So I found a motorized bike at a local pawn shop yesterday and went back to look at it today. A friend of mine is looking to buy one soon so I was hoping it would fit the bill, so to speak.
It was a basic 48cc straight top, on a Panama jack beach cruiser. After taking a good look at it here is what I found.
Bicycle frame had been painted flat black. Not a nice improvement.
No twist throttle or kill switch. A brake lever was being used for throttle.
Missing stock NT air filter. The current "filter" was being held on by copper wire and made of sponge.
The muffler had been chopped in half and end was tack welded on with a noticeable gap.
The muffler gasket was leaking horribly.
The lower body of the motor was missing a dime size piece right across from the clutch arm so the arm moved back and forth, side to side.
And to top it off the coaster brake was not attached to the frame, with no other brakes added.
Doing the math, a brand new exact build would cost roughly $351, shipped to my place. The guy was asking $300 for the bike. With the cost to replace the above, not including the broken bottom end, your looking almost $90!
The owner, who I pointed this all out to, claimed he had been riding the bike all over town and had no issues yet. He must have thought I was trying to talk the price down. To kill the motor he would just come to a stop and stall it out. He also told me he had another bike in the back he was getting ready to put out.
Am I crazy to think he is
A) Charging too much
B) That bike is not safe to sell
C) Not the way to introduce these bikes to the public
I wish there was some law about selling such a bike in the shape it is in.
It was a basic 48cc straight top, on a Panama jack beach cruiser. After taking a good look at it here is what I found.
Bicycle frame had been painted flat black. Not a nice improvement.
No twist throttle or kill switch. A brake lever was being used for throttle.
Missing stock NT air filter. The current "filter" was being held on by copper wire and made of sponge.
The muffler had been chopped in half and end was tack welded on with a noticeable gap.
The muffler gasket was leaking horribly.
The lower body of the motor was missing a dime size piece right across from the clutch arm so the arm moved back and forth, side to side.
And to top it off the coaster brake was not attached to the frame, with no other brakes added.
Doing the math, a brand new exact build would cost roughly $351, shipped to my place. The guy was asking $300 for the bike. With the cost to replace the above, not including the broken bottom end, your looking almost $90!
The owner, who I pointed this all out to, claimed he had been riding the bike all over town and had no issues yet. He must have thought I was trying to talk the price down. To kill the motor he would just come to a stop and stall it out. He also told me he had another bike in the back he was getting ready to put out.
Am I crazy to think he is
A) Charging too much
B) That bike is not safe to sell
C) Not the way to introduce these bikes to the public
I wish there was some law about selling such a bike in the shape it is in.
