The Cycle-Motor Project: (enough already!) Epilogue.

Early one morning, just as the sun was rising...
I pedalled the Cycle-Motor out to the cycle-track between Felpham and Barnham.
Riding this bike 'unassisted' is like stirring porridge with y'legs.
Or at least it was until I adjusted the clutch so it disengaged fully.

The bike starts after about two pedal revolutions so long as it gets a bit of momentum up first.
I'm not giving it full throttle as it's still running in but, even at half throttle, it has quite a turn of speed and an alarming high frequency vibration that gives the sensation of having knocked one's 'funny' bone.

I made this little film:

I buzzed up and down the track, avoiding the dog walkers and their dogs and what the dogs left behind (I blame the owners, not the dogs).
I stopped to have a chat with a bloke who seemed very impressed with the bike.
Buzzed up and down a bit more then decided to return home.

I noticed the right-hand pedal was fouling the engine casing and assumed the mounting must have slipped.
I was wrong.
One of the rear engine mounts I'd fabricated from mild-steel treaded studding had snapped but, as my progress hadn't been impeded, I continued on my way until the other mounting snapped under the strain.

I had a feeling the rear mounting was going to be the weak-spot.
My plan now, or for the future, is to make a proper engine mounting from a block of aluminium I have and get some hardened steel mounting bolts.
It won't be happening anytime soon.

O.K. I won this one but, a bit like a football match that's won by the other team scoring an own goal, not well.
I'm so tempted to remove the engine altogether and just enjoy riding the bicycle.

As I pushed the Cycle-Motor the last mile home I heard a buzzing above me.
A motor assisted para-glider passed over my head.
Hmmmm....

Now if I......