Field find Motobecane mopeds; where to start?

[noiseguy]

Picked up a couple of Motobecane Mobylette 50VÔÇÖs today. IÔÇÖd like to know where to start on these things.

TheyÔÇÖve been outside and arenÔÇÖt in the best shape. Engines seem to have compression when I spin them, though, and of the 2 one looks complete. Other is 95% there.

Rear wheels are nearly locked up; dragging badly on both. Lots of rust on the chain, pedals wonÔÇÖt turn, etc.

IÔÇÖm tempted to start pulling off the rotating parts, starting at the rear wheel and working forward until I get enough spinning to start the engine. Then clean up the carb, put some good gas in it and see if it will run.

Or maybe I should pull the engine and try to work from the other end. Perhaps it doesn't matter.

Any ideas on the right approach?

These are my first mopeds IÔÇÖve messed with. I have access to the shop manuals but am right now thinking through where to start.

[bradthreee]

A quick search on Ebay yeilds only 19 items: http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid ... Categories

Maybe your best source for parts would be to tear down one of the 2 for parts

[noiseguy]

I haven't planned out the parting-out of either of the bikes, yet. I want to see if I can get them running first, either one.

But if you've ever looked at the powertrain of a Mobylette, it's quite complex. Lots of rotating parts. Not quite sure where to begin.

On Spree, I just focus on getting them running, then address the rest. You can't even start these things without the pedals turning (they do not turn currently.)

[Kenny_McCormic]

I would start at the rear like you said.

[wikked_spree57]

I had one of those but never went anywhere with - I regret it. I was told by more than one source that they will keep up with a stock Elite. Mine was variator belt driven, too.

[bradthreee]

I've never had the pleasure of looking at any other powertrain besides Sprees, NC50 and SE50's.

Today I just sold my NC50, so I didn't even get a chance at digging into that one.

I'll keep an eye out on my daily Ebay search for your Mobylette

[noiseguy]

Let me know what you find in terms of parts online. The engine's spin on these but there may be so many issues everywhere else that parting them out will make more sense.

[jesse8931]

a spree will out run one I have one to but i use a drill to start it

[bradthreee]

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/EdsSurplus_ ... mit=Search

[bradthreee]

http://www.themopedjunkyard.com/motobecanenew.html

[bigluelok]

heres a great site for parts for all mopeds http://www.treatland.tv/motobecane-av7- ... s-s/13.htm

[noiseguy]

Nice find on the parts sites guys, thanks!

I've heard that these things, even with their variators, won't beat a Spree in a straight race. Which is just kindof sad; they're great looking bikes, they should be faster.

[carp]

WOW!! A moped that is slower than a Spree!!Carp

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

When I was in college these MotoBecane, Mobylette, and Peugeot mopeds were all the rage in Montreal. They're older than our Hondas, for the most part, and yet there are not one but dozens of Aftermarket sources for things like bore kits and exhausts and all kinds of go-slightly-faster parts. Would that it were so for the Aero generation, let alone Sprees.

I have no doubt that someone with NoiseGuy's experience can build one that'll eat Sprees for breakfast.

[noiseguy]

Well, while waiting for the paint to dry on an exhaust system, I pulled the chains off the black Moby (see, I'm even learning the shorthand terms.) With the rusty chains off the pedals, rear wheel, and pulley are now turnable. Now I just need to get the thing switched from "pedals move the bike forward incredibly slowly" to "pedals starts the engine" and I'll be one step closer.

Chains went into my waste oil bucket. My experience has been that soaking rusted solid chains in this stuff is a sure-fire cure. I'm optimistic they'll be salvageable; I've recovered worse. The messy part is taking them back out and getting the oil back off; I think that I'll lay them in the sun on newpaper in the yard and let heat+gravity do most of the work.

The carb exterior looks nightmare; it will be interesting to see if I can get it apart without breaking it. I'm going to try the penetrating oil mix that Bear brought up in a post awhile back if the general WD40 treatment doesn't work.