2 Wheels Maybe

I worked on the blue bike long enough to learn that it was a poor choice, so I switched to the old 24" big-boy-BMX, and the conversion went much better. The mostly "after" pic Yes, I know - the geometry is all wrong for a trials bike, but my geometry is all wrong for a trials rider AND I don't expect to do this competively (or even successfully). I hope to spend more time on a bike, and this is a very challenging way to do so. The all-important $10 chain tensioner What changes did I make? Added a wider, more substantial back tire $18 tuned up the brakes and added new brake pads $10 changed the stem (used-free) and added a pair of pit-bike handlebars $25 added a chain tensioner $10 swapped the knackered bottom bracket and cranks for a better pair with a lower gear (used-free) What changes are left? swap the stem for one that places the bars higher and farther forward How does it ride? Terribly! Like nothing I've ever ridden ...

[Before you get excited, no this is not about the Hodaka name being resurrected - that's not it.] If you're not familiar with Hodaka, feast your eyes on the Ace 90 and imagine you're wanting a nice little trail bike for a nice little price in the late 60's or early 70's. Love those chrome tanks and red frames! Photo Attribution from Hodaka Wikipedia The Hodakas were very simple, very tough, and very affordable little scramblers that were a little ahead of their time. And like a lot of the electric bikes and motorcycles we see these days, they were conceived and designed on this side of the planet and manufactured in Asia. (In this case, it was Oregon/Japan.) For a while there they were the market. But then the big four Japanese motorcycle companies stepped up their game and made it much harder for Hodaka to compete. But, man, were they something for a while! Over the years, I've kept my eyes open for a Hodaka to convert to electric, but I haven...