Stressed out

GoldenMotor.com

j3000

New Member
Jan 5, 2012
53
0
0
Michigan
I am stressing out. I have been reading post here and at other forums about bike engines and how often they break down how much trouble people are having with them. I have very limited mechanical skills. I am 38 years old and 2 years ago I figured out where my oil and transmission fluid goes. I am worried about break downs etc. I want to go with a 2 stroke engine because of the price. and I read the beginners guide here on the forum. Are these reliable or am I going to be in the garage more times then out.

thank you for your time.zpt I can see me doing this
 

NunyaBidness

Active Member
Jun 29, 2008
1,062
2
38
memphis tn
Just going by your info, I would suggest a 4-stroke install. It would give a beginner a more reliable motor bike than the 2-stroke. The 2-strokes can be made reliable, to a certain extent. But it does take a little mechanical aptitude and a LOT of reading. If you just want to install a motor and ride... go with a 4-stroke install. Just my thoughts on it.
 

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
NB's advice is sound. Although I have what I consider to be a monumentally reliable 2-stroker, I don't think I would start somebody cold with one. I have a simple lawnmower with a small 4-stroke Briggs on it. This is all I do: I put oil where the oil goes (be certain of amount), I put gas where the gas goes, I press the primer bulb all the way in exactly four times, I pull only once on the rope, and it fires up. Briggs are about as close to "worry-free" as some engines can get. Hondas are pretty nice too.
 

j3000

New Member
Jan 5, 2012
53
0
0
Michigan
The problem I have is cost with the 4 stroke If I tell my wife I need another $200 I think she will shoot me and she can shoot I taught her.
 

BarelyAWake

New Member
Jul 21, 2009
7,194
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Maine
With "very limited mechanical skills" there's really no budget "plug n'play" solution - it's not so much 2 vs 4 stroke but just plain economics... if you buy the least expensive engines, you're faced with either unreliability (stock/unmodified) or some serious fabrication demands... sometimes both lol

The cheap in-frame two stroke kits are w/o a doubt the least expensive way to motorize a bicycle and they can be made reliable - but there's a rather steep learning curve if you're not familiar with even such a basic engine design. They are very simple motors however and a great learning tool... the catch is due to the lack of quality control, particularly when combined with that "learning curve" you may find they're not as economical as they initially seem... fortunately, parts & even just the engine itself are very inexpensive to replace.

The least expensive four stroke engines seem very attractive due to their low initial cost and reputation for reliability - the catch with those however is the motor is somewhat more complex and they're not kits. So you'll need to purchase or fabricate everything else needed to motorize a bicycle & that can add up surprisingly fast... and if you do find you need to repair or even tune the motor, well... now you're dealing with valves and all sorts of fun stuff lol


Thing is - despite the popularity of the above options, there are other choices. If you're not interested in maximum preformance, fabrication and/or repair and only want inexpensive & reliable transportation - don't fall for the "false economy" of the least expensive engines as they'll end up costing you more than you'd think, even if just time. By spending a little extra up front you can side step all of this - check out any of the "rack mount" kits, both 2 and 4 stroke as generally speaking they've better quality engines than the in-frame kits, but don't require the fabrication of the engine-only 4 stroke options...

They are pretty much the only true "plug n'play/one size fits all" kits available ('cept electrics ofc, but those get pricey fast) & while they have some disadvantages (weight & balance, cargo room), for the money and your needs, they might be the most straightforward solution.

Jus' a thought ;)
 
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donphantasmo

Member
Oct 3, 2010
372
11
18
Middleburg, FL
In my opinion, I wouldn't even get a MB. I LOVE doing this stuff, I love to tinker with the motors, and adjust everything from chain tension to throttle cables. But, if you don't have any mechanical knowledge, and if you don't even know where to put your oil or tranny fluid in a car, I would stay away from MBs.

