good for nothing!

Lincoln · Aug 27, 2009

i will never , ever purchase another 2 stroke engine kit again! These things are possibly the worst hunks of junk i have ever had the pleasure of owning or repairing. here are the troubles i have had with just 1 of the two i own 1) parts falling off-had to loctite everything!
2) bad plug wire-replace with aftermarket
3) Sticking float- adjust motor to allow carb to set level
4) broken stud in rear engine mount- broke off stud flush in motor, drill out stud and retap!
5) broken stud in rear engine mount again- this time i used a higher quality stud than original and it broke off flush again in the same dam spot!
6) magneto case filled with water, spent two hour with contact cleaner and pices of paper to clean the magnet!, then reseal cover with silicone!
7) bike frame brock under front engine mount- weld tube back together with extra reinforcement.
I know what you are thinkin, everything breaks eventually right!. i have only owned these two kits for less than three months, so far i have been repairing as much as enjoying them. I am building a bicycle built for two as we speak an let me tell you my briggs motor is coming out of retirement!

The other kit i own has given me no trouble so far ironically enough but i am sure it will, the dam is prolly ready to break and i will be flooded with repairs with this one too. if i ever build another two stroke machine it will be power by a chain saw motor or one of them awesome little motors designed for model planes.

silverbear · Aug 27, 2009

You've had a lot of troubles for sure. The way I look at it, these motors are so cheap to buy that even an old guy on social security can afford one. I look at the engine kit as it is as a starting point and go from there, fully expecting to have to fiddle with things. I don't look at changing a spark plug or the wire as a big deal. For me that is part of the allure since it is all low tech enough that anyone reasonably familiar with hand tools can go at it and have some fun. I use old Schwinns for a reason. The frames are strong since they were made back when in Chicago when "Made In The USA" meant something. I don't expect my frames to break. If I were rich I'd step up to a used Worksman. I think the bike frame is the foundation for the build. So both the old bikes and the motor require fiddling around with, adding to, changing things. I really don't think this would be hafl the fun if I didn't have to do these things. Might as well have bought a chinese made scooter like most of the motorized fossils are riding. Easy, just sign a check and bring it back when something goes wrong. Nothing wrong with that, just not much appeal for me. This way I end up paying as much, but it is sort of on the installment plan you might say. I buy a headlight, then new wheels, etc. as I can afford it. And I am very familiar with my ride. I know that crummy carburetor having finally made friends after many disagreements. I know the aluminum casting is cheap and am very careful about over tightening things. I figure the motor will suffer if I leave it out in the weather, so I don't. The result is a pleasurable thousand plus miles on one motor, a few hundred on the new one and a build for the daughter of a lady friend... all with no real problems to speak of. So, it is true what you say about how cheap these motors are. No arguement there, but understanding they are cheap and working around and through their limitations one can have a lot of fun for not too much money. So for myself I'm glad they're cheap pieces of junk. If they weren't I'd be priced out of motor bicycling. Anyway, I'm not exactly defending the motors. But as the Irish say, "It is what it is". We pay a paltry hundred and fifty or less for what transforms our bicycles into sorta kinda motorcycles... or at least close enough to satisfy the child inside who has always wanted a motor on his bike. They sure beat playing cards or balloons. Ha!
Silverbear

Clotho · Aug 27, 2009

Lincoln said:
i will never , ever purchase another 2 stroke engine kit again! These things are possibly the worst hunks of junk i have ever had the pleasure of owning or repairing. here are the troubles i have had with just 1 of the two i own 1) parts falling off-had to loctite everything!
2) bad plug wire-replace with aftermarket
3) Sticking float- adjust motor to allow carb to set level
4) broken stud in rear engine mount- broke off stud flush in motor, drill out stud and retap!
5) broken stud in rear engine mount again- this time i used a higher quality stud than original and it broke off flush again in the same dam spot!
6) magneto case filled with water, spent two hour with contact cleaner and pices of paper to clean the magnet!, then reseal cover with silicone!
7) bike frame brock under front engine mount- weld tube back together with extra reinforcement.
I know what you are thinkin, everything breaks eventually right!. i have only owned these two kits for less than three months, so far i have been repairing as much as enjoying them. I am building a bicycle built for two as we speak an let me tell you my briggs motor is coming out of retirement!

