Let’s bake it!
Test runs are done. It’s time to powder coat the bike. (peinture au four)
We must have done a good job with the lines cause a lot of people think we started off a motobecane 40T rigid frame (no suspension) but we just chopped the tail a 50v frame (with suspension) and modified the swing arm. The bike does look like a cool rigid frame because of the small shocks position.
Pictures of disassembly + Melvin’s moby 50cc polini (65mph) new seat ready for paint and upholstery Ruckus style.
BONUS PIC by Edison:
West Coast master moped builders convention at the Tomahawk shop (Shaw, Christophe, Melvin).
VIDEOS:
Test run and disassembly.
PLUS:
Puch Maxi Gilardoni 74cc project. I’m gonna machine the cases to fit the wide cylinder skirt + tap for 7mm malossi studs, port the cylinder and cases + mikuni24mm carb + estoril pipe. That kid is gonna fly on that light frame!
LOS ANGELES LAST MINUTE MOPED RIDE TUESDAY JUNE 26th:
Edison’s street BBQ Filipino style is open for business! Check out his blog PSST BBQ psstbbqla.wordpress.com
He’s doing his first test run Tuesday June 26th in Silver Lake at the farmers market 1515 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90026 (corner of Sunset Blvd) from 4:30pm to 8:30pm. Go check it out!
For the occasion we’re throwing a short moped ride. Meeting is at 6pm at the Tomashop, ending at PSST BBQ around 7:30pm to test Edison’s delicious bbq sticks (chicken, pork, sausage, etc… even grilled chicken booty on the menu). If you’re available come join us and show some love!
Video:
Scoot TV on location. Thanks everyody for coming and support Edison’s new street food business.
ALSO:
I’m planning on going to the Myron’s Mopeds ride # 93 (one of the oldest moped stores in LA owned by Shaun) this Sunday June 24th from Fountain Valley to Laguna Beach, CA.
Check out their website for more info if you want to join the ride. It should be really fun at 30 mph max but one open road for fast bikes along the pacific coast. There will be at least 30 bikes. I’m bringing my stock TOMOS.
Back from the ride, it was really fun. Video by Honest Mike:
Scoot TV Show episode 2
By Honest Mike.
BONUS PICS & VIDEOS:
What’s happening at Tomahawk Mopeds ?
Melvin finished the stretched out Honda Hobbit 70cc mikuni 24mm carb + dio intake + Sebac 380mm shocks.
Ported and assembled the 50cc Doppler engine for the rockstar moby project. Melvin is working on the disc brake custom aluminum mount and wheel spacers.
Machined the 50cc polini cylinder top deck and fin for the peugeot 103 dual variated project. Found a new machine shop 20+years experience. Ported and assembled the polini engine + Bidalot head. Serviced and assembled the vintage Giraudo steel variator to fit a new motobecane malossi belt.
The motobecane malossi belt seems to fit perfectly. Gas shock 330mm + Giannelli pipe. Next, make a strong rubber engine bracket, install the internal cdi and rubber mounted 19 carb, new bearings on the dual variated reduction gear, build a front disc brake.
I’ll try to finish that back before the next race June 2nd. It won’t be as fast as with a standard swinging engine setup + launch lever but should be fun to ride with quick accelerations. The good new is I can mount a solid exhaust instead of a ball joint system.
Rockstar Moby
Coming soon…
Commissioned custom moped Motobecane Av10 Doppler 50cc. The next level.
Two light weight Fox racing Shox 2012 Float RP23. Adjustments: Rebound, PorPedal on/off, 3 position compression, Air spring pressure, 50 to 300 psi. Safe max load recommended per shock 250 lbs (bike + rider) with 25% compression damping.
Tomahawk and Melvin Martin teaming up.
Bonus Videos:
Fun afternoon, nice weather, good laughs and good seafood!
Good Friday ride in downtown LA with the Tomahawk crew. Lunch at Fisherman’s restaurant and quick stop at Dynasty scooter shop. Zuma 125cc stretched out with big bore 260cc kit, honda hobbit 70cc polini, “pucha” puch maxi with honda hobbit engine 70cc, motobecane av10 50cc doppler.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbszKrYzsTg&feature=youtu.be
Scoot TV episode 1
Honest Mike from Lo-Def Productions is starting a new Youtube Cannel “Scoot TV” covering all kinds of scooter events happening on the West Coast and some mopeds stuff of course. I’m excited, I’ve always been a fan of his videos. That guy is everywhere and edit his videos so quick all night long. Can’t wait for the cable tv show one day…
You can follow scoot TV on Youtube or Facebook:
Follow also Honest Mike on Youtube and Facebook. Here’s the latest video of last weekend big Ruckus ride sponsored by Alpinestars and Honda USA. Watch the end of the video for some underground tunnel moped action. Mike his editing tons of videos this week from the last moped ride in San Diego.
You can also join his facebook new “2Digit riderz” group. Anything from 49cc to 99cc.
There it is:
San Diego 1st Skunks moped rally video by 2ditgitriderz. Thx Mike!
BONUS PICS:
Bernie moby 40T with new motobecane stickers.
BONUS VIDEOS:
Brazilian moped street racing updates:
I just got those videos from Rafael and Marcelo the fastest street racers between 75-80 mph (120-130 kmh) with their motobecane Av10 and XR. They’re big fans of the Tomahawk blog.
Those street race mopeds in Brazil were already fast but now that they’re starting to get all the good racing parts from the US thanks to Treats treatland.tv, h20 kits, launch lever, etc… things are getting serious and people are dropping a lot of money to be the next fastest moby on the street!
I’ll be posting an article with more photos, engines setups, videos and interviews soon. On a good day Rafael might beat Marcelo but most of the time Marcelo is the man . He even beats a motorcycle CB 300 on the 2nd video.
Hey Rafael, I’ve noticed that Marcelo’s engine revs higher and sounds better tuned than yours. That might be why he’s got a slight edge. Maybe he’s using a better exhaust (it looks like a ninja G3 on the pause image). You may want to work on that 
Rafael’s race moped Caloi XR 70cc Athena kit, motobecane av10 stock cases, malossi 4 petal reed block, 24mm mikuni carb, stock cdi, “thunder biturbo” modified popular pipe in Brazil, stock variator, 11 x 54, custom launch lever, custom nitrous bottle.
