Modified Gilson Fat Tire

[control4userguy]

Throwing it out for critique. Started with a frame & few (and I do mean FEW) parts. Previously modified for wide tires so went with that thinking. All new components with the exception of the frame, wheels and two pulleys. Tecumseh H50 was NOS as well as the Tecumseh-marketed mini bike exhaust kit. Seat by Kenny.

Currently, set-up for street/packed-trail.

 

[bandit 40]

Thats one sweet bionic looking ride.....LOVE IT ! :thumbsup:

 

[pomfish]

Don't think I have ever seen a final belt drive on a mini bike.
Looks really neat, well done!

 

[buckeye]

Wow, that is one cool bike.

More pics.

 

[OND]

Awesome Build ! :thumbsup: Belt drive is very cool Indeed.

 

[capguncowboy]

Holy shitballs! That thing is awesome! Did you do this one or was it one you saw somewhere else? Easily my favorite bike and it's tastefully done. I love it

 

[control4userguy]

More details-

 

[buckeye]

Thank you.
Absolutely one of the finest, most tastefully done mods to a vintage bike around.

 

[SimpleTom]

:thumbsup:

 

[UnorthodoxCreat]

Really cool project. What wheels and tires are those?

 

[control4userguy]

^circa '85 Honda ATC125 M. Tires are Duro Top Fighter.

 

[Dr. Shop Teacher]

Wow. Just wow. Well done. That blows me away!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[control4userguy]

^says the man who built this-


I'll trade you straight-up for the Wilderness anytime you feel you are tired of looking at that beauty.

 

[David wulf]

A just now decided to check this build out and damn that's a bad ass build there . The work is unreal , one of the coolest builds I've seen on here .
:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:

 

[Dr. Shop Teacher]

Me thinks you would be foolish to do a straight up trade:laugh:....your bike is on a different planet than my Gilson/Wards. Now, I really appreciate all the questions you had when I was finishing up mine--I had no idea (obviously) you were transferring to a belt driven masterpiece!:bowdown:

I do have one question: braking? Front wheel only or does the TAV get involved?

 

[control4userguy]

^Yeah, great question. The friction brake is adequate on trails. On street, where speeds and safety is more important, the lack of a rear friction brake is more noticeable. The converter will act as an power-absorber quite well on deceleration. And, the parasitic losses of the tire contact patches adds to that.

Overall, the single drum brake w/solid "suspension" up front works but requires foresight

 

[jdogg]

One of my new top all time favorites!! Beautifully done!! Colors work very well together!! Hows she handle on the road with those tires and how do you like the belt drive? What did you go for with the gearing....torque....speed or a little of both? :thumbsup:

 

[control4userguy]

^Your build inspired me to blow the bank on mine. Wilderness and the $6M mini bike are my favorites!




Handling, yeah. Well, I have read that others with large-tired minis have said it takes some practice to get it to go where you want it to. I've done about all I can to make it easy for even a kid to steer. Ball bearing head and a damper... Overall, and I'm taking compound-pitch roads into consideration, The front end could use a little less caster. I don't know what the OE caster was on an ATC 125, maybe similar. Less caster with the damper cranked-up a bit would be about perfect.

 

[Rambling]

Should enter this in the MBOTM thread. Amazing job!

 

[control4userguy]

I'm not happy with the engine color. I think I mentioned in a paint thread that the clear coat changed the shade of gray so much I had to go back to Kenny to alter the gray fabric on the seat.