The time has come! Share your knowledge!

congrats on your money for your first kit what are you planing to do with this bike before we start giving advice what type of bike do you want to use also

Not a single one of 'em!

All the chinagirl kits are a crapshoot.

That being said, they are the best value for the buck in personal transportation.

Good luck
rc

This same question gets asked several times a week. The answers are always the same. If you read and research you'll be able to answer that question yourself.

All the kits out there are nearly identical. The biggest differences in installs come from the care of the builder. If you take the time do do it right, you will have a much better result than the guy who just slaps it together. Many of us also find that over time, the only kit parts that we are using is the engine itself.

That being said, many people think that Flying Horse makes a better than average engine.

Also, Picking a vendor that you feel comfortable with will help when it comes time to order replacement parts.

Lando said:

Hey all,

Thank you for all the informative responses! Earlier in the thread the question was posted what bike i was planning on using. I would like an old Schwinn beach cruiser(male). Are there any issues with this frame I should be aware of?

Thanks again,
Lando

Click to expand...

Old bikes are good. They were built to last the test of time. Be aware that you will need more than just a coaster brake. Even the most basic kit will take you faster than you can pedal. It may not be supersonic, but any speed is too much when you need to stop real quick

A ChinaGirl kit might not be the best choice for a commuter. Aside from the breaking/wearing in period, they have an unfortunate habit of failing when you are far from home or late for work. Murphy's law sort of deal.

I don't mean to dissuade you in any way but for reliable transportation, I advise friends to get a better setup. The ChinaGirls are great and great fun. But not an ideal choice for commuting.

I forget who first suggested this but works great. Carry a plastic bag with you so you can remove the drive chain and ride as a regular bike should some thing fail.

also remember to check your local laws and regulations regarding use of motorized bikes.
i recently purchased a Hybriped kit,two pins and rear sprocket freewheels,hope to get it on my second bike over the winter.

I'll weigh in again with agreement to what the PARacer said...

although many motorized bicycle riders use the sole coaster brake their beach cruiser was equipped with, IMO, it is quite a bit less than safe.

Coaster brakes can fade, or lock up. They are also totally reliant upon the chain.

The experience upon a motorized bicycle is similar to going downhill, on a pedal bicycle, all the time. All well and good, great fun, yet we have NO control over other people sharing the road with us, especially in traffic.
The best braking system we can get is far more important to us, than them!

If I DID run a coaster brake on the rear I would use a disk brake on the front.

Also, most beach cruisers don't have front suspension, because they are meant for slow, boardwalk pedaling...
As your speed increases, the value of at least front suspension becomes obvious. As with a plush seat! lol

Fun stuff!
rc

BTW, what Dan did NOT say... ... is that 4 cycle motors are much more reliable than the 2 stroke kit motors.

.

I bought a Sturmey Archer brake hub wheel a couple of years ago, and it was well worth the 100 bucks !

A cruiser frame is great- I prefer the lighter newer ones, but some have claimed they've broken- Had two builds over three years and no frame failures-

If you get a newer one with oversized tubes- I personally would hope to get a newer "big mount" motor- boygofast on ebay has- but you have to be certain- he still sells older small mount motors- you can ask him to be sure.

I always use freewheels with handbrakes here- a cruiser built for multi-gear usually has cantilever brakes, which work fine with 26 wheels, and you can go with lighter and better rolling narrower tires- the less knobby the smoother roll and less vibration under speed.

That should get you started-

as an old bike person, I try to get the bike as near a great bike as possible- so I use 700c wheels- The limited power of the motor has less to overcome. This may cause a need to chuck cantilever for caliper brakes- but not a big deal- a matched set will usually not work though then- a smaller reach is needed on the fork than the rear triangle. Get a dual brake lever if you run two handbrakes- makes riding much safer- for about $15.

A good many people change to a smaller motor sprock- less revs cruising and more top end. 36 is good, 34 is too, if you aren't real heavy and climbing a lot.

word of advice from an avid winter rider and one of those crazies who ride in the rain, make sure you use RTV or some other type of good water proof silicone sealer to water proof your magneto, believe me. nothing sucks worse than cruising along at 25 and losing all power then having to bike home in the rain because you just shorted out your mag.