The Mobyx Reloaded
Here’s the latest Motobecane Av1o project with new custom paint + all the bells and whistles by Melvin (Mel-Mar body shop in Filipino town, Los Angeles).
The bike is almost done, it just needs the pulley + chain. The wheels might be powder coated black. We’re sending the seat to the upholstery shop next week and making white Motobecane gas tank stickers.
Check out all the custom features fabricated by Melvin: swing arm, frame brace, fork brace, disc brake aluminum mount, steel clip-ons, launch lever, exhaust push springs ball joint + seal ring inside, doppler er3 variator converted to clutch function with a brass bushing inside, hidden 6V battery, wiring harness, horn, brake light, key switch, cup holder and even a cigarette lighter… lol
That bike is super fast with a ported Polini W 50cc kit + stock cases, and so torquy that we need to use a 13T front sprocket. We’re going to replace the screaming Giannelli pipe with a doppler pipe to lower the rpms and modify the power band better suited for street riding.
VIDEO:
I’m wearing my famous blue latex gloves after pouring a think coat of POR 15 tank sealer in my peugeot 103 rcx race bike to seal a micro leak in an inaccessible area. The previous owner welded a screw on the tank at the base of the fork tube creating a leak that I couldn’t completely fix after few copper brazing welding attempts, the metal got heated too many times in the past.
2nd Round:
I designed and got the seat back from the upholstery shop, nice work. The K&N decals might be temporary until we get white Motobecane ones but they kinda look good. Melvin has a obsession with stickers and won’t stop!
As soon as the new seat is on……”sell it!”
DOPPLER EXHAUST:
Ball joint converted to fix mount based on vintage RGD exhauxt system. No more oil leaks or loss of power. This is a prototype that works great but we’re working on an improved version based on the vintage RGD pipe with “pump” high temperature bellow system with variable length when the engine swings back, from long for low end power to short for top end speed. That system was very effective back in the 80′s and the RGD for peugeot and motobecane was one of the best ans solid pipe. Once we test the final version and like the results we might start making more and sell them.
Test run 1st generation prototype:
BONUS PICS:
I ‘m building a Motobecane av10 engine kick start for a customer in Chicago with stock cases, Doppler 50cc kit, stock head decomp valve (for easier push start “cardboard trick” with Doppler er3 variator bearing clutch function), 19mm carb, dopppler pipe mvt cdi. I’m also testing the new Av10 race crank by 1977mopeds.
You can follow that build here: Moby av10 build… 77 race crank put to the test
I fabricated a quick copy of the missing original kick start unit plate.
Here’s the kick start in action:
Ending the break in session. Carburetion and fuel mixture kept rich.
Final test run: The 1977mopeds race crank passed the test!
I’m sure it would hold fine but the crank would need to be tested with a bigger 70cc set-up with more pounding and vibrations, especially with the heavy stock variator but it passed the test with a 50cc doppler kit high rpm street version with stock head and unmodified doppler exhaust.
The engine is still warm and ready to ship back to Chicago!
Test ride: Tomahawk clip-ons and pulley Xtreme kit
Last night I test rode my motobecane Av10 moped 50cc with the Tomahawk 28mm clip-ons and the Doppler clutch pulley with the Tomahawk Xtreme kit + push/pedal start one way bearing HFL 3030 wider than stock (I had to lightly grind the circlip to clear the shoe springs).
CLIP-ONS:
The tubes can be cut or inserted deeper but I wanted to test the widest position with the tubes 10.5 inches long from the clipon. Even though I was afraid that the aluminum tube gauge might be a little too thin, matching the standard handle bars steel gauge (to fit any bar end without drilling), they were actually strong enough after braking hard with my upper body weight on them and hitting the potholes of Los Angeles bad roads. The advantage is their super light weight and if you crash they’ll probably bend or break before the expensive CNC machined clipon part. The racing position with 8 degree angle felt good, I like them.
PULLEY XTREME KIT:
The heat treated 8mm posts + the triangle brace are bulletproof. The brace is not stainless steel so remember to wipe it with oil to protect it from potential rust. The push start HFL 30/30 one way bearing upgrade is wider and feels stronger than the stock doppler 30/20 bearing, with no shuttering problem. So far so good, the best one out of all the one way bearings I’ve been testing. The clutch pulley doesn’t shutter anymore. Thanks for the tip Naz! (moped builder and racer from Seattle).
VIDEO:
Back from the ride. The clutch grabs a little late at high rpms with the strong clutch stock springs, feels good for track but might be annoying, loud, and fuel consuming for street riding. Also, my piston ring is completely worn out with loss of compression and power, the engine revs high but with less torque doesn’t pull as hard as it used to. The Bidalot 50cc kit is a 3rd hand with thousands of miles on the nikasil and a leaking exhaust ball joint, the port duration was also set for high rpms and top speed for the track, not low end power. I couldn’t go full speed, too dangerous with the cell phone is my left hand.
CLIP-ONS RAFFLE:
The raffle ended today Wednesday, Feb 1st 2012. Thanks everybody for the great feedback!
And the lucky winner is….
#15 SCOTT BIRDSEY
From the Mohawk Mammoths, Albany NY. http://mohawkmammoths.com/
Congrats man! Email us your shipping address so you can rock those Tomahawk clip-ons on your bike soon.
For Sale: Heavy duty Doppler pipe for motobecane
$185
New exhaust PUSH spring system designed and tested by Melvin on his Motobecane Av10 polini 50cc ripper.
With that system no more broken PULL springs due to strong vibrations from your kitted engine.
It even comes with an extra set of longer screws if you install the header extension spacer for lower rpms or bigger volume 70cc kits.
The pipes are brand new and come with the ball joint and all the hardware still in the plastic bag.
No more “secret feature”, Melvin’s special springs system is now available for your fast moby.
To order email Christophe at tomahawkmopeds@ymail.com
Amsterdam represent!
Hi Christophe,
This is what I made with a friend and my son of a 2005 Ramzey Comfort (which is a Turkish Peugeot 103 clone with kick start as you might know).
We’ve built the moped for my girlfriends son’s birthday next week. Today was the first time on the streets of Amsterdam and it attracted a lot of attention from passers by.
We bought the original bike for €50 and managed to keep the total cost at about €250, by using a lot of second hand stuff from adds on the internet.
We visited the tomahawk website often after my son discovered it last year when he got an old Peugeot 103 for his eleventh birthday from my father as a learning project.
