epidemiks
New Member
Decided to make the most of the first work-free weekend in a while and started pulling things apart!
Tentatively named it "Dek Dek", which is Khmer for 'a little', but scouring the dictionary for a nicer name!
What it looked like 12 months ago:
I've owned and ridden this for the past 12 months, and it's a fun little bike to ride, perfect size for Phnom Penh streets and comfortable for trips down to the south coast with the missus on the back. It’s easy to maintain, and cheap to fix. But it's time I breathe some new life into it. I initially thought it was a CG or CB 125, but some research here and elsewhere has let me to the conclusion it's a Sangyang (Sym) out of Taiwan. They're fairly common here as tuk tuk and remork (trailer) pullers, but the cable operated disc model I've got seems to be unique here.
Getting around Phnom Penh on tuk tuks and motodops gets expensive quick, so I bought a replacement ride while it's getting worked - an Indonesian Honda Win copy for $150 off a backpacker, replaced the rear tyre, new oil in the front suspension, lubed and tuned for $27 all up.
I can't weld, grind, got no workshop, scant tools, and I work around 55 hours a week and then some on the weekends, so this build will be based around what I can dream up, sketch/cad and then get fabricated by local metal shops. I can speak a little Khmer, but nowhere near enough to discuss what I need, so it’ll be an interesting exercise!
Wiring is largely a mess, with wires ending willy-nilly, numerous layers of different tape. New harness and wiring to relocate bits and pieces to a new central electrical box with some useful new fuses and relays. LED indicators and brake/tail are planned, thankfully very cheap and easy to get here - every teenager with a Super Cub has LED's of every imaginable size, colour and shape. Will also replace the headlight to a bigger cone and chuck a halogen inside, and probably also some driving lights to help avoid stray cows on the highways.
Thinking a cream frame, blue tank colour scheme, but I haven’t yet delved into the head#$%# of getting paint done here. There’s very little options – no powder coating available anywhere in the country and so far I’ve not found any decent options. Currently investigating wrinkle paint for the frame, but I’m doubting its availability.
Considerations for the build:
Posting this up in the hope it’ll keep me moving on the build..
Swingarm is rusted out, picked up a rust-free replacement for $25. Dubious about the bushings in the new one, but I'll probably leave the heavy lifting for someone with tools.
Tank had a pinhole leak, and more icing than a wedding cake. Took a while to get all of this off in my 'workshop'. Wasn't pretty underneath, will have someone refill and shape before painting.
Here's where I'm at, mostly stripped, but leaving the engine in until I make a decision on whether to paint the frame, and that will probably rest on whether I can find a decent painter.
The replacement ride. Bought for $150 with Vietnamese registration card. These sell for about $300 in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, so once I'm done with this I'm gonna get a local artist to do some custom Khmer Apsara artwork on the tank and plastics, cover it in clear, and sell it on to a backpacker at the market price and make a few bucks back.
Will add a raised loop at the back
Chrome is fairly good, but considering trimming the front fender, sanding it down and going flat black.
Will reuse the rear fender, but need get a few other things done first.
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So, you're welcome to tag along, I'm fairly clueless when it comes to bikes, so any advice/pointers will be much appreciated. Most progress will happen on weekends, so may only update this once a week.
Cheers
Tentatively named it "Dek Dek", which is Khmer for 'a little', but scouring the dictionary for a nicer name!
What it looked like 12 months ago:
I've owned and ridden this for the past 12 months, and it's a fun little bike to ride, perfect size for Phnom Penh streets and comfortable for trips down to the south coast with the missus on the back. It’s easy to maintain, and cheap to fix. But it's time I breathe some new life into it. I initially thought it was a CG or CB 125, but some research here and elsewhere has let me to the conclusion it's a Sangyang (Sym) out of Taiwan. They're fairly common here as tuk tuk and remork (trailer) pullers, but the cable operated disc model I've got seems to be unique here.
Getting around Phnom Penh on tuk tuks and motodops gets expensive quick, so I bought a replacement ride while it's getting worked - an Indonesian Honda Win copy for $150 off a backpacker, replaced the rear tyre, new oil in the front suspension, lubed and tuned for $27 all up.
I can't weld, grind, got no workshop, scant tools, and I work around 55 hours a week and then some on the weekends, so this build will be based around what I can dream up, sketch/cad and then get fabricated by local metal shops. I can speak a little Khmer, but nowhere near enough to discuss what I need, so it’ll be an interesting exercise!
Wiring is largely a mess, with wires ending willy-nilly, numerous layers of different tape. New harness and wiring to relocate bits and pieces to a new central electrical box with some useful new fuses and relays. LED indicators and brake/tail are planned, thankfully very cheap and easy to get here - every teenager with a Super Cub has LED's of every imaginable size, colour and shape. Will also replace the headlight to a bigger cone and chuck a halogen inside, and probably also some driving lights to help avoid stray cows on the highways.
Thinking a cream frame, blue tank colour scheme, but I haven’t yet delved into the head#$%# of getting paint done here. There’s very little options – no powder coating available anywhere in the country and so far I’ve not found any decent options. Currently investigating wrinkle paint for the frame, but I’m doubting its availability.
Considerations for the build:
- Needs to be practical, easily repairable, and (80% of ride time is with the missus on the back, so will have a new 2 up seat made)
- Needs to cost less than $300. Most mechanics here charge for parts, but not labor.. I've had guys work on my bike for two hours and paid less than $3, so I’m hoping the fabricators/welders/painters do the same!
- Needs to be back on the road by end of March (the Win is pretty annoying to ride)
Posting this up in the hope it’ll keep me moving on the build..
Swingarm is rusted out, picked up a rust-free replacement for $25. Dubious about the bushings in the new one, but I'll probably leave the heavy lifting for someone with tools.
Tank had a pinhole leak, and more icing than a wedding cake. Took a while to get all of this off in my 'workshop'. Wasn't pretty underneath, will have someone refill and shape before painting.
Here's where I'm at, mostly stripped, but leaving the engine in until I make a decision on whether to paint the frame, and that will probably rest on whether I can find a decent painter.
The replacement ride. Bought for $150 with Vietnamese registration card. These sell for about $300 in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, so once I'm done with this I'm gonna get a local artist to do some custom Khmer Apsara artwork on the tank and plastics, cover it in clear, and sell it on to a backpacker at the market price and make a few bucks back.
Will add a raised loop at the back
Chrome is fairly good, but considering trimming the front fender, sanding it down and going flat black.
Will reuse the rear fender, but need get a few other things done first.
Free Image Hosting by imgbox.com
So, you're welcome to tag along, I'm fairly clueless when it comes to bikes, so any advice/pointers will be much appreciated. Most progress will happen on weekends, so may only update this once a week.
Cheers