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-   -   Building a 'Pocket Bike' out of a TVS Scooty ES (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/169829-building-pocket-bike-out-tvs-scooty-es.html)

I'm in the process of making pocket bike out of Scooty ES for a 12 year old kid. Idea started some 4 years back and I could make it happen now.

Disclaimer:
- This bike will not be taken to public roads.

Base Vehicle Details:
Make : TVS
Model : Scooty ES
Year : 2000

Why Scooty ES?
Scooty ES is the cheapest and safe best. People suggested to get Kinetic Honda or Bajaj Sunny which are available at scrap rates. Those samples I came across were already at their end of life, few rust buckets with bits and pieces of broken plastic around. The subject Scooty is single owner, well maintained and mechanically fit with valid documents. Without a second choice got her and started stripping.

Modifications Planned:
- Length & Height reduction
- Single Seat
- Exhaust routing under the seat
- Fuel tank in the front (Bike like)
- Limiting Top speed (Yet to finalize how to control)

Posting few snaps now. Let me update the progress every evening.

Base vehicle






After 30 mins








Started chopping the unwanted bits & pieces

Wheelbase reduced by 200 mm
Chopped the frame and welded






Exhaust routing to be modified. Stock silencer bend will harm the kid's leg

Nice idea sir ji!!

One suggestion: please add speed governor of some sort. (doing 60kmh is not good)ke design

Do consider reverse trike design, it will be much safer for the kid.

rgds,
Nikhil

Thanks Nikhil. I'm currently working on the speed governor (yet to finalize)
3 Wheeled proposal looks good and confident inspiring, may be I will keep it for future project.

Proposed Exhaust routing

Cool project, and lucky kid!

One concern with this particular part of the modification is altering the bike's front fork rake. Even small changes here can create very different behaviours due to the altered geometry. Not sure how aware you are of this, but I suggest you do some reading on the topic to be safe.

I had once changed the front fork on my mountain bike to a slightly taller one with more travel and a different offset. As a result, my bike became a little more twitchy (which is fine), but the crazy part was that if I turned my handlebars more than a certain amount, the front wheel would have a tendency to buckle, turning around to almost face me -- which resulted in me flying off my bike several times, at the most unexpected & slow moments.

Just mentioning this so that you're aware and can check out the bike thoroughly before handing it over. :thumbs up

Interesting project you got there.

What are you plans for the suspension or planning to keep the stock ones?

Also like Rehaan mentioned, with reduction in wheel base the rake and trail dimensions have now changed quite a bit. Hope this was kept in mind?

If it is for a 12 year old, i would first focus on safety and stability more than the speed. Ideally lock it to 35-40 kmph by restricting the carb slides.

Thank you Rehaan & Jaggu for the suggestions.
Rake & Trail remains unaltered. Double checked by measuring with an inclinometer.
Stock Suspension will remain as of now. In future I may upgrade to better telescopic forks in the front. I'll take any suggestions on this subject for future upgrade (I understand the stock setup will spoil the fun)

@Mr.Boss,
Warning: Shorter wheelbase will increase the rear wheel displacement angle, which in turn reduces the directional stability. Moreover, load transfer during acceleration and breaking will be higher. Chopping the frame is going to affect CG too. Sorry, but I am not sure you should be doing these modifications, especially when the modded vehicle is to be used by a 12 year old. I hope you do extensive testing.

Yes its got minimal travel so wont be great on broken stuff, but smoother surface would be just fine. Also the brakes are ok only for speeds under 40, above that they take quite a while in scooty.

Replacing the front will be a more complex task, the new TVS vigo is the one's that comes to mind that would be kind of within limits for this project.

Cool project! I am totally hooked to it. It's really interesting to see how the project shapes up day by day. Do you have a vision of how the bike is going to be? I would really love to see a cute little chopper clap:

Nice work !!

I have a feeling the end product might resemble the "Bobby" bike from Rajdhoot.

All the best.

Infected by Viral fever for past 1 week and I'm getting recovered now. Sadly I will be travelling abroad in a couple of days and this project will be put on hold for another 4 months

A mix of Chopper and Bobby lol:
Kid loved Thunder Bird and this bike will have the design hues of the same.

It is over 1.5 years and the project is left untouched doe to several reasons and commitments. I'm finding difficulties in getting leisure time or an appointment from my beloved mechanic (for this particular work) to resume the job. Left with only 2 options now
- Get it done before this summer (that's the time frame given by home minster to clear the space)
or
- Trade off

If I couldn't succeed with option 1, let me know if someone could take-up this project.