the idea with the back-half of the scooter came from deacon's build. no money invested, now to see how it holds up to everyday use.it only does about 15 and its pretty hard to load down the motor,i dont think it will eat up it's brushes this time.which is why it just has an on/off power system, i dont know much about reostats/electric throttles, all i know is that the throttle/brain part on a scooter is the first thing to break. i used the handlebars from the first bike i owned....an 80's mongoose given to me used out of a dumpster when i was 6.rode it till i was 14. i DO NOT like spending money.some of the engine kits cost as much as the car i've driven for a couple years.
2 hour build friction-drive
- Thread starter Build-a-beast workshop
- Start date
I build using the same stuff but I like yours a lot better. You have yours much better balanced than mine. Your build philosophy is like mine. Congratulations.
Last edited:
thanks deacon.its balanced as long as you're moving...otherwise you feel the brunt of it's 85 pounds.should've used a male frame, female frames flex too much, especially with batteries over the rear.but i dont like stepping over the top bar of a male frame. i ditched the dinky pressed/stamped fork ends for some tougher mongoose ends, they have the washers that lock into larger diameter circles that are cut into the top of the slots....you'll never see me on a bike with quick release hubs.or bikes that have the dinky old-style axles, the size under 3/8, which this one had.or bikes that have springer forks,or pressed together aluminum suspension forks,or carbon fiber/aluminum forks. lots of ors, i know.only because i've seen the damage that can come from these types of forks...theres really no saving yourself when a pair of forks give out. switched the front wheel with a nice true aluminum one, switched the axle rod from quick-release to nuts. also remembered that the scooter was 24 volts......and switched up the wires from 12 v, then took a reading from each SLA battery...both read 13 v. took it out and rode it about a mile, came back with a reading of 12.55 v on each. have to peddle a little with all the hills, but barely. everything stayed cool and worked good.after all that i added the little knob and cable to lift the wheel off for coasting. and it was a merry chrimbus after all. next i'll wire in the female end for one of the 24-volt scooter chargers, instead of having to unhook the 24 volt system to charge the batteries separately with a 12 volt car charger. car alternator on back wheel...perpetual motion?? or at least increased range?????? anyone done did it?
Attachments
You should try the trailer to pull the batteries. It takes a huge strain off the bike frame and allows you to move that motor to the rear. I never could use any motor on that front wheel successfully. I know they said the bike bug was cool, but even a light weight weedeater gave me fits when I tried to turn right from a dead stop.
the sla battery should read over 13.25 to be full. If i pull mine right off the charger they go about 13.75. At 12.anything I have to pedal to beat the devil. At the moment I am dragging around three sets of 2@ 12ah batteries or 36v at 24ah. It's a heavy load and I'm not sure how much more range i really get since the weight is so much higher. The same is true for the additional voltage. It runs faster but it is also dragging a lot of xtra weight.
Do not go with a switch on 36v it melts all mine into the on position. I have a pull wire to kill the circuit though. I need that because run away bikes are a real issue lol...for the 36v I use a controller and yes they are a pain in the butt. Cross the wires and it's toast. over volt it and it's toast. Im sure they just plain wear out. You actually get more ump from the direct switch. I think the controller at the best of times holds the amps down. With the switch it just pours all the amps you have into the system at one time. I love that sit you back in your seat feel when the switch goes on. I have often wondered it 30v on an on off switch wouldn't be the best of all worlds.
By the way a trailer is really easy to build, but I'm sure you know that. I have a thrift shop near my house that has a wide selection of old bikes. I have tried 20" 16" and 12.5" wheels and found the best to be 16". they are easy to find almost any time at the thrift shop for around five bucks. There is a simple design that can be made with anything its called the bamboo trailer on google. There are links to it all over this site.
the sla battery should read over 13.25 to be full. If i pull mine right off the charger they go about 13.75. At 12.anything I have to pedal to beat the devil. At the moment I am dragging around three sets of 2@ 12ah batteries or 36v at 24ah. It's a heavy load and I'm not sure how much more range i really get since the weight is so much higher. The same is true for the additional voltage. It runs faster but it is also dragging a lot of xtra weight.
