New MB-165 Project with wheelie bars

[Scottusa]

I grabbed this bike project off of craigslist a few years ago and stuffed it in an old shed.

Here it is with a new motor, chain, tires and 72 tooth sprocket. Along the way I happened to notice the open holes in the rear lower frame and I had some steel bars to fit right in. These can serve as wheelie bars or act as a carrier attachment point for some kind of cargo rack etc. I have looked at hundreds of photos of MiniBaja bikes and never saw anyone use these hollow frame tubes like this. After putting the large sprocket on I notice some almost interference between the chain and frame tube so I think I will add a few washers to the rear motor mounts to raise the rear of the motor. I have about a half inch of clearance on top of the motor betweeen the muffler
and the bike. Alternatively I could slide the engine forward several inches which would require motor mount mods and of course added links to the chain etc.
These wheelie bars for the time being have been useful in lifting the bike up onto my work bench... much like wheel barrow handles. I rode it with the stock rear sprocket before adding the big 72 incher and I expect it will be a wheelie demon with about one third more torque starting off.

 

[Scottusa]

Forgot to add, the steel so called wheelie bars are actually reusable steel stakes used to place forms for pouring sidewalks etc. They are solid steel and Home Depot sells them in various lengths. The steel stakes are exactly 3/4 Inch O.D. and I believe the inside or I.D. of the tube is 7/8 Inch so it is a pretty good fit and I plan to shove them in as far as they will go which is about 10 or 12 inches. Later I will drill a smallish hole like 3/16 through the frame tube and the steel stake and put a bolt through with a wing nut so the bars can be easily removed or added.

 

[Scottusa]

Also the pics are showing that with the new 21x7-8 Tires I still have about a half inch clearance between the tire and the frame with the chain very tight and a lot of additional adjustment space left. Lastly, observe that I only have about one eighth of an inch clearance between the new D.I.D. 420 chain and the tire.