Looking for a second hand motorized bicycle

I am not an enthusiast. I am just looking for transportation. I cannot afford a new motorized bike or I would have bought one already. I am looking to see what a second hand unit in good condition is going for, and where in the San Fernando Valley I can find one (or more to choose from).

I prefer a 4-cycle variant, but will settle for a 2-cycle if that is all I can find that I can afford.

Thanks for any assistance the users of this forum can provide.

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the quick reply. The problem for me is I don't have the money to buy a new, already assembled motorized bike. I priced them, and they run between $350 and $550 around the valley here, about the same as a low-end scooter (like a Vespa or something). Another problem is I don't want to have to register anything. If I don't have the cash to buy a new one, I sure don't have registration fees for something like a scooter. A motorized bike does not require registration or tags. The final obstacle is a license. My driver's license is currently revoked, so I can't deal with anything that requires one. Once again, it seems the motorized bike is the only solution for me. Fortunately I won't be traveling very far; only about 9 miles one way at the furthest. Beyond that I will be taking the bus.

I do know how to work on a bicycle, as I have worked on many over the years. Also I do have some knowledge of small engines, even if it is decades old. I believe I can keep a motorized bike on the road, and it will beat the heck out of waiting an hour for a 3-minute bus ride and then walking for 20 more minutes to get to my destination.

To be honest, I have always wanted to own a motorized bike. I have just never had excess income to spend on one, and I always purchased cars when I had my license.

I'm hoping that I will finally get to scratch that itch now that I have no other viable options for transportation. I will be checking out the forum you specified to see what I can find. Thanks again for your response. It does help.

MotorBicycleRacing said:

Sorry to say but a gas powered motorized bicycle does require a
drivers license with an M2 or M1 in California which is CVC 406 (a)

The only powered 2 wheeler that does not need a DL in CA is an ebike
which is under CVC 406 (b)

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I was not aware of that. A member of my church works for DMV, and he is looking up the statutes that apply for me. Thanks for telling me, as now I will have double-verification.

There was a time when motorized bikes did not require a driver's license. It just shows how much things have changed. And as much as I am trying to find a way to legally get around in time-frames I can work with, apparently the state of California would rather make it impossible. I guess if I am forced to become illegal by operating a motorized bike without a license, then that is what I must do. The buses just don't cut it when it comes to keeping schedules.

MotorBicycleRacing said:

Also a motorized bicycle requires a $20 one time license plate in CA.

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I knew about this, and IMHO a one-time fee is alot different from a annual registration.

MotorBicycleRacing said:

The Valley is one area where the MB laws don't seem to be enforced
right now but I am reading on the many Facebook MB groups that the
riders in Los Angeles are getting hit with no license and no plate tickets now.

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Well, that is the risk then, isn't it?

MotorBicycleRacing said:

Any used motorized bicycle under $300 is going to be a pile of junk with
many problems but occasionally there are bargains that would not last long.

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Leave out the "under $300" and the "motorized bike" part and you have just described every used car ever sold. Looking at the cars for sale, and any car over 3 years old, regardless of price, is pretty much a pile of junk fraught with problems. It seems strange that motorized bikes can sell for as much used as they do new. When I was a kid, I could buy a car and put $5,000 in it and still only get a few hundred dollars for it because no one was going to pay thousands for a used car.

While an enthusiast or collector might pay those prices, anyone just wanting something to get around on is pretty much going to be looking at paying, at the most, half of what a new one sells for. If that is not the case with motorized bikes, then I will likely have to look for some other way.

Thanks for the information, MotorBicycleRacing. It is very enlightening.

MotorBicycleRacing said:

Mopeds / motorized bikes have needed a CA drivers license for 33 years.
That was way back in 1981

$130 to $180 motor kit plus a $150 bicycle = $280 to $330

ebikes don't require a drivers license in California. Just over 16.
Yes, riding the bus gotta suck.......

Page 3 of the Motorcycle Handbook spells out M1 and M2 quite clearly.

Good info here:
http://www.myronsmopeds.com/category/laws/california-vehicle-codes/

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Thanks for the info. 1981 isn't that "way back" for me. I am 59 years old, and I remember the time when mopeds first appeared. They were not called scooters, as scooters were a different vehicle and required a license to operate. Motorized bikes at that time were not considered vehicles, and did not require a license to operate, and when mopeds first appeared they also did not require a license as they were not considered to be vehicles either. Apparently, somewhere along the way that changed. I guess the states decided they were losing too much in revenue by people opting for something that did not have to be licensed or registered. Sad.

I understand if you are buying a new bike and a new engine to mount on it that it will cost about $300-$500. I know that pre-built motorized bikes have been built since the 60s. IMO there should be a market of second-hand pre-built motorized bikes out there somewhere. And being used, they should be less expensive to obtain than a new one, or one you have to build yourself. That is what I am trying to find. I would love to get an ebike as that would allow me to remain legal, but there are no second-hand ebikes available yet. They are still too new and it will be some time before used ones start showing up.

Thank you for your help, as your knowledge has been valuable to me. I may resort to building one if I can't find another way, but for now I just need something to get around on that does not require me to exert myself too much. I have COPD and breathing is difficult enough already.