Get a scooter. They're almost as much fun as a motorized bike, but the differance is they're already done. you can get one that shifts (Vespa PX series or Genuine Stella) or you can get a twist and go (Almost like an automatic). If you're not mechanically compitant (Which I give you props for admitting) don't build your own motorized bike. You will honestly end up hurting yourself...

Best of luck anyways..
 

MotorBicycleRacing

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2010
5,844
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SoCal Baby!!!
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o_O I learned a lot as well from this. So for example, is the super Titan the better 4 stroke, and the hua sheng thingy the cheaper one?
No, they are basically the same engine made in the same factory.
A Titan is just a relabeled Huasheng motor.

They are both copies of the Honda GXH 50cc with the difference
of the output shaft.

The super Titans claim of making 3 hp has never been proven and
all the evidence i have seen leads me to suspect that there is only
difference between a super titan, titan and huasheng motor is that
the titans have an oiling groove added to the connecting rod.

Also the Huasheng 50cc 4 stroke with the 5/8" shaft has 2 good
gearboxes available for it where as the Titan 50 cc 4 stroke has
the clutch built into the side of the motor which limits it to only
accepting cheap Chinese made gearboxes that came off pocket
bikes.

Those cheap Chinese made gearboxes are so bad that unscrupulous
sellers will not even show what gearbox comes with the kit they are
selling in their ads.

Just to complicate matters there is a Huasheng motor with the same
clutch set up as a titan but no one seems to sell them anymore.

All the 50 cc 4 strokes above are good reliable, long lasting motors.

The big problem with buying a 50 cc 4 stroke kit is what gearbox the
motor is fitted with.

The only good 4 stroke gearboxes available are the EZ Motorbike
Q matic and the Grubee 4 G which has several problems that need
to be fixed to make them reliable.
If you want to buy a 50cc 4 stroke kit some more research will
save you money, time and aggravation.
There is a lot of good info in the 4 stroke engine forum.........
Good luck. :)
 

Steve1990

New Member
Jun 12, 2012
22
0
0
I can see Detroit from here!
I can't honestly think of a better engine to learn about engines on than one of the chinese 2-strokes. THey are just so simple, and you should really tear them down, at least partially, if you want them to be reliable. Another benifit of them is that you can still ride the bike..like a bike, its just a bit heavier. I've pedaled mine home a few times, its not bad.

A forum like this is a great place with all the info you could ever need about these little engines. Although I'm a recent member, I built my bike in 2009 and have been lurking here off and on since then.
 

j3000

New Member
Jan 5, 2012
53
0
0
Michigan
Ithink I am going with the 2 stroke engine I need to learn this stuff. I know what a Carb. is I think I understand what it does I know how to mix oil with gas. Iam redoing a old schwinn bicycle. That was used in the GM factory in the 60's and 70's. So Iam learning some things on my own.
 

j3000

New Member
Jan 5, 2012
53
0
0
Michigan
P.S don't be surprise if I ask questions like What is this and what does it do. I'll be taking alot of pictures.
 

nightcruiser

New Member
Mar 25, 2011
1,180
2
0
USA
I kinda agree with Don, if you don't already have good mechanical skills and aren't looking to acquire them then I would stay away from a MB and get a scooter instead. Scooters you gas and go, they are more reliable and need less maintenance, easier for the average joe to manage. You ARE gonna have to wrench on an MB whether you like it or not.... If you're interested to learn the 2-stroke kit is a cheap way to go, you can learn a lot and have a lot of fun, but you WILL have to work at it...
 
