Just for fun, I bolted together all the leftover stuff on my parts shelf.

[Tanshanomi]

I had a bunch of random, used parts from other project bikes taking up space on my workshop shelves, so I decided to bolt all the leftovers together and find out what they'd add up to. It was a bit of a lark, but a good excuse to practice my design and fabrication skills from start to finish, from lathe work to wiring to cleaning and painting. I didn't have an engine, so I bought a 6-1/2 HP Honda GX clone snowblower engine brand-new for $99, then gave it an aftermarket crank, billet rod, and flat-top piston. Power runs through a Series 30 torque converter. It is fully street legal with electric start, full LED lighting, battery, and a 60-amp charging stator. Since there's no shifter or clutch, I ran the rear brake to the right-side hand lever, like a scooter.

I named it The Bride of Frankenstein. I did all the work myself with the exception of frame welding (which I tacked and then took to a pro). It has turned out to be a totally practical around-town bike and I'm really pleased with the result. It weighs 230 lbs wet, and top speed on level ground is 42–43 MPH (GPS, not indicated).

Here’s a 3-minute edit of some onboard GoPro footage, with added GPS overlays and lounge jazz to help keep you entertained.

The first mockup photo:

I had to modify the frame to accommodate the engine.

 

[ridesolo]

I'm impressed. When I first saw the pix of this I thought it wasn't much more than a minibike but your labeled pix helps give a perspective of the scale. Very nicely done. One question... if you had a smaller rear sprocket could you get a bit more usable speed out of it or is that all matched up and set up to be all that engine and torque converter can handle?

 

[Tanshanomi]

I'm impressed. When I first saw the pix of this I thought it wasn't much more than a minibike but your labeled pix helps give a perspective of the scale. Very nicely done. One question... if you had a smaller rear sprocket could you get a bit more usable speed out of it or is that all matched up and set up to be all that engine and torque converter can handle?

I might be able to play with the gearing and perhaps get some more top speed out of it. The current gearing is low enough that it takes off from a standing start pretty well. But in its current state of tune, I don't think I'd get more than 3-4 extra MPH, if I had to guess. The real solution is to build the motor, as I am keeping the engine under about 4K RPM for safety. With basic speed parts, you can easily get 5200-5300 RPM without a lot of drama. Unfortunately, I would lose my charging system, as the cast flywheel is unsafe at those speeds and there's no high-RPM billet flywheels available with charging magnets. For me, having a 55 MPH bike with total-loss lighting is a less attractive option than a 43 MPH bike that keeps its battery charged.

As for size, it's definitely more of a compact full-size motorcycle than a mini bike.
Here are some stats for size reference:
Front tire: 90/80-16
Rear tire: 130/70-17
Wheelbase: 49"
Seat height: 33"

 

[Tanshanomi]

For anybody who's interested, the entire build saga is available here: https://tanshanomi.com/category/the-bride/

 

[ridesolo]

Yes, the rear wheel is what really tuned me into the true size. My CL360 had Ninja 500 wheels so when I saw yours I got a better feel for the size of the thing. Nice.

 

[irk miller]

I don't think it would take much to run a belt-driven Denso mini alternator from something like a Kubota engine, Walker diesel zero turn, etc. You'd get a 12v 30A (360w) alternator about the size of a softball.

 

[Tanshanomi]

I don't think it would take much to run a belt-driven Denso mini alternator from something like a Kubota engine, Walker diesel zero turn, etc. You'd get a 12v 30A (360w) alternator about the size of a softball.

I've thought about that, either machining a replacement for the recoil cover to mount an alternator outside the flywheel, or running a belt driven alternator. The bigger issue is how much more effort I really want to put into this bike. I've already achieved all my goals for this project, and I'm eager to get to other bike projects.

EDIT: Here’s somebody’s excellent work mounting a mini alternator.
https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/...achining-thread.1322631/page-72#post-49233645

 

[JerryAssburger]

Nice work! The main weak spot on the Honda Clone engines is the rod, which you already have taken care of. (Usually the loudest voices for billet flywheels and the like, also happen to be the ones who sell them. OR, they "heard about" with no real data to back it up.)
The motors are SAFE up to 4500-5000rpm, and since you've covered your bases with the rod, better induction and exhaust, you should pull 55mph GPS easy. If you look at a dyno-chart of a stocker, they lose their steam by about 3200 rpm; with a change of exhaust and carb only, you'll pull close to 9hp and still be below 5000 rpm. I would gear it so that you're turning 4300 rpm with the TQ in its highest (lowest numerically) ratio. (about 5>1 on the chain) .You won't be sacrificing starting-off power much, unless you want to climb trees with it.