4 stroke bicylcle engine. way of the future?

**Norman** · #31 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 05:17 PM

Are we beating a dead horse? Are we all outlaws for buying a china 2-stroke? Do the fleabay sellers buy their engines as parts and then assemble them here in the US?
If it not legal how are they getting around the ban if they are not being policed at the customs office. Then if a terrorist wanted to bomb us here. Then it would be the perfect shipping container to put a big one in. How is it that there is a pot load of them for sale they couldn't all been bought before the ban could they?
I don't know? That is why I was asking these questions.
I don't want to start a range war I'm wondering what is the deal with all this.
I do know that 2-strokes like these are nasty on pollutants and can't be good for the environment. I'm done.
Norman

**Bikeguy Joe** · #32 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deacon

Okay, I'm going to make a personal comment just to be different. Last time I did this I got chastised but, I don't care. I figure this 2stroker (sounds a little obscene) will outlive me. If it doesn't, I will worry about what is available to me, not what some government bureaucrat says is legal. It someone is selling it, if I can afford it, and if I want it, then I'm going to part with the money for it.

Roger that 24 niner!

**Bikeguy Joe** · #33 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotorbikeMike

Bikeguy, IF the ban was not real, would Don Grube have given up 5 us distrubitors, leveraged all of the FleaBay sellers he could, and made one last dash to sell legally into the US?

Would he then have scratched and dug to find other countries that he could sell to thereby reducing his business loss, from having turned his back on the US market?

Would he have forwarded an EPA warning email to me and his other distributors?

I had known about the impending ban for at least 4 years prior to it coming into effect, powered by the money of the Japanese Engine Manufacturers.

BTW if you look, the pocket bikes, skate-board scooters and other chinese cheap 2-stroke products are gone also!

Mike Simpson

Well, now we have at least two sides to the story, sorta.

I think like drugs and other things, as long as there is a market, people will buy, legally or not.

Especially if it's from China and cost 1/10 what a Japanese or American product would cost.

**CRUISER** · #34 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 06:41 PM

we can argue whether the 2 stroke bicycle engines are illegal or not. we all can argue till we are blue in the face which acomplishes nothing. i do know if i wanted to invest the money i could get a importers license and buy all the engines i want from albia i think they are called out of china. if thier is a ban it is not enforced at all. i have heard the ban was a rummor... i have heard that yes their was a ban but the ban was removed ..and i have also heard thier is a ban in force. as i said i do not know and to argue about it is sensless. just ride and enjoy your motorized bicycles is all we can do.

**Norman** · #35 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 07:54 PM

I agree we should stop this and talk about fun things
Norman

deacon · #36 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 08:13 PM

Just to add one more bit of fuel to the flame I have been in contact with an engine seller in china about buying engines. I got a price, what I can't get is shipping infor, so maybe there is a problem shipping them here but I don't know that as a fact. But they sure as heck are willing to sell them to me.

BillyB · #37 (**permalink**) 07-30-2008, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman

Are we beating a dead horse? Are we all outlaws for buying a
I do know that 2-strokes like these are nasty on pollutants and can't be good for the environment.

Sorry to bring up this heated debate, but I searched on "Environment", and this was the only thread I found that was somewhat related.

Anyway - Does anyone know how a 2 stroke motor that gets 120 MPG compares to a regular automobile that gets 30 MPG?

Environmentally - how does a 2 stroke compare to a 4 stroke?

Just by doing simple math, I would have to imagine that a 2 cycle would have to be 4 times the polluter that a car would be before you can claim that it's worse for the environment than driving a car.

I would have to imagine this topic has been brought up before. If someone could post a link to more info, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Edit: Answered my own questions via Google: A typical 2 stroke marine engine only burns 70% of the fuel it uses as compared to up to 97% on a 4 stroke.

Click here for source

So that's 3% pollution on a 4 stroke as compared to 30% on a 2 stroke.

So you'd have to get 10 times the MPG on a motorized bicycle with a 2 stroke to be more environmentally friendly than an automobile.

I also found several articles about how 2 stroke engines on motorcycles and 3 wheeled "tuk-tuk" type vehicles are the major cause of air pollution in developing countries.

Weedylot · #38 (**permalink**) 07-30-2008, 05:51 PM

Plus, while 2 strokes are lighter and smaller they have that "rinky-dink-dink-dink" sound. Like my Puch 2 stroke makes. Back in the day, we were raised to scoff at 2 strokes, but technology has improved since the sixties. Hopefully the communists will improve on their pirated tech.

thatsdax · #39 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 12:15 AM

Here is all the proof you need about 2 strokes.. enjoy the truth...

Spooky Tooth Cycles - Motorized Bicycles: Gas Powered and Electric Bikes

datz510 · #40 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 04:31 AM

The really funny and ironic thing is that these cheap HT 2 stroke engines DO meet current emissions standards. Spooky Tooth ran one through the AZ smog station and even with 20:1 mix, it ran WELL within allowable clean air standard limits for a 2 stroke.

Having said that, I'd really love to see a nice frame mount 4 stroke. compact & thin. We need something like this to allow a frame mount configuration for a 4 stroke. I'd buy one in a heartbeat. But, they just arent out there.

With the need to carry cargo on my bike, I can't use a rack mount.. just wont work for my needs in a bike.