Twin 2 stroke cruisers to build. Need advice...

GoldenMotor.com
Trey

Trey

$50 Cruiser
Jan 17, 2013
1,432
5
0
Where cattle outnumber people 3 to 1.
Well, riding a gasbike has gotten me/it alot of attention, and I've only ridden it about 30mi (4 broke down!).
Two friends have decided they each have to have one. Even though I did not assemble my own bike, I have been tasked with both builds.
I intend to use Schwinn Del Mar cruisers and 2 stroke kits.

Here's the first two questions of these builds;

1) A member here has good things to say about an Ebay store called "mingsinsternational" for low priced 2 stroke kits and customer service. Both are equally important as I am bound to screw something up. Can anyone give me a comparable review of your dealings with a sponsor here? Are they cheap, honest and answer the phone when you call? I'd like to spend my fednotes with someone who supports a site like this.

2) Would you agree that each bike should be completed for approx $400?

This is what I'm sure will be the first of many thanks!
 
LabRat

LabRat

New Member
Dec 24, 2011
596
20
0
Ruston, Washington
Hi Trey, I have no experience with the vendor your speaking of. Several things are on my mind when I purchase other than just price. One of them is inventory. Ask is the item I am ordering in stock. The second thing is where are they shipping from. Often its not the shipping cost I am concerned about so much as the distance and time it takes. I made my first 2 stroke purchase from Bikeberry they are a sponsor of this forum. My experience is as follows. Item shiped and arrived undamaged. When it came time to order a part I was not sure of I called them and my phone experience was wonderful. I ordered kit two and later kit three. No complaints. I have ordered a few other misc items from Bikeberry always the same, I have no complaints. I have a set group of vendors I have come to trust and purchase from. I try my best to continue to use the same vendors as much as I can - if only to provide support to them so they will be there when I need them for my next order. It is great to ask as you have, I look forward to seeing other peoples repsponse to your question.

Oh knock on wood, my experience on ebay with 73 purchases in total over the last 2 or so odd years.... never been screwed yet! Amazing isnt it?

Tks, LabRat
 
Trey

Trey

$50 Cruiser
Jan 17, 2013
1,432
5
0
Where cattle outnumber people 3 to 1.
LabRat- That is excellent, thank you. I'm also looking forward to what everyone has to say.





As far as Ebay; Truth be told, I got my first email to be able to join this website, so I honestly don't know what's what:)
 
ocho ninja

ocho ninja

Member
Jan 14, 2012
564
2
16
San Jose, CA
400 sounds like a good price, seeing that most guys locally around are selling complete motorized bikes for 500 on huffy cruisers. And those huffy cruisers are great platforms for motorizing.

I have only ordered one engine kit so far from ebay, it was a good engine but the seller wasn't very helpful when it came to problems with the kit. I think if i had to order another kit it will probably be one of the onsite vendors.

Also, you might need the universal wide down tube adapter as most modern cruiser have wide down tubes that common 2 stroke kits wont clamp on to.
Also convince them to spend a little more and get sprocket adapters or a hub like the one you have, they will be much happier as they don't have to deal with the rag joint.
 
Trey

Trey

$50 Cruiser
Jan 17, 2013
1,432
5
0
Where cattle outnumber people 3 to 1.
ochoninja- That Ebay guy sells his with the adapter as part of the kit. Some people here say they're getting good use from the ragjoint, so we're gonna try it on these two. I expect to have to make changes as time goes on. Maybe I should start charging huh?
And did you say Huffy makes good bikes? Remember, I haven't had a bike since 1980....... oh yeah, since Huffy sucked! If they're good now, I'll take a look.
 
ocho ninja

ocho ninja

Member
Jan 14, 2012
564
2
16
San Jose, CA
Getting a rag joint properly set up takes some patience and know how... i dont have the patience so i got with a adapter
And i know huffy bikes today aren't the best bikes, but there okay for the price... no some of the the huffy cranbrooks come with 12ga spokes... and some people are happy with with
 
Trey

Trey

$50 Cruiser
Jan 17, 2013
1,432
5
0
Where cattle outnumber people 3 to 1.
12 Gauge? That's good enough for a 5 mile radius, in a small town, bike right? That would be a point in their favor.
I don't want to have to babysit these bikes too much, just build em. Are adapters enough better that I should tell them they gotta get em if they want me to build them? I'm free, so I think I will get whatever I ask for...
 
ocho ninja

ocho ninja

Member
Jan 14, 2012
564
2
16
San Jose, CA
Ragjoint setups need some adjusting from time to time, making sure all the spokes have the right tension.
A hub adapter need almost no attention after its set up.
 
