NOS Bike Bug value?

GoldenMotor.com

Dougan

New Member
Apr 5, 2010
78
0
0
wisconsin
Mods, I had a tough time deciding if this should be in the swap shop forum or in here. I put it here since I'm not technically listing it for sale. My apologies if I made the wrong call.

I had one of these fall in my lap. It's a "Sears Free Spirit" which my research has told me is a rebranded Tanaka Bike Bug. It pretty clearly hasn't been used (all the mounting stuff is still stapled in the original baggy). There are a few spots where it has developed some rust (specifically, the muffler mount) but otherwise it's probably in the same condition it was decades ago when it was made. I'm guessing it sat in the original owner's basement for its whole life. I didn't mess with it much, but I did turn the flywheel and it is not seized.



I have a china kit on a bicycle and have gotten a bunch of friends to do it as well. So as a motor bicycle guy, I am definitely intrigued by this kit, and I am trying to decide if I should keep it or if I should sell it. Does anybody here have an opinion towards why I should or should not sell this? Or how much they go for in this condition? It would be fun to install this kit but I feel like if it's a collector's item, it might be better suited in someone else's hands.

Pictures:
http://www.whobrew.com/bikebug/bikebug4.jpg

http://www.whobrew.com/bikebug/bikebug1.jpg
http://www.whobrew.com/bikebug/bikebug2.jpg
http://www.whobrew.com/bikebug/bikebug3.jpg
http://www.whobrew.com/bikebug/bikebug5.jpg
http://www.whobrew.com/bikebug/bikebug6.jpg
Thanks!
 

The_Aleman

Active Member
Jul 31, 2008
2,653
4
38
el People's Republik de Kalifornistan
They're intriguing little motors, like the Solex. Not built for speed, but motored bicycling at it's simplest. I've seen a few of them in person over the years.

They are minor collector's items in some circles. I say install it on a fun bike. Always wanted to put that type of drive on something like a Coker Wheelman :D