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UTV's Off Road ( RZR, YXZ, Mini Buggy, Carts,etc.) => UTV General Discussion => Topic started by: Jerry on April 09, 2012, 08:29:44 PM

Title: banana bike
Post by: Jerry on April 09, 2012, 08:29:44 PM

We rented this thing once and the kids wanted one. So i looked it up and they want $500 for the thing. So like any other builder I said we can make one and even better, so i trash picked a 15 speed bike for parts. Now we have to build it. I have lots of cool ideas (the most important is to enclose the 2 back wheels: so no one loses a finger). What I am not sure of is what size steel tube to use?  My first thought was 3/4 inch .065 or .083 then the more i think about it maybe 7/8 inch .065 or .083. Either way i need to get a set of dies for the bender (pro tools 105). So what size do you think i should go with????

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: Jerry on April 09, 2012, 08:31:24 PM

I doubled a pic dam

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: fabr on April 09, 2012, 09:56:07 PM

Mild steel,moly,alum?

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: Carlriddle on April 10, 2012, 05:24:38 AM

I like the larger thinner wall.  But alum would  be slick!

When I lived in Daytona Beach they rented those things, kinda neat but as a teen I was too cool to be caught dead on one.  They were for tourist.  rofl

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: Jerry on April 10, 2012, 06:25:11 AM

3/4 or 7/8 mild steel tube i can not do aluminum    So far it sounds like 1 vote for 7/8 .065? 

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: fabr on April 10, 2012, 06:32:42 AM

WHat do you wish final weight to be? That may be a deciding factor. Figure up total tube lengths and see what the frame would weigh. You might be pleased or disappointed.

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: LiveWire on April 10, 2012, 08:52:04 AM

The tubing the original was made out of was probably thinner than .065. I would say the thinnest your bender will bend without kinking it which is probably the .065.

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: LiveWire on April 10, 2012, 08:53:38 AM

I vote for 7/8 only because you can then use a pair of ATV grips on it. Most of the tubing other than the handles looks smaller though.

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: Jerry on April 10, 2012, 05:42:15 PM

I am not concerned with the weight because i do not think it will be that great either way. So 7/8 .065 looks like the winner.  I think the 7/8 would look better if i want to make rakes for the buggys or a quad. I know need to order the dies i am going to go with the smallest radius i can get.   Thanks guys

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: LiveWire on April 11, 2012, 11:59:00 AM

Make sure to use ATV grips and not motorcycle. The right grip on a motorcycle is larger to go over the throttle sleeve.

Title: Re: banana bike
Post by: Jerry on April 11, 2012, 06:29:13 PM

Thank Livewire I did not know that about the grips.