Not surprised by the VS brake orientation.

Forum member AtomicWedgie is a CX fan and an avid cyclist also; he always switches the bicycle cables around to match a motorcycle.

Back from the road trip and spent a bit more time with the 3800.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ps2gm6cxwx.jpg

Get the fork yanked and start to pull the caliper when I see this.:wtf:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...psurcierta.jpg
One arm of the caliper had broken off and the PO had done this. No wonder it didn't stop. A redneck repair if I've ever seen one. On the bright side, I can use a section of the 'repair' and weld it to the caliper arm the correct way.:)

It looks cobbled together to me, but I'm not exactly sure how it should look.

Well, I just found out that I can get the caliper arm from France for 0.75 euro.:shrug: Not even worth breaking out the welder for that.

http://www.solex-motobecane.com/3-fr...lex-149-80.htm

I'm interested in the replacement of the caliper arm. I can't visualize how the item you linked to will replace the redneck repair.

The caliper is made up a boat load of stamped steel parts. Included are two right arms and two left arms. Each pair of arms holds a brake pad. What I have is one broken left arm.


My friend and coworker in France is picking me up two pairs of arms(among other small parts) and bringing them stateside for me next month.

That's a terrific connection! I hope you also asked for something from the Bordeaux region.

If it wasn't for Tony(and Christian, Neil, Mirko, Luc, Xavier, Alfredo, Jesus, and any of my other international co-workers)there probably would be no liquor in the house. I believe I got a bottle from the Alsace region and one from the Piedmont region earlier this year. The guys from Mexico brought me locally distilled mescal and tequila. The Brit brought me a bottle of Balveinie last year. I'm still waiting for the Canucks to pick up a bar tab, though.:hehe: They're from Ontario, whatchagonnado?

I'm bringing Tony bottles from Illinois and Maine next month. Maybe he will still like me.

Bit more done on the 3800 today. New chain and freewheel installed, over hauled the bottom bracket plus drilled and tapped the same for a grease zerk so I don't need to take half the frame down to do it next time. Fork and wheels on. Plastic welded the cracked throttle tube. I have a new one on order but I want to see if this works.

Other than that, plodding right along.

Have you checked out Moped Army? That might be another source for used parts.

Yup, got my new headlight from them. Which, by the way, works. Still no tail or brake light but I'm narrowing it down. Finished up the bicycle part on the 3800 this morning and also tried my hand at plastic welding the cracked throttle tube. Man, I could have saved thirty bucks if it holds.

Did you use the HF plastic welder?

No, I got a cheap one from Menards'.

Got the 3800 back together tonight but that's as far as I got. Went to pull the flywheel, but my tool doesn't fit. I think I have one that will fit at the shop.

Just a tip for future plastic welding...a soldering iron works quite well for this as well!

It can, but the flat shoe of a plastic welding iron is much easier. I have a cheap one from HF that does a decent job. They also have an assorted bag of filler rods, with PP, PVC and ABS. Also cheap.

Woohoo, spark and fire on the 3800 this evening.:clap:
Cleaned and reset the points, got spark. Shot some two stroke into the carb, flipped the flywheel a couple times and away it went. Ran about 10 seconds on what was in the carb and just purred. A stinky two stroke purr, but a purr nonetheless.:tup: