To pedal or not to pedal, caught between two factions.

I find myself stuck between the hardcore motored riders & the cycling elitists.
For the most part I enjoy pedaling quietly down country back roads, but
I'm getting old. There are places I want to ride, but I don't want to take a
a month getting there. I'd just as soon throttle my way past the traffic to
get to a more serene byway. I want to tour long distance yet still enjoy
a more casual pace where possible. I almost got kicked off of Bike Forums
when I posted a pic of my compromise touring bike, but I guess they
took pity on me cuz I'm old & have suffered many great wounds. It seems
to me both sides should be allies in a common cause of sharing the road
& promoting safer 2 wheel travel with less carbon footprints. I'm not a
spandexter, but I don't need to go faster than 25 either. Anyway, here's
my compromise bike. It's heavy, but pedals well, yet gets down the road
under power. (3rd pic, stealth mode engine cover)

I'm trying to have my cake & eat it too. Where motors are not legal, I just
mount the engine cover & pedal,('til I find a back road unlikely to be patrolled?)
As far as that goes, I'm legal off road just about everywhere, and I'm geared
to pedal restricted trails. At 40cc, I'm not as fast as most inframe bikes.
I'm not really worried about the sheave being spotted. My gear hides most of it.
It's barely visible when I'm rolling.
The only reason I visit a bike shop is for parts, & that only if I'm to hurried to buy
online. I true my own wheels & all other mechanical needs.
MBs aren't especially legal here, but I've been riding around here for years, & all
the local cops know it. They don't bother me because I ride with lights, mirror,
helmet & a vest in a safe & sane manner. They even wave when I go by.

Wait 'til ya hit 67; I can't think of a better excuse for wanting a motor. This
even though I've got at least 50 miles pedaling for every one under power. I
still pedal 30 miles a week. I can still get a good thrill out of a road bike, or
just a pleasant cruise around the neighborhood. Distance travel is another
story. I don't see myself touring the trails of Tibet, but It's so cheap to travel
by motored bike.(provided you've build one you can rely without out draining
you IRA.)

Ludwig, there are trails in Britain. Watch 'World Cycle Videos' on Vimeo. The
Cooper/Ludwig's looking good. There's a lot of laws here, but Thomas Jefferson
once said: " Not only should a man break unjust laws, it is his duty to do so."
For me, It's not a motored bike. If they ask, it's a personal mobility device like
a wheelchair.
My problem with electric bikes is that buying a good one is a 'lot' more expensive
than slapping a motor on a regular bike. That, and the fact that they still don't
have long range capabilities. America's a big place, some times the nearest dorp
is a hundred miles away. As old & busted up as I am, I don't mind pedaling long
distance; it's just that it takes a month to get anywhere.
As to pedal assist, before this last build I did the math on gear ratios & the ideal
cadence to match max torque rpm to thus achieve optimum range. By that I am
aiding the engine, but putting forth relatively little effort.