The other kit i own has given me no trouble so far ironically enough but i am sure it will, the dam is prolly ready to break and i will be flooded with repairs with this one too. if i ever build another two stroke machine it will be power by a chain saw motor or one of them awesome little motors designed for model planes.

Hello,

Points 3,4,5 and 7 all indicate that you are having problems with the mounting of the kit and not the kit itself. Point 7 sounds like you drilled the frame for the front mount. The majority of the experienced builders here will tell you that that is a bad idea as it compromises the integrity of the frame and limits your ability to make adjustments as per your point number 3.

The fact that you keep breaking motor mounts in the same spot should be telling you that you haven't solved the real problem. Something about your install is incorrect. Something is loose or crooked or otherwise placing unnecessary stress on the part that keeps breaking. You will have to solve the underlying problem or you will continue to break the same part.

I know you didn't sign up to be an engineer when you bought your kit. The truth is that there are so many different styles and types of bicycles that every installation is different and a certain amount of engineering is required. If you are going to throw in the towel on the 2 strokes but still want a motorized bike then I would suggest looking at the rack mount kits. Sure they are ugly but they are easy to install and very reliable.

I notice that you mention that your second installation is working quite well. Believe it or not some of this success is because of your hard won knowledge on your first kit. Welcome to the school of hard knocks. This doesn't mean that there won't be further challenges. It just means that you are already benefiting from what you have already learned.

captainrichhill · Aug 27, 2009

It doesn't sound like you've had good luck with your kit. All of the issues you've had have been talked about on this forum except #3 and #6. This forum also lets people know that it WILL take some tinkering to get it set right and to KEEP it running. That's part of the appeal of this hobby for most of us. But once you get it set up they are a fairly reliable transportation. How much did you pay for your LAST motorized transportation??? I would bet your kit was 1/10 the cost or less of your last motorized transportation. Am I right?

stv1jzgte · Aug 28, 2009

Lincoln said:
i will never , ever purchase another 2 stroke engine kit again! These things are possibly the worst hunks of junk i have ever had the pleasure of owning or repairing. here are the troubles i have had with just 1 of the two i own 1) parts falling off-had to loctite everything!
2) bad plug wire-replace with aftermarket
3) Sticking float- adjust motor to allow carb to set level
4) broken stud in rear engine mount- broke off stud flush in motor, drill out stud and retap!
5) broken stud in rear engine mount again- this time i used a higher quality stud than original and it broke off flush again in the same dam spot!
6) magneto case filled with water, spent two hour with contact cleaner and pices of paper to clean the magnet!, then reseal cover with silicone!
7) bike frame brock under front engine mount- weld tube back together with extra reinforcement.
I know what you are thinkin, everything breaks eventually right!. i have only owned these two kits for less than three months, so far i have been repairing as much as enjoying them. I am building a bicycle built for two as we speak an let me tell you my briggs motor is coming out of retirement!

The other kit i own has given me no trouble so far ironically enough but i am sure it will, the dam is prolly ready to break and i will be flooded with repairs with this one too. if i ever build another two stroke machine it will be power by a chain saw motor or one of them awesome little motors designed for model planes.

Um the plug boot might not be as good as it can be but the wire is better than most anything you will find unless it has been Cut.

If you put the motor on with the carb level to start with....

Yes the std studs are crap you should replace them with high tensile, are you really sure that stud was high tensile 8.8 minimum because if it was the case threads would have ripped out instead of the stud snapping were talkin 15-20 nm

Use silicone to seal the cover and no water will get in eva.

