Motorized Bicycle as an effective means of commuting to classes and University Activi

GoldenMotor.com

graydog8josh

Member
Nov 23, 2012
450
4
18
Starkville,MS
Commuting to class is an issue all students will face at any stage in college. It will affect choices in living arrangements and purchasing decisions on cars and bikes. It can influence social interactions and many aspects of student life. Thus, choosing an effective means of transportation is very important.
Mississippi State has a large rural campus. The total distance across campus is approximately two miles [1]. This trip on a bicycle averaging about 10 miles per hour would take about 12 minutes. Walking this distance, averaging three miles per hour, would take about 38 minutes. Using the Drill Field as the central location, the average distance to any destination on campus is approximately 1.2 miles.
A motorized bicycle can be an effective means for any student commuting to classes and activities. A standard 26” beach cruiser is fitted with a 48 cc motor kit in this illustration. A 48cc motor kit can be purchased on Ebay for 135 dollars [3]. While not the only option available, this size motor is considered by many states to be a bicycle with an assist motor and not a motorcycle. In fact, university parking guidelines define a bicycle as a vehicle with “two wheels in contact with the ground and propelled by human power.” [2]


Kit options available
Other motors and drive systems can and have been mounted on bicycles. There are more expensive, more powerful two-stroke variations producing anywhere from 3-12 horsepower, the four-stroke motors with less power and more reliability and electric hub driven motors. The costs of these other systems are more expensive. Harbor Freight sells a 212 cc motor which is 119 dollars and seven horsepower [5]. This motor is not a kit and needs extensive fabrication to fit to a bicycle. Morini, an Italian motor company, makes two-stroke 48cc high end Moped gas motors. These come in the 9.4 horsepower air-cooled ($399-treatland.tv) [6], and 11.9 horsepower water-cooled variety ($805-piratecycles1.com [7]). These are not sold as a kit and require extra parts and fabrication to fit to a bicycle frame and operate. The larger displacement 66 cc two-stroke Ebay kit is only slightly more expensive than the 48cc two stroke kit[4] and far more popular in the motor bicycling community [8]. This kit exceeds the 50cc displacement limit set by most states, according to the laws and legislation section of the motor bicycling forum [8]. A nominal amount of power needed to assist a bicycle up to 30 mph with minimal pedaling is achieved with this 48cc Ebay motor kit. For simplicity’s sake, the example illustrating the effectiveness of a motorized kit bike revolves around the cheapest legal motor, the 48cc Ebay kit.

Kit Price
Two-stroke 48 cc Ebay kit [4] $ 135
Two-stroke 66 cc Ebay kit [4] $ 140
Four-stroke 48 cc Ebay kit [4] $ 280
Two-stroke 48cc motor kit air-cooled (motor only) [6] $ 399
Two-stroke Morini water cooled (motor only) [7] $ 855
Four-stroke 212 cc harbor freight (motor only) [5] $ 119

How a motorized bike works
A motor is mounted inside the frame of the bike in the area one might affix a water bottle. There is a clutch lever which is mounted in the position a standard brake lever would be. Also, contained in the kit is a twist grip throttle, which replaces one of the handle bar grips. The motor disengaged by pulling in the clutch lever and locking the clutch in position when idling or when the motor is not running. A kill switch, mounted on the throttle assembly will cut spark to the motor turning the motor off. The motor can be started by pedaling up to a high enough speed and engaging the clutch. Also included in the kit are a half gallon gas tank and a drive sprocket to be bolted on the left hand side of the rear hub. As this is an assist motor, a separate chain attaches to the motor’s drive sprocket.
Maintenance will increase with adding a motor to a bike. There is also a learning curve to installing and repairing and maintaining a motorized bike. There are forums on the internet on motorized bicycling. Additionally, kits come with instructions and a complete installation DVD. A two-stroke motor burns oil with gas and can spout exhaust smell onto clothing. Ipone, a high end French motorcycle oil company, makes strawberry scented two stroke oil which will mix in with gasoline. This will reduce unpleasant burn oil odor [9].
Motorized bicycle improvement versus bicycle
Travelling on a bike at 10 miles per hour is a steady pace that would cause most people to perspire. Arriving at a class or a job interview or a meeting perspiring is not ideal. A cyclist would have an additional problem of needing to carry clothes and change at each destination which would need to be factored into commuting time.
Car commuting shortcomings
A parking sticker for a car will cost a commuter student 115 dollars [10]. To get a parking spot in a commuter lot close enough to class to where walking distance is four minutes or 0.2 miles, it is typical to have to drive about three to five minutes to find a spot and/or arrive to campus 10 to 15 minutes early to improve the chance of the availability of that spot. In addition to the immediate cost of the parking decal, there is the cost of gas. Gas prices today are around $3.20 per gallon [11]. A respectable student vehicle may get 20 miles per gallon in campus driving. An example car that gets 20-28 miles per gallon has a 15 gallon tank and this tank would cost $47.25 to fill. If travelling to class and back every day, that is two miles five days a week equals 10 miles a week, not including gas spent idling and driving around to find a parking spot. This equates to at least half a gallon a week, $1.67 a week in gas.
A motorized bicycle can achieve 75 miles on its one half gallon tank. This equates to travelling to class 7.5 weeks on one tank of gas (two miles a day, five days a week. As a bicycle can park in front of the class building, this minimizes the amount of walking time to class. In the roads a motorized bicycle can effortlessly average 20 miles per hour, the campus speed limit. This increase in average speed can reduce commute time.

In conclusion, these key points illustrate the effective improvements of using a two stroke motor on a bicycle. Biking, shuttle bus travel, and automobile usage will be the traditional options a student has to choose from. This is one additional possible solution for an off-campus commuter.
 

Risingsunn

Member
Nov 24, 2012
191
5
18
Maricopa Arizona
Re: Motorized Bicycle as an effective means of commuting to classes and University Ac

Are you writing a thesis paper on motorbikes for one of your classes?
 

Risingsunn

Member
Nov 24, 2012
191
5
18
Maricopa Arizona
Re: Motorized Bicycle as an effective means of commuting to classes and University Ac

Very well written and informative. I hope you got a good grade for it.
 

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
22
0
memphis Tn
Re: Motorized Bicycle as an effective means of commuting to classes and University Ac

Good job! May I share this?