Manco Thunderbird Project!

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Tommy2

Member
#1
#1
Just picked this up off CL last night. Been looking for a mini bike project for a long time. Finally found something that wasn't sky high $$$ and had front/rear suspension. Paid $125 - which isn't a steal by any means, but good enough to get me started.

DSCN1228[1].JPG

Rough idea is to do a total tear down/repaint, 212 Predator, tall handlebars, Maybe stretch front forks or find longer ones. Large padded sissy bar seat, possibly torque converter, something different for brakes, more forward foot pegs etc..

May also change out the springs and go with chrome fenders (if I can find them).

Basically do some type of a chopper.

Any suggestions are welcomed! I will post progress as I get going. I've wanted to do this for a long time, so it's definitely going to get done.
 
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danford1

danford1

#2
#2
You asked for suggestions :)
I had a couple of these. I put a Predator on one and had to put on a much smaller rear sprocket. The power and torque from the engine with a huge rear sprocket made it almost un-rideable as it would wheelie all the time. Look at the side view of it and you can see your butt is over the rear axle if not behind it. That means wheelies. Now you talked about a torque converter, that makes it even worse.
To make the bike rideable either move the rear axle way back past the rear of the seat or move the seat forward when you stretch the frame.
Also add braces from the outer edges of the engine plate to the lower frame tube. The stock engine plate will flex and throw a chain with higher hp.
Read all the threads you can about T-Birds to gain knowledge on what needs fixing. The front seat pivot Must be nice and tight to prevent the rear of seat from swaying left to right. Add that sway with the other traits of the T-Bird and high hp.... good luck :)
Wheelies might sound fun but you couldn't turn around in the street or any other time, even the slightest throttle popped the front wheel of the ground, hence no turning, You could slowly get up to about 20 mph then hammer it as the front end would stay down for the most part but driving that bike fast was scary to say the least. I quickly modified things and it became a nice fast minibike. Even with 4.5:1 gearing it could wheelie with a Pred but they were small and controllable. Top speed was still scary.
Try this test. Stand in front of your bike with the front tire held tight between your legs. Now turn the handle bars left to right. Notice the slop in the front end strut tubes and springs and wheel bearings etc. All that slop at high speed could mean a serious case of road rash when the front end wobbles out of control and sends you over the handlebars. The seat could sway back and forth at the same time adding to the death wobble.
You need to get as much of that slop out of there as possible Before you ride over 30 mph. Just my opinion and suggestions, others will vary.
Keep us posted.
Danford1

PS. Kickstand goes on the right side of these. It goes in the hole rear of the foot peg. You can search for someone selling one. Higher handle bars are much more comfortable too.
 
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T

Tommy2

Member
#3
#3
danford1 said:
You asked for suggestions :)
I had a couple of these. I put a Predator on one and had to put on a much smaller rear sprocket. The power and torque from the engine with a huge rear sprocket made it almost un-rideable as it would wheelie all the time. Look at the side view of it and you can see your butt is over the rear axle if not behind it. That means wheelies. Now you talked about a torque converter, that makes it even worse.
To make the bike rideable either move the rear axle way back past the rear of the seat or move the seat forward when you stretch the frame.
Also add braces from the outer edges of the engine plate to the lower frame tube. The stock engine plate will flex and throw a chain with higher hp.
Read all the threads you can about T-Birds to gain knowledge on what needs fixing. The front seat pivot Must be nice and tight to prevent the rear of seat from swaying left to right. Add that sway with the other traits of the T-Bird and high hp.... good luck :)
Wheelies might sound fun but you couldn't turn around in the street or any other time, even the slightest throttle popped the front wheel of the ground, hence no turning, You could slowly get up to about 20 mph then hammer it as the front end would stay down for the most part but driving that bike fast was scary to say the least. I quickly modified things and it became a nice fast minibike. Even with 4.5:1 gearing it could wheelie with a Pred but they were small and controllable. Top speed was still scary.
Try this test. Stand in front of your bike with the front tire held tight between your legs. Now turn the handle bars left to right. Notice the slop in the front end strut tubes and springs and wheel bearings etc. All that slop at high speed could mean a serious case of road rash when the front end wobbles out of control and sends you over the handlebars. The seat could sway back and forth at the same time adding to the death wobble.
You need to get as much of that slop out of there as possible Before you ride over 30 mph. Just my opinion and suggestions, others will vary.
Keep us posted.
Danford1

PS. Kickstand goes on the right side of these. It goes in the hole rear of the foot peg. You can search for someone selling one. Higher handle bars are much more comfortable too.
Click to expand...
Appreciate all the suggestions! Yes - I noticed the kickstand was missing. Should be easy to find one or rig something up.
 
EVOL Tweety Bird

EVOL Tweety Bird

Active Member
#4
#4
Ditto what Danford told you, I built the Bird version, with a modded Predator/clutch and stock rear sprocket,you could not keep the front wheel down. Went with a much smaller sprocket, and it will still wheelie if you hammer it. The Predator has some serious torque, mine will haul around two adults up and down hills and it flies down the road.

Additional brakes are a must. Those tires don't have a lot of foot print. Mine has a clutch brake and I kept the scrub brake. You can lock up the rear wheel, but at speed you better plan ahead on stopping. hemi evol tweety bird.jpg
 
T

Tommy2

Member
#5
#5
Nice! That thing is sweet.

My front tire looks like new - rear one has a ton of wear, I assume from the brake. I may change both, or put the front on the back and put a skinny wheel/tire on the front. I'd like to have a drum on the back (to stay with an old school chopper look, avoiding a front disc). Haven't looked much into clutch brakes, but I will!
 
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Not2worried

New Member
#7
#7
Intrested to see where this goes. Thought about restoring the one i picked up in the winter month, but thinking i wont have time. Picture on my ( kids) current one.

Still another one came up CL for $250. But i just cant get myself to get a second one for that price.


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
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cfh

Well-Known Member
#9
#9
There's more problems with this bike then even said above. Personally i would never buy one. they just handle really poorly, in my opinion. it's just not a good design. putting a bigger motor in this frame just makes the poor handling aspects more obvious. if you want to stay with this bike, i would keep the original Tecumseh 3.5hp motor. Going bigger will just cause problems. The bike is OK enough with the tame motor.
 
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