Rocket Bob's Scooter

What I wanted to emphsize was the concept of styling. As I have been showing pictures of the So. Cal Stada to my friends and co-workers, I have found that a few have their OWN
stories to tell of their own scooters. So , this making of scooters is much more wide-spread than I ever even imagined!

One thing though, BIG motors cause people to get get hurt. So, maybe, down playing the big motor conversions might be in order.
I say this because I had a 250 Kawasaki motor sitting right next to the Strada. I decided not to install it because I figured someone "would eventually" get hurt.
Well, I have gotten a first hand report from a talented co-worker who has made 3 spindle drive scooters. The 60 cc unit he finally made for/with a friend caused that friend to be seriously, permanently, hurt.
Now, obviously we all make our own choices , but..... making death machines are something that can haunt you all the rest of your years.

OK. so much for the preaching.

Scooter styling is more important than most ( at least myself ) of us give it credit for.
It has been occurring to me that the concept of scooters and chopper style motorcycles is not too distant in most people's imagination.
I mean, I didn't start out with the idea of a "stylized scooter" when I began the So. Cal. Strada. It just so happened that I didn't like the current crop of "motors on the side" style of construction.
It seems to have hit a "chord" with many people I have shown the preliminary pictures to.
The narrow , clean and sleek lines are justification of their own. I guess this is just the beginning of things to come!
Could this be a "golden age" of scooters?

As a side note to the images I sent. There is a picture of a cardboard template that can be used for making a bent, steel motor/jack-shaft mount.
Quite a few people have the ability to torch-out that shape and bend it up.
It can then be welded or bolted to existing scooters . I hope this helps more people to try their hand a custom scooters



Here are some pictures of my scooter project.
The aluminum is free scrap from a local machine shop. I just bandsawed the pieces out and drilled and tapped 1/4-20 holes to bolt it together!
The Echo 33cc engine had the sprocket ground off with a grinder and a #35 , 9 tooth sprocket silver soldered to it.
The jack shaft has a 25 tooth sprocket and a 10 tooth sprocket going to a final drive sprocket of 45 tooth. This is about a 12.5 to 1 overall ratio.
With the 12" tires it ought to be pretty close to proper gearing.
Aluminum cuts pretty easy and more people should try it! You will notice how the unit just bolts on! Simple and neat.
The rear wheel shows a photo of part of the hub being filled with "Mar Glass" body putty. This is to re-inforce the bolt holes of the hub.
Cheap and easy and rock solid.
The Rear sprocket only needed the bolt holes filed out , maybe .050" to fit the hub bolt pattern! Goyokart.com sells it for ~ $15.

There are various quarter shots from both front, and back, showing the "sleeker" lines that only an inline mounted engine can provide.

There are some close-ups of the jack-shaft /motor mount assembly. This is made up of 3 pieces of aluminum commonly found in the trash cans of machine shops.
Each piece is really a quite small piece of half inch aluminum mounted on an eighth inch thick base plate.
( the base plate has some extra holes because it was a recycled piece of trash afterall! ).
The bearing holding end pieces ( motor mount ) are just drilled and tapped. Its ALL drilled to match with a hand drill and a # 7 drill bit and a 1/4-20 hand tap!
Just band saw the pieces, drill and tap, and assemble.

The picture of the front tire shows a clean, stock front end, hightlighting the smooth lines of the "Stratus" brand of scooter , from which this project was derived.

The underside shot shows the extended frame. Note the unfinished rear brake assembly.

On the rear, left close-up of the rear-end, please note the modest size of rear sprocket, adding to the sleek look of of the So. Cal styling! ( enabled by use of a jack-shaft to achieve a 12:1 ( Approximately ) gear ratio )

---------------------------------------------
RB.