Frame broke!!! i aint touchin this one

Sure you souldnt have to do this to something new but its what 200bucks au$, MADE IN CHINA

Apart from the frame breaking every single person on here has had all these and more problems happen to them, personally my throttle broke , the kill switch broke, the chain tensioner broke, the chain broke, my rear wheel fell apart, my front brake calliper broke, the exhaust snapped, the casing actually has a crack in it and goo oozes out, the coil died, the main jet was to big, the little end bush disintergrated and scored the barrel and piston.
not all this happened at once but i could go on and on as it still goes on and on and on
Expect all this to happen and you wont be dissapointed in something thats cost ten times less than a decent push bike alone.

good for nothin?

steve

stv1jzgte · Aug 28, 2009

silverbear said:
You've had a lot of troubles for sure. The way I look at it, these motors are so cheap to buy that even an old guy on social security can afford one. I look at the engine kit as it is as a starting point and go from there, fully expecting to have to fiddle with things. I don't look at changing a spark plug or the wire as a big deal. For me that is part of the allure since it is all low tech enough that anyone reasonably familiar with hand tools can go at it and have some fun. I use old Schwinns for a reason. The frames are strong since they were made back when in Chicago when "Made In The USA" meant something. I don't expect my frames to break. If I were rich I'd step up to a used Worksman. I think the bike frame is the foundation for the build. So both the old bikes and the motor require fiddling around with, adding to, changing things. I really don't think this would be hafl the fun if I didn't have to do these things. Might as well have bought a chinese made scooter like most of the motorized fossils are riding. Easy, just sign a check and bring it back when something goes wrong. Nothing wrong with that, just not much appeal for me. This way I end up paying as much, but it is sort of on the installment plan you might say. I buy a headlight, then new wheels, etc. as I can afford it. And I am very familiar with my ride. I know that crummy carburetor having finally made friends after many disagreements. I know the aluminum casting is cheap and am very careful about over tightening things. I figure the motor will suffer if I leave it out in the weather, so I don't. The result is a pleasurable thousand plus miles on one motor, a few hundred on the new one and a build for the daughter of a lady friend... all with no real problems to speak of. So, it is true what you say about how cheap these motors are. No arguement there, but understanding they are cheap and working around and through their limitations one can have a lot of fun for not too much money. So for myself I'm glad they're cheap pieces of junk. If they weren't I'd be priced out of motor bicycling. Anyway, I'm not exactly defending the motors. But as the Irish say, "It is what it is". We pay a paltry hundred and fifty or less for what transforms our bicycles into sorta kinda motorcycles... or at least close enough to satisfy the child inside who has always wanted a motor on his bike. They sure beat playing cards or balloons. Ha!
Silverbear

Damn wish i said somethin like that

Lincoln · Aug 28, 2009

Hey its great you are all trying to get me to look at the other side of the coin, but i think i see both side's of it. First off let's talk mounting. i made a mount for the front due to the fact my tube size was to large( ask my wife she will tell you i definately mean my bike there!), i simply drilled a small plate with four holes in it, two to bolt it to the front of the engine and two for a muffler clamp to go around the bar. I made two bikes an two mounts this way. I'd show you a pic but when i try to upload it tells me pic is too large. One mount is doing fine. The mount is responsible for damaging my frame, and no i did not drill thru my frame. the sharp edge of the clamp wore thru it. Luckily i can weld a bit so i repaired it an if i were to build another i would re-inforce thge frame first. why? because i want to build with as common materials as possible an you can get a muffler clamp any where!
Secondly as to why the stud broke off twice the jury is still out.... first time was cheap stud sent with kit grrrr... second time was with a much stronger stud double grrrrr.... the chain runs with plenty of slack, so no extra stress there. The other problems i have had are solvable.
No matter to me, the first bike i built had a briggs on it, and it is bullit proof nearly. these experiences do not compare. However the briggs was to big to fit in the frame and the friction drivbe wont work too good in the rain so....
i still feel like there are better products available to me than this chinese two stroke kit thats all! i am on a mission to put more people on motorized bikes an i already no, these kits are not the answer for the masses. i am working on a supply of small four stroke engines right now an its a race between the robin an the four stroker found on this site here.