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Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
Ithink I am going with the 2 stroke engine I need to learn this stuff. I know what a Carb. is I think I understand what it does I know how to mix oil with gas. Iam redoing a old schwinn bicycle. That was used in the GM factory in the 60's and 70's. So Iam learning some things on my own.
I think you'll be okay with a 2-stroke. They're about as simple in construction as engines get.
And with time and experience, some experimentation, and your wife's patience, you may build your bike into something awesome. Check out my album; I didn't start with that bike, but it happened eventually. And if you think mine's cool, you should see some of the others that our fellow forum members have built. There are some rockin' rides here, and some serious ingenuity being passed around. Dive on in and soak it up, my friend.
 

j3000

New Member
Jan 5, 2012
53
0
0
Michigan
The thing is I want to learn.I just get, overwhelm sometimes. The first thing Iam going to do when I get my engine is tear everything apart so I can get familar with every part. And once I get it started I will have some idea how everythin works.
 

nightcruiser

New Member
Mar 25, 2011
1,180
2
0
USA
The first thing Iam going to do when I get my engine is tear everything apart so I can get familar with every part.
Well, be careful if you don't already have good mechanical skills and basic knowledge of how motors work. It is commonly advised to pull a new motor apart and inspect it before you build, but that kinda assumes you know a thing or two about working on engines or at least have some basic mechanical aptitude... The bottom end on a new motor can be very tight and hard to split, and there is a high likelihood that you will screw something up in your attempt IMHO. The top end comes apart much easier, and most of what you really need to inspect is up there anyways, so you might want to do the top and leave the bottom alone for now. Still, on the top end, the head and cylinder come off easy enough, but when you put the cylinder back on you have to compress the rings properly, they are kinda fragile and some people have a hard time getting the cylinder back on without breaking the rings. It's really not that tough, but for someone with limited mechanical aptitude.... If you do, just read up and pay attention to what you are doing... Also, keep in mind the motor is aluminum, and the bolts can't be torqued too tight before you strip the threads out of the aluminum. My arm is pretty strong and I have a tendency to torque things up really good, too good, so I got myself a mini click style torque wrench that keeps me in check. Also, when you assemble make sure you use blue loctite on your bolts, since you can't torque the he!! out of them the vibrations from the motor tend to make nuts work loose, blue loctite will keep them in place at the proper torque, and is removable when you need to. If you go as far as pulling the studs from the block and cylinder you can use red loctite on the studs when you reinstall them. The red loctite is the permanent type and is stronger than the blue, this way the studs are held in place better than the nuts so you can get them off when needed.... (red loctite needs to be heated with a torch to remove)
Below is a picture of the style of wrench I was referring to, not the exact wrench I have but same deal. I highly recommend you get yourself one so you have an idea how much torque you are putting on things. It's not much larger than a standard socket wrench, you dial the desired torque on the handle and the head "clicks" when you reach that torque so you know when to stop. Make sure it reads in inch-pounds...
 

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Catfisher

Member
Apr 10, 2010
134
1
18
Heart of Illinois
.flg.

Four stroke is the way to go. Check out this American manufacturer.

http://www.staton-inc.com/Chain Drive.shtml

"The Staton Inc. Engine, custom gear box (made in the USA right here in Oklahoma City, OK) has six high speed double sealed ball bearings, ½” inch thick gears with a Life Time Warranty, a 5/8” output shaft with a 3/16” key way, snap ring grooves to hold the drive sprocket securely in place and a centrifugal clutch."

Life Time warranty says it all!

.flg.
 

nightcruiser

New Member
Mar 25, 2011
1,180
2
0
USA
Well I already bought my engine a 2 stroke BGF. Any advise about new parts I might need.
Well, I haven't run a BGF kit, but I would say you should start out by replacing the spark plug with an NGK BP6HS, personally I would replace the plug wire and boot as well. If you weigh over 200lbs I would recommend you replace the chain with some #41 chain, though I can't comment on the chain BGF supplies, the chain in my Grubee kits was garbage. I replaced the throttle too, but that was more out of choice than necessity. The fuel valve leaves much to be desired, the flow is weak and they tend to leak, I replaced that this year too, but this would be more choice than necessity as well. The head, exhaust, intake and mounting studs are usually pretty weak, I replaced them this year as well with a nice set from SBP. Not exactly sure what size studs come on a BGF motor so you better get a look at what you got before you order anything there. Thats probably another optional upgrade, but its better than having a stud break off in your motor...