This is my project bike, for the moment:
I know it's not ideal, especially for a china girl, but it was sold for $5 due to a mis-adjusted derailleur, so I'm pretty happy with it
I've been considering building a moped with a kit for a few years, now I think I'd like to jump in and build one. I've been considering two kits from BoyGoFast, EBay's meh Chinese reseller, and some of the possible pros and cons of each.
50 cc black China Girl
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-50cc-Bike-Engine-Motor-Kit-Gas-Motorized-Bicycle-2-Stroke-Silver-Z50-F-/161091547914 - $145, plus maybe another ~50 for a rack mounted fuel tank
Pros:
- Looks awesome.
- Parts commonly available.
- Bump starting.
- Proper center of gravity.
- You folks love these things, and there is tons of helpful information on them here.
Cons:
- Not sure if it will fit the top tube of my step-thru. Definitely won't fit where it was intended, between the tubes.
- Insufficient drop between the fuel tank and carb, unless perhaps I buy a rear rack-mount fuel tank and rack too.
- I have no personal experience with this type of engine.
- Passive cooling - Not sure if this is actually a problem for these little guys, unless you're idling excessively.
- Roasted chestnuts.
50cc rear-side mounted engine
http://www.ebay.com/itm/49cc-2-stroke-rear-side-wheel-mount-motor-bike-kit-gas-engine-RS2-49-/190737427999 - $200
Pros:
- It's out of my personal space, if you know what I mean.
- Actively cooled, shrouded engine. I've never had an engine of this type overheat, unless the carburetor was failing/out of adjustment.
- No idler pulley. Looks like maybe you can slide the engine to take up slack.
- Possibly more future utility, if I decide to go for a full-suspension mountain bike frame, or get a 4 stroke to mate with the transmission.
Cons:
- Ugly and reduces clearance. Maybe I could mount a toolbox on the other side for a more balanced look, but still not clean looking. I suppose the good news is that I don't have to look at it while riding.
- Pull starting required. Not quite as convenient as bump starting.
- Skews the center of gravity a little.
- Not much real information to be found on this kit, here or elsewhere.
What do you guys think? Is there anything I may be overlooking? I'm hoping to spend less than $250 to get something working well. I don't mind doing plenty of preventative maintenance to achieve reliability, if that's possible.
I know it's not ideal, especially for a china girl, but it was sold for $5 due to a mis-adjusted derailleur, so I'm pretty happy with it
I've been considering building a moped with a kit for a few years, now I think I'd like to jump in and build one. I've been considering two kits from BoyGoFast, EBay's meh Chinese reseller, and some of the possible pros and cons of each.
50 cc black China Girl
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-50cc-Bike-Engine-Motor-Kit-Gas-Motorized-Bicycle-2-Stroke-Silver-Z50-F-/161091547914 - $145, plus maybe another ~50 for a rack mounted fuel tank
Pros:
- Looks awesome.
- Parts commonly available.
- Bump starting.
- Proper center of gravity.
- You folks love these things, and there is tons of helpful information on them here.
Cons:
- Not sure if it will fit the top tube of my step-thru. Definitely won't fit where it was intended, between the tubes.
- Insufficient drop between the fuel tank and carb, unless perhaps I buy a rear rack-mount fuel tank and rack too.
- I have no personal experience with this type of engine.
- Passive cooling - Not sure if this is actually a problem for these little guys, unless you're idling excessively.
- Roasted chestnuts.
50cc rear-side mounted engine
http://www.ebay.com/itm/49cc-2-stroke-rear-side-wheel-mount-motor-bike-kit-gas-engine-RS2-49-/190737427999 - $200
Pros:
- It's out of my personal space, if you know what I mean.
- Actively cooled, shrouded engine. I've never had an engine of this type overheat, unless the carburetor was failing/out of adjustment.
- No idler pulley. Looks like maybe you can slide the engine to take up slack.
- Possibly more future utility, if I decide to go for a full-suspension mountain bike frame, or get a 4 stroke to mate with the transmission.
Cons:
- Ugly and reduces clearance. Maybe I could mount a toolbox on the other side for a more balanced look, but still not clean looking. I suppose the good news is that I don't have to look at it while riding.
- Pull starting required. Not quite as convenient as bump starting.
- Skews the center of gravity a little.
- Not much real information to be found on this kit, here or elsewhere.
What do you guys think? Is there anything I may be overlooking? I'm hoping to spend less than $250 to get something working well. I don't mind doing plenty of preventative maintenance to achieve reliability, if that's possible.