Lincoln · Aug 28, 2009

It comes to me that the problem with the rear mount is that it is obviously doing to much work. the front set up has broke my frame already, i suppose that in itself adds to the strain of the rear mount. to fix the mounts i have made i must weld the u shaped stud that is part of the muffler clampto the frame of the bike with engine mounted, therefore taking the load provided by the torque of the engine. i don't have to weld it solid i can use a few spots so it is easily removed if neccesary.
However true i still feel the same of these motors. Probably the worst aspect in general is the vibration level.

Technocyclist · Aug 28, 2009

Yup... these kits can really be ****. I have'nt gone through a single week without anything breaking. These engines are not perfect but they are lots of fun. Actually, if it lasts a week without breaking, I'm expecting something major is going to break. These engines have all the problems, but we make what we can do because it does give us some fun and some fulfillment. It's a Murphy's Law thing. What can break will eventually break. They should call this 'Murphy's Engine'. I burned my 1st engine, but when I found this forum, my 2nd engine has last more than year. More than I expected. It still has a lot of problems, air leaks, popping oil seals, wobbly clutch, etc. etc... and I am going to build another 2 or 3 more... Call it crazy, but that's what keeping me from going insane. What the heck, it's my transport...

2door · Aug 28, 2009

Silver Bear,
You've said everything I would have, and then some. Great response, sir. We need more motorized bicycle ambassadors like you.
Tom

restapukin · Aug 28, 2009

The BSA motorcycles i owned in the 1960's were much worse - they were heartbreaking for the amount of time and money spent at the local parts supplier.

I was able to research and pre-empt problems with my 48cc grubbee china kit. Almost to excess. In the sense that I can't tell you how loud these things are, stock, ...by the time mine first fired up it already had rubber-damped fins and all kinds of case-cover damping.

As well as blue thread-lock everywhere & hi-tensile studs & nice hex-key cover screws & silicone sealed mag case.

Nothing has gone wrong that was not my own damn fault, & i'm hard put to think of anything much that has gone wrong <only a couple of hundred miles so far though>

So. I'm more pleased than I expected to be ...low vibration, in fact nothing like a vib. problem at all ... maybe that's the 48cc...? And it fires away nice and crisply, right there in the range i've come to expect from a 2-stroke that's got the mixture settings about right.

And a lot of fun with further tinkering opportunities.

you might say that further benefits include the relatively honest cordial and non commercial advice available right here on the web, thanks partly to the fact that not many dollars are at stake.

& kudos to Lincoln coming back & chewing the fat with us a bit more, notwithstanding... even the naysayers are gentlemen round here

(...goes to clean rose-tinted glasses...)

silverbear · Aug 28, 2009

Stv!jzgte & 2door,
Thanks for the kind words...
Silverbear

Comrade Alfonzo · Aug 28, 2009

I have also had problems, mainly rotten luck.
1. engine didn't fit in original bike, 1.5months and $150 to get a diff bike.
2. torqued head off brake cable bolt, 3days $2
3. rear wheel flange too big, 10 days $30 for new wheel
4. 44T sprocket rubbing frame, $20 for 36T sprocket from DAX, not even sure if it will still have enough torque for large hills

Lincoln · Aug 29, 2009

Well i have had fun the fun and the torture of owning the two stoke 68 c.c. kits. Perhaps the 49 c.c. is a better engine. I am told the vibration is a lot less. I am really interested in tryin the titan 49 c.c. four stroke. i just want the best product available within reason. I'm not looking to spend a fortune here or i would go buy a motorcycle. I am willing to bet the titan four stroke has problems as well. Life is never without problems. I will continue to run my two stokes even though i intend to build a four stroke bike besides the bicycle for two i am building currently. Perhaps as i learn i will feel better about the two strokes, time will tell.

Deadend · Aug 31, 2009

^ the joy is in the sadomasicism of maintaining these p.o.s. I mean, think about : 125$ (ish) for a full engine and transmission :lol:

cmawn now - 55% ride time - 45% tinkering : expect more and you really should have spent more

BarelyAWake · Aug 31, 2009

I'm a lil odd... but I bought my kit for the experience of building it, knowing full well that for $150.00 I wasn't gonna get a plug n'play bike, I expected shoddy components that I would need to upgrade, repair, replace...

