Ridley Vintage Bicycle

GoldenMotor.com

Rayzor

New Member
Feb 14, 2009
74
0
0
Bako, Ca
Re: Ridley motorcycles - have you SEEN these price $2000 for a motorised bike!!

Its actually $2565 with the motor... i dont even want to know what shipping is.....
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
Re: Ridley motorcycles - have you SEEN these price $2000 for a motorised bike!!

I think we have been here, done this...Ridleys are a rip off, and I only hope that after laying out a huge pile of cash for one, the buyer doesn't realize he could have done it for way less money, it can't be good for business.

I wrote to Cycle world, who featured those things and told them about our website, and the fact that you could build your own for under two hundred dollars, but so far, no response.
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
Re: Ridley motorcycles - have you SEEN these price $2000 for a motorised bike!!

Oh yeah, shipping is "only 175 dollars" and they sell the motor kit separately...550 dollars!

Can ya' say "RIP OFF?"

Knew you could.
 
Sep 20, 2008
1,668
12
0
Clearwater, FL
web.tampabay.rr.com
Re: Ridley motorcycles - have you SEEN these price $2000 for a motorised bike!!

I think we have been here, done this...Ridleys are a rip off, and I only hope that after laying out a huge pile of cash for one, the buyer doesn't realize he could have done it for way less money, it can't be good for business.

I wrote to Cycle world, who featured those things and told them about our website, and the fact that you could build your own for under two hundred dollars, but so far, no response.
I'll sure agree with this! The re-sale vaue would be less than half the day a customer took delivery.

On the other side of the coin:

As long as Ridley makes an effort to educate the potential customer as to what they are getting for the money, I don't see anything wrong with it. Some people don't want to get dirty or are just totally inept at mechanical things. As mechanics we look at it as being ridiculous. To these customers; a bare bike, and a motor in a box looks ridiculous...frightening even. rotfl

If I have a Diamond for sale that is worth $500.00, and I tell the buyer it's worth $500.00, and they insist on paying me my asking price of $2,000.00: who am I to argue?

When I sell a bike I spend about 1/2 hour explaining the whole thing.

The cost of the bike.

The many on-line resources for kits.

The fact that they "could" do it at home for about 1/3 the cost.

The fact that they will have to do periodic maintenance.

This way there are no hard feelings. Of course they get a lot of value added stuff...parts that I machine to make it better. I don't just assemble them. Each one is somewhat custom.

Jim
 
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Laker

New Member
Dec 6, 2008
32
0
0
North Woods
Re: Ridley motorcycles - have you SEEN these price $2000 for a motorised bike!!

I bought my Worksman factory direct.The bike was $330,three speed hub $85.There was a chunk of freight on it but heck it had to be shipped from New York to Seattle.They told me the bike is based on an Indian motorcycle.It has a lugger frame made by hand.They don't use bicycle wheels.The spokes are 12 ga..Fine with me.
 
Jul 22, 2008
656
0
16
Northglenn,Colorado
Re: Ridley motorcycles - have you SEEN these price $2000 for a motorised bike!!

Personally I too see nothing wrong with their marketing of course to us the price appears way high but yea,their catering to the MTV crowd collectors of exotic stuff oh man that bike would look way cool next to my 1915 Harley. Also they are paying quite a lot it seems in advertising if they are mentioned in a magazine so the buck has to fall somewhere. Then when you compare it to the price of an electric they aren't too far off.

Look at todays automobiles. People are wondering why the big three are losing the game their prices are right up there with the once status symbol european cars at the same price. And the big three cars were never considered status except maybe the Caddilacs and the Corvettes back in the 80's.

20 THOUSAND DOLLARS for a loaded CAVALIER you have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I can build me a much faster and better looking car for LESS THAN 5 THOUSAND because I BUILT IT MYSELF!!

