[size=4][color=#FF0000]Yesterday took delivery on my motor kit. I must admit that I found it on another site, before I even knew Spooky Tooth was here, so keep that in mind.

I was first surprised at the size of the box. Not as big as I expected or as heavy. Not disappointed in the least! (16X 12 X 8.5 height in inches) Well packed!

A cruiser is also on the way, due in the next day or two, so I thought I'd start posting a running account as to how things are going. I'm not a total hack, but by know means a novice, having raced bicycles and having worked as a bicycle mechanic several times through the years, I can turn a wrench a little bit, but I'm no expert. Call me an Upper Intermediate.

I switched motors on a mini-bike once when I was a kid, and did all my own maintenance and rebuilds while racing USCF, and laced up my own wheels, so I don't look at this as totally intimidating, but as usual suspect they'll be some glitches along the way.

The biggest obstacles may be: 1. Tools and supplies, and 2. My 55 years and generally worn to a frazzle life otherwise. Lifting and twisting and tightening don’t come that easy now! My house up in Indiana was hit by the flooding last summer, so I'm working out of an apartment, not a shop, and I have a toolbox of fairly normal items- no specialty tools. If I can get this done here, chances are anybody with any mechanical experience can too.

I've shot some pictures of the motor kit from the box after I've done some painting. (They may need resizing and, p.s. Yes they do!, so I'll be working on this.)

The cruiser I have ordered is a Micargi 7 speed Panther. I mulled over the choice of whether to get a derailleur, or whether I was just setting myself up for more problems, but I think that the low gears may help pedal it otherwise, if I need to get home, or around public venues when I don't want the motor running. There’s a twist grip derailleur shifter on the right side that is my biggest concern, but I also wanted handbrakes.

It is blue, so I decided right of that I would paint the teardrop, chain guard, and muffler, which are all painted black otherwise. I found some cheap lacquer paint at a local discount store, primer and a slightly blue tinged silver and had that waiting when the kit arrived. So far total paint investment: a paltry three dollars plus tax.

So it wasn't an hour later, I had parts outside for painting. (I'm glad I'm temporarily in Florida where Spring has just arrived after cold winter weather).

I first noticed unpacking that the rear sprocket is very heavy, and started redesigning things in my mind. After racing bikes, I’m always weight conscious of everything, even my cars! I first thought it would be nice if there were some kind of alloy armature with a steel chain ring on the outside- like a front crank set. That would take off much weight, but then I haven’t had any experience with the motors here, and much more weight may require other solutions, but there’s been no scrimping with the rear wheel drive sprocket.

(Actually, a hub for this purpose would be a nice affair, one for coaster and one for freewheels- with allow armatures and steel chain ring- then just spoke it up, period)

The teardrop tank, largely tin-ish, had some rust spots inside, which I’ve seen in other comments here. So it really needs the treatment suggested, in the instructions I printed off the site. None included in the box here, but I’ve stored several versions from different sites on my computer, and printed out one. I put a tiny bit of regular motor oil in the tear and swirled it around to stop further rust for now.

Other than that, it’s a nice little tank- I wasn’t quite sure of the dimensions before it arrived, and was wondering if I could tuck it under the top tube of the Mycargi Bronco model with a larger gap in the frame, but I don’t think now this would have been possible, and I ordered another model.

Teardrop dimensions in inches (2 liter/ half gallon):
11.5 total length, 6.5 max width,
4.5 bottom to top of tank opening, 5 inches with cap on
There is a .5 inch recessed groove along the bottom to rest on tube, 1.5 inch wide
Cap is 1.5 inches tall, more than 5.5 inches is needed to remove cap and clear, if tank is sitting down on tube, 6 otherwise.<br><br>Post edited by: nebson, at: 2009/03/25 11:00

Mobil oil PEGASUS icon I'm making stencils from, for chainguard and side of motor and tank, where red &quot;vee&quot; pinstripe will sweep back over, inspired by Novi Indianapolis racer of the 40's or 50's<br><br>Post edited by: nebson, at: 2009/03/09 09:34

<br><br>Post edited by: nebson, at: 2009/03/25 09:21

Kit around shipment carton

All back inside and awaiting the bike!

<br><br>Post edited by: nebson, at: 2009/03/09 10:11

The teardrop stenciled and pinstriped now.

Paint is a little sensitive to tape,

let that primer and coats dry!

Ok, a quick report. I took delivery on the Micargi 7 speed Panther cruiser. A nice lightweight bike- they dO make them lighter now than in the past, and I think we can thank largely BMX Cruiser class racing! The color is not what I expected or as shown on the website- Instead of metalic blue w/ silver fork and headtube, it is one-tone and VERY dark blue, almost purple. So it doesn't match my components as well as I hoped. Oh well. It's about the performance right?

Internet ordering: Caveat Emptor- &quot;Let the buyer beware!&quot; Huge volume of bicycles constantly shipped from asia- you may not get exactly what's pictured.

So anyway, I assembled the bike and been testing and comaparing. One glaring problem that took time to correct. The back wheel weasn't dished properly. The rim must be centered over the whole hub and freewheel, not just the flange, to sit stright in the frame. So had to buy a spokewrench (item at home, not in temporary apartment) and dish wheel.

Shift grip not that much of a problem and solved the way I pre-planned. I've switched the position of the handbrake handle and moved the twist grip- sans separate rubber grip- towards stem on handlebars. Not as convenient for general riding, but still quite accessible. Motor twist and kill switch now on bar end.<br><br>Post edited by: nebson, at: 2009/03/19 10:57