New guy, need a bit of help!

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jetblast96

New Member
Aug 3, 2011
5
0
0
Manalapan, NJ
Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum so I'll give a quick introduction: I'm Mike, I'm 15 (finally old enough to legally use a mb) and I live in central NJ. I have always had a passion for motors, building, and biking, so the thought of being able to make a mb sounds like a fantastic idea to me. I just need a little bit of help getting started.
Okay so first, I am looking to just have a basic bike. I am not going to ride anywhere outside my neighborhood and just want something to take for a spin and enjoy building. My only picky thing is no coaster brakes. Now is a good time to say that I would like to keep a $400 budget. I feel that a beach cruiser style bike fits my needs well. I have already decided on an engine after tons of research and I think a Raw motors 50cc 2 stroke kit will be perfect and I have heard great things about it. Cost is about $150, leaving $250 for the bike and other necesities. My question is what cruiser bikes people have had an easy installation with. I have no machine shop and would like to have no heavy modifications.

So, what bike can fit the description?

Besides that, I don't have any other questions for now. There is one thing though: I am really really concerned about the legality of these bikes. I have been all over the forums and have seen contradicting opinions in NJ such as "register, insure, and get a license, it is worth the money and the crazy trouble" and "forget the cops, registering and everything else is a waste of time and money, just ride and play dumb if anything happens". I have no clue what to do; I am familiar with how to operate a bike or motorbike safely in traffic, and it's not like I am going to ride outside of my little suburban neighborhood.
Anyway thats enough of my babbling now, I hope I could get a bit of advice... thanks in advance!

Mike
 

Nashville Kat

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2009
1,501
55
48
Jacksonville, Florida
To avoid a coaster brake you'll probably want a multi-speed cruiser- then you have the cantilever handbrake fittings on the frame- You'll want to get a dual handle brake lever, to make life easier and safer while also fiddling with a clutch handle- about $15- at vendors here and on ebay.

I started with a Micargi 7 speed Panther- I think it was about $150 shipped a couple of years ago- the great thing about the Micargi is that it has an asian hub whose diameter exactly fits our motor sprockets, and even a ridge stop to keep the sprocket alligned and the correct length from the spokes- Schwinns these days have a high quality alloy hub, but it slants toward the spokes- the sprocket fits over it but it has to be supported solely by a rag joint or optional adapter

still have to use the rag joint to attach to my steel hub, but it's the next best thing besides a hub adapter or modifying a flip/flop hub to attach the sprock directly

The other great thing about a derailleur is that it acts as a chain tensioner for the pedal chain- so that it's easier to avoid using a chain tensioner on the motor chain- more reliable and much less weight- and a cruiser frame gives enough clearance usually otherwise- a mountain bike frame less, and a roadbike can have chain clearance nightmares.

The front shock fork was a later addition, and really helps smooth the ride, with a shock seat post added later as well. As a former racing cyclist, I have my seat set up, and it's a great peddling bike as well as a motorbike.

.rd.
 

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Nashville Kat

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2009
1,501
55
48
Jacksonville, Florida
2 years ago now- this is a 66 kit from bikeberry and I 've also built a 50 slant kit from boygofast

I use my own mounting technique- I grind/file the front mount until it fits around tube, and replace the studs with longer rear ones or long metric bolts with cut off heads. I bend them outward slightly with the flat of a wrench- DON'T BREAK- yhe holes are actually closer together than the frame tube width, but at the center of the tube, not the top- this gives a little bending room- it's only about 1/16"

when the motors on the frame- scratches the paint a bit- I bend them back and touch paint and clearcoat- I use rubber to dampen vibration top and bottom= Hugs the frame pretty well and doesn't stick up off the frame.

kits now are coming with a

I like the 50 kit I put on a cruiser with 700c wheels to be very light- but frankly the 66's have more power- and it seems that 50cc replacement parts are getting a little scarcer to find- most people now us 66 2 strokes.

Notice with the 700c wheels, you can use regular handbrakes- they still must be chosen carefully- a longer reach is on the back- a more normal reach on the front- but neither extreme and readily available- and there's a wide choice of tire sizes, depending on the width of the rim-
This is an older Huffy frame with no cantilever brake fittings- had a coaster brake I didn't want to mess with either!

I just won't ride anything but alloy rims!

scratg
 

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kevinkrg6

New Member
Jun 3, 2011
170
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ohio
I know you would have to get rid of the coaster brake, but I highly reccomend getting a single speed bike. This gives yoj a much more massive amount of leeway with chain alignment. You can spread the frame and put washers on the axle, an exteemely easy fix that was impossible with my 7 speed walmart cruiser.

Avoid having problems and taking it to a machine shop for $275 like me. If I knew how much it woulda cost, I wouldn't have taken it to the shop, I would have bought a new bike.
 

rustycase

Gutter Rider
May 26, 2011
2,746
5
0
Left coast
I looked at that firmstrong cruiser bike busted nut posted a link for...
it's a nice bike!
and it's got inline brakes front and rear! important!!!
man! if it just had a suspension front fork!
So that looks like abt 600 to 700...
Best
rc
 

Al.Fisherman

New Member
Sep 9, 2009
1,966
5
0
Calera, Alabama
I bought a HT kit, Here is a bike that cost $300.00 to build. Everything is new, bike cost $100.00, but you can pick up a used one for as low as FREE or the most I have paid is $20.00 at a thrift store. Choppers were a little more, my son paid $50.00 for one. I have one similar and did away with the coaster brake. Have pad breaks front and rear. With mods to the engine...another $50 or so dollars it's well within your $400.00 budget



Mikes HT bike pictures by Ron-Becker - Photobucket
 
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jetblast96

New Member
Aug 3, 2011
5
0
0
Manalapan, NJ
I will definitely look into a single speed cruiser; i am trying to keep things as simple as possible. Thanks again for the replies, guys! Also, did any of you guys register/insure your bikes to keep legal? How difficult was it?

Mike
 

Al.Fisherman

New Member
Sep 9, 2009
1,966
5
0
Calera, Alabama
I will definitely look into a single speed cruiser; i am trying to keep things as simple as possible. Thanks again for the replies, guys! Also, did any of you guys register/insure your bikes to keep legal? How difficult was it?

Mike
Here in Alabama..no need to do any of that...but wear a helmet.