New Old Guy

[Ricks]

Sellers love guys like me. I was told it was a 40's model. I didn't know and really didn't care. After reading hours of post from very knowledgable people I figured out I have a "mutt". Lol. I still like it. Thanks for help guys.

If you send me more pictures, I will post them for you.

[kartjockey]

That is a very nice start to a really clean looking ride.  All the steel looks great!

[ndian22]

So here's the deal I'm the old, Old guy & your the new, but it's all good. Your frame appears to be a good one to put your efforts and $$ into & I'll enjoy seeing your Simplex come back to life & I'm ready to help if necessary.

                                                                  Rick C.

[tprice]

RickS, Cartjockey, and Ndian22, I actually had another simplex many years ago and used the gas tank for another build. I liked the looks of simplex but was trying to build a smaller bike for my then 6 year old son. It was a success what I did. I am working out of town and living out of motel and will get some pictures of the bike I completely fabricated when I return home this weekend.  You will  see the simplex influence in the bike. I will have to have someone post the pictures for me. I'll tell the whole story on the build when I get pictures. Ever since I cannibalized the simplex I wanted to build one. I think that I got a pretty nice bike to start with and really doesn't matter if it is a Mutt. I'm trying to figure out where to get a horizontal head, vertical shaft Honda motor. I haven't found one yet. I like the looks of the head standing up instead of the preditor angled head. Any help on where to find this is appreciated. I'm still going through post to get ideas.

[Ricks]

Honda GC160, GC190 and GS190 are upright cylinder, horizontal shaft motors.  Look at my Simplex Stretch thread, as I am using a GS190 motor.

[ndian22]

The Predator motor or a dozen other brands can be used in the vertical or horizontal position. It will lubricate properly either way & hundreds of bikes use them in the vertical, though the factory mounts them horizontally...like a go cart or generator engine. They are Honda clones made in China and Taiwan, but Rick S. uses the newer real deal Honda power. Lots of info on how to build motor mounts, and make a few minor changes necessary to run them in the upright position...easy stuff really. Also clutch suggestions And how to fabricate jack shafts to transfer power through belts or chain. Many are using a CVT like the Comet to transfer power from engine to the rear wheel. Lots of examples in the threads of this forum & answers to your questions as well, which will save you time, money and headaches. It's fun to read these threads and learn, but nice to know you can ask questions and get answers. No one knows it all but some of these guys are getting close!

                                                                   Rick C.

[Sonrisers]

Here is a couple of pics Terry sent me, sorry I haven't gotten them on here sooner.

[tprice]

Sonriser ,thanks for posting the pictures. I get on forum every night and try to gain information. Ndian22 can you save me a little time and a lot of reading and point me to the threads that you mentioned on motors and clutches and motor mounts? I stopped at a Briggs and Stratton shop on the way end from work this evening and looked at what they offered in the upright flathead with a horizontal shaft. All they had were pictures in a book.
RickS where do I look for the GC 160, 190 and the GS motor? I believe I had rather have the Honda than the Briggs.

[ndian22]

 Click on General category this forum & select "Simplex with non original motors" & select first category which is "stretched..." Read the whole thing about the Rick S. build with a Honda engine. Building one off bikes with non original engines isn't rocket science, but you'll want to spend a lot of time studying the photos and reading the explanations of what's been successfully utilized in these builds... or one can do it the hard & expensive way. I read most of the last 5 years of posts on this forum before beginning my own non original build using a 5 speed Honda clone learning what& not to do. It was fun! I also learned to appreciate the ingenuity of what others have done with their Simplex builds. 

                                                                         Rick C.

[Ricks]

TP asked me about a tapered vs straight shaft honda GC motor.  Here is the difference, and as you can see, will not be interchangeable.  Fits picture is straight, other 2 are tapered.

[tprice]

Rick, I am lucky I guess. The GC160 I bought has a straight shaft so I am assuming it will work. I am also assuming the plate kit and torque converter Wayne sells will work. How about the kick starter? Thanks for posting the pictures , it clarified what I was asking.

[Ricks]

Rick, I am lucky I guess. The GC160 I bought has a straight shaft so I am assuming it will work. I am also assuming the plate kit and torque converter Wayne sells will work. How about the kick starter? Thanks for posting the pictures , it clarified what I was asking.

Wayne's kit is not for the GC series of motors.  His kit is for the GX and clone motors.  The GC series motor is much taller and will not work with his mount.  The torque converter is the same, but you will be on your own for designing and building your own mounts for a jackshaft.

I bought the kickstart kit from Wayne, but I only used the kicker and pinion gear.  The rest I made for my application.  Read over my build of the Simplex Stretch and you will see all the work I had to do to use a GC series motor.  You can install a GC motor without stretching the frame, but the motor must be mounted very close to the stock simplex motor plate.

Here are a couple of pictures that have been posted before of another members build with a GC motor and pull start.

[oil-lamp]

Found your post and pictures haven't been on here in awhile. Good looking bike great start. If you want to put the clutch up top you are going to need to drop the carb or streach the frame.

[Ricks]

Here is some more pictures TP sent me.  I'll leave it for him to write comments below.

[tprice]

To begin with i am as bad taking pictures as i am posting them. In 1996 i guess i decided to build my 6 year old a mlnl bike. It kind of got out of hand and this is what i built. I actually started the co.plete build around a simplex frame and tank that i had. Once i started building i realized the simplex was much too big so i hand built my frame from black pipe from home depot. I didnt like the single cylinder look of a briggs motor. A friend had a xr100 that i fabbed a fake cyclinder to the back of the cases. I built the front end,frame,rear fender,handlebars. The front wheel is from a mopad and rear was a 8"from i believe was asmall honda. I built all thr forward controls and exhaust system. I sold the bike at one time and it went to California then found it again in Austin texas. It will never be for sale agin. I gave to my son to have if he every has kids.