Through this email I’d like to thank you for the inspiration.
Keep up the good work!
Best regards,
Wim Gietermans
Amsterdam
Holland
Tomahawk 28mm clip-ons prototype
So far so good…
Made in USA.
The 1st batch is here! The clip-ons will be FOR SALE very soon here on the Tomahawk blog and at Treats http://www.treatland.tv
Working late nights getting the clip-ons ready, compressed air cleaning, thread and quality control, aluminum 7/8 tube cutting, Allen screw assembly.
Perfect racing position with a fix 8 degrees angle just like on my Peugeot 50cc race moped.
- BONUS PICS:
Sneak peek at the “Transformer moby” project by Overkill (chassis) and Tomahawk (race engine).
Engine set-up:
Stock av10 cases ported, Doppler kit 50cc air ported, Malossi crank, Doppler stock reeds, Dell’orto 19 carb, Doppler pipe, Mvt cdi, Bidalot Junior variator, Doppler clutch pulley, stock engine spring, launch lever. Probably an h20 50cc set-up in the future.
Check out the size of that fat rear tire (3 inch tubeless) with the wide stock mbk av10 magnum square swing arm! I can’t wait to see the future gas tank side covers with aluminum CNC machined motobecane raised 3D logo.
Engine cases disassembly:
Case matching + billet LED tail lights:
Cylinder porting:
Setting the transfers and exhaust port duration at Gr1 moped racing specs + Bidalot variator.
VIDEO:
The engine is built so tight with precision.
All surfaces were carefully checked. The crank perfectly centered. The cases are assembled with special crank seals not available at any moped part store, new grade 8 7mm bolts + stainless steel spacers. The head is mounted with malossi long nuts M7 and stainless steel thick spacers + O ring and professional super resistant sealant. The squish is safely set for 91 octane fuel. Blue Loctice applied where needed.
Next is the ignition with timing set for high rpms + aluminum welding inside the intake manifold to match the stock reed block for a perfect gas flow.
Even though the cylinder is not lubricated yet on that video, the compression is already very strong! Just what we need for crazy 50cc power.
PS:
I’m getting ready to build my cafe scoot /drag ped project powered by a minarelli 77cc 23hp dual variated scooter engine. I’m still undecided and looking for advice. Please check out my last post on mopedarmy to help me take a decision, thanks.
My motorcycle frame is a Hodoka Ace 100:
Inside the beast
Rebuilt engine after full checkup:
Engine rubber mounting conversion Phase 1 + a peek at the Mykitech cases/minarelli scooter 86cc on the peugeot 103 frame for the big bore fans. Why not? My race bike with a modified chassis would be a good candidate to test that kind of power + launch lever. But with 25hp I would probably install my better Paioli 30mm adjustable hydraulic fork + steering damper.
ENGINE CHECKUP:
Here’s an exclusive look inside the engine of my Peugeot 103 RCX 50cc race moped 14hp converted back to a street moped without the race fairings. Before riding the bike on the streets I need to do a complete engine checkup after 5 races on the track.
The engine is a 49.9cc Bidalot h20 kit replica (with transfer ports smaller than a real vintage Bidalot racing kit) + graphite AGP piston + Malossi cases + Bidalot crank 16mm, Pvl analog cdi, Dell’orto 21 carb, Giannelli pipe, steel Bidalot variator and Giraudo clutch pulley. The engine was built by Remi Cusso french master tuner with 20+ years experience in moped racing. As you can see nothing crazy there just a very nice job on the exhaust porting and the malossi cases barely ported with minimal aluminum removed to match the Bidalot cylinder ports. Special crank lubricating holes added to the cases and guides inside each half for a perfect alignment. Guide also added to the h20 head for perfect alignment with the cylinder. Some good “race shit”… you do it right or you don’t do it.
QUICK TIP: The real power of 2 stroke small moped engines doesn’t come from porting the shit out of the cylinder and cases or using gigantic bore, carb or intake, but from properly assembling the engine very slowly, using metrology (the science of measurement) and paying attention to every single detail like a surgeon. Also knowing for each cylinder kit what swept volume and transfers + exhaust port duration works best with what cases volume, intake size, carb size, pipe size, rpms, ignition timing, spark plug, combustion chamber volume, squish with fuel octane rating, final transmission. Some extra horsepower on mopeds can be gained or at least not lost with a light chassis, zero resistance for spinning parts or brakes, good lubrication and alignment, tire pressure, engine proper cooling system, aerodynamic fairings, vegetarian diet plan… lol, etc…
Once I got the motor back in the US, I built a custom rubber mounted engine spring, laser cut some guides for the vintage Bidalot variator 100mm, completed the engine with all the h20 system and spent a lot of time in 2011 tuning it with the right timing + carb settings + pipe length + launch lever + variator weights + transmission for the race track in Southern California but no moped racer 50cc or even 75cc showed up to challenge me. I’ll wait next April 2012 to race against 200cc motorized bicycles. I wonder what’s next, Harley 1200cc engines? I’m really curious to see where it’s gonna stop with bigger bore engines in the quest for power? Isn’t 49.9cc the real limit to call it moped racing, and tuning skills to make the engine faster the real fun challenge? Or functioning pedals makes anything a legit moped no matter what the engine size?
5am in the morning, let’s do this:
Engine dismount, taking note of all the settings before taking it apart, timing, squish, checking the compression, piston ring gap, nikasil at top deck, crank bearings + seals, rod, needle cage bearing, piston pin, viton O-ring, variator full checkup with new guide allen screws for every race, weights arms pins, carbon petals reeds, engine spring, water hoses, etc, etc…
If I’m not too lazy and have enough time I should weld and install some motobecane rubber bushings. The engine is half way rubber mounted with the custom engine spring but I need to finish the job to get rid of all the vibrations causing the exhaust springs to break at high rpms. It’s a little complicated because I need to make sure that the variator stays perfectly aligned with the pulley to avoid any problem with the belt, there’s no room for error when you’re dealing with a race engine.
Quick note:
The piston’s head shows a perfect gas flow and no overheating as a result of a good exhaust porting job. The Bidalot high quality needle cage bearing is recognizable by its blueish color. The multiple new base gaskets worked fine instead of an aluminum raiser not available at the time. The crank shifted a little off center inside the cases probably due to the heat at high rpms on the track but no worries there everything feels tight. To protect the engine I kept the carburetion rich and like all the moped racers in France I’ve been using some (hard to buy) airplane leaded Avgas 100LL fuel rich compared to the dry unleaded 91 or even 93 octane fuel that we normally get at a gas station. Next year I’ll try to get some leaded VP C12 racing fuel octane 108 with appropriate cylinder head squish.