Trey

Trey

$50 Cruiser
Jan 17, 2013
1,432
5
0
Where cattle outnumber people 3 to 1.
I hadn't thought about that. Man- I gotta start charging! There's a Schwinn shop near here and I got a spoke tool, so I'm going to practice truing rims. Somebody gotta do it, and it's my wheel. I still have to build the stand. Hey, you know the standard spoke gauge for these motorized bicycles? Best?
 
ocho ninja

ocho ninja

Member
Jan 14, 2012
564
2
16
San Jose, CA
Truing a rim is not hard after you get the hang of it.

And use 36h steel rims with 12ga spokes minimum, if its an alloy rim it has to be double walled rim... If you have access to thicker spokes go for it.
 
maniac57

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
22
0
memphis Tn
You need to get the people you're building for to take care of it themselves. Don't take responsibility for the bike after sold. PERIOD! Build it as good as you can for the price and move on unless the problem is clearly due to your building. Explain things clearly and make sure they understand chinagirl quality control. This is the single biggest reason I ride ALL my builds at least a week or so before I list them. I've been lucky but I fully expect to get a grenade eventually.
 
Otero

Otero

Member
Feb 1, 2010
782
17
18
wa
Yo Trey,
For some reason there's no button to attach images in private
messages so I'm putting 'em here. you wanted pics of my belt drives.
the build info is in you're private messages. the pic with the 20''
whl rim is for the old original build; the 24'' rim is current. the 24''
has a number of advantages. 1. better low end power. 2. Because
it's so close to the spoke nuts there's far less stress on the spokes
which means you can mount a more powerful engine. The GEBE kit
really is not engineered for more than 35ccs. I know people have
done it, but the metal 24'' rim is much stronger. (40cc Tanaka not
visible, hidden under fake pannier stealth cowling.)

P.S. 3 spd, hassle free shifting.
 

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Bikeguy Joe

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
Most box store bikes come with 12 g spokes. 10 are thicker and better.

Get an old wheel, and "untrue" it, then try to get it back to good.
Takes practice, but it's not impossible. Just takes practice.

If I could get 400 dollars for a bike, I'd build them all day, every day.
150 engine, 25-100 bike. 150= BUCKS FOR A COUPLE HOURS OF WORK...

Heck yeah!
 
bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
joe, my problem is it takes me weeks to build an awesome bike, and people only wanna pay 400 for it.

i could probably build and sell $400 bikes all day long here, but my pride won't let me build walmart bikes for the disposable crowd (no offense meant.)

even if i'm just doing a minor repair to a local's cheap bike, i still end up tuning them and cleaning up their wiring or something for free. i'm kinda stupid that way...
 
Trey

Trey

$50 Cruiser
Jan 17, 2013
1,432
5
0
Where cattle outnumber people 3 to 1.
Otero- Got your PM, very informative, and thanks for the pics!

Bikeguy Joe- Beefier is better for spokes I'd guess. I'm certainly going to build it right. I was thinking the same thing as you for truing a rim. I had planned on a COST of $400 to build each one?

bairdco- I am with you on the 'workin out the bugs thing'. Feel like I'm gonna end up before Judge Wopner if I don't do everything I can:) If I were younger my parents would take me to the doctor, and I would be medicated for life, instead I fix things- everything I see... what a pain that quirk is.
 
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Jumpa

Jumpa

New Member
Aug 12, 2011
607
2
0
Cape Cod
no some of the the huffy cranbrooks come with 12ga spokes... and some people are happy with with[/QUOTE said:
I know you intend on using Schwinn Del Mar but I thought Id chime in on the Huffy,

Funny you mention that my first bike was a blue "Huffy Cranbrook" with beige funders the only thing left of that bike are the rims "12 GA. spokes and the fenders "never used" everything else has been slowly but surely vibrated to death with grease all over it and rust where there is not. It lasted me 2 years And @ 275 lbs @6' 5" it owes me nothing..no complaints & not bad for $88 bucks I still have the blue rims they awesome for these kits
Click to expand...
 
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