Anyone Have any Experience with eBay Friction Kits?

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rohmell

Active Member
Jun 2, 2010
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New York
Has anyone bought and installed one of those 2 cycle friction drive kits sold on eBay that come complete with engine?

motorized bicycle gas engine rear friction kit 49cc new - eBay (item 190458443260 end time Nov-18-10 07:45:37 PST)

It's kinda hard to see in some of the pictures, but it looks like the drive roller used in these kits is not a knurled drive roller, but rather some sort of elongated drive gear like those used to drive toothed belts?

I would think the friction provided by such a drive roller would be inferior to those that are supplied by
BMP, DAX, and Staton.

Anyone have any thoughts?
 

corgi1

New Member
Aug 13, 2009
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KCMO
maybe u can get a different drive tube,I feel it hinges too far back,but u could get a dax (best) or a bmp rear setup,check dax for deals
 

rohmell

Active Member
Jun 2, 2010
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New York
I have a BMP, and a DAX is coming, I was just wondering if the eBay ones were any good, and worth looking at.
 

sandiego

New Member
Oct 26, 2008
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san diego
I have the exact one, they don't transfer the power to the wheel very well. To go 17mph you have to keep the engine wide open, i'd stick with the chain drive or if there's a better roller. I bought it for 175, i'll sell the engine for 65 if anyone wants it, I rode with it on twice and just stored it.


By null at 2010-10-31
 

rohmell

Active Member
Jun 2, 2010
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New York
What motor are you using with your Dax friction drive

Did you see the $69 Halloween special that BMP has on now?
I am using a Tanaka PF-4000 right now, but am going to try a Robin Subaru EH035.

Yes, I see the $69 Halloween special, and here is the breakdown:
Friction drive kit: $ 69.00
Kill button: $2.50 (price when purchased with kit, included in DAX kit)
Throttle: $10.00 (price when purchased with kit, included in DAX kit)
Long frame bracket: $5.00 (included in DAX kit)
S&H: $12.00
total: $98.50
I am in NY, so I would have to add sales tax to the above, so the BMP is not really a good deal for me, plus the DAX comes with a nicer throttle with integral kill switch, as opposed to the BMP kit's lever throttle and separate 'doorbell button' style kill switch.
Plus, I would have to paint or rustproof the BMP kit's friction drive unit, it comes bare, unpainted metal.
 

rohmell

Active Member
Jun 2, 2010
1,531
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New York
I have the exact one, they don't transfer the power to the wheel very well. To go 17mph you have to keep the engine wide open, i'd stick with the chain drive or if there's a better roller. I bought it for 175, i'll sell the engine for 65 if anyone wants it, I rode with it on twice and just stored it.


By null at 2010-10-31
Sandiego, Is the drive roller removable? Maybe you can install a different drive roller into it?
BMP sells spare drive rollers, they have 1/2" inside diameter hole, and if that could fit into your unit, I think it would work great.
The DAX kit's roller inside diameter is 15mm, I think, but I don't know if he sells spares.
 

Whizzerd

Member
Nov 20, 2009
114
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18
Muncie,IN
My first F/D was the ebay job. 40 mm drive roller had great speed, for about 5 miles when the outside bearing disintegrated! The bearings were misalighned during manufacturing and the shaft was forced in bending the shaft. The motor channel deformed when clamped down because there was no spacer to prevent deforming. The engine runs great but the tank kept coming loose due to vibration even w/ locktite. I like the USA made BMP. Nearly a thousand miles on one w/ a Titan 50 from Dax.
 

rohmell

Active Member
Jun 2, 2010
1,531
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38
New York
Whizzerd,

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the Bay friction kit.

Is it repairable? Can the bearing be replaced with something good and a spacer added to reinforce the channel? Or is it too much work and not worth it, and in the long run someone would be better off with a BMP or DAX setup?