Disassembling an engine after few races is important to prevent any mechanic failure or horsepower loss, and gives a good reference point on the parts wear after a certain amount of miles or time spent on the track, it helps with scheduling the next checkup.
Time to change the piston ring to regain between 1 to 2 hp. After measuring the ring gap I can now evaluate how fast a new ring wears and know that it won’t last more than 2 or 3 races with full power before replacing it. I measured the transfers and exhaust port duration in degrees set with pretty high numbers based on Gr2 specs but close to Gr3.
That engine looks really clean after 5 races and stayed reliable because of a conservative porting and restricted rpms taking no chance to break the 16mm peugeot crankshaft also very thin on the variator side. A 2 stroke race engine performs at its BEST when pushed to the very limits (high rpms, small squish, compression ratio, leanest fuel mixture, etc…) but then can fail at anytime and make you lose the race, it’s like a “catch 22″. To win races, you have to compromise but also adjust after each race and make changes according to your competition on the track. Sometimes it takes an entire season and if your fellow racers are not 100% dedicated or don’t show up the following season then you’ve almost tuned your bike and pushed the engine limits for nothing.
So… you still want to be a moped racer?
Peugeot Malossi cases and Bidalot 50cc h20 kit available at http://www.treatland.tv
Hmmm… Check out that vintage full Bidalot kit party 50cc air cooled 15 carb 11hp bolt on, for 80′s 90′s Peugeot Gr1 class entry level moped racing. I wish they’d still make those racing parts instead of those street replica parts we’re only getting now.
BONUS PICS:
Moped racing in Oregon. I got the photos from facebook Lara Burke’s album thanks to Jeffrey Jay Herzog moped racer with the polini 70cc black motobecane av10 #22. Why doesn’t this happen in California anymore? I’m sooooo jealous. It seems like they get 6 to 7 consistent riders and 10+ on a good weekend. I may have to save money and drive all the way up north once or twice a year to have fun with those fellow racers. Jeffrey is building a new engine for his black moby next year based on my Gr1 50cc setup and also building 2 or 3 extra loaner bikes for anybody who would want to try moped racing in 2012.
BONUS VIDEO:
France, Team Remi Cusso vintage Bidalot RS 50cc race moped in action beating the modern Japanese, Italian, Spanish 50cc 6 speeds race bikes during an open practice round in the south of France Championship 1st race of the 2011 season last April. I was actually at the race and witnessed the power of those 50cc 18hp mopeds, it was so impressive. The “old pops” technology stunned the new kids and proved that 50cc variated race mopeds are not dead and still kicking ass.
On board video with a rare camera angle mounted on the swing arm at the bottom of the shock. Old school Moto GP style:
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ALSO… from the early 90′s in the peak of french moped racing era, vintage photos of a variated 50cc race moped prototype chassis GR3 (no carb size limit class) built by an independent french team that later became the official bike of the Ninja exhaust company team:
PLUS… Peugeot 103 race moped winner of the 2011 South of France championship season in the entry level “stockish factory” class, stock 50cc air cooled (ported), stock cases, 15 carb max, performance exhaust, stock variator.
AND… treasures of G3 Raptor’s cave (french builder and racer) hidden somewhere outside Paris. Bidalot Gr3 clutch pulleys, engine springs, intake manifolds, cdis.
Tomahawk new shop
So it looks like in January 2012 Tomahawk is finally leaving the underground “James Bond room” for a bigger shop at Overkill high end baja buggy parts in Anaheim, Orange County. Perfect location in an industrial zone to build and test screaming mopeds all day long.
I’ll keep an antenna in Hollywood for small projects and moped repairs but I’ll use the new shop to build all the future custom bikes. With our new fast mopeds we’re gonna show the Ruckus scooter people of OC what’s up. I’m also working on fabricating future Tomahawk moped parts:
Some aluminum clipons with steel chromed tubes for 28mm moped fork like the EBR and maybe later 30mm for Tomos fork, with future options like anodizing, powder coating, tubes stainless steel, titanium, etc… Also an aluminum launch lever with bearing that mount on the pedal shaft for pegs or pedals use + a bracket ready to bolt on motobecane or peugeot engine cases. The launch lever is a must-have part on those variated french bikes to get the most out of your engine by pressing down on it with your foot. It’s like downshifting on your variated transmission, it gives you that extra power that no other moped offers (even with a dual variated transmission), launching the engine into high rpms for quicker accelerations to reach top speed or be the fastest climbing hills.
I’m also going to design and test a new engine spring for peugeot and motobecane since none of the polini or doppler works perfectly. I’m trying to work on a new Tomahawk clutch pulley or a heavy duty kit to upgrade your doppler clutch pulley ER2. And a bunch of other parts needed for french bikes and later think about good parts for Puch and Tomos.
We’ve got a couple of projects lined up, another fast 50cc Doppler motobecane av10 project, the “Motomos” a Tomos A55 with custom extended swing arm top quality welds and streetmate front end disc brake with maybe a motobecane variated engine, my Tomos ST Harley top tank and my Minarelli 77cc h20 drag moped. There’s gonna be some long nights but let’s do this thing!
More frames waiting for a Tomahawk extreme makeover:
Black Peugeot 103 vogue short swing arm 50cc h20/air cooled, Green peugeot 103 RCX short square swing arm 70cc polini h20, White peugeot 103 mvl dual variated swing arm with high rpm vintage Bidalot racing 50cc air cooled and wide 2.5 inch mag wheels with stock threaded holes for disc brake, Yellow old new stock motobecane av10 frame zero miles not even a single drop of gasoline in the tank. How do you like that moby frame drg7? I know know you want it bad.
For a man of means, a future 25hp 86cc h20 monster peugeot or motobecane moped using the CNC machined Mykitech cases from http://www.treatland.tv to adapt all the powerful high tech minarelli scooter parts imported from Europe + the Mykitech clutch pulley.
France, custom scooter minarelli engine + peugeot 103 monster scooter:
New Vespa Quarantasei Concept and BMW Concept C (with cameras replacing the mirrors) in 2012:
BONUS PICS and VIDEOS:
The US moped scene is just the best and probably the biggest. If you don’t own a moped yet watch that video and go get one!
