10 reasons why my next build will NOT start with a "kit"

It seems like I'm not the first to learn these lessons, but they were learned much easier because of this forum!

Ten reasons why my next build will start w/ an engine ONLY (hopefully the DAX GP50)

#1 2 words: Rag joint
#2 Crappy spark plug, boot and ignition wire
#3 El cheapo fuel line and filter which disintegrated after 5 hours run time
#4 Velveeta Chain
#5 The infamous "spoke buster" chain tensioner
#6 Clutch perch... threads stripped the first time mounted (hand tools only)
#7 Nuts, bolts and screws which I can only assume came from 40 year old cracker jack boxes....
#8 Soda can, I mean gas tank
#9 gaskets that aren't even the same shape as the intake/exhaust ports

and #10 The problem solving process makes the ride WAY more fun!!!

Ride safely!

-Gordon

maniac57 said:

I don't know, I always thought the rag joint was a super way to fit a sprocket to a bicycle rim. Much better than the whizzzer style belts imho. The thing I love about these kits is how affordable and easy to use they are. It's the purest form of legal transportation still available especially at the price.
But I have always been a gearhead so the troubleshooting curve was short for me. I can see how they can drive people nuts nickle and diming them to death...

Click to expand...

I definitely agree that the rag joint beats that big whizzer belt thing, but, For me as a first time motor-bike builder, long time bike mechanic, it took four tries before I got the rag joint centered and tightened to my satisfaction. I imagine that many of the rear wheels that blow out are due to guys that had friction between the coaster brake cover and sprocket, or misaligned the sprocket.

Four times tightening nine bolts by hand inside bicycle spokes was 8-10 hours of work for me total... time that could have been spent riding...

plus even without labor the cost to replace these parts starts making the kit seem less and less economical.

Even without figuring in the cost of a sprocket adapter from manic or sportsman, My total cost to replace the other parts I listed (nuts, bolts, gas tank, chain, tensioner, spark plug/wires, fuel line with filter, gaskets, clutch lever assembly...) is up to $150!!!!! without shipping costs (I buy locally whenever possible/economical)

So the true cost of my engine kit is $390 including these replacements (was $240 shipped to my door... CA is expensive)

And the cheapest I've seen a hub adapter and sprocket set is about $80, $90 for sportsman w/40T... (anyone have a used one for sale cheaper?) so that puts me up to $480....

I could buy just the same engine for $175 shipped to my door and pay the same $240 (150 + sprocket +adapter) in parts plus another $100-$150 for a nice exhaust, throttle assembly and carburetor and I'd have a MUCH nicer bike for about $550 instead of a $480 build that needs $200 worth of repairs (including travel, time, and shop labor to remove sheared bolts)

PLUS... I wouldn't have to throw away $50 worth of cheap chinese parts that required tons of resources and slave labor to be created and shipped to the USA....

for my money it's much better to buy one piece at a time and make sure each one is the right piece.

I guess that if you're selling these, and you have the experience to put them together quickly and with good quality then the kits are more reasonable...

For my first time it was worth the extra money for the kit because it included basic instructions and lots of posts on here to reference for help, but now that I'm not a Total Noob, the bikes I build for myself will get better quality parts.

I don't really understand just buying a motorized bike unless you wanted to work on it yourself tho... That's half the fun! .