DIY Performance Parts

Over here in New Zealand, we love pocket bikes as much as you guys do! So much so that we spend a bit of time in the shed tinkering with them

So, we've made the odd modification to our bikes, and this seems like a good place to share them.

I've been mucking about with my ZPF replicas brakes for a while, and have tried a few things to increase the performance from shocking to barely adequate.
Modifications have included:
- Spacing the slide bolts to allow the caliper to float
- Modifying the body to allow the caliper to float
- Changing the location of the cable securing point on the activation arm to allow more leverage
- Using larger leverage levers
- Better cables
- Adjusters at the bottom end of the outer to allow fine tuning

Basically though, no matter how you polish a turd, it's still a piece of crap. So, that in mind, we're building our own front ends:
- Billet triple clamps, fork lowers, and caliper hangers
- Genuine wheels (i.e. not Chinese)
- Round tyres (i.e. not Chinese)
- Carbon fibre fork legs
- Carbon fibre handle bars
- Genuine bar clamps (could have made our own, but didn't see a lot of point)
- Grimeca 4 piston caliper
- Single 160mm disc

Sure we could have brought a nice Italian front end that wouldn't accomplished everything we want, but that wouldn't have been anything like as much fun.

Once these have been completed (about a month, still musing over axles), I need to make some carbon mudguards for them, and then I'll probably sort out some huggers... although I did see that carbon airbox on here recently, and that looks like it'd be something interesting to build.

After that... maybe carbon fibre wheels, not really sure... something fun in any case The front end was a matter of necessity, but we figure we'll just start at the front of the bike and work our way back. Darren keeps trying to convince us to go Euro, and (don't tell him!) we probably will go Ultima next year. In the mean time, the hordes (like you wouldn't believe, but then again, having seen some pictures of peoples sheds on here, you probably would) of Chinese bikes we own are an excellent way to learn about maintenance, and which suppliers we can trust before we start spending serious wedge on them.

So far we have finished the carbon tubes for the forks and bars, have made the necessary crash bungs, finished the design work, and ordered some wheels, and have received the brakes. Our machinist received the go ahead this morning, so in about 3 weeks we'll have completed 95% of the project. I'll try to remember to post some pictures up as we go along.

Thats awsome. I'm not sure if this is what you mean about one of your brake mods but has given me a great idea to fix my front banshee brakes. I cant seem to get them tuned so i can get a full lock without them rubbing on the disc. drilling a new hole closer to the pin on the brake lever on the caliper will give less leverage but will mean i wont have to compress the brakes as far to apply them. Thats exactly what i need. Thanks for the inspiration!

__________________
The *****
49cc Aircooled Cag
JetPro Pipe - Fiberglass Reeds - Race Clutch Springs - Race fuel filter and lines - 14/14 Genuine Dellorto SHA - RD 3D Boost ported head kit

Half Fairing Banshee
BZM Clutch springs - BZM clutch Bell and Pinion - 19mm PHBG Dell Rep - GRC Kill switch - BZM orange coil - Polini Gaskets and Polini Rep head - BZM carbon reeds - port n polished - PMT T43

Yup, more anglular movement for every unit of cable inner pull, that's the ticket

Be warned though, they're basically just a design that doesn't lend itself well to poor tolerance manufacturing, so don't be upset if it doesn't seem to make much difference heh.

Definitely sort out the mounting bolts if the caliper doesn't fully float (i.e. you can jiggle it) at every point of the wheels rotation.

Well on one of the front calipers one of the mounting pins came cross threaded. This put it on an angle and stopped it from floating. I grinded the pin end a bit thinner and dremeled out the hole in the caliper to make it float so its better but im still having trouble. I think this may be the ticket. In theory if i moved the cable half way down the lever it should have twice as much movement. Ill play around and let you know how it goes.

__________________
The *****
49cc Aircooled Cag
JetPro Pipe - Fiberglass Reeds - Race Clutch Springs - Race fuel filter and lines - 14/14 Genuine Dellorto SHA - RD 3D Boost ported head kit

Half Fairing Banshee
BZM Clutch springs - BZM clutch Bell and Pinion - 19mm PHBG Dell Rep - GRC Kill switch - BZM orange coil - Polini Gaskets and Polini Rep head - BZM carbon reeds - port n polished - PMT T43

Definitely do Most of the twin pull levers I've seen have about 28mm from the lever pivot to the point where the inner cables attach, but I've occasionally seen ones that are 32mm or more, try to get one of those too if you can, it only gives you another 2mm of inner cable travel but every little bit helps.

Wow imdying
Will be good to see how the front ends turn out..You are right, with Chinese bikes the front ends are a big let down. I have modded a few with floating disc ,big disc and they have all been a big improvement. One big improvement on chinky brakes besides actually getting them to float is to change the bolts that hold the calipers together to hi tensil bolts.
Benny
On you banshee are you using the original cables? If so change them forsure ,the cables they come with are super thick and restrict the caliper from floating.
I changed my sons banshee over to a thin style cable,went to the bicycle shop asked for stainless steel cables (inners) ..they work good now. Hope this helps

Yus! Totally agree on the bolts... not only because the standard ones are made from cheese, but because the phillips head is a pain in the butt to access through the wheel... when Phil brought replacements he obtained hex heads, and that lets us use the ball end allen key t-bars, so much easier to line up something that isn't worried about coming in on a slightly funny angle than any phillips head has ever been!

You can also try some plastic or teflon lined inner, but be careful about what lubricant you use. Can you tell I made cables for a living in a previous life

I have upgraded the cables

__________________
The *****
49cc Aircooled Cag
JetPro Pipe - Fiberglass Reeds - Race Clutch Springs - Race fuel filter and lines - 14/14 Genuine Dellorto SHA - RD 3D Boost ported head kit

Half Fairing Banshee
BZM Clutch springs - BZM clutch Bell and Pinion - 19mm PHBG Dell Rep - GRC Kill switch - BZM orange coil - Polini Gaskets and Polini Rep head - BZM carbon reeds - port n polished - PMT T43

The machinist wanted some pictures to use with the subcontactors, so I had to drag some out whilst at work, so here's a picture of what we want to build.



Admittedly it's not very exciting to look at, but at least it'll all line up unlike some things on the bikes I could mention

Attached Images

top quarter.jpg (32.9 KB, 222 views)

Here's a pic I took a few weeks ago before we received the carbon bars.
Click thumbnail.