A 1979 film about moped safety.
Great art work and T-shirts by Tyler Conway “Bright mind designs” in Denver, inspired by the Tomahawk custom mopeds:
Motobecane do Brasil
A little window on the growing Brazilian moped scene.
I’ve been told that Motobecane is the most popular brand and I think the only one that was imported in Brazil, some models were built with tubular frames like the Mobylette XR. Their bikes are super cool and fast reaching 80mph top speed tricking their stock engines or using whatever is available. Performance parts are rare with no moped store and expensive in Brazil with crazy customs taxes when imported.
They’re just starting to get some good stuff from the US like the Doppler ER3 variators thanks to Treats http://www.treatland.tv, and trying to learn more about how to tune their variated AV10 engines french racing style reading the Tomahawk blog. I don’t know if they’ve mastered the launch lever with proper variator tuning yet but they’ve discovered the nitrous boost kit and the Redbull baffle… rad!
Thanks Augusto (blue XR) and Vincius (navy blue av10, orange XR) for providing the pics and links. If I made any mistake let me know. PS: I don’t know if you watch UFC mixed martial arts but I’m a big fan of Anderson Silva Brazilian fighter.
Videos of moped meeting, street and freeway races, plus WMX motorized bicycle AV10 engine with an awesome guitar soundtrack:
BONUS VIDEOS:
For those who are new to the Tomahawk blog and motobecane french variated mopeds. Here are some old classic videos I posted 2 years ago of a friend and master tuner in France (Remi), showing the power of a motobecane av10 50cc h20 Bidalot engine big intake 30mm Keihin carb with a Bidalot clutch pulley. It’s also a good reference for those who build fast 50cc mobys, it gives a good idea of what a powerful and perfectly tuned 50cc engine should sound like. Use it to tune your bike just like you would tune a musical instrument and compare with the sound of your engine’s videos.
In the 2nd video test run, the engine spring and variator weights + launch lever are perfectly tuned causing the belt not at ideal temperature yet to grab a little weird making the powerful engine swing back and forth but it usually stops once the belt gets warm and you can counter that effect by pressing with your foot on the launch lever. Cf 90 doesn’t mean it’s a 90cc it’s the motobecane av10 year model 1990, listening to that crazy engine I’ve had people asking me and getting confused, it’s just a 49.9cc only allowed for moped racing in France anything bigger is by law registered as a motorcycle, pedals or no pedals. I’ve actually test rode that bike during my last visit in France and never felt anything like that on a moped before, it sounded and felt like a powerful 80cc kit.
x8crsu_cf-90-de-remi-g3-pour-2009_auto#rel-page-4
x9kowt_mbk-51-cf-90-g3-bidalot_auto#rel-page-3
PLUS, if you don’t mind fairings on mopeds, here are some of the nastiest motobecane av10 h20 and peugeot 103 moped builds in France have seen so far:
Motobecane av10:
Peugeot 103:
ALSO:
Special thoughts for a moped friend Daniel Nguyen from the Woolly Bullies moped gang and his family. Daniel was a super cool guy full of life, he recently tragically died in LA too young at 28 years old. It’s a very sad time for the moped community. It reminded us how precious life, family and close friends are. Keep riding your mopeds and Carpe Diem!
Tribute video by Honest Mike:
From AV7 to AV10
Here’s a motobecane 50cc engine I built for a customer who wants to swap his av7 engine 2 ports cylinder inducted and experience the power of a better av10 engine 3 ports case inducted reed valve with lubricating holes for the crank bearings.
I’m using used stock av10 cases, used crank + new bearings and seals, new 50cc doppler kit, used stock RMZ head with decomp, used stock cdi (also have a back up new mvt cdi), new 19 carb, new doppler exhaust, new doppler er3 variator with bearing clutch function, stock double spring, no launch lever.
I’m using my wonder bread moby frame to test the engine, once perfectly tuned I’ll send it back to Chicago, ready to mount and blast after re-jetting.
If you’re interested in a similar set-up for your moby or build a whole bike just contact Tomahawk.
Short video 1st start a mano:
2h break in session with rich carburetion + heavy variator weights, and old doppler pipe (thx Tracy!)
The engine is ready for final test runs, carb and variator tuning. Then pack it and ship it.
Motobecane stock cases available at http://www.treatland.tv
AV7 AV10
Bonus pics:
Back from my meeting with Santa Claus after reinstalling my 50cc Bidalot engine, blasting everybody’s ears and racing some Ford Mustangs on Hollywood Blvd with my screaming 12,000 rpms pressing hard on the launch lever. I never get tired of it!
The perfect plug, the color looks richer in real with a nice light chocolate brown/brick red.
Bumble bee, the fast and pretty
New game plan. I’m going to use a peugeot seat with maybe upholstery, an ebr frame brace, a round headlight, a peugeot 103 spx kick stand, I will paint the wheels black and probably keep the bumble bee spirit by adding some yellow accents. Now it’s starting to look like a cool ped. I’ll try to update the article later with new pics.
Peugeot 103 RXC 49.9cc moped, 14 hp 14,000 rpm.
I don’t want my 50cc race moped to rust in my shop until the next race April 7th 2012 at Grange’, so I decided to remove the fairings and register the bike to blast it once in a while on moped rides. Before that I’ll do a complete engine checkup and will change the transmission for street riding top speed. The negative side is that the more miles you put on a race engine the less it performs at its full potential on the track for race day.
I installed a long seat and a Tomos square headlight for now to make it look more like a street moped american style. I’ll probably paint the wheels black, re-weld a straight frame brace, get a round headlight and modify the seat cafe’ style later. The purist french racers and bloggers are going to tease me for removing those awesome vintage Bidalot fairings but we can’t please everybody and since nobody races in California I have to take that bike to the streets. Plus the bike will also blend much better next year on the track racing against other mopeds or 50cc to 200cc and electric motorized bicycles.
The only thing missing is the license plate and the pedals but there were no pedals on the stock peugeot 103 RCX 90′s version with pegs and kick start like many other mopeds, Honda, Vespa, Motobecane, Tomos, etc… It’s almost impossible to install pedals on that bike, there’s no thread for a rear bicycle freewheel, no front sprocket on the shaft or even room to weld one. I’m still keeping the moped spirit by using a 49.9cc limit engine and after market Peugeot moped parts only, except for the auto electric water pump. Even the vintage Fournales ole0-pneumatic shocks were made for the 103 RCX frame.
