Detune Predator?

#1
I just finished a mini bike build for my granddaughter. I used an Azusa kit with a predator 212 hemi motor. Custom powder coat in Lavender Sparkle that she picked out. It also has the stage one kit on the motor. Intake, exhaust and carb jet. My problem is that it runs too good. I have a hard time keeping the front tire on the ground. It lifts anytime you hit the gas. It would be fine for me but I feel it's going to be too much for the granddaughter. I want her to enjoy riding, not be afraid of it. 20190601_153548.jpg Should I pull off the stage 1 kit? Can I "detune" it some other way? Thanks.
 

GustoGuy

Well-Known Member
#4
There is an adjustment screw by the throttle arm that will adjust the governed rpm you can slow it down till the clutch barely engages.
That Azuza frame is pretty light in the front much like my re-powered Doodle bug DB30. I did a stage one at first on my Predator 212 and it unfortunately turned it into a wheelie machine too. My 23 year old step daughter wheelied it over and bruised her hip. I fixed it by adding 12 lbs of weight by buying 3 thick pieces of steel 2 pieces (8lbs) over the front wheel and 1 piece (4lbs) down low on the frame. I documented here on Oldminibikes.com under GustoGuy about 6 years ago (2013) or so. I kept telling people to lean forward (didn't work) but it was just easier to add the weights because it made the bike much easier to ride. 3 people lost control of the bike and I decided to make it less likely to pop a wheelie by adding the weights to the bike and it made it much more stable and now it just goes forward and does not wheelie anymore. I used to ride dirt bikes when I was a teenager so I could handle it just fine but it was darn near unridable by everyone else in the family until I added the weights.

Is your granddaughter a small child or a teenager? I don't let anyone younger than 18 years old ride the Doodle beast and last year my wife's sister's Grandchild who was 13 at the time rode my much more sedate Tecumseh re-powered Arctic Cat Prowler. My wife's sister said no way is he going to ride the red one (Doodle Beast) she rode it and it sort of scares her and she has driven motorcycles. She said it is the fastest minibike she has ever ridden. I clocked it at 45mph and it absolutely runs away from my Arctic Cat which does barely 30mph
 
#6
I bought the 7
I just finished a mini bike build for my granddaughter. I used an Azusa kit with a predator 212 hemi motor. Custom powder coat in Lavender Sparkle that she picked out. It also has the stage one kit on the motor. Intake, exhaust and carb jet. My problem is that it runs too good. I have a hard time keeping the front tire on the ground. It lifts anytime you hit the gas. It would be fine for me but I feel it's going to be too much for the granddaughter. I want her to enjoy riding, not be afraid of it. View attachment 245253 Should I pull off the stage 1 kit? Can I "detune" it some other way? Thanks.
I bought the 79 cc predator engine. It bolted right up with the engine plate in the box. Ordered a new comet clutch, on sale, thanks OldMiniBikes. The throttle connection took some time. The scary factor went mostly bye bye. Our hemi has been completely gone over and is waiting for craigslist to cough up a more suitable frame.
Put a new clutch brake, cable, and lever on it as well.
 

GustoGuy

Well-Known Member
#7
I bought the 7

I bought the 79 cc predator engine. It bolted right up with the engine plate in the box. Ordered a new comet clutch, on sale, thanks OldMiniBikes. The throttle connection took some time. The scary factor went mostly bye bye. Our hemi has been completely gone over and is waiting for craigslist to cough up a more suitable frame.
Put a new clutch brake, cable, and lever on it as well.
The 79cc Predator (<2.8hp) is great for younger children under 16 years of age or a 2.5hp or 3.5HP flathead engine would also work too. Yeah, I was shocked at how much power the Predator 212cc puts out especially if you put in an NRracing kit you will have 9hp Stage 1 to as much as 12hp with a stage 2. The Predator 212cc is a great engine in a longer wheelbase bike like a warrior which is much heavier and much less likely to pick up the front wheel. Even my wife is a bit afraid of the Doodle Beast with Predator 212cc stage 1 kit plus a bored clone carburetor. so essentially a stage 2 minus the Billet Flywheel.
 
#8
We build a lot of mini-bikes. They get the 79 cc engine. It is plenty big enough for the kids unless they are huge. A few of the kids did switch to the bigger engine and two of them told me not to let anyone do it next year.
image.jpeg
 

GustoGuy

Well-Known Member
#9
We build a lot of mini-bikes. They get the 79 cc engine. It is plenty big enough for the kids unless they are huge. A few of the kids did switch to the bigger engine and two of them told me not to let anyone do it next year.
View attachment 245644
Compared to the original Doodle Bug engine (97cc good for little kids engine) the Predator 212cc re-powered Doodle Beast as I call it now is exciting to ride. It is fun to ride even for adults and will easily climb even the biggest hills while the original engine could not even climb up a shallow slope. I don't let any one under 18 ride the bike because it is kind of a hot rod minibike like the sticker says on the back of the bike.
 

GustoGuy

Well-Known Member
#11
You could get a restrictor plate like numerous clone kart classes use. They are available in a variety of sizes and bolt right on.
You can also turn in the throttle restriction screw to prevent too much opening of the throttle. It will make it much safer for an inexperienced rider to operate the bike.
 
#13
Put a smaller driven sprocket on it to reduce torque/wheelies. My T-Bird was a wheelie monster, just blip the throttle and the front wheel would lift off, and I weigh 200 pounds. Smaller tooth count sprocket made a world of difference to the wheelie problem, but as others have stated, turn in the throttle limiter screw as the sprocket when it drops torque, it increases speed.
 

Cuda54

Active Member
#14
How about moving the seat and pegs forward and move the engine as far forward as you can? My 42 year old son keeps bending my rear fender he thinks he can handle my stock 212 on my doodle bug. It is the green one in the picture.
 

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GustoGuy

Well-Known Member
#15
How about moving the seat and pegs forward and move the engine as far forward as you can? My 42 year old son keeps bending my rear fender he thinks he can handle my stock 212 on my doodle bug. It is the green one in the picture.
My Stepdaughter ended up with whiskey throttle induced road rash and a bruise on her hip. I fixed the unintended wheelie caused by the Predator 212cc by adding 12lbs of steel to the bike. 8lbs over the front wheel and 4lbs down low on the frame in front of the engine. Now I don't have to remind everyone to lean forward since the added weight tames the bike's wheelie behavior.
 
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