Gave up trying to go fast

GoldenMotor.com
Feb 6, 2013
54
0
0
Mesa, Arizona
I decided to write here about the things I learned from messing with my 66cc bike

A lot of people who ride motorized bicycles want to go fast. And I'm not gonna lie I wanted to too. Really bad. I ended up doing all kinds of stuffs to my bike. It started out with SBP expansion chamber and a super small sprocket. Later it was 8 speed cassette and jackshaft. Then i got a new carb, airfilter and a new spark plug. So I've tried doing most of the kit stuff available.

I ended up spending so much money because stupid bikeberry was advertising their motors to have 6 horse powers and capable of reaching 40mph and I wasn't happy with my bike when I learned that I couldn't ride on roads with other cars. This made me go crazy with upgrades.

But I started getting rid of all of that stuff and started reverting back to stock. I first got rid of the jackshaft. Found out that once motorized bicycle starts shifting gears, its illegal where I live. The derailuers needed constant maintenance anyways so it wasn't even worth it.

After looking more into regulations I learned that there's nothing preventing me from riding MABs on sidewalks in Phoenix area as long as the bike complies with the definition of motorized bicycle except in Tempe which has the city ordinance.

So I swapped out my 27 tooth sprocket with 41. It was still going too fast but I learned to twist the throttle very slightly to go just a little bit faster than pedal bikes. So around 17 to 23 mph. It was still geting me to places faster than the bus since I could take direct routes and didn't have to wait for the bus.

At a low speed like 20mph, even in Tempe cops didn't even bother to stop me because of the city ordinance as long as I was wearing a full face helmet and gloves. Even on sidewalks riding the wrong way I didn't get stopped as long as there were no bike lanes.


After riding around like that for a while, I took off my 66cc and switched it with 49cc and it was so much quieter and had less vibrations.

When I rode 40mph + on my 66cc with engine upgrade parts and 27 tooth sprocket, the bike just couldn't handle all that extra speed and vibration. Bikes aren't usually meant to handle that kind of speed. My hands were filthy with grease almost everyday because I constantly had to retighten everything after each rides.


Now I don't have that problem anymore. 49cc with everything stock requires very little maintenance and never gets me into trouble with the law. I'm now very happy cruising around 23 mph on my motorized bicycle.


I was about to spend several grands on a real heavy duty built MTB and a Morini, instead I discovered the joy of slow and easy riding. AND because I didn't bust my motorcycle savings on a ridiculously pricy custom motorized bicycle, I saved up enough for a KTM Superduke 990. Ill be going to a local KTM Dealer in about couple of weeks :D
 
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Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
Well written, with the voice of reason.

You have realized the reason motorized bikes exist grasshoppa...to "get there" but only a little faster than a bicycle, and to have relaxing fun doing it.
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
0
Central CA
Yup, you are getting wise with experiance.

My happy time cruises smooth under 25. 25 and over it shakes bad.
 

Master-shake

New Member
Feb 24, 2013
315
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texas
yeah, I feel the same way sorta. I never really wanted to go fast to begin with anyway. just wanna not have to pedal against 20-30 mph winds. That and I needed a hobby. messing with bikes I've always liked so I suppose this is just a natural progression.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
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Littleton, Colorado
It should be the first thing that anyone contemplating building a motorized bicycle understands. 'They're not motorcycles'. Unless you plan to race it, there really isn't any need for a bicycle to be pushed into the 40s or heaven forbid,the 50s. They're bicycles and most of them were never designed or built to be riden at those speeds.

Yes, there are some heavy duty bikes out there built to take some abuse. Worksman comes to mind, but alas, all too often when a bike gets an engine attached to it, it's an inexpensive, department store bike meant for gentle pedaling under little stress.

The safety factor alone should dictate that when you motorize a bike you should understand the limitations of the bike's construction and parts. Bearings, brakes and frame integrity of many bikes available today are not up to the standards required to safely attain the speeds that they are often asked to deliver.

Getting the most in the way of performance is probably natural, human nature even, but one has to keep in mind that reaching unreasonable speeds on a bicycle has certain inherent limits when safety is concerned.

There is also the skill level of the builder that must be brought into the equation. A builder with only rudimentary mechanical ability who either buys a running bike or manages to install a kit and get it running might not have the assessment skills to comprehend what is required to make the bike safe under the conditions imposed by an engine. Sort of like the old maxim, "an accident waiting to happen".

Want to keep up with traffic? Do what the OP did and buy a motorcycle.

No animals were harmed during the typing of this opinion :)

Tom
 
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bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
2,417
3
38
Lebanon, PA
I'm with all of you on this one. I'm in the process of building a completely custom Schwinn cruiser with a 98cc minibike engine, and I'm gearing it to redline at 32mph. There are some hills around where I live, so I'm much more interested in torque than speed. My ht engine never did climb hills too well, so that's what I'm going for with this custom build. I never was interested in going very fast. 20mph is fine for the city, 25-30mph outside the city. I see no need to go faster than that.
 

Toadmund

New Member
Jan 19, 2012
792
6
0
Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
I decided to write here about the things I learned from messing with my 66cc bike


...stupid bikeberry claims motors capable of reaching 40mph
They can, if you port it, trim gaskets, cut a notch in the piston skirt, use top quality motor oil, that'll get you up to 63km/h (39mph) on a good day, then I suppose a better carb and a expansion chamber may push you over 63kmh/h or 40+ mph.
I have a Flying Horse from Zoombicycles, same as Bikeberry's I believe. I've reached 63km/h (39mph) on a 2.5Degree slope, but never 40, not yet.

I first got rid of the jackshaft. Found out that once motorized bicycle starts shifting gears, its illegal where I live. The derailuers needed constant maintenance anyways so it wasn't even worth it.
I've drempt of a shift kit, but then I thought I would spend more time maintaining it than using it, besides, I didn't like the idea of the front sprocket always spinning.

as long as I was wearing a full face helmet and gloves.
Really, in the USA? We don't need to wear gloves here, helmet is mandatory.
After riding around like that for a while, I took off my 66cc and switched it with 49cc and it was so much quieter and had less vibrations.
WHAT!?!?

retighten everything after each rides.
And during, don't leave home without tools!
 
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2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
Hey, that's just how things look when I ride my bikes; all black around the edges and a red circle in the center. Guess my bike is faster than I thought. Or maybe my goggles need cleaning. :)

Tom
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas
What a refreshing post from all the "my motor bicycle is crap, I'm done with this" posts. I predict you're going to have a long successful run with china girls, because it sounds like you've learned their secret.

You're now a good candidate for the 20 mph club.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
The kicker is that when you hit 10K, Paul demotes you back to being a Newbie and you gotta start all over again. 5 years down the drain. :)

Tom
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
0
Central CA
The only gas motorbike that is designed to run at wide open throttle continuously is a Solex.

And they go 20 max.

Must be why I love it - :)
 

runnermike

Member
Nov 18, 2012
936
0
16
Sanford, FL
I've enjoyed this thread so far. I've had 3 bikes. Each one got progressively faster. I just finished my fourth build...a custom GT2A frame with a Dave Rust Arrow Motorized Cycles race engine. It's fast!! I am starting my fifth this weekend. I'm resurrecting my Schwinn Del Mar. It's gonna be just an easy going cruiser, with some flare, of course...lol. While riding fast is fun at times, so is just cruising around. I ride my bikes back and forth to work because not only is it fun, but saves me a ton on gas versus cranking up my SUV!