Bonus video : Another fast Tomahawk 50cc motobecane.
Melvin’s motobecane Av10 polini 50cc kit with stock cases is almost done. He built the bike and I taught him how to properly assemble the engine and slightly port the cylinder W exhaust port. He custom made a swing arm, clip-ons handle bars, dual launch lever, exhaust ball joint springs system, cut and re-welded the frame’s tail to adapt new shocks (gave up the mono shock project), installed a disc brake and custom fork brace, etc… He always find new ideas using cheap parts available at his auto body shop.
I stopped by Friday night for his birthday and first start of his new moby. I reassembled the 19 carb with all the right settings, timed the ignition, tuned the doppler variator + launch lever. I did a full session breaking in the engine on the stand before doing some test runs. WOW… the 50cc polini kit rips! Good torque and some serious power even with the small 52T rear sprocket. That bike might be faster than any of our other mobys and Melvin is light too. Once completely done the bike will get a new paint.
Somebody’s gonna have a big smile on his face blasting through the streets of LA at 70 mph.
As you probably already know, you can find all those performance parts at http://www.treatland.tv the best moped parts store in the universe and build your own fast motobecane engine or have all the parts shipped to Tomahawk for complete assembly, tuning, testing, shipped back to you and experience the real 50cc power.
Who said Motobecane av10 variated mopeds can’t go as fast as one speed puch mopeds and hold top speed for miles?
I think those Turkish Kamikazes use a stock av10 bottom end + 70cc kit + modify stock pipe + small rear sprocket. Ok, they ride downhill on a light frame and small tires with an aerodynamic position but still that’s not bad… I read 80 mph on the speedometer. Those bikes don’t have good acceleration in the city though and are built to break records on the freeway.
Mobylette av10, doppler clutch pulley
I’m going to start using my motobecane race frame to build, tune, test and ship complete engines. So if you’re interested in replacing your av7 cylinder inducted engine or building a fast av10 case inducted engine, just contact me for more details. I will also build a Peugeot 103 test bike for kitted engines or solid 45 mph 50cc sotckish engine. Whatever fits your needs and budget. Moving to a new shop next year, I may start doing it with other mopeds like Puch and Tomos. I’ll continue to take special orders for custom moped builds.
I just received a set of 2 way regular bearings to replace the push start one way bearing on the Doppler clutch pulley and use a kick start unit to start the engine.
VIDEO:
Here’s a test run with the HK 3020 bearing.
The stock Doppler clutch pulley is available at Treats moped super store http://www.treatland.tv
https://www.treatland.tv/motobecane-av7-av10-doppler-clutch-pulley-p/motobecane-doppler-pulley.htm
103 streetfighter, just a small tease
I’m rebuilding the bike with slow precision like a meticulous surgeon.
Back up LED bicycle lights by Knog made in Australia:
Bonus Video:
I don’t know all the details but I’ve learned through Neil the organizer of motorized bicycle racing in Southern California that a group of people drag race old mini bikes in the streets of Long Beach (south Los Angeles). It started just as a ride and BBQ event but now it got really serious with bikes going 90 mph and racers talking trash. Check out the Oldminibikes.com forum for more info.
http://www.oldminibikes.com/forum/general-minibike-talk/7079-drag-racing-mini-bikes.html
Gentlemen, kick sart your av10 engines!
I rebuilt my motobecane av10 engine with new crank bearings + seals and mounted the kick start unit to use the modified Doppler Er2 clutch pulley with a solid 2 way bearing to solve the problems I’ve been having with the one way bearing designed to push start the bike.
I can’t wait to try that new transmission set-up. It should be the perfect street/race 50cc motobecane with reliability, fast take offs, accelerations and top speed. I’ll remove the clutch pulley + kick start on the track to get a more direct and quicker acceleration and to keep the bike lighter.
Bonus pics and videos:
I came back from a Friday night ride with the Wooly Bullies moped gang. Lots of mopeds and lots of fun. I can’t get enough of that 2 stroke smell. I finally met Honest Mike, cool dude. The ride was fast but no bikes could keep up with our mobys. I love the power of 50cc variated motobecane bikes with launch lever. People don’t really realize how fast they are until they get blasted on a ride. I replaced the air box with a TNT scooter filter. The bike is starting to look more like a moped now. I might repaint the frame once I’m done with the clutch pulley/kick start set-up.
The 2 fastest motobecane bikes in LA parked in downtown at Farmer Boys restaurant.
Meeting at Choke moped store. Check out the Tron neon lights, rad!
Cruising through Pasadena. I’m still having problems at low end with slow throttle response, I may have to change my spark plug and check the ignition.
Here’s a video from Honest Mike “the King of Low Def”. He goes to a lot of moped/scooter rides and brings videos edited and uploaded in record time. He shot some videos last night of the Bullies ride, blasting his bike the camera in one hand to the other hand on the handlebars, that guy is a pro.
I just got a cool home made trophy gift from Treats. Gender bender hill race 2008 1st place. Thanks guys! I feel like I was there and won it 
. I missed all the good races since I only started doing mopeds in the US in 2009. I will proudly expose it in my living room and maybe in my future shop.
T-Hawk Grabber Blue
It’s the final phase, time to rebuild the ultimate Peugeot 103 street moped.
Frame + headlight + fender 70′s Ford Mustang grabber blue painted by Melvin’s Mel-Mar auto body shop in Los Angeles Filipino town.
Aluminum mag wheels + seat + steel parts silver reflective clear powder coated (light mirror effect) by Embee Performance (exhaust & piston ceramic coating, aluminum anodizing, nickel plating) in Santa Ana, Orange County.
Small steel parts flat black powder coated by Pyramid Powder Coating in Sun Valley.
T-Hawk, I’m ready
Today was the last day before the very first start of my Peugeot 103 streetfighter. I finished all the electrical wiring but I’ll make it look cleaner once I reassemble the bike with a new paint. It’s hard to hide all the wires with so many electrical components. I decided to keep the mini fuses protecting the electric pump and battery circuits exposed though, for a quick and easy access.
To save time I decided not to test ride the bike, I’ll do the final tuning once the bike is painted and reassembled. I will also have some stainless brake lines custom made for the front and rear disc brakes.
