This years high school build

cfh

Well-Known Member
#21
pretty cool stuff.

I think if you changed to a bigger front wheel and added just a hair more bit rake, the bike might handle better. Bigger front wheels are also safer. i see the value of the $4 front wheel. but me thinks better handling would be a good thing and worth the extra cost.

also maybe offer the kids a chance to pick 2 or 3 different bike options. basically the same bike, but a different front end. Like a chopper model (same design, longer fork, greater rake.) or maybe a mid-rake semi-chopper design. or maybe a springer front end? (pretty easy to make.) that way they get some more imagination into their project.
 
#24
Do the kids also learn how to weld? are they doing the welding on their frames? Also is this a six month or a full year class?
All of the kids are in metal shop. The mini bike part is an after school club, but they also work on things during normal class. They are expected to weld together their own bikes. Some look good, some look pretty bad. We start in the fall and run till early spring when most of them are finishing up. This year we are not even to Christmas break and many of the kids have rolling chassis already, so we may finish early this year.
 
#27
what kind of welding do they learn? arc, gas, tig, mig? just curious... do they get to choose what type of welding they use on their bike?
They are being welded with a MIG. Some of the kids are decent at welding, others are very bad. Any time you get a group of kids you always get a range of skill and ability. There is a TIG welder there but not many of them are that interested in it.
 
#31
Not al lot for pics last night, more headway being made though. A handful are now ready for coating, we are on the home stretch. But, Christmas break is going to put the brakes on things for the next three Thursdays. One cool addition we made though, serial number plates for them. They will be awarded a number as they near completion, in order of completion. IMG_0706.JPG
 

Rooster63

Active Member
#33
Not al lot for pics last night, more headway being made though. A handful are now ready for coating, we are on the home stretch. But, Christmas break is going to put the brakes on things for the next three Thursdays. One cool addition we made though, serial number plates for them. They will be awarded a number as they near completion, in order of completion. View attachment 237416
Dang, I dig THAT!
 
#37
We have 22 kids building mini-bikes this year in the metal shop....
This is such a great project and a wonderful thread. Here's something your kids might be interested in. On Feb 8-9-10, The One Moto show in Portland will display all sorts of fabulous hand built motorcycles. This year is the show's tenth anniversary. The same folks who put on the show have also organized flat track motorcycle racing in an arena at the state fairgrounds in Salem on Saturday, Feb 9. They are going to have a class for pull-start minibikes. If any of your kids are budding racers, they should check this out. Follow the link.

http://www.the1moto.com/
 
#40
We are going to look in to the show. There is a race for electric minibikes, we have one of those too. I would like a few of our best kids to go and be involved. Will have to see if it can work out.

I did think of this the other day. Our program likely makes us the largest manufacture of minibikes currently in the US.
 
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