Do not go with a switch on 36v it melts all mine into the on position. I have a pull wire to kill the circuit though. I need that because run away bikes are a real issue lol...for the 36v I use a controller and yes they are a pain in the butt. Cross the wires and it's toast. over volt it and it's toast. Im sure they just plain wear out. You actually get more ump from the direct switch. I think the controller at the best of times holds the amps down. With the switch it just pours all the amps you have into the system at one time. I love that sit you back in your seat feel when the switch goes on. I have often wondered it 30v on an on off switch wouldn't be the best of all worlds.
By the way a trailer is really easy to build, but I'm sure you know that. I have a thrift shop near my house that has a wide selection of old bikes. I have tried 20" 16" and 12.5" wheels and found the best to be 16". they are easy to find almost any time at the thrift shop for around five bucks. There is a simple design that can be made with anything its called the bamboo trailer on google. There are links to it all over this site.
Last edited:
I think he's also using car batteries which are not for deep cycle usage, plus they're waaayyy heavier than normal SLAs, and I think their voltage is a bit smaller then deep cycle ones... But for investing ZERO DOLLARS. that's an awesome build.
a year ago i found a black and decker electric lawnmower that was on the curb, people thought it was no good because it was in a flood . it had two "BB battery" 12 volt SLAs. thats where my batteries came from.they each weigh about 15 pounds. i had a stockpile of smaller batteries im trying to find at the moment....not to switch the bigger ones with....just to add more. the stash of 24 volt chargers is playing hide-and-seek to. its hard having so much junk. i was thinking about a trailer.but i used to ride with one. with no motor assistance.with curbs and traffic its a pain, i had two-wheelers made for weight. but the one wheelers i like.....nothing has to pivot....just up/down/left/right. the end of a driveshaft would be an ideal hitch for an extreme duty one wheeler....but im hankering to actually spend some money and make a nice gas bike. its time. no one speed,clutch-fryin', high-maintenance, over-priced kits either.... it will use a good old HONDA. and COMET CVT/jackshaft setup. some of these kits are just ridiculous. comet sells all different sizes, my honda shaft is 5/8...so it'll be a 20 series comet...i think. they even sell them with one piece jackshaft plates like the EZ motorbike kit. for half the price....and a torque converter setup is wayyyy better then a centrifugal clutch....wanna pop wheelies? wanna start without peddling? dont wanna change clutch shoes all the time???? get a comet.made in AMERICA. where else are bad-a$$ things made? see for yourself, im not a dealer, im not trying to peddle junk at you...this is the way of the beast. read about them, love them, see their wide range of application.CVTs have been in cars....hondas. read about it. their in snowmobiles/atvs/golf-carts,go karts,mini bikes, mopeds.heres prices and products..everyone sells comets, theres a competitive market, its not hard to find it for CHEAPER.and BETTER. Clutches, Torque Converters, Belts BMI Karts and Supplies - Home
30 Series Comet Torque Converters for Go Karts & Mini Bikes more comet. 218352A - Torq-A-Verter, 3/4" Bore 12 Teeth, #35 Chain Torque Converter there...better prices.
a year ago i found a black and decker electric lawnmower that was on the curb, people thought it was no good because it was in a flood . it had two "BB battery" 12 volt SLAs. thats where my batteries came from.they each weigh about 15 pounds. i had a stockpile of smaller batteries im trying to find at the moment....not to switch the bigger ones with....just to add more. the stash of 24 volt chargers is playing hide-and-seek to. its hard having so much junk. i was thinking about a trailer.but i used to ride with one. with no motor assistance.with curbs and traffic its a pain, i had two-wheelers made for weight. but the one wheelers i like.....nothing has to pivot....just up/down/left/right. the end of a driveshaft would be an ideal hitch for an extreme duty one wheeler....but im hankering to actually spend some money and make a nice gas bike. its time. no one speed,clutch-fryin', high-maintenance, over-priced kits either.... it will use a good old HONDA. and COMET CVT/jackshaft setup. some of these kits are just ridiculous. comet sells all different sizes, my honda shaft is 5/8...so it'll be a 20 series comet...i think. they even sell them with one piece jackshaft plates like the EZ motorbike kit. for half the price....and a torque converter setup is wayyyy better then a centrifugal clutch....wanna pop wheelies? wanna start without peddling? dont wanna change clutch shoes all the time???? get a comet.made in AMERICA. where else are bad-a$$ things made? see for yourself, im not a dealer, im not trying to peddle junk at you...this is the way of the beast. read about them, love them, see their wide range of application.CVTs have been in cars....hondas. read about it. their in snowmobiles/atvs/golf-carts,go karts,mini bikes, mopeds.heres prices and products..everyone sells comets, theres a competitive market, its not hard to find it for CHEAPER.and BETTER. Clutches, Torque Converters, Belts BMI Karts and Supplies - Home
Don't forget in NJ, either a gas or electric bike, turns it into a "moped" in the state's eyes, so you'll have to find out if your regular drivers license is good enough or if ya need a moped endorsement on your license and if you need to register it in one way or another.