Tomorrow is the big day. Hopefully I’ll be able to start the bike and post another video. I took my time and double checked everything but you never know with mopeds, anything can go wrong. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
VIDEO:
The bike is 90% done and ready for a paint job. I can’t wait to blaaaaaaast the streets of downtown LA late at night, sitting far back on the saddle with a tight grip on the handle bars.
First start:
Yeah! T-hawk is finally born and took its very first breath of oxygen in Hollywood Griffith Park. The bike is so sexy that it already got harassed by people jumping out of the bushes.
The engine fired up right away, it’s not tuned yet but has an awesome sound. The bike feels really solid with no resistance in the wheels, chain or rotor discs. It’s a little heavy with all the equipment but that will increase the stability at top speed and keep it safer on the bad roads of LA. It actually feels and looks more like a small variated 70cc motorcycle and not much like a moped anymore, kinda like top tank mopeds.
It’s now time to disassemble and paint all the parts. Once the bike is done I’ll post some photos and videos of the test runs.
Engine setup available at http://www.treatland.tv
Malossi cases, doppler crank, malossi 70cc h20 kit, mvt millenium cdi, dell’orto 21mm carb, giannelli pipe.
Are you ready to race?
I’m planning on going to the motorized bicycle race in 2 weeks Saturday October 22nd at Grange’ race track.
Saturday Oct 22nd, 2011. Gate open at 6 am
Free camping Friday and Saturday night.
Practice on the track 7am to 9.45am
heats start at 10 am
$10 for spectators pre pay or at the gate.
$35 to ride on the track which includes all the days Pro Photography of the event.
+$5 to pay at the track on Fri 21st or Sat 22nd
+$10 to race in a second class.
Can pre register by emailing Neil at motorbicycleracing@gmail.com
Pay by check or Money Order
or
20455 Central Ave.
Apple Valley, CA 92307
Peugeot 103 streetfighter, la derniere ligne droite
Enfin j’espere…
I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and should be able to fire up my street bike project very soon. I’ve been waiting 2 years for this moment.
Today was important, I hooked up all the water hoses to the motobecane stock radiator, the temperature sensor and the electric water pump. I just need to wire the pump to a regulator/rectifier or a small separate 12V battery.
Here’s what’s left on the list before finally starting the engine and do a bunch of test runs before painting the bike:
Finish all the electrical wiring (cdi, regulator,battery, fuse, water pump, vapor tachometer + temp gauge, lights, kill switch), lock the pedal shaft so the pegs don’t spin, custom make heavy weights for the malossi variator + the doppler spring way too strong, install the chain, the disc brake lines, the throttle + cables, mount the motobecane engine mount rubber bushings (rare on a kitted peugeot frame but recommend to absorb the vibrations and prevent breaking parts like the exhaust, etc…) Now I wish I would have bought a 50cc h20 engine for less vibrations and overheating problems but at the time I had the “small piston complex” and wanted the biggest bore available like everybody else. That being said, the bike is so heavy that I might need the torque for a more comfortable ride and forget about a screaming engine or top speed.
Few hours away…
I just have to finish all the electrical wiring, install the throttle + choke cables, the fuel line, brake lines and I’m ready to fire up this bad boy!
We learn everyday. I just found out on Facebook that the peugeot 103 RCX/SPX engine is actually rubber mounted and the mount comes in 2 brackets connected together with a thick square piece of rubber between them. It seems like you take the engine down by just removing the bolt on the lower bushing and leave the black bracket on the frame. The more popular 103 SP version in the US doesn’t come with rubber bushings, the bike vibrates a lot with a powerful kitted engine often braking the exhaust. The answer might be to modify that engine mount by welding a rubber bushing just like on the 103 spx (left photo). The big polini cases with aluminum arms vibrate and sometime a powerful engine set up brakes the arms. The best cases are the malossi ones with 70cc kits and 21 mm carb minimum or the smaller polini cases (but expansive) using the stock peugeot mount steel bracket (maybe reinforced or rubber mounted would be the best) with a 50cc kits 19 mm carb max.
Bonus pics from french blogs:
A peugeot 103 spx prototype project with malossi cases, peugeot malossi crank 42,1 mm stroke (instead of 39,1 mm stock stroke) + new 85 mm rod (instead of 75 mm) adapted from an AM6 Minarelli scooter crank, Piaggio/minarelli scooter malossi MHR 70cc h20 kit (try to find the studs…), PVL digital ignition, Stage 6 exhaust modified, Conti power jet 28 mm carb, Conti CRX 4 petal reed block, RGD peugeot 103 variator, Giraudo clutch pulley, Giraudo engine spring. Rad…!
Video:
A new electric drag scooter prototype by MXS Custom. Check out that cool white Teflon 3D mold of the Zuma scooter cylinder ports.
TSM Mania
What’s going on lately with all those peugeot TSM on the streets. I thought they were super rare in the US. That’s the second one coming to the shop for an engine rebuild. I don’t complain though, even if I didn’t grow up with peugeot top tank mopeds, I’m starting to really like them.
Here’s what’s on the menu:
Replace the stock cylinder with a Gilardoni 50cc kit + dell’orto SHA 15 mm carb + polini flat single reed valve + simonini circuit pipe, everything else stays stock. This is my favorite engine set up for a peugeot moped with 45 mph top speed, reliability, fuel efficiency, and easy port matching with the new stock 3 ports cases. That TSM has the 2 ports cases 70′s model so I need to create a 3rd rear port to match the cylinder.
The simonini circuit pipe is a great low and mid range exhaust with a popping sound and also clears the pedals easily but I may have to lose the center stand… not sure, and maybe cut + weld or bend the baffle to fit it in a tight spot between the stand and the pedal (you can also slightly bend or shave the pedal arm). For greater top speed I would recommend a Giannelli exhaust but you definitely have to lose the center stand and slightly bend the pedal or mount the pipe low.
Here are some pics of my very first peugeot 103 project in the US with a used 50cc stock engine 3 ports imported from France + 15 carb SHA + Giannelli pipe dopller baffle. That bike had good gas mileage and 50 mph top speed with stock cylinder exhaust port slightly modified, I miss that kind of engine set up. Then I pimped it with powder coating, chrome plating and a Ponili 70cc kit + malossi cases.
Peugeot TSM engine disassembly and rebuild with Gilardoni 50cc kit, case port match, modified port duration, new crank seals:
Same stock-ish 50cc engine setup available at Treats, http://www.treatland.tv:
Pics of the bike rebuilt with the new engine and video of the 1st start. Notice how the simonini circuit baffle barely clears the swing arm and the pedal even after bending the arm a lot to give it a wider S shape. I can pedal start the bike but once the engine gets in high rpm and swings back it’d probably be safer to ride it with the right foot forward or bend the pedal arm even more but it will get way shorter than the left arm.
Video 1st start, the carb is not tuned yet:
Bonus Pics:
Vintage dual variated swing arm right side transmission for peugeot TSM and 103 fast take offs.
Motobecane 40T 50cc first start
There’s nothing like the sound and smell of a brand new engine.
The bike started right away which is always a relief and a good sign. Today was a very hot day with triple digit temperatures. I’ll wait for cooler temperatures to tune and test ride the bike. I kept the idle high because there’s no clutch. With a big main jet for safety and break in, the bike is a little rich at low rpm. The engine feels good though with lots of power and should make that light bike for a motobecane an other 50cc ripper. We’ll tell people it’s a 70cc, shhh… The chain makes a weird sound because of those new after market front sprockets with teeth that don’t always line up perfectly. I need to work on that or just let it wear itself down.
I still need to hook up the lights, tune the carburetor and variator + launch lever. Then we’ll send the bike to the body shop for a new paint and seat upholstery. This is probably the last time you see the original orange paint. Once the bike is completely done, I’ll probably post some photos and videos of test runs with the lucky owner.
Engine Set Up:
Stock cases, doppler crankshaft, 50cc doppler kit, doppler head, doppler stock 2 petal reed block, doppler intake manifold, 19mm dell’orto carb, stock cdi, doppler exhaust, doppler er3 variator, stock engine spring, doppler belt, doppler pulley, transmission 11×56 for now.
Configuration Moteur:
Carters origine, vilebrequin doppler, kit 50cc doppler, culasse doppler, clapets 2 lamelles origine doppler, pipe admission doppler, carbu 19mm dell’orto, allumage origine, pot doppler, variateur doppler er3, ressort moteur origine, courroie doppler, poulie doppler, transmission 11×56 pour l’instant.
The electrical wiring is done with headlight, tail light, brake light, regulator and kill switch. I’ll use some heat shrink tubing to hide and protect the wires. The bike is now ready for a strip-down and paint job.
Exclusive photos of the freshly painted frame at Melvin’s body shop, 2 more coats to go.
Videos of 1st start and test runs:
Morning break in session 1/2 throttle up and down the hill with cool down period between each round. The bike will get a final tuning after the paint job.
Test run:
After 2 years of honing my tuning skills I’m finally having fun blasting with those 50cc variated french mopeds. I think that once you’ve learned the fundamentals of 2 stroke tuning and that you have a good formula to build fast engines using cheap stock 50cc moped parts as much as possible, it’s time to stick with the basics and stop searching spending time experimenting with crazy 70cc or even scooter parts. Why try to reinvent the wheel, riding is more fun. “Gonflage des cyclomoteurs” is a good vintage book out there that brings you back to the basics of 50cc moped tuning wrote by the 80′s master tuner Didier Thomas who now works for Doppler but unfortunately it’s in French.
I modified the Er3 variator and replaced the doppler belt 13.2 mm with the wider malossi belt 14.3 mm. The bike should have better low end + better top speed using the variator’s full 100 mm range. By pressing on the launch lever we’ll be able to push start the bike and compensate for a more slippery belt sitting all the way down flush against the variator shaft. Once we’re able to get a real heavy duty clutch pulley on the market, nothing’s gonna touch those fast motobecane 50cc stock cases or be more fun and fuel efficient, especially if we start using 50cc h20 kits.
Quick tip:
I recommend to always disassemble a brand new Doppler Er3 variator before installation to check and lubricate the weights arm pins, grease the arms head and damper yellow plates, tighten the 2 guide pins with a drop of blue Loctite (or they’ll fly off at high rpms) and grease them.
50cc engine set-up tested on the video above available at http://www.treatland.tv
BONUS PICS and VIDEO:
I’m doing the monthly ride tonight with the motobecane av10 50cc Bidalot to test the malossi belt with the modified Dopller Er3 variator and 11 x 54 transmission.
Quick tip:
When you don’t ride your fast moped very often, it’s important before each ride to always check your brakes, tire pressure, chain tension and maybe grease the pulley’s bearings and the 2 variator guide pins + check for loose bolts due to vibrations on those french variated bikes. As a general rule, use regular thick grease for slow moving parts like variator guide pins and liquid grease for fast moving parts like pulley bearings. Also, always carry a tool kit, extra spark plug, belt, exhaust springs or emergency wire.
Back from a night ride with the Latebirds moped gang and awesome views of LA city lights from Mulholland Drive.
Before the ride I tested the malossi belt. Compared to the doppler belt, the variator felt heavier and harder to control with the launch lever. It feels like I’ve lost some snap and 10% of the acceleration probably because of the different cross-section shape of the belt, I may test that belt again with smaller weights. I couldn’t push the bike to full speed because of the traffic but it feels like the malossi belt pulls a little more than the doppler belt and would increase the top speed. At that point with 65+ mph top speed, the bike is fast enough to ride in the streets of LA and I would probably choose the best belt for quick acceleration over 70+ mph top speed.
The good thing about those 50cc Gr1 stock cases engine 19 mm carb @ 12,000 rpm max is that you could almost race an entire season without having to disassemble the engine for a check-up. That’s not the case with a faster 50cc Gr2 or Gr3 engine bigger cases + bigger carb @ 15,000 rpm like my yellow peugeot 103 RCX malossi cases 21 mm carb 14,000 rpm. After 3 or 4 race weekends that bike is way overdue for an engine disassembly and full check-up, looking for signs of detonation in the combustion chamber, wear of top cylinder nikasil, piston + ring + wrist pin bearing, rod and crankshaft bearings, seals, variator guide pins + weight arm dampers, etc… to prevent an engine failure. I really need to do it before any future race or monthly test run but I’ve been lazy and not looking forward to it since everything fits so tight on that bike and makes the engine dismount a little more difficult.
It’s always funny to see people’s reaction in their cars when I tell them it’s a 50cc moped. They should make a gta moped game version of this. That’d be so rad.