I'm digging the VALUE builders are putting on their CREATIONS. People be wishing they had a bike like mine when I ride but they only dream. If they had money to burn are they looking at value?
It's nice to think that my own creations can fetch a nice price tag because personally for me selling Cronus for a thousand dollars is downright satanic and even at a thousand some would call foul on the price.
When GM made the 40 thousand dollar Suburbian/Tahoe do you know what it costed them to make each vehicle?
4 Thousand dollars.
So bottom line. Are you a Master Motorized Bicycle Builder? GOOD FOR YOU. Your creations are PRICELESS.
It's a good thing for Bicycle builders to post these prices. This just makes me more appreciated in out TALENTS.
You can buy a painting at a Wal Marts for 25 bucks the cost of the canvas and materials. But how much would a work of art cost?
__________________
 
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mazdaflyer

New Member
Mar 22, 2009
19
0
0
Kansas
I've seen a couple of the Ridley-Felt motorized bikes up close in Oklahoma City. They tap the frame "tank" and seal up the interior. They add a couple of machined motor mounts and chain tensioner. They make a very clean professional looking package. You could buy the Felt Bike and an Engine Kit for a lot less than Ridley's package, but you will need some machining capability to beat their finished installation nad appearance. After seeing theirs I motororized my 49 Schwinn but it is crude compared to the Ridleys.
 

CalgarysFool

New Member
Aug 30, 2008
135
0
0
I chickened out on doing one of my own over the winter. A-feared I didn't have what it takes to do the tank sealing etc.

But, my evil plan was to make a near copy of Clotho's bike, using a Felt Indian.

I thought it would be very clean looking, and all the more efficient, to use a NuVinci hub at the back. Continuously variable multispeed transmission, and just one chain. Oh, I forgot. I wanted to use a Shift kit (is that what it's called?).

One last touch, so far in my plan, for an ultra clean look. Either adapt (or copy, using cheaper bicycle parts) a twist-grip clutch and internal cabling as Mitchell does at Exile motorcycles.

But now I've given away my plan!
 

HoughMade

New Member
Apr 15, 2008
623
1
0
Valparaiso, IN
Looks like they sell parts now...so you can give your bike some Ridley bling....OK, "bling" isn't fair, the stuff looks well made and functional....pricing? Well, if they can sell it at that- good for them. I mean it.

Tensioner kit- $165

Ridley Motorcycle Co. - Idler Chain Tensioner Kit

Motor mount kit- $174

Ridley Motorcycle Co. - Motor Mount Kit

40 tooth black powder coated sprocket- $49 (actually, not bad)

Ridley Motorcycle Co. - 40T Sprocket

Like was mentioned before, the engine kits for $559

Ridley Motorcycle Co. - Model 48 Motorized Bicycle Motor
Ridley Motorcycle Co. - Model 49 Motorized Bicycle Motor

...and the MP is out os stock...so they appear to be selling.

Anything that gets the MB out there, I suppose, is a good thing.
 

ebmvegan

New Member
Jul 15, 2008
283
0
0
OC, Ca
I agree with HughMade. If they can do it, good for them. If there are others that can sell the same product for less, they could compete. You gotta admit though, it is a good looking ride.
 

Echotraveler

New Member
Aug 25, 2008
172
0
0
Looks like they sell parts now...so you can give your bike some Ridley bling....OK, "bling" isn't fair, the stuff looks well made and functional....pricing? Well, if they can sell it at that- good for them. I mean it.

Tensioner kit- $165

Ridley Motorcycle Co. - Idler Chain Tensioner Kit

Motor mount kit- $174

Ridley Motorcycle Co. - Motor Mount Kit

40 tooth black powder coated sprocket- $49 (actually, not bad)

Ridley Motorcycle Co. - 40T Sprocket

Like was mentioned before, the engine kits for $559

Ridley Motorcycle Co. - Model 48 Motorized Bicycle Motor
Ridley Motorcycle Co. - Model 49 Motorized Bicycle Motor

...and the MP is out os stock...so they appear to be selling.

