cool little article....ok for those who could not read it due to tech. reasons ill copy and paste.
Motorized Bike Hisotry
Posted by Jonathan at 12:31 PM on February 06, 2010 comments (0)
Motorized Bicycle History
Bicycle engines or motorized bikes became part of the landscape after WWII. In Europe that is. The need derived from necessity. Necessity to commute. Truth be known, bridges in GB for instance, were severely damaged. The country offered tax credits to users because the speed and the ability to be carried over destroyed roadways and rivers was needed. This made a huge difference in time going from point A to point B. In that country a front drive traction engine was the local hero.
The French, the German, the Italians also invested into bolt on power for bikes. Fuel was of poor quality, yet the engines, while puffing a nasty exhaust, chugged along. Designs limited use to particular bicycle styles. But in those days, less than 90% of bikes were made in China, so no ten colors and ten types. Bikes were made locally. Whether using chain drives, belt drives, front engine, rear engine, hub motors, mid engine, or traction drive... well, installation needed a mechanic, maintenance was every day. Traction drive won out because it was attachable to more sizes of bikes and easier to maintain
However, once factories and bridges were rebuilt, the economies recovered, motorcycles became popular. At motorcycle trade shows, add-on engines for pedal style bicycles to the shows were banned . As it would deter growth of the industry. The shows only for motorized bicycles lacked interest and a bicycle engine was relinquished as a recovery tool. The market died.
However as time went on the old friction drives from the French and the Britain's version drove on and on. Why? Answer: simplicity, aka: low maintenance. (really what our product is about) They still run. Somebody kept using it. For thrift, for autonomy.
Motorized Bicycle flair rebounded as a "tickle me Elmo" in the later 50's to early 1960's in the U.S. Got an old Boy's Life"? It's in there...
The WHIZZER:
I took a Whizzer in trade at a show in Oshkosh, WI. 110 cc and will do 35. But for every 3 hours of use, there is an hour of service. The old heavy designs fit nice with our relics room. As they show how we took a step back not to reinvent the wheel, but reinvent how it is built.
It is plain to see that chain and belt drive systems are the predecessor's attempt at creating a motorcycle. Yet try to circumvent laws that exclude motorized bicycles from motorized vehicles. Today those scooters, mopeds, and transmission based chain and belt drives really muddy the water.
