It is a centrifugal clutch that has a manually (left foot pedal) actuated feature to disengage the clutch for shifting from low gear to high gear while moving. A v-belt goes from this clutch to the two speed transmission which has an output sprocket on the other side to chain drive the rear wheel sprocket.

When at a standstill, shifting can be perform with out use of the clutch (the shifter is a hand operated lever on the left side of the gas tank) and upshifting with the foot operated clutch is generallt pretty smooth but downshifting on the fly is dicey even when done by someone well versed in matching engine speeds. I usually don't down shift unless I am stopped.

Cool, Thanks! I was thinking it was moved with the right heel somehow.

And what about the pedal in front of the motor?

Kick starter. It is manually raised by hand or with your toe, which engages a pivoting curved mini rack. Once this rack is engaged in the teeth of a gear protruding from the crankcase (actually the end of the camshaft), one simply kicks downward to start it. Having grown up riding all sorts of small Hondas, I found this to be pretty odd myself.

Small Hondas like this?
http://images.craigslist.org/0102120...341500ac43.jpg

$450 on CL.

I just got my 3 year old an '85 Honda Z50R. I put some training wheels on it and machined a throttle limit screw to slow him down till he's bigger. Great little bikes!

Good to know you are starting him down "the path". ;):D I started at 5 on a '72 Z50. By age 10, that bike was looking pretty sad (part of the reason I kind of feel like I owe this scooter to my dad), but it ran like a top until it got scrapped due to multiple broken/handlebars/frame/lights/shift rod (I wish dad would have saved it, as I have thought many times about finding one and restoring it for him).

How long before he starts complaining about the throttle limiter? :D

He's a perfect mix of bravery and fear right now, I really couldn't be happier in that vein. I tell him "this is fast enough" and he's cool with it. The thing is I always considered myself an early starter to motorsports but I was probably 8-10, so starting my son at 3 is nerve racking. I don't push him at all, not even a little. If he wants to ride, we ride. If not...not.

I hope that system works out moving forward.

Well, it runs now and is pretty much complete (still need to mess with the new Mikuni carb jetting and install the seat cover). These pics do not do it justice, it is absolutely stunning in person. I will ride it enough to break it in, then will park it until X-mas to give it to dad.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1190290757.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1190290804.jpg

Beautiful work Tim! Be sure to take plenty of pictures on Christsmas!

How are you ever going to wait till Christmas? I'd be calling him NOW! :D

Tim, your work is truly amazing!

I agree, that is absolutely awe-inspiring. Is that Imron? Has the same glossy sheen as the struts on my Citabria.

The silver is Imron, the red is Nason Fulthane (Dupont's value line) which is cheaper than the Imron I am accustomed to using. It is an isocyanate catalyzed urethane of similar quality to Imron, but at a reduced cost. I have painted two p-cars with it so far and would "consider" painting metal or composite aircraft with it, but will probably stick with old school Imron for aircraft (especially fabric airplanes....I use Stits thru silver then finish with Imron).

Here is a video clip of dad getting his Cushman Eagle on Christmas morning. He left for awhile that day to pick up my grandmother and while he was gone I went to my parent's neighbors house where I had dropped it off the prior week. I put it in a back bedroom and pushed it out after he had finished opening his last present from my brother.

If you listen to the beginning you will hear his normal voice, then his mouth drops open and he starts balling/sobbing for the next five minutes. I have never in my 41 yrs heard my dad cry....He was truly overwhelmed!

He cried a few times thru the next day whenever the Cushman subject came up!

Restoring a 1956 basketcase Cushman scooter............. 200 hrs and $2500
Seeing your 60+ yr old dad cry like a young teenager.... PRICELESS


<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uzJrkK_RXqY&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uzJrkK_RXqY&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uzJrkK_RXqY

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199651190.jpg

Awsome! One of life's greatest moments for you (and your dad) I'm sure. Congratulations...

Dad's Cushman quit on him last summer.... Finally got around to fixing it for him. The new "Chinese" coil I put on it 10 years ago during the restoration took a dirt nap... Luckily I still had the old original Wico coil from the 50's in a box and it still works great.

Dad has kept this thing waxed and covered.... It still looks almost like the day I gave it to him.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1535640269.jpg

I recently quit racing so I have had time to get my 911 and my CB450 back on the road again. Feels good to have time to play with my toys again.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1535640269.jpg

Why did you quit racing, Tim?

I always enjoyed your updates!

Tim. This was one of the most heart warming stories I've seen in a long time. Great to see you & your dad each enjoying your toys.

I told myself at the start of the season that as long as I had a shot of winning the championship, I would stick with it. My last race, I got spun in my heat race which cut a tire down. I had to pull off and thus missed making the A-main feature for the first time in nearly two years. This dropped me from 3rd to 4th in points and basically took away any chance of me winning the championship. I had to race the B feature that night and won it, so at least I won the last race I was in. :) The weekly upkeep/repairs was getting old after 4.5 years and I have been very lucky in some of my wrecks.... I gave it a good shot but it is time to enjoy my summers again.

I sold the car last week.... tough to see it go, but now I wont be tempted. ;)

Excellent, Tim. I have even more respect for your craftsmanship than your racing.

This thread was a great reminder.

All the best!