Lets talk about speed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CJM]

OK, What kind of speeds you are guys getting with your stools? How are you verifying these speeds? Mine will run 27 on a ruff road with a intec 5.5, a cheap clutch (dont know the number of teeth maybe 12) a 72 rear sprocket and I believe 11" tall rear tires . I think with gearing in the 40's could easily be done but it would lose all its torq and ability to pull wheelies. I use a handheld GPS to read my speeds.

Lets hear some setups and speeds!!!!!!!!!!!! I need something to read!

[RUBICON]

If you want to monitor (verify) instantaneous speed or average speed or maximum speed this can be done for $10-$12 . WalMart has in their bicycle dept a cheap digital bicycle speedometer. It is a wired unit. I have a wireless one on my electric wagon and a wired one on my BSR. They both have the basic features. The wireless one was around $50 and I don't use the extra stuff. You epoxy a small magnet ( included ) to the inside of your rear wheel ( near the edge ) and fab a mount for the pickup to be near the magnet....measure the circumference of the tire in centimeters and enter it in the setup. Mount the indicator on the handlebar and you can see the max speed you want to brag about....if you are like me...you will be holding on tightly and not looking down to see the max speed....that is the beauty of having a max speed that it will display from memory...some units record distance and time....as for the sprocket ratios...someone check me on this but it should be simple math....not considering torque...look @ you top speed now and the gear ratio...lets say 27mph with 14/55...the ratio is 3.92.....if you add 2 teeth to the engine 16/55...the ratio is 3.44.....the difference in ratios is 1.14...or 14% increase in wheel speed.....27mph x 1.14 = 31mph.....works for me...as for the compromise in ability to do wheelies....you will trade that off some.....depends if you want to ( in motorcycle lingo ) do a "high side" or a "slider"...a high side is over the handlebars and almost always breaks something ( on you ) and the slider always removes skin...sometimes a lot.....I got luckey and have the best of both when it comes to wheelies and speed...first and second gear wheelies are on demand @ any speed...and at full rpm 3rd and 4th wheelies are easy...I have heard the question asked about the torque converters...I would expect this to be a way to have both ends....low speed torque and higher gearing for speed.....only advice.....helmets save lives...your choice in a free country....road rash is an interesting war story to tell you buddies....a broken neck or skull...is hard for you family to understand why we are all stupid enough to do this...nuf said......

[CJM]

how fast is your Rubicon. Not that most of us will compare to yours but just qurious

[stool-sample]

In my honest opinion, I would not race a stool. I think there more attention getters than anything.Im getting to the age where it takes way to long to recover from injurys. lol Glenn

[RUBICON]

Have you ever heard..."Its not the size of the tool but how it is used"....all of this is a "man thing"...all of this is an ego exercize....to show what you are in ways that you can display it....ingenuity...creativity...inventiveness...fabrication skills...speed...bells and whistles....."bling"....disposible income...all are ways to present yourself to interested parties....there are more interested parties here..in one place so to speak that anywhere else...I value open and supportive discussions....those that create rather than tear down ( which I have not seen so far )...For me I have had more interest in this forum than any others ...being a part of a fraternity of guys that share a unique and poorly understood hobby....that has a risk that is underrated.....all of this is to say that I enjoy reading everything here....and also enjoy pulling up a short soap box and saying what I feel.....and sometimes...find a like mind out there....so...."HOW FAST?".......39mph to be precise....recorded on a digital cycle speedometer with the max speed saved in memory.....I preach about safety at speed...yet....I have a new axle with 10 degrees of caster to weld on that hopefully will add stability at speed....but nothing can change the center of gravity and the basic physics of motion.....as I said earlier...when you leave the seat.....start flapping your arms...cause you will fly for a while...and when you land....pray that it just hurts a lot and you heal quickly and have understanding insurance.....I have a curiosity about the HP capabilities of my stool...the speed is limited by final drive ratio...I could possibly get 60mph or so in terms of power...but the handling at that speed is like outer space for me....I fear going there because of the risk and danger...but...it would be nice to actually use the transmission in lower gears at slow speeds....I have a front sprocket that is generic to early small displacement Honda's....14 teeth...and my rear spocket is as small as I can use to fit the differential....so I need a larger front sprocket....I can't use a part or model number cause the engine is a made in China clone....I plan to photocopy and fax to a custom sprocket mfg. and see what it matches in the 17-19 range.....the need for speed is kinda like Russian Roulette.....when will it be too fast?......GREAT STUFF!

[CJM]

I am a 35 year old that doesnt heal as fast as I used to also. I am not looking to build a racer or the fastest stool out there. I was just wondering how my set up compares to others. There seems to be plenty of people on here and lots of stools just no one responds. I like to read and see all the different stuff. Thats why I asked.
Hell, I just got a 80 tooth rear sproket to add a little more low end fun (and lose some speed) to mine but I screwed up, its only about a 1/4 smaller than my tire and I am afraid it will hit the ground easily.
Really I though this question may bring some people out of the woodwork and give me some good reading material while I am at work.
Rubicon, keep up the good work. You are one interesting dude. I wish you where my neighbor.

[RUBICON]

If you think about it...the surface speed of the sprocket is the same as a tire of the same diameter..if it hits there is no change in speed ...only a trashed chain...well lets say " well abused"...more seriously...if the sprocket is a kart unit there are sprocket guards that attach to each side and protect the chain...actually they protect riders coming in contact with a sprocket...Its like a car a friend had when we were young...a real Austin Mini- Cooper " SUPER COOPER S " with 10" Minilite Mags and 11" disks on the front....pulled your eyeballs out when braking hard...but don't have a flat...on another subject...I read a lot of questions about dimensions...plans....and basic stuff...and it shows that there is a wide range of where interest lies...some want to assemble...some want to create...some want to invent...some want to make it shine....some want it fast...some like wheelies...some want to spend lots of money...some want to showcase fabrication skills...some experiment with the risk of something new working better...some want a proven formula......its ALL good....something for everyone.....for me I started long ago with a lot of research into the original electric stools....nothing is said of those...it is a world of its own....then there is Bonneville speed stuff...what a trip!....then the real...real...racers...who has ever seen one except in the old ( now deceased ) BARSTOOLRACERS.NET....I think they actuall race on blacktop in Fla.....those have real features to make them handle and stay upright ( most of the time with luck )..nerf bars, bumpers, floorboards for shifting weight. etc...and controls that perform not just for looks...those are the real BARSTOOL RACERS that you never see or hear about....The 3 questions I get asked almost every time I mine is seen....What is it?...Where do you race them? and Where did you buy it?.....I have never been able to answer the second one...but soon....this fall....with th ehelp of my wet nitrous system and a front axle mod I will temp fate with a 1/8 mile run @ the local dragstrip with a timeslip to frame for fun...Next spring I will have everything I have dreamed of on it revised the last time and take to to Lowes Motor Speedway for the Spring Autofair and offer it for sale.......befor it kills me....and so I can start something new....