The things you see working at a moped shop. + Moby Turbo kit pipe, Demm Smily head options,

So I finally got around to posting some random M.O.P.E.D. photos, my lightroom has been screwed up for the last month but I finally figured it out.  It's interesting working at a shop because you see tons of weird fixes, modifications and personal stylings. I really enjoy working on all types of bikes that I wouldnt have access to without the shop. Sometimes you just need to do a tune-up on a sweet Batavus to remind yourself why mopeds rule.  Here are some pics from around the shop.

 Focus..... Warbux magnum came through and made me think of the older days of Chicago moped shops.

 An interesting boost port modification. 

Some times I leave little notes for people.

Which way does this huge arrow go!~?

 "yea it runs, just need it jetted" Also look at that petcock a centimeter away from the carb haha.

 One of our favorite customers got in a fender bender.

 We got it sorted out.

Motion Left Relics from the past.

 Moped Trivia: NAME THAT PART!!!!

 Got to install a Motobecane Turbo Kit side bleed pipe.

The rear pipe mount on the engine cases took some fiddling but it ended up mounting fine.

 I had to remove the kickstand and hack the mount for the pipe to not rub while fully variated. 

So I was VERY excited to finally work on a derny bike. The gentleman who inquired about getting it worked on was relieved we actually knew what it was. If you dont know, a derny bike is a E50 powered (usually) pace setting bike for the Velodrome races. Check out videos of the racers drafting them, it's cool. BTW this bike has a throttle dial and is completely fixed gear, it was fun to ride. The fellow who brought it in said "Mr. Bianchi....imported this from Germany" Idk how true that is, but it was exciting to have in the shop. 

Puch E50, 21mm PHGB, 80cc Metra kit and a pipe that doesnt exactly perform at all. I installed a condenser and this came with no lighting coil, pretty sweet. 

 Bonus funny Derny bike video, the Thin Lizzy and radness starts at 1:05.

 A BEAUTIFUL 1986 General 5 star came through the shop recently. We installed an 80cc Polini, 15:15 SHA, and a Zen pipe. It was almost a shame because of how everything on the bike was pristine. 

 Next was some funky Sachs fixes we saw. This guy gets A for effort and working with what he had. 

 What a very nice homemade Sachs transmission cover.

So I picked up a Demm Smily for cheap cheap and had to address a few issues. First the piston was gone so I grabbed a stock 38mm Minarelli V1 piston and threw it in. Secondly the head was stripped out and after a failed helicoil attempt, I went and dug in my parts pile. I found that Tomos and Puch stud pattern was a direct fit with the Demm. Out of all the Tomos and Puch heads the Tomos A3 seemed to be the most similar in size and looks to the stock Demm cylinder. The only issue was the head was too thick and the cylinder studs barely stuck through the holes in the head.  I just took the head to a drill press and drilled the holes to be more shallow. With all that done, I ran a stock puch head gasket and it works great. I sold the bike to my neighbor and he has been ripping hard on it. Demms are such fun little stock bikes, everyone should have one for going to garage sales on.

Cranks rally, Stolen Mopeds recovered, and Burnt Pizza racing.

So last weekend  we headed to Milwaukee for The Crank's Rally and shit was fuuuuun. Only had to drive 2 hours which RULED. This year I've been getting to the know the Cranks better.  I really like them because they are fucking nerds.... very unlike most other Moped Army groups. The rally was held during some motorcycle weekend so we got to get looked down on together, so awesome. Spirits were high, people were drunk, and the streets were riddled with potholes. Tons of hot dogging groms, just the way I like it. pics.

 Jay and Chelsea (CONGRATS)  checking out Juke's TriRAD Magnum x with 8 track player.

 I love them Chicago retards.

 Taken while pissing next to Rob's tent.

 ZAC WINS THE RAFFLE BIKE!!!!!!!!!!

That shirt is Moped Culture.

 Seriously couldnt think of a better person to win this bike.

  Janus stopped in to say hi!

 Bad Neighbors.

Hung out on this adult swings.

 That drunk girl. ps fuck the dude on the far left for feeding her more beers.

 Hai friends!

 Skid time.

