Newbie from Utah

[Desertduler]

Hello, I am a retired mechanic of 40 plus years that got the mini bike itch again later in life. I have a Bonanza 215 with a Sachs SA290 two cycle engine that I have modified as a power plant.

 

[Brooklyn Bob]

Welcome to the minibike madness. One sharp looking bike you got there. That Sachs motor is the bomb!

 

[Desertduler]

Thanks Bob! Having lot's of fun with this "Meanie Bike"

 

[buckeye]

Wow, welcome.
That is fine right there.

 

[Davis]

Welcome aboard I'm in Utah myself and play a little mini bikes myself.

 

[Desertduler]

Thanks Guys! Davis, I have a friend that lives up on the Mirror Lake Highway in Samak (Which is Kamas spelled backwards for non Utah Natives) I see that your avatar is an old Nova Tote Gote, I had one of those one time and some friends and I used to race Tote Gotes out in the desert just for the fun of it!

 

[Davis]

Nice and ya it's a 671 nova I did two yrs ago. And ya my shop is close to samak.

 

[Desertduler]

Those Novas are cool. Here is one of the 60's trail machines that I raced back then that I built and modified, I made my own front end and body panels and skid plate etc and raised the rear axle to match the front end travel that I built into the front end. This "Purple Monster" started out as a Trail Blazer.

 

[Shawnster]

Welcome to the madness Desertduler. That is one sweet looking Bonanza! I dig the old Sachs. There's nothing like the sound, smell and performance of a well tuned two stroke. That Trail Blazer is sweet looking too. It's amazing how something as simple as a mini bike can be transformed into a precision work of art.

Shawn

 

[Desertduler]

Welcome to the madness Desertduler. That is one sweet looking Bonanza! I dig the old Sachs. There's nothing like the sound, smell and performance of a well tuned two stroke. That Trail Blazer is sweet looking too. It's amazing how something as simple as a mini bike can be transformed into a precision work of art.

Shawn

Thanks Shawn! I will be making an expansion chamber for that old Sachs engine, I will have to spiral the design in order to fit it in the frame rails and out the back, the pipe needs to be 54 inches long for the power output level I want.

 

[Shawnster]

Thanks Shawn! I will be making an expansion chamber for that old Sachs engine, I will have to spiral the design in order to fit it in the frame rails and out the back, the pipe needs to be 54 inches long for the power output level I want.

Be sure and post some pics when you build the new exhaust.


Shawn

 

[Desertduler]

Be sure and post some pics when you build the new exhaust.


Shawn

Will do, I still need to paint it too.

 

[6doggie3]

Can yo give more details on the motor and what it came off of? And what you are using for a clutch and gearing?
Nice build so far any ideas on color?

 

[Desertduler]

Can yo give more details on the motor and what it came off of? And what you are using for a clutch and gearing?
Nice build so far any ideas on color?

Hi, yes indeed I can, this engine was out of a snowmobile and had a fan on the flywheel and a blower housing on the right hand side of the crankcase. I machined off the blower housing mounting base, twisted the cylinder head 90 degrees, and flipped the cylinder and piston 180 degrees to relocate the carburetor up front and turned this engine into free air cooling which has worked out great. I have before and after pictures of this engine as I went along with modifying it. This engine has 19.5 hp@5500 rpm with near 19 ft lbs of torque in its stock form but I have done a little tweaking to this engine. The engine comes stock with a forged piston and a forged aluminum connecting rod with a full circle steel crankshaft mounted in roller and ball bearings and it was like brand new inside when I bought it for 30.00. The clutch I am using is a comet clutch which I have modified. The gear ratio that I am currently testing with great results is 7:1 with a 15 inch tall rear tire. This thing will lift on you if you are not careful with throttle control and it is a blast to drive! There are many details which I have left out about this engine and its modifications along with testing results but I do not want to bore anyone with details which they do not want to know. I still am up in the air about the color of the frame but I am going to black out the wheels and machine the wheel edges a bit.

 

[Desertduler]

Here is a little video of me testing the jetting out on my Bonanza.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YU0csqX2Bw