This Worksman Indstrial Trike is fitted with 26" rims, .120-gauge spokes, and a front drum brake. Industrial bike components are well-suited for high-power bike applications. |
Above: Simplex Automatic variable-ratio drive. |
are identical in exterior dimensions, to the extent that they use the same scale drawing for both on their site.. |
Ultimate Chopper, Larry Louterback's current |
Rif Addams : M E E T I N G M R . M O T O In which BR&K's Moto-Editor Interviews Larry Louterback, creator of hyper-powered motorized bicycles. |
When I was first asked to interview Mr. Larry Louterback, I had a few reservations, as I had never done anything like this before. Yet it sounded like it might be fun; so I figured, why not go ahead and try it? I could not have had any idea just how fun it was to be! |
Larry Louterback is one of the friendliest people I've had the pleasure of talking with. He is open, honest, and very knowledgeable, and is more than willing to share his expertise and experiences. He tells of these adventures with a great bit of humor. I asked Larry how he first got into motorizing bicycles; and with a chuckle he told me his story. He was a tinkerer from early on, and recalls how in the fifties he tinkered on cars. "I remember reading an advertisement on the back of a magazine, like Hop-Up or Hot rod, something of that nature. The ad said 'Turn your hobby into a career'. I remember this especially because I really thought nothing would come of it." Yet, in a way it did. "Later on in life, I went to work for the state of Michigan. I was responsible for maintenance on the school buses throughout the State. Through that, other related courses, and manufacturer's programs I went on to work on the development of propane carburetors in conjunction with Mobil Oil. We also got into some electric vehicle programs. |
"I was just tinkering, and it was more like a 20-year vacation than a job!" Larry recalls this with a laugh. "I had been collecting old Schwinn bicycles for, oh, probably ten or twelve years; when I came across some parts for an old Whizzer. So I collected more parts and began tinkering with Whizzers." In an ever-evolving process, from trying to improve upon the last bike, one thing led to another, and Larry began using 3.5 and 5.0 Tecumseh, as well as Briggs & Stratton engines, to power his moto-bikes. He also began to stretch and rake the frames and find ways to improve the brakes. "It's easy to make 'em go fast; it's another to make them stop!" |
Starting with the frame; as this is the basis of all bikes, Moto or otherwise, Larry first rakes the head tube. The reason for this goes beyond plain aesthetics. Form follows function. "I rake the head tube to help reduce the amount of road shock transmitted through the fork, into the frame, bars, and to the rider. I remove a one-inch section from the top tube. Then heat the bottom tube and bend the head tube back." After that has been accomplished, the head tube is butt-welded back on to the top tube. "This altered frame geometry allows the tire to climb over the defect in the road before the rest of the fork assembly." Larry says he also always uses the 'Knee-Action' (Schwinn-style) fork on his creations, as this also helps in reducing the effect of cracks, bumps, and other imperfections in the road surface. "Even if you use a standard fork, this (rake) will certainly reduce the amount of shock transmitted to the fork and frame." When it comes to stretching the frames, Larry uses a similar process. "First I cut the frame and use angle iron to secure it. Then, using tubing of the same diameter from a donor bike, I cut a length of the tubing equal to the amount of the stretch. Again, using tubing of an equal diameter, I cut some lengths at two to three inches, then split these longitudinally. These 'telescoping' pieces are then fitted inside the donor tube and the frame to create a strong join." In addition to creating a strong, rigid weld or joint; this also helps to align the tubing and makes it much easier to get the frame straight and true. |
Larry always brazes his frames, rather than welding them. The reason for this is: "The brazing process requires less heat, therefore the tubing is less likely to melt or burn away. This process also allows one to use the braze much like the old 'leading' used on hot rods of the '50s. This (brazing) fills in defects and gaps nicely, with minimal finish work." Less grinding, filing, and sanding prior to the paint work is required. It is at this point I would like to interject that, if you are not an experienced or professional welder, I would strongly recommend that you have this done by a professional. Riding on a weak frame is flirting with disaster! Larry and I went on to discuss wheels and tires. Having had a few problems on the road in this area myself, I felt it to be an important part of this discussion. Larry uses .120 gauge spokes on his creations."Most people who are building these bikes aren't paying any attention to the spokes. They're using regular spokes and breaking them out all the time." Larry feels that standard .080 gauge spokes are questionable on a standard bicycle with a rider weighing 180 Lbs. or more. On a moto-bike, they are just not safe at speeds of 20 M.P.H. or more. At the higher speeds of 30+ miles per hour, he feels they become just plain dangerous!" |