depends on the state in nc a moped is not required to be licensed or registered
if it is small enough the helmet is my issue
if it is small enough the helmet is my issue
i've never gotten pulled over. none of my bikes look like motor/electric bikes. they all have a milk crate or basket, anything that you dont find on a bike gets painted flat black. the point of motorbiking to me....is transportation, for free. insurance, registration, license, inspection would defeat the purpose of it. for the record to, i've never gotten pulled over on a bicycle, at all, or injured myself, or worn a helmet.my uncle told me that i shouldn't be on a bike if i needed a helmet, when i was a littln'. and it stuck, because he was the man. i dont want to hear it from anyone either, because none of those smilies are waering THEIR helmets. NONE. whats that gonna say to the childrens. even the one with the guy and his kids in the trailer, as he looks back at them instead of at the road, with exhaust in their little faces....and the one with the little kid and his dad, jeez.i like the bottom one where the guy blows up his car and it turns into a motor bike. whats that supposed to mean? sell your car so you can buy one of those kits?
In jersey electric power is limited to 600watts and no more than 20mph on flat. Trust me I've done it for the last two years and I researched it extensively. Had to otherwise had I got stopped it would probably have meant jail time. Long painful story. Don't ask.
I rode my bike with this same setup but with a controller and 36v today. I hadn't ridden in a few days because of the bad weather. I was again surprised how much I like this bike. My only complaint is power system. Even with a lithium set you are limited. It isn't like you can pull over and add another quarter electricity and be off.
I am going to take another shot at a chainsaw friction drive bike. At 33cc it should be pretty similar to the bike i have now. Too bad I can't rig it to the scooter tire thing. Im going to use a skate board wheel on the motor.
I am going to take another shot at a chainsaw friction drive bike. At 33cc it should be pretty similar to the bike i have now. Too bad I can't rig it to the scooter tire thing. Im going to use a skate board wheel on the motor.
i took mine out today to for about 7 miles. it ran good for what it is. had to snag a plastic landscaping sign and shove it in the milkcrate for a mudflap. it worked pretty good when it was wet to. yours is probably faster/lighter/more comfortable deacon, this atrocity feels like a model T....gonna leave it at a friends house to use, they live in a flatter area. it should get proper beating/use over there. i used to have a couple junk saws that had grinders on them....tossed them though...and a bunch of weedwackers...should've just put it all in a big-azz box and wrote "deacon" on it. i tossed loads of useable tires to. but if you have a mcullough weedwacker i have two mounting plates for either side to make a hinged friction drive. and a good motor between them, but it's missing its muffler, shroud, carb. lost to time.
I have just started to resupply my gasoline parts and pieces. Im going to go with Poulan saws for motors. It is easier if I stick to just one brand. I can mix and match the pieces that way.
The secret to making my bike ride better was to tire the drive wheel down tight. I have it on a hinge so I tied the sides down solid no hinge there. I have been using knobby mt bike tires and if that thing is the least bit loose it bounces and raises the devil. The other thing is the darn batteries jump up and down with every bump. Im going to cut a piece if plywood to go on top and bungee it down.
I broke the drive shaft on the last chainsaw bike I built. Knobby tires lousy balance on the drive wheel and It was on a full suspension bike so the rear wheel beat the devil out of it. I'm really hoping this 33cc motor does about the same torque and speed as the ebike. Twenty mph is fine with me as long as it will climb a hill without much help.
The secret to making my bike ride better was to tire the drive wheel down tight. I have it on a hinge so I tied the sides down solid no hinge there. I have been using knobby mt bike tires and if that thing is the least bit loose it bounces and raises the devil. The other thing is the darn batteries jump up and down with every bump. Im going to cut a piece if plywood to go on top and bungee it down.
I broke the drive shaft on the last chainsaw bike I built. Knobby tires lousy balance on the drive wheel and It was on a full suspension bike so the rear wheel beat the devil out of it. I'm really hoping this 33cc motor does about the same torque and speed as the ebike. Twenty mph is fine with me as long as it will climb a hill without much help.
