Expense, reliability and support

gasbike.net has good price small engine kits,but for the support and manuals id look on this forum for them.

i paid $149 + 30shipping + 20 for used roadmaster walmart 26"bike
total=$200

This is my second season running a chinese 2 stroke N-70,I really Love it and the price on these 2 strokes is right I would say the QC at the factory isnt everything id like to see,the casting is a bit poor but for my first project it continues to serve me well.
I opted to buy a new bike for the project,just a simple schwinn skyliner from wallmart,Youd be best to take the derailers off and run it direct..in short the whole project was on the road for about 3 bills,not bad when you consider alternatives.
Chat with as many folks as you can,part of the fun is in the constant experimenting
Hope I can help.....Rob in CT

In Pa. you will need to make it like a moped, or do what we do in Ohio, and just ride them (illegally).

Hey Bill,im just a bit north of you in the poconos and yea Pa laws are a bit screwy for these builds. I just got mine built in the past 30 days and havent really tried to get them registered. Im gonna wait to see what kind of attention I receive from the local Popo and go from there.

but here is a link that was started in this forum over Pa laws

http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=1943

Or go electric

Bill said:

To Rob in Ct and others, thank you! Apparently in Pa. you have to get these creations inspected, titled, plated and insured. It's complicated. Just to get on the road modestly and safely would you guys recommend a plane jane single speed platform bike? What about brakes, and do they require headlights, horns, signals? Sorry for the seemingly redundant questions but this is all new to me. Rob, where are you in Ct.? I'm familiar with the state.
Thanks Bill

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Im in Wallingford..AKA wallyworld,Na so far its still a bicycle and the cops dont bother us much,sometimes curious though,I wave at most of them.In wallyworld you will want your lights in order if you ride at nite! Id recomend what I did,throw a 2 stroke on and go from there,you know what You prefer for safety.Hand signals are fine here.my breaks are simple calipers although I burn them out often.
PM me and Ill tell you my dealer,I dont want to be un PC....LOL

hrm. evidently I cant show you a pic of my bike due to "not being an active member".. I found the Grubee Starfire Gen II to be decent.. I have been building out bikes using micargi and schwinn beach cruisers.. Usually I can find motor+ bike for about $400. I'd suggest trying eBay for the Micargi Cougar GTS. They run about $200 or so, but are a sturdy frame and look instantly classic. I would try to stay away from any stretch beach cruisers though, as the lowrider/longer body makes for a difficult mounting as the extra chain and chain leaders needed cost more as well as getting the positioning just right..

WELCOME! go on ebay look under bicycle motor kit. cheap! cheap! thats where i got mine. 4000 miles + , with mods. pk 80

heres a tip: never wave at cops,when i was a kid on a moped(not registered or anything,fake license plate)
i road around town for a month no problems,one day i waved and cops turned around sirens blazing and we went on a chase down a one way street threw a bank parking lot
and i pulled over,i got arrested,moped inpounded,6 tickets(most were dropped).payed more than the moped was worth to get back,couldnt get it registerd,traded moped for mountainbike.

Bill said:

To Rob in Ct and others, thank you! Apparently in Pa. you have to get these creations inspected, titled, plated and insured. It's complicated. Just to get on the road modestly and safely would you guys recommend a plane jane single speed platform bike? What about brakes, and do they require headlights, horns, signals? Sorry for the seemingly redundant questions but this is all new to me. Rob, where are you in Ct.? I'm familiar with the state.
Thanks Bill

Click to expand...

That's the beauty of it. You can add as many accesories as you like. Lights, horn,break light, radio!, even a top for shade if you can. The beauty of the is that the limitations are endless.Paint it any color, add stickers, a so on. My sugestion is to buy this things in diferent places, or as we say" go shoping" the web.Auction sites usually can give you a vintage look item for that special bike.I am new too. I am taking my time to pick a frame and buy an engine. My only problem so far is shiping. I live in Puerto Rico,USA. Unless I go to my town in New York and send it myself. Either way is expensive. So the engine have to wait for a trip to Newburgh, New Jersey or Newark.

I'd check your actual state DMV site for legality of the bike. Michigan requires the same deal, but in all actuality it really depends on your neighborhood po-po. 9 out of 10 of the police in my area (the county sheriffs) actually dig the bike I ride. If you're going the 49cc route there really isn't too noticeable speed than a regular bike as stock 49cc's generally max out around 25mph. I ride a Micargi Falcon GTS with a Grubee 49cc and most times unless you're going with the throttle wide open you can't even tell it's motorized if you're riding in a car. When the po-po is around, kill the engine and pedal if you're worried. Just don't be dumb about it. Obey the street signs (bikers here tend to run stop signs and lights) and use hand signals. Pay attention to people getting out of their cars so you don't get hit by a stray car door.

If you're going for a 80(66)cc engine it's a whole different story. I've gotten a bike yanked so far b/c they can cruise. If you go for one of those, you'll definitely 100% want a second brake besides the coaster and remember to drive the speed limit or inconspicuously so the fuzz doesn't nab you. Even on the 49cc's you gotta remember that if that manual pedal chain derails or breaks, you are flying without any brakes whatsoever. the Schwinn Jaguar that you can find at Target for just over $100 has front and rear caliper brakes and is a solid bike.

And yes. get a horn. I mounted a 110db electric boat horn on mine because people in cars are generally idiots hellbent on doing everything they can besides paying attention to the road.

dont run stop singhs dont pzz off piggy

Hey Bill we don't live far apart. I just PM'd you.
Jay

yes,I am ready to pull mine out of the shed for the season....needs a little love though wich will require a few extra days of work. My rule is you can do whatever you want ...Quietly ..yes its easier to get forgiveness than permission. Good luck.
Rob

Haha, cops are cool about these bikes if you don't look them in the eye! I've been like 2 lanes besides a cop and all I did was just look forward as if I had to go somewhere important. (Don’t make it to drastic, act normal) As for the engine I would suggest raw. The engines can be the same as a skyhawk but the thicker chain in the raw is a plus! I bought two skyhawks before and on both kits the chains broke, ALOT. Too much torque for the thin chain to handle. For a starting bicycle I would suggest a strong frame. Older bikes tend to have thick frames that are also a plus. With both the thick chain and strong frame for support you’re looking at a reliable motorized bicycle.