How much do you ride your bike daily?

GoldenMotor.com

gera229

New Member
Sep 4, 2011
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USA
I am new to this forum and have found myself interested in a motorized bicycle.
First of all I'm in California and would like to know if you need any registration/ license to ride it on the streets here?

Next I would like to know how far you ride your bike daily.

I have a budget of about $200 and want to build one for myself. Is that budget high enough?

I remember I owned a 47cc 2 stroke mini go cart/ pocket bike (Using this engine 47cc Pocket Bike Engine), but the engine had heat problems all the time and I even used the right oil to gas ratios, max I would be able to ride it without smelling the engine would be about 4-5 miles. I weigh 200 lbs. I hope these motorized bicycles are far more reliable.

Do you guys have problems with your engines? Do you ride daily?
2 stroke or 4 stroke is better? Or are they both reliable in terms of engines for a motorized bike since I believe the engines are different from the 47cc engine I linked (I think the 47cc ones are generic and aren't branded engines)?
 
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virginian

New Member
Dec 19, 2009
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McLean VA
I have ridden over 5000 miles in a little more than a year. My bike has never broken down and left me stranded on the road. (I have had flat tires that I fixed on the road and continued riding.)

But I use a good quality Japanese Tanaka 32cc engine. Totally reliable and no vibration. But the engine alone cost almost twice your budget.
 

CTripps

Active Member
Aug 22, 2011
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Vancouver, B.C.
My ride is my commuter, I cover about 15km/9mi daily on it (round trip). On the weekends we (my wife on her MB and I) often only go out one day, but it's usually a longer ride.
I can commute 5 days a week for the amount of fuel my '02 Buick uses to make the trip once. In the 2 months since I started riding the kit has more than paid for itself in gas savings, so I'm very happy.


Your budget should cover a kit and some of the odds and ends you may need along the way, it's about the same as we paid for a 66cc kit with an NT carb. There were other expenses on the first build I did, mainly little things like grease.. never needed any in the garage before.. a gas can and oil.. etc. Depending on the kit you get you may want a few new tools as well (my life got much easier with a decent chain tool and a 14mm deep socket).
 

gera229

New Member
Sep 4, 2011
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USA
I'm personally not new to 2 stroke engines, but thanks for the advice. I was re-thinking about getting a high quality engine, but it seems that you are doing just fine with a possibly generic engine :).
 

gera229

New Member
Sep 4, 2011
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USA
But the thing is that, it doesn't come with a kit, just the motor? If it came with the kit it would cost much more.
 

wheelbender6

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
4,059
221
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TX
I commute to the parknride once a week, about 20 miles round trip on my China girl.
I may ride a few short errands during the week.
My work situation is what prevents me from riding it to the parknride more often. The bike is certainly capable of doing that commute 3 or 4 times per week.
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
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living the dream in southern california
i've got a modified Grubee GT4 66cc two stroker with around 10k miles on it, going on 3 years now. i went back to work in june and ride it full throttle 14 miles each way, almost everyday, more on weekends, and it's survived 2 races on gokart tracks, which is brutal for an engine.

the only major problem i had was a broken chain that broke the case. replaced the left side case and it's still going. sounds like a major problem to most, but it wasn't anything engine related, just a piece-o-crap china chain.
 

Pilotgeek

New Member
Apr 6, 2011
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Green Bay, WI
Most of these bike engine kits are "generic", in that they all come from some factory in china and have mediocre build quality. With some work, they can be made quite reliable though. A $200 budget seems quite low.
 

gera229

New Member
Sep 4, 2011
465
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USA
That's very nice to hear. Looks like I will be happy with a two stroke motor. :).
Do you suggest I do anything to a new motor before running it? Like replacing anything? Or making adjustments and/or tuning it?

I thought a $200 budget is high enough for a Chinese engine? Or is it higher with modifications? I did manage to find a full kit for $180 with shipping included.
Thanks.
 

gera229

New Member
Sep 4, 2011
465
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USA
That's the budget for just the engine excluding any modifications. I can get an NGK plug and wire for probably less than $10.