end and shaking it to move a little fuel along...that usually gets me a couple blocks

redhandmoto

Oh, Man, that's genius! Pressurize the gas tank! My luck, of course, heat expansion would probably blow the Shrader up through my cods...

makotosun

Here is a pic of the front setup. These are actually water bottles, but the holders are the best I have found. They usually run under $3 each.



The rubber band is a 3/4" slice of an old 4" MC tube. I made a bunch of them.

As far as fuel pressure being a problem, I don't see any issue. The little red plastic cans you buy to fill your lawnmower are NOT vented. I have strapped one of those on the back of a bike in the old days, and you just have to remember to open the cap slowly. Same problem if it gets hot out. The gas you put in is usually from a cold underground tank, and will expand as it warms up.

I leave about an inch of air at the top of the can and all seems to work fine.

redhandmoto

very nice, makotosun; love dat good home-engineering problem-solving. Repeated bit of yellow to pick up the tank color works, too.

Never used to like yellow. Then I saw a very old, well-worn but mechanically-rebuilt 2 stroke for sale at a local shop. Had a top (motorcycle mount) tank the same deep yellow as yours, the rest being scuffed black, also showing the patina of vigorous use. Looked like a Killer Bee. Bit steep: $800. Thought about it a while; went back; sold.
Then it was stolen from the guy who bought it two weeks later.

nielspbr

Skyteam have a solution, they are building a replica dax(skymax) with a 5.5 l fuel tank.
The snag, this tank will not fit in a honda, jincheng, zhenhua or older skyteam frame because they made the frame slightly wider under the seat...

However there are 3.5 liter metal tanks out now that can be made to fit into a normal frame(do not know which brand they are though )
From what i read you have to bend the original tank brackets to get it into place and then it is resting on the frame, not so ideal...

redhandmoto

Well, the REI fuel cans in water bottle holders will be the most immediate solution, and there's an REI four miles away.

As to the loose connectors thing, we'll just have to keep squirting loctite all over every thread in sight...

dsrt4

The Side Mount aux tank are really not that exspensive unless you buy a Japanese made one made specificly for the bike.

But you have to give up your 1st born to be able to purchase one.
You can get 1/4 Midget racing tanks and make your own mount for it.

Bend up some aluminum strapping to mount it to the frame and take it to a radiator shop and have them tig it on for a case of beer.

This is the tank I just bought.... If you ask nicley the guy will leave the engraving off of it. I think I have $140 in my side tank set up.

cdoublejj

that's why i said the tank would have to be cut open for the sender, the manual tells you what you need to know as far as ohm and resistance i bet there are some site that custome or a scooterthat has the needed sender i might look into it for my ct.