Kids Bike to Mini Motorcycle
I was given a 2 stroke bike motor a while back, and I wanted to do something more interesting than put it on a regular sized bike.
I also just got a pipe bender, and I needed a cool project to test it out...
Then I got a kids BMX (20" wheels) for $5....I had some spare parts on my shelf to add to the mix...And now all that's left is for me to tell you how I did it!
By the way, this project cost about $150 in total since I got some parts cheap or even free.
Supplies
PARTS:
--A steel frame kids bike
--a small motor kit
--some pipe
--any interesting parts you want to add; I used a chrome springer fork and a cruiser seat that I already had
--paint
TOOLS:
--Various regular household tools: Screwdrivers, wrenches, hex keys
--A welder
--Pipe bender
--Angle grinder: Most important tool! (You'll need cutting discs and grinding/sanding discs.)
Chop and Weld
- Chop off the bottom frame tube.
- Bend a new bottom tube that will accommodate the engine.
- Tack weld it on.
- Then make sure it's perfectly straight. If it is, finish welding it on.
Paint
I went with bright green Rustoleum. On this bike, I actually didn't remove all the old paint, since it was well adhered. I just roughed it up a bit.
Don't forget to fully disassemble the bike first, or you'll get overspray in important bearings and stuff.
Assemble
Just follow the instructions for your motor kit--There are available instructions on the web, if you look around a bit.
In brief, this is what you'll be doing:
--Mount the sprocket
--Mount the carb, connect throttle and clutch cable
--Attach controls to handle bars
--Mount engine
--Shorten chain so it's not super loose
Do Wheelies
Regrettably, I didn't have any pictures for this step, so I added some pictures of my other bikes 😁
Enjoy your new mini bike!