Build for Reliability, Comfort, Long Distances, & Big Hills

I have pedaled bikes all my life. I have loved them and I still love riding them. I pedal almost 2000 miles per year, and I have pedaled well over 50,000 miles in my lifetime. But I am now 67 years old, and I was disappointed that I can no longer pedal the long distances and hilly routes that I used to enjoy. I decided to get a motorized bike so that I could once again enjoy those long hard rides.

RELIABILITY

My most important requirement was that the bike had to be reliable. I don’t want to get stranded on the road in the middle of nowhere. Some of my rides are in areas with no cell phone coverage, very few houses, and little traffic - really remote! Besides that, when I start on a ride I want to feel confident that my bike is always up to the task of getting me where I want to go.

I rejected the Chinese 2-strokes because lots of people reported difficulties with them. I bought the GEBE kit with the Japanese-made Tanaka 32 cc motor because both the GEBE kit and the Tanaka motor had good reputations for reliability. So far it has served me well. Almost 3000 miles and not a single breakdown on the road except for a flat tire, which I could change and then keep going.

What I wanted was a motorized bike that was good quality, reliable, easy to build, quiet, and low vibration. I ended up getting a kit from Golden Eagle Bike Engines (GEBE) with a Tanaka 32cc 2-stroke engine. I also bought the GEBE very heavy duty (105g) rear wheel and put on strong durable tires - the 2-inch Serfas Drifter S.

To be continued.

Comfort

Since I bike for long distances, I was looking for a motor that was quiet and had low vibrations. I was told that the Tanaka 32cc was the quietist of the 2-strokes, and I selected it on that basis. I was told it would be able to power my 150 pounds up steep hills without a problem.

I find that the Tanaka is reasonably quiet, but still not as quiet as I would like. However, it is very vibration free. I don’t feel any more vibration than just normal road vibration. There is no difference in vibration whether the motor is running or it is off.

To minimize vibration from road irregularities, I selected a mountain bike with fat tires and front suspension. It works well and is very stable at speed. I also installed a shock-absorbing seat post.


As far as the seat goes, I am using a typical narrow racing bike saddle. I am used to those, and I find them quite comfortable after a little conditioning of my butt. Besides which I like to pedal, and pedaling comfortably for long with a wide seat is essentially impossible.

Long Distances

When I was younger I used to enjoy pedaling a bike for distances of 60 to 80 miles. Now 30 to 40 miles is all that I can pedal without getting really tired. One of the things that attracted me to motorized bikes is that they would let me do those longer distances again.

The Tanaka 32cc stock gas tank is just too small. It had a range on only about 25 miles which is unacceptable. So I added an auxiliary 1.5 liter fuel tank under the engine. I sealed the vent in the stock tank so that the suction would draw first from the auxiliary tank. Now with the auxiliary tank, I can go about 80 miles without refueling. Add 2 MSR fuel bottles, and the range is increased to 135 miles.

I also have an additional 1.5 liter fuel bottle that I can put in a pannier. That increases the range to about 185 miles. And I can also easily carry small 1.8 oz pouches of Opti-2 2-cycle engine oil that I can mix in the large fuel bottle. A few pouches increases the range to over 1000 miles.

Long Distances

For long distances you also need storage capacity - for tools, additional clothing, water, food, etc. I mounted a pannier under the engine on the other side. In addition, I have a handlebar bag (carried my U-lock, maps, water, etc.) and an under-the-seat bag for tools. If I am going on a long trip or taking the bike on errands (I do all my grocery shopping by bike), I need to be able to carry even more stuff. In that case I carry a back pack.

A flashing tail-light, a flashing head light, a side view mirror, all for safety, and a speedometer complete the package.

How long a distance can I ride?

The increase in biking range compared to pedal cycling is astounding! I rode my GEBE for 120 very hilly miles one day without being too tired, and I could have ridden further if I wanted to. I have no doubt that I could have ridden 150 miles and plan to try that soon. If that works out well, I wil try 200 miles in a day. I think I can do it.

By comparison, my maximum range on very hilly terrain on my pedal bike is limited by fatigue to about 40 miles.

g1manalo said:

Has your belt broke yet, you must have about 4k now, i have a bebe tnka 40, i made a mistake on not centering my belt and i have i replace it about 1k.Now i really watch out that its centered

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I replaced my belt at about 3000 miles. It did not break or show any obvious signs of wear. However, it seems to have flattened out and gotten wider. Because of that, it made a rubbing sound that was very annoying. A new belt fixed the problem.

That happened after I let a friend ride it for over 100 miles. He was very heavy - at least 100 lbs more than me - and he did very little pedaling. I think he strained the belt so that it flattened and got wider.

I have a question on your Tanaka 40. I have a Tanaka 32. It is not too noisy, but I would like more power. I have heard that the Tanaka is very noisy. Do you find that to be true?

It gets 30-32 mph on the flat.

The kit has everything you need. There is a plastic ring that snaps onto the spokes. The belt drives that ring.

Nashville Kat said:

Hi virginian-What kind of speed does this thing travel? and did the belt set-up come with the motor? how is it attached to the wheel?

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Here is a picture that shows how it works. A belt attached to the motor drive shaft goes around a large plastic ring that snaps on the spokes of the rear wheel.

zean said:

Hi virginian. The small lump is on the belt as it comes in contact with the drive ring. In some areas the teeth of the drive ring and belt don't mesh and causes a small rise in the belt when I'm turning the rear wheel by hand. Anyway, I just got back from at least a 50 mile ride. The GEBE kit works smoothly and flawlessly. It was a lot of fun. I was so busy last year that I've ridden about once. There's a small amount of belt powder at the junction of the top part of the lower mount strap and clutch/motor mount bracket. Virginian, do you have any small amount of black belt powder around the area of the belt tensioner after a 50-70 mile ride? Thankyou, I won't bother you with any more questions and thanks for the previous reply.

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I wouldn't worry about the "lump" caused by the teeth on the belt not lining up with the teeth on the belt. I think that under power the teeth will just line up by themselves.

I looked at my setup and didn't see any black powder. It makes me wonder if you might have an alignment problem. Do you get any type of rubbing noise?

You really have to love the GEBE system after taking a 50-mile ride with smooth and flawless performance. On my GEBE, a 50-mile ride is a quick easy trip leaving me ready for more. I also ride a pedal bike, and a 50-mile pedal ride is a long hard ride that leaves me spent for the day.