I got 'em sure nuff

I somehow manage to commute to work every weekday, spend my weekends tinkering and trying to improve the bike's overall performance. I very deliberately got a cheap engine and bike, I figured as my first build there would be a huge discrepancy between what I envisioned and reality.

For once I was right lol

Now that I've most of the kinks worked out, I know what I want - more importantly, what to expect from my next build. One of the things I really wish I had known to save some heartache and worry those first few days (weeks?) is just how poorly the motor would perform - simply due to it not being broken in.

One of the problems with a new build, let alone a first - is ya find yer trying to fix way too many problems simultaneously and get a touch under/overwhelmed. There's no real way around that as everything needs be fixed, tweaked, or at least figuring out what the freakin problem is. Eventually as ya catch up with all it's lil idiosyncrasies and you'll reach a point where it's just the "normal" repairs and maintenance required for these hard-workin' lil POSs.

It's a bit frustrating at times to say the least... but it does subside man

It's worth every minute - even if ya hafta write off a kit and get another. They're cheap enough that while it takes quite some doing to get it all dialed in, this also means you need not fear takin a Dremil to it and "experimenting" to see what you can McGuyver.

I never dared do that as freely with any of my motorcycles as the replacement costs for the components I would have butchered in curiosity were astronomical in comparison.

Yet, having said all of this - I still ride with the expectation of spontaneous detonation with no explanation

stv1jzgte · Aug 31, 2009

BarelyAWake said:
I'm a lil odd... but I bought my kit for the experience of building it, knowing full well that for $150.00 I wasn't gonna get a plug n'play bike, I expected shoddy components that I would need to upgrade, repair, replace...

I got 'em sure nuff

I somehow manage to commute to work every weekday, spend my weekends tinkering and trying to improve the bike's overall performance. I very deliberately got a cheap engine and bike, I figured as my first build there would be a huge discrepancy between what I envisioned and reality.

For once I was right lol

Now that I've most of the kinks worked out, I know what I want - more importantly, what to expect from my next build. One of the things I really wish I had known to save some heartache and worry those first few days (weeks?) is just how poorly the motor would perform - simply due to it not being broken in.

One of the problems with a new build, let alone a first - is ya find yer trying to fix way too many problems simultaneously and get a touch under/overwhelmed. There's no real way around that as everything needs be fixed, tweaked, or at least figuring out what the freakin problem is. Eventually as ya catch up with all it's lil idiosyncrasies and you'll reach a point where it's just the "normal" repairs and maintenance required for these hard-workin' lil POSs.

It's a bit frustrating at times to say the least... but it does subside man It's worth every minute - even if ya hafta write off a kit and get another. They're cheap enough that while it takes quite some doing to get it all dialed in, this also means you need not fear takin a Dremil to it and "experimenting" to see what you can McGuyver.

I never dared do that as freely with any of my motorcycles as the replacement costs for the components I would have butchered in curiosity were astronomical in comparison.

Yet, having said all of this - I still ride with the expectation of spontaneous detonation with no explanation

Nothin odd about that at all, great post

sojudave · Sep 2, 2009

Lincoln,

I'm sure that many of us can empathize with you plight. There's one thing you must remember with these kits. They are cheap. Ask yourself this, just how reliable can these things be right out of the box when they retail for less than 200.00. That's retail, which means the vendors pick them up from the wholesalers at an even cheaper cost. Many vendors do their best to go through and make sure everything is on the up and up but even still, you gotta come to the table with a certain reality in place. The reality being, these things are slapped together in low cost situations and will break. It's up to you, me, and everyone else who owns these kits to keep the breakdowns to a minimum. This site is the best on the internet when it comes to throwing ideas and experiences around. Don't give up on the kits.

Search

good for nothing!

Lincoln

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silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up

Clotho

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captainrichhill

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stv1jzgte

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stv1jzgte

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Lincoln

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Lincoln

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Technocyclist

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2door

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restapukin

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silverbear

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Comrade Alfonzo

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Lincoln

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