heavy riders

cam420 · Apr 26, 2012

im very new to gas bikes so bear with me here lol. so far everything i see online are skinny guys and kids riding these things. are there any big boys out there that ride? also, what can these things handle. im still waiting on my replacement SD stinger to get here (the pos was faulty and leaked from the bottom seal and wouldn't start) im 320lbs and 6'3. i was stupid and got my drivers license suspended for a year and this was a cheap way to keep me going to work. will i be able to commute 30 miles round trip a day on one of these given my weight? and is there things i can do to get better performance because im heavy other than loose weight lol. let me know what you think.

genesis 29er
66/80CC SD stinger

moonerdizzle · Apr 26, 2012

If your handy with a dremel a little port work can go a long way. also get some wet/dry sandpaper and a piece of glass and carefully lap the head and the top of the jug, they are notorious for being uneven and cause head leaks. I used some kerosene to lubricated the paper. Another real common mod that helps is trimming the piston skirt. put the piston to top dead center and draw a line on section of the piston that is obstructing the intake port, you will have to take off the intake to do this, then remove the piston and carefully trim the skirt up to the line you made so the port opens fully. A good spark plug and boot will help too. Fleet farm sells good silicone wires singly for 3 bucks or so.

cam420 · Apr 26, 2012

thats good stuff thank you!

ocho ninja · Apr 26, 2012

Im 6'2" at 260lb and my no name china girl pulls me along fine.
Some mod like the ones mentioned above along with port matching and a tuned exhaust will go a long way in giving you more power.
You also have to look at the terrain your gonna be riding in to get the proper gearing.
e.g. hilly area vs. flat ground riding

Another must have is a good strong wheel set. My first build had a cheepo single walled rims and dang did i put them out of true and pop multiple spokes in the first 30 min of riding lol

moonerdizzle · Apr 26, 2012

Port matching is a must. Its a free and easy mod that does help.

cam420 · Apr 26, 2012

haha! yeah i live in a hilly area... nothing too steep but hilly. i also thought of liquid welding the sprocket to the rim to keep most the wear off the sprocket side spokes. (keeping to the original clamps of course.) just trying to make this as sturdy as possible. is there like a super duty 415 chain thats harder to break. i might just pick up a few just in case lol. keep one with me on a saddle bag or something.

moonerdizzle · Apr 26, 2012

buy a 41 chain from fleet farm or tractor supply, better than any 415 and its only 15 bucks for a 10 foot roll. ive never had one break yet, even after neglecting it all winter long, no oiling, no cleaning. rusty and ratty looking, but still works just fine. and if you want a sturdy rim setup, i would suggest getting a disc brake rear hub and a top hat adaptor, or a hub adaptor like the howard mount or one from pirate cycles.

cam420 · Apr 26, 2012

you guys are all awesome! thanks for all the help!

cam420 · Apr 26, 2012

i for got to add, the chain tensioner was causing the chain to not line up right and when i kick started the motor the chain snapped violently lol. compares to getting hit with a pellet gun. xD i had to bend the tensioner a bit to get the right angle. thats y i asked about the heavy duty chain.

moonerdizzle · Apr 26, 2012

if you can, put the chain tensioner on the pedal side and dont use one on the drive side, things come to a very abrupt end when it gets sucked into the spokes.

cam420 · Apr 26, 2012

i figured that and i reely torqued the bolts good and yanked the **** out of it to see if it would move any (beat with a mallet) . i tightened it so much i needed to upgrade the hardware to something stronger and better quality to make sure they wouldn't twist off lol.

AslansMonkey · Apr 26, 2012

As has been mentioned, the wheels are the key thing here. I'm pretty close to your...err...dimensions and the biggest modifications I've worried about are the wheels. My "safest" bike has thick spokes, 12 or 11g, I forget. ALL my bikes drive through the hub, get rid of the rag joint, it's a spoke killer.

Beyond that just be sure you check it over OFTEN for wear or loose parts and carry a tool kit.

Technically, I should point out that most states group motorbicyles under the "moped" category and you generally still need a valid license to ride them.

moonerdizzle · Apr 26, 2012

it all depends on the cops, but in most states you still need a drivers license.

DaveC · Apr 27, 2012

Give them no reason to pull you over. Run lights, mirrors and a horn and wear a helmet even if you're in a state with a no-helmet law. Don't ride on the sidewalks for any reason.

I weigh 225 and on my 29" rim'd bike I used a 56 tooth gear. Two main reasons: I have hills to climb here and to keep it under a 30 MPH to speed. Most of the time under 25 MPH.

I have been observed many times by city police and county sheriff deputies and at most all they do is glance at me. Luckly those that have gone before me have paved the way. If there are other riders in your town most likely the same will happen to you. Just do nothing to draw their attention

Sidewinder Jerry · Apr 27, 2012

Your state Virginia is really liberal as to what they consider a moped. If your motor is 50 cc or less, and you stay under 35 mph. Even if your 50 cc motor has a higher top speed the law sees it as a moped as long as you stay under 35 mph. If you go faster than 35 mph then they consider it to be a motorcycle. Mopeds don't need insurance, to register or a drivers license. You may ride on streets with a 45 mph or less posted speed limit. You must be at least 16 years old, wear a helmet and carry a valid ID. If your drivers license has been suspended for DUI, drugs or habitual offender you may not operate a moped on the public roadways.

I live in Tennessee and found a shift kit really helps. Suspension system will really help. I'm 6'2" and 230 lbs but was 280 lbs when I first started riding.

Rich Curl · Apr 27, 2012

I run a friction drive with a 1 and 1/8th roller on a 26" Townie. I'm 6'3" 290 and she will do 23 to 25 mph all day. I changed out the fuel tank from a 22 oz to a 64 oz, alot more range between fill ups.

rustycase · Apr 28, 2012

I'm abt 250 now and mostly run short hops on my 48cc motorized bicycle.
IMO, even if you ride very conservatively, your weight and mileage of the trip will bring quite a bit of maintenance for all the running gear.
...wheel bearings, spokes, and such...
Under the circumstances, it might be the best option, but it is what it is.
Sry, I don't see a real rosey picture here.
Good luck
rc

dmb · Apr 28, 2012

here in cali they have DUI check points on bike path's. gangsters shooting at you on the freeway's and johnny law is checking bike riders on bike path's. WTF! i'm 280lbs i know it look's a little funny to see a fat guy on a motorized bicycle and i'm the first to laugh at him. but its all in fun just make sure you have good brake's to slow and stop your fat arse! good luck dennis

Sidewinder Jerry · May 1, 2012

You also want to make sure you have a cromolly axle in your rear hub. 12 gauge or larger spokes on two inch wide tires. In Tennessee where I live the law is 30 mph on level ground. From what I read in Virginia's laws its 35 mph on incline, level or decline ground. So you'll need a really good breaking system to stay under 35 mph going downhill. You can get a speedometer cheap at Walmart.

rustycase · May 1, 2012

LR Jerry is right... I got a buncha bent axles on the mtb's I salvage parts from...
spin the back wheel and the free wheel cassette bobbles in an elliptical orbit! lol
...next step, it snaps!

Wow!
another high in lows for fabulous Kalifornia...
Sobriety checkpoints on bicycle paths?
Crazy!

lol
Many years back my X bil managed a dui on a bicycle... he was a real character!
rc

heavy riders

New Member

New Member

New Member

Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

Member

New Member

Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

Gutter Rider

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Gutter Rider