Which Bike Is A Better Choice?

Without question, I would go with the Point Beach. Some reasons would be the v-brakes, the gearing the aluminum frame, the looks and the overall weight of the build. This was almost the first bike I was going to install a 4-stroke engine.....I would have no hesitations installing any engine that would fit on this (relatively cheap) inexpensive bike. My .02 cents.

addenton223 said:

I have already purchased my 66cc motor and I am looking to get my bike before the brown box comes in. This is my first build but I want to choose a bike that is not only sturdy, but it also looks good. I have got it down to two bikes. Which one is a better bet?

I know their both from Walmart but I am just a poor college student looking to enjoy a bike ride. the black bike would be easier to install with smaller tubes on the frames and no rear fender to work around, and the cruiser would be more work with drilling the hole for the engine mount and cutting the fender to allow room for the chain, but it would look much nicer and I would enjoy the ride more as it would be more comfortable. Which one should I choose?

Walmart.com: Schwinn Point Beach 26" Men's Cruiser Bike: Bikes & Riding Toys

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Either one is an bad idea. I think it's a good idea to at least spend as much money on your bike as you did on your motor. If you start with a lousy bike it's really hard to get to the point where it feels decent. I would check and see if the wheels have spokes that crossover one another before they go from the hub to the rim. This is referred to as a laced wheels and it is a lot stronger. If you're short on cash I think your money would be spent a lot better in buying a good used by as opposed to a poor new one. When I'm riding my motor bicycle it's really good not to worry about the bike falling apart.

You're putting an awful lot more strain with the 2 hp motor that even the strongest professional bike racer can exert. Plus the added fun of all of that vibration. Kinda like, if you take a standard bicycle and strap it to a paint shaker when you think will happen?

mike

Here is a bike I paid $300 for, out the door. The engine (I had perchased before the bike) cost me $103 + CA sales tax.

OK. A cheap bike made in China.


A cheap (but powerful 212cc) engine, also made in China.
URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/img0399e.jpg/] [/URL]

The end result.....





Is there something wrong with cheap, inexpensive bikes? Wanna race?

This is just a small example of what cheap can turn into.....any questions?

You can always upgrade cheap, but a good foundation helps. The Point Beach is worthy of what most people can motorize......safe and simple, use your head.

Are you sure you don't have your numbers mixed up? I have yet to se a engine for a hundred dollars (unless if "fell off" the back of a truck). I also noticed that your not dealing with the stock fork or crank. Either way I'll stick by my statement: toy store bikes fail. I'm not recommending you go and shell out eight grand for a carbon fiber bike I'm just saying there's a certain quality limit and if you go below it you will be disappointed.

mike

Oh yes I'm sure retromike, less than $115 for that Chinese motor and those cranks are cheaper than the one piece that come stock on the $300 stock Felt (from China) The SR Suntour fork......a whopping $114. I built my bike to RACE mind you!

A cheap China Girl 2-stroke should be mounted on an equivalent POS bike for the sake of what it is........cheap! Those 2-stroke kits are a dime a dozen, so it stands too reason. I would never waste an expensive entry level Mtn. bike on some cheap if-y chinese junk 2-stroke sub-par engine. Period.

retromike3 said:

Are you sure you don't have your numbers mixed up? I have yet to se a engine for a hundred dollars (unless if "fell off" the back of a truck). I also noticed that your not dealing with the stock fork or crank. Either way I'll stick by my statement: toy store bikes fail. I'm not recommending you go and shell out eight grand for a carbon fiber bike I'm just saying there's a certain quality limit and if you go below it you will be disappointed.

mike

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I think you are making my point Scotto, you admit that you have a good four hundred dollars in just your bicycle part of your ride . I don't race but, I like to have my bike set up and dependable. It looks like you have a sweet ride and I hope you have a grate time pushing it to the limit(safely of coarse).

I guess Cheap is a point of perspective. The main reason I started to build my own bicycle frames was because I could not afford to buy a custom frame myself.

If you add a bicycle that has substandard parts and bad brakes with even a two horse power engine you are asking for trouble.

mike

Most bicycles no matter how cheap can easily be upgraded to be better. Actually any expensive bike can be easily upgraded too, but just not for cheap.

Scotto makes perfect sense. Start with a bicycle you like that's cheap, and upgrade what YOU want, the way YOU want it, with the parts YOU like. That way it becomes YOUR custom bike. Even if it ends up costing as much as a better bike, it's still YOUR custom bike.

Most of the goodness of an expensive bicycle is wasted on a MB imo.

addenton223 said:

I have already purchased my 66cc motor and I am looking to get my bike before the brown box comes in. This is my first build but I want to choose a bike that is not only sturdy, but it also looks good. I have got it down to two bikes. Which one is a better bet?

I know their both from Walmart but I am just a poor college student looking to enjoy a bike ride. the black bike would be easier to install with smaller tubes on the frames and no rear fender to work around, and the cruiser would be more work with drilling the hole for the engine mount and cutting the fender to allow room for the chain, but it would look much nicer and I would enjoy the ride more as it would be more comfortable. Which one should I choose?

Walmart.com: Schwinn Point Beach 26" Men's Cruiser Bike: Bikes & Riding Toys

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

Click to expand...

The second bike looks like something that Richard Simons designed. lol

I am not one to purchase bicycles from yal-mart, or much of anything aside from toiletry. However, the "Richard Simons" bike did make me stop and put down my TP as I walked through the store. I see potential in the second bike with a few of my own changes added to make it my own. Plenty of room for a large 4-stroke was my first thought. Two bike manufactures I personally would suggest staying far away from would be HUFFY and MICARGI. I have read about and seen plenty of those frames fail.

Where the **** did you buy an engine like that?

how did you mount it to the bike??!!!?!?!