Anything that gets the MB out there, I suppose, is a good thing.



that tensioner looks bad ass! but i know a guy that would make that same tensioner for 30 bucks!
 

drhofferber

New Member
Jun 22, 2008
307
0
0
Re: Ridley.. anyone seen these?

At any rate, I feel sad for the guy that buys one of those for that much, then finds out he could have had all the fun of the build himself for a fraction of the cost.
Remeber Joe, there is a lot of people with alot of money..who like toys...to have one in their garage is a plus even if they don't drive it...also Ridley might have a hole lot of money and they subcontract out to felt to produce the bikes to their specks...here at the forum we furnish the world with ideas and the little rich kid ...jumps on it to make more money...just a piece of his REP...turn it into MONEY...with no grease and broken nails...everyone has a place...I hope ridley makes it big...thats going to help all us MB's...you rember Delorian...what a car...Dennis
 

Clotho

Member
May 25, 2008
304
2
18
I agree with HughMade. If they can do it, good for them. If there are others that can sell the same product for less, they could compete. You gotta admit though, it is a good looking ride.
I think this is the right attitude. People vote with their dollars.

The truth is that the people that frequent this board are not their target market anyway. We are all builders ourselves. We are all peers. We all have the inside track with regards to costs but we often discount the value we add to the equation of our builds.

If you knew the real cost of most of the products you purchase you would be surprised at how much margin (or volume) is required to keep the doors open in the modern world. That designer jacket you purchased for $200.00 probably cost the factory less than $15 to get it on the showroom floor. You don't get upset because you don't know.

We should be happy for the businesses that stay profitable in these difficult times. They show the rest of us what the real value of our efforts are worth.

To those of you who choose to make your peers the target of your offerings. I salute you for choosing the most difficult path. We are your crucible. We are like New York. If you can make it here you can make it anywhere. The real market (out there in the world) will probably vote with their dollars and pay you more for your products (if marketed correctly). We don't want you to know that however. We are selfish and we want everything to be as cheap as possible.

No matter the cost.
 

Waterfowl

New Member
Apr 27, 2009
14
0
0
N.C.
A fool and his money are soon departed!

The bike prices do not include the motor kit!

They can not be sold as complete kits. The company would need to have the models certified and that costs a lot of money. My guess is they spent a lot of money on the website and build the bikes in a small warehouse and ship the parts to "local dealers" to put together and shoulder any violations.

Felt bikes are cool. Overpriced Felt bikes with cheap motors shown on a jazzy website are not.
 

Crazy Horse

Dealer
Feb 20, 2009
1,153
3
36
USA
!HOW! Crazy Horse here just checked Ridley Vintage Chinese Motorized Felt Bicycles now selling for the low low price of $2,699.00 can't remember if their website say's motor is included for this price or is sold separately.

They look nice but a worksman Looped frame industrial newspaper boy cruiser would look much better in my opinion!

Peace Crazy Horse.
 

KULUKIN

New Member
May 2, 2009
36
0
0
Burbank, CA
Hi Guys,
I saw one of these in a NoHo Scooters store, looks very clean, gas cap works, the tensioner is fitted to the stays, heavy chain, sweet motor mounts, custom motor pieces.
Overall if I wanted a Really Nice MB and didn't have the time or shop/equip. - this is THE bike. (just can't deny it, scerw dreeinger ;)
JML
JML
 

KULUKIN

New Member
May 2, 2009
36
0
0
Burbank, CA
Crazy,
Get Worksman to put a package together, ready built, w/ distribution, I'd buy one for $2000 and drive it off the showfloor.
JML
 

Clotho

Member
May 25, 2008
304
2
18
Crazy,
Get Worksman to put a package together, ready built, w/ distribution, I'd buy one for $2000 and drive it off the showfloor.
JML
In one of the threads someone had called Worksman about a part and they became rather unfriendly when it was noted that a motor would be mounted on the bike. Apparently Worksman doesn't care for the idea of a motorized bike much which is sad considering they make an excellent platform for them.

I looked for the thread but was unable to find it. It is here someplace.