Project Louvel | Motoped Tracker Build

A little over a year ago I funded the Motoped kickstarter project. Since then it's been sitting neglected in a corner of my garage due to other projects. Now I'm ready to tackle this thing!

I searched high and low for other people’s Motoped builds online, however most builds I found are based off Motoped’s stock build kit. Other very nice custom builds I couldn't seem to find a build thread for. (If anyone knows of any build threads, please feel free to share.) I'm gonna try to document the build as best as I can. Hopefully if someone else goes searching the internet in the future for build ideas and knowledge, this whole journey could be of some help.

I funded the basic frame kit, which gives me the frame, swing arm, bottom bracket, rear hub, and various other brackets native to this motoped. Other parts I need should just be various mountain bike parts and Honda xr50 or crf50 parts.

I'm gonna buy parts as I get more money. But I think my next step should be getting shocks and fork, then building the wheel, figuring out a tank/seat solution, then engine and carbs and etc.

Anyone know of nice tanks that might fit? The top tube of the frame measures about 17" so I need something small. Sketch gas tank is from the 5 star general moped. No idea if it'll fit.

Here's the crappy photoshop design job:

Unwrapped everything today. It's like a christmas present you forgot about and later found hidden in the closet. Happy times.

and then.. I saw the dent in the head tube. CRAP! It's been a year. I don't think I can chase the shipping company for damages now. Anyone has any clever tricks on how to round it back out? Try to hammer it out with a drift?

I'm in. That blows, try using a cone to drive it back into shape. My buddy built a really nice 125cc Motoped, mainly spent a lot of time on powder coating parts to make it look good. It looked cool, and I rode it once, but kept grabbing for the clutch and nearly sending myself over the bars as a result (front brakes!). What I didn't like about it was how high the CG is compared to a normal motorcycle. It has a LOT of ground clearance! But everything up high means the balance is off. If I were you, I'd lower the forks and rear swing arm to something a little more reasonable. I also didn't like the pedals, would rather have just had pegs. But it was a still fun! I'd like to build something like it some day.

Joe, thanks for the input. I want foot pegs too coz, let's be honest, I am not pedaling around a 100lbs machine. The foot peg kit from Motoped costs something like $250 (ouch) w/bracket for brake control.



Or...I can get a bicycle crankset for under $100. I already got pedals from another bike. Mainly, this bike will stay in New York City. I do believe putting on foot pegs turns it into non-street legal off-road motorcycle? I may be wrong.

Went to the hardware store to look for wood dowels to hammer out the dent. Guy says "Bring it over, I'll fix it for you!" Brought the frame over, he found an old dented tube they can't sell no more, put the frame on the vice, whacked it a couple of times. Solved. Didn't even charge me a penny. Who says New Yorkers are cold and rude? :
The headset should be delivered tomorrow and then we'll finally know if it's truly fixed. But it looks promising.

Nice. Restores your faith in humanity some, eh?

Nice. Not sure on the rules for pedals but some places that is true. I would get a bike crank, then get pedal arms and weld or fix them in the same position on each side and not have then turn. looks like pedals, acts like pegs. From a Technical stand point you are following the rules ;D

Yes, you are correct. It needs pedals and 50cc or less to be exempt from licensing rules in most states. Of course from the outside, a 50cc and a 125cc look the same... I've heard of people buying an old 50cc scooter with a clean title and doing a vin swap, call it modified, license it, and do fixed pegs. Nobody will know the difference, especially if its an off brand Chinese scooter. Who's to say its not?

could go with something like this http://dratv.com/600024.html
85cc cylinder kit that is marked 49cc.

Motoped sells a 49cc fully automatic motor now. I have one with a big bore kit and bigger carb that will do 50mph and is still "street legal."