Stolen Mopeds

So a few local girls had their mopeds stolen the other day, one was a Batavus regency with Hobbit motor and the other was a red Garelli SSXL. They live 10 or so blocks away so it makes me glad we have a garage and everything. So Thom, my gf Azarah and I walked to one of our favorite coffee shops in the neighborhood to find it was packed.  I noticed a new coffee shop down the street so we headed there to try it out. The coffee shop was pretty lame and the coffee tasted like gas station coffee... which I like but I go to gas stations when I want watered down coffee. So we were chatting about metaphysics and mythology when I hear a looooooud ass moped coming down the street. Of course you look because mopeds are so cool. I look over and see a redheaded gangster wannabe riding one of the stolen mopeds with out a pipe. He is riding down the bike lane backwards on the other side of the road. So thom and I jump on our TANDEM BIKE and head towards this mega grom. Well 7 blocks later and after asking a ton of people we roll up to the kid. He is leaking gas hellla and is with these four 16 year old kids. So instead of just taking the bike, we ask him all about the moped.  He tells us he hit a rock and the pipe fell off and that he bought it from a buddy, oh and that it had a 5 gallon gas tank on it (batavus regency tank HAHA). He then lets us take a picture of him on the bike lol. We then walk down the street and call the owners, who dont pick up. We then decide that we are going to walk back and tell the kid we know the bike is stolen and we are going to call the cops. So we head back down the block and he takes off. As this is going on my GF finds the snapped proma pipe in the road and stashes it. So we head to the Castle and tell everyone what happened and show them the photo. Daniel recognized the dude as his GF's neighbor and knew exactly where he lived. So 8 of us piled in the truck and went to his house. Daniel and Thom knocked on the door and then jumped the fence. The rest of us walked around to the alley. Daniel opened the back gate and guess what? Both of the stolen mopeds were there, so we stole them back. Happy ending. Fuck gangster kids on mopeds.

BURNT PIZZA RACING

So I am doing the Pinball run race at the end of this month! STOKED! If you arent familiar, it is a 50cc moped race/ride from Portland Maine to Key West Florida. You can find info about it here http://www.pinball-run.com/ its the first event of its kind and I'm excited to be involved. I am on team Burnt Pizza out of Chicago, the team consist of riders from Peddy Ca$h, BLK BLK, and HNrZ. we have a webpage here www.Burntpizzaracing.com feel free to drop us a couple bucks for our trip. we have shirts for sale for $15 shipped just email HERE with your name, size, and address. ALSO if you are in the Chicago area we are having a FREAKING RAGER on sunday. Come to the Castle (1345 w. 19th street) on sunday starting at 1 pm and we are gonna get wild. $10 dollars at the door for free booze and food. We're having a BB gun comp, Mini ramp comp, raffling e50s, tattoo credits, NINO, and more. Come hang. FB page here FB PAGE.

Photo update: Moped related film photos of the last few months.

Here are some 35mm photos from the last few months. They were taken mostly with a Olympus XA2 and were taken anywhere from Kansas to Tennessee. I took most of them personally but a few were taken by my girlfriend.

 Nashville abandoned house.

 Nashville Thom & Daniel Dub with Vince pissing in the background. taken by azarah.

One of my fav mopeds at Unique Thrift in Chicago.

 Variant Sport at the observatory in Chicago.

 My Gf at Union Station in Chicago.

 On the way home from STL.

 UFO at the antique mall in southern Illinois.

 "YOU GUYS INTO MOPEDS TOO!?"

 Hugging Barritt at the STL Ruffians rally.

 Thom w/ Scooter and Moped at STL rally.

 STL rally body tunnel.

 I feel like im kind of the Vegeta of mopeds.

Plisen Graffiti in Chicago.

 Ames Iowa with Nash Wiley.

 Coffee time in Chicago with my main dude Nate Pelak.

 Double Derbi riding with Tony, Thom, and NAsh at Dunkin Donuts (duh) Chicago.

 Moto ride in Ames Iowa with Nash and Mark.

 2 Stroke Coffee with Nash in Iowa.

VHS or die in my room at the Castle. taken by azarah.

Twerkin hard at M.O.P.E.D. in Chicago. taken by azarah.