I personally like the look of the .120 gauge spokes on my moto-bikes, but Larry says even if you don't like the look of these, "at the least lace your rims with .105 ga. spokes. They don't have the 'heavy' look, but will be sufficient in strength at sustained higher speeds." Before I had much experience with 30+ M.P.H. moto-bikes, I was running standard spokes. I would occasionally check them for looseness, bends, etc. but paid little other attention to my spokes. I hit a small pothole a few miles away from home. That rim bent and taco'd as if it were made of paper! Luckily I wasn't hurt, but walking that bike home certainly wasn't easy, and was far from fun. Larry recommends finding a manufacturer or wholesaler who will sell you parts without a business number, if you are going to be building a lot of bikes. "This will save you quite a bit of money in the long run. Compare a box of 100 spokes and nipples (.120 gauge) at a cost of 30-50 dollars from your local bike shop to $11.00 from a manufacturer or wholesaler. The hard part is finding one that will sell to you without a business license or sales tax number." |
As a side note, I would also recommend stainless steel over galvanized, as galvanized spokes have a nasty tendency to stretch, causing one to constantly be re-tightening and truing your wheels. This also creates weak points in the spoke itself, from the material being stretched. Next, Larry and I shared horror stories when discussing tire durability at sustained speeds over 30 miles per hour. I relayed to him a story about the time I had the rear tire shred, peel, and then pop at 35 M.P.H. Boy, that back end starts hopping up and down and from side to side! All you can do is let off the throttle, hold on, and try to gain enough control to keep you from going down. Scary! |
When it comes to the brakes, Larry utilizes moped drum-style brakes. They will lace onto your rims easily enough and are designed for proper effective stopping at these higher speeds. On occasion, Larry will use caliper-type brakes in conjunction with these. There really isn't much more to say on this, except to make darn sure your brakes are in tip-top working condition! Check your pads and replace them as necessary, and check to make sure they are properly adjusted. On that note, Larry recalls a time when he was cruising on the Ultimate Chopper. A car driver in front of him stepped on his brakes fairly hard. It turned out that this car had no stoplights. Larry clamped down hard on his brakes. The Ultimate chopper (using only a front drum brake and front caliper brakes) didn't react the way he had anticipated. Apparently, the wheel stopped, yet the tire spun on the rim. This caused the fork to whip to the left side while the left fork rail collapsed. Larry didn't hit the vehicle, but ended up going over the bars. He told me it took about three months for the last of the road rash to heal. |
In setting up the engines for these moto-bikes, he recommends using the 5.0 horsepower motors. The 3.5-horse motors work, but for nearly the same amount of money. The extra oomph of the five-horse motor makes it worthwhile. While the motors seem to work splendidly, Larry was going through clutches rather quickly. "I have started using a 'torque converter' of sorts. It's called the Comet Torq-A-Verter. It uses a centrifugal clutch with a centrifugal-action split pulley; this acts like an automatic transmission. These will bolt right up to the Briggs & Stratton motors. The holes are already drilled and tapped on the block." This seems to be similar to a design used on the old Simplex Automatics. How this works is fairly simple (please see diagram); when the motor is idling in neutral the weights of the centrifugal clutch are not engaged, the split pulley is in the 'wide' position and the belt rides low in the pulley. When the R.P.M. increases the centrifugal clutch engages and the split pulley closes and becomes narrower. This causes the belt to ride high in the pulley, thereby increasing the ratio and giving the same effect as a two-speed automatic transmission. |
"We have a drag strip here and they are running these Junior Slingshots out there. They run a 1/8 mile course, using the 5.0 horse Briggs & Stratton with the Torq-A-Verter. They get up to about 80 M.P.H.! They run on alcohol, and it's a pretty classy set-up. " Wow! "This thing really makes all the difference in the world. When you crank it up, you're away from the corner with all the cars and going some!" Larry tells me that most go-kart shops will be able to find these for you. He goes on to talk about the power or torque that this set-up (on the bikes) creates: "I twisted the shaft on my secondary pulley. I ran a piece of steel rod with a key-way cut into it and a pulley for the jackshaft. I pulled the damn key out of this shaft! It twisted it right out. I've got the thing hanging up in my garage right now. I need to make another one for it. It really builds up the torque in a hurry." |