Last edited:
Where did you find in the NJ statutes about that wattage and speed limit?
Can't find it anywhere!
I took a look at nc dept of motor vehicle regs just now for the heck of it. Their definition of moped is all about piston engines. No mention of electric vehicles at all. There definition of bicycle is all pedal power. So I went the the fed and theirs is all about manufactured bicycles. Kits might fall into that category. Those definitions are for safety purpose and commerce regulation it seems. I do have a copy of a federal definition of ebike as opposed to e motorcycle. It has a limit on watt size and speed limit of twenty miles an hour.
I found a statement that said in searching the regs nothing could be found for home built bicycles. I am going to continue to ride my ebike as though it were a bicycle until somebody can show me where I can;t. The moped speed limit here is 30mph.
Check your local dmv regs guys. It looks as though a majority of states have ebike regs.
I went back and pulled this off the net... It's source says its the official nj definition of ebike::
An electric bicycle is classified as an "Electric personal assistive mobility device" in New Jersey, defined as "a self-balancing non-tandem two wheeled device designed to transport one person which uses an electric propulsion system with average power of 750 watts (one horsepower), whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a propulsion system while operated by a person weighing 170 pounds is less than 20 miles per hour." Operators must obey all bicycle regulations, and be above 15 years of age or have a mobility-related disability.[35]
Motorized tricycles are not legal on public roadways and sidewalks in New Jersey,[36] and motorized scooters are only permitted for riders with mobility-related disabilities.[37]
Now I'm not sure what the regulation is there but this seems to be the official definition of a ebike. Which is very close to the fed description.
This is an interesting interpretation of the federal law.
The 2002 federal law accomplished two important things:
1. It amended the definition of bicycles to include two- or three-wheeled vehicles with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (1 hp), “whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 20 mph.”
2. By superseding state laws and regulations, the federal law prevents states from regulating low-speed electric bicycles differently than ordinary bicycles.
From the beginning I have operated my electric bicycle as an ordinary bicycle and since the bicycle is not mentioned n the moped statue, I am treating my bicycle as legal till someone proves otherwise. No helmet and no registration or insurance. I'm back to darn it better electric power source at a decent price, Gasoline generator in the trailer.
I found a statement that said in searching the regs nothing could be found for home built bicycles. I am going to continue to ride my ebike as though it were a bicycle until somebody can show me where I can;t. The moped speed limit here is 30mph.
Check your local dmv regs guys. It looks as though a majority of states have ebike regs.
I went back and pulled this off the net... It's source says its the official nj definition of ebike::
An electric bicycle is classified as an "Electric personal assistive mobility device" in New Jersey, defined as "a self-balancing non-tandem two wheeled device designed to transport one person which uses an electric propulsion system with average power of 750 watts (one horsepower), whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a propulsion system while operated by a person weighing 170 pounds is less than 20 miles per hour." Operators must obey all bicycle regulations, and be above 15 years of age or have a mobility-related disability.[35]
Motorized tricycles are not legal on public roadways and sidewalks in New Jersey,[36] and motorized scooters are only permitted for riders with mobility-related disabilities.[37]
Now I'm not sure what the regulation is there but this seems to be the official definition of a ebike. Which is very close to the fed description.
This is an interesting interpretation of the federal law.
The 2002 federal law accomplished two important things:
1. It amended the definition of bicycles to include two- or three-wheeled vehicles with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (1 hp), “whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 20 mph.”
2. By superseding state laws and regulations, the federal law prevents states from regulating low-speed electric bicycles differently than ordinary bicycles.
From the beginning I have operated my electric bicycle as an ordinary bicycle and since the bicycle is not mentioned n the moped statue, I am treating my bicycle as legal till someone proves otherwise. No helmet and no registration or insurance. I'm back to darn it better electric power source at a decent price, Gasoline generator in the trailer.
Last edited:
Yes sorry that one applies to rascals. I have a feeling it is the same for two wheel fall over bikes as well though. The fed thingie of 2002 seems to say that states can't regulate small ebikes as anything but bicycles. That what it seems to say. That was the impression I had from the start. Anyway NC has no laws pertaining to ebikes so they are legal till that are illegal as long as the fall under that standard above as far as I'm concerned.