The jackshaft is a shaft with pulleys that allows the drive to be transferred from the drive side of the motor to the opposite side of the bicycle with a secondary pulley, then to the sheave on the rear wheel. This also allows one to tune the gear ratio for different applications and different top speeds. The drive shaft of the motor is on the left side (facing the bike) and this jack shaft transfers the drive to the right. Larry tells me that, "The salvation of motorizing bicycles is to have an abundance of old Whizzer (or whizzer-type moto-bike) rear sheaves. If you can find these and collect them you will save yourself a lot of time and frustration. They are 20" diameter which is a good size for the final drive." In the course of conversation, Larry gave me many great little tidbits of info, including how he sets up a motorcycle battery to power his headlight, stoplight, and turn signals. "What I did, was I went to a guy who junks out old motorcycles. I found a small battery box, you know, with the little spring work and hinge that holds it in. I got one of those, and I brazed that right on the frame. You set your little battery in there, shut the lid on it, and you're in business. I put the charger on it every couple of weeks. You would be surprised how long you can run that little twenty-dollar battery on one charge!" "I have also set up a little push-button switch on the handlebars next to the brake lever. This is connected to my brake light on the rear of the bike. When you grab the brakes, your thumb almost automatically goes to that little switch." |
"What I have done as well, is to purchase one of those little emergency tire inflators, the ones that have the little lights built into the case. Well, I tore the case apart, threw that away, and kept just the guts- the compressor. I attached two little alligator clips to the wires. I carry that with me, in the event of a flat. Even if you have picked up a thorn and have a slow leak; stopping occasionally (as often as necessary, to inflate the tire) clamp the alligator clips to the battery and you can keep that tire up enough to get you home or to a repair shop." At the end of this interview, I asked Larry if he had anything he wanted to add, or comment on. "I really believe that a lot of people, especially older people, retirees, and elderly folks, are really missing the boat. These moto-bikes are a great, economical, and fun way to get around. I have an electric-powered trike that I use for a pick-up. I use it for running errands, like to Home Depot, or just to do bike repairs around the park I live in here. But, it seems people aren't willing to part with the money. It may seem a bit expensive, but motors are really pretty cheap, and I think in the long run it would be a worthwhile expense." Larry goes on to say that, in his eyes, the (moto-bike) market is in its infancy. If someone had the time and money to go into full production on these, and with the right advertising and proper exposure, he feels that a real niche could be carved out. With the burgeoning prices of fuel and the overcrowding on our roadways, we may be on the verge of a new, booming industry. I personally agree with Larry on this, and have felt this way for quite some time now. After all, these vehicles have been very successful in the overseas market for decades. I would like to thank Larry for taking the time out of his schedule to have this conversation. It has been not only a privilege, but my distinct pleasure. Thank you Mr. Louterback. |
Ultimate Chopper, Larry Louterback's current |
are identical in exterior dimensions, to the extent that they use the same scale drawing for both on their site.. |
Above: Simplex Automatic variable-ratio drive. |
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This Worksman Indstrial Trike is fitted with 26" rims, .120-gauge spokes, and a front drum brake. Industrial bike components are well-suited for high-power bike applications. |
Larry asked what size tires I was using. I told him I was using mid-weight 1.75"x 26". "I stay away from those for exactly that reason. I go up to the 2.125-inch-size tire. I use the Cheng Shin brand tire. They call it the 'Double Eagle' with the old '50s-style Goodyear diamond-tread pattern. They make these for the old antique and vintage bicycles. At your local bike shop these sell for around twelve dollars each, and through a wholesaler you can pick them up for about $6.00." "I use the thorn proof tubes; but also, I will take an old tube and slice it lengthwise around the inside, cut out the valve, and slip this over the thorn-proof tube. This creates an extra layer of thickness and protection." (Brilliant! Why hadn't I thought of that?) |