How much did your build cost?

also, if you're thinking about building and selling these for profit, good luck.

most people want the cheapest bike for the cheapest price. those are the guys who ride it a few times, break something, then put it in the garage next to their treadmills and weight benches...

my last trike....around a grand, its a 2 seater.....current ambassador with HF engine...1300, but it was a stripped bike....it can be done for less im sure

I built the tour de hood bike for zero dollars with parts from another bike. Spent nothing to get this bike on the street. That being said I began to write down all the parts that are on my bike and broke down the cost to get what I have money wise in the bike if I were to build this bike from scratch with no parts laying around.

Tour de hood frame - $50 (this is estimated b/c I can't find a price on the frame and I'm assuming this to be a "pawn shop" price.
Bars - $25 from sunlite
Forks - $65 from f&r
Springer seat - $26 from walmart
White walls - $27/pair kenda urban 26" 1.75 from ebay
Slime inner tubes - $24/pair from walmart
Wheel set - $79.99 26" x 2.125 36 spoke with coaster brake rear hub steel HD wheelset from ebay
Engine kit - $224.99 + $19.99 shipping 80cc HT from thatsdax.com
Carb - $29.99 RT carb from thatsdax.com
Throttle cable - $7.49 42"RT throttle cable from thatsdax
Cylinder head - $30 puch hi hi head from treatland
Sprocket & adapter - $79 hub adapter and 40t sprocket from custommotoredbicycles.com
Chain - $25 #40 roller chain + master links
Plug - $2.75 ngk B7HS from autoparts local
Plug wire - $1.75 7mm automotive plug wire from autoparts local
Gas tank - $74 whizzer tank from custommotoredbicycles.com

Grand total not including labor - $791.95

Now granted you could deff scrimp on some of the things I listed but everything listed is on my bike except kenda whitewalls although I will have purchased white walls shortly installing them the second they show up at my door. I neglected hand grips and a thumb throttle but other than that that's every part I have on the bike. Also some of the things come with the kit ( such as twist grip throttle, which was reason I left off thumb throttle and grips) but I upgraded them such as chain, carb, throttle cable(rt carb uses special cable but can be adapted to use stock cable), sprocket, plug, plug wire, gas tank, and cylinder head

I would let this build go for $1000 (seems super high to me looool but I deff have $200 in labor in this beast)

graydog8josh said:

I say 150 dollars is a good flat labor rate. 4 hours * 37.5 dollars an hour.

Click to expand...

I'd call that phenomenal pay for working on a motorized bike. Most people can't properly build a motorized biker in 4 hours though.

"Tour de Hood" still cracks me up Lamb.

Been researching what a fabricator/machinist/CNC person would make up my way. It is a lot. http://www.aerospacecomponents.org/aerospace-financial-opps.html

I agree with tom - for what I've got in my bike I could have bought a decent used motorcycle around where I live. But then I couldn't say I built this and had a blast doing it \m/

And dan... I figure instead of sporting spandex and spending a couple grand on my bicycle just to pedal around french country, I could rock my super awesome bluejeans and fav metal band t-shirt and spend a fraction of that, and MOTOR around my neighborhood so the name will deff stick \m/ >.< \m/ no dopeing required and get to keep my right and left erm.... Nevermind Bwahahahahahahahaha I dig it

2door said:

I keep track of every penny I spend on a build. I even go so far as to keep a folder and put all of my purchase receipts in it as well as a computer file.
After the last three builds I never total up the cost because it's scary. If I took what I've spent on the last three bikes I could have bought a motorcycle.

But would I be having as much fun????????????????

Tom

Click to expand...

Tom, your builds are art. Functional art. If I hit lotto I am gonna send you a grant on the condition you ignore costs.

Did I tell you this? I sure meant to but was at townfair tire buying, oddly enough, tires and got to bs'n with one of the sales guys and he mentioned Denis Hopper and Easy Rider. I whip out my smarter then me phone and show him pics of your build. LOL, he went about nutz. Gave him the addy to here and told him your nic but haven't seen him. Might be lurking, I guess. was just funny how much he wanted your bike. I told him to build one.

lambofgod121980 said:

I agree with tom - for what I've got in my bike I could have bought a decent used motorcycle around where I live. But then I couldn't say I built this and had a blast doing it \m/

And dan... I figure instead of sporting spandex and spending a couple grand on my bicycle just to pedal around french country, I could rock my super awesome bluejeans and fav metal band t-shirt and spend a fraction of that, and MOTOR around my neighborhood so the name will deff stick \m/ >.< \m/ no dopeing required and get to keep my right and left erm.... Nevermind Bwahahahahahahahaha I dig it

Click to expand...

Har, LOL. spit beer on the key board.

2door said:

I keep track of every penny I spend on a build. I even go so far as to keep a folder and put all of my purchase receipts in it as well as a computer file.
After the last three builds I never total up the cost because it's scary. If I took what I've spent on the last three bikes I could have bought a motorcycle.

But would I be having as much fun????????????????

Tom

Click to expand...

I hear you there.....thing is I dont want a motorcycle.....I like the niche these fill

Like Tom, I quit keeping track after a while. I tried to make everything I could to save $$ and that's what it's all about for me. Just a good challenging hobby and fun riding something you make.

Dan

HT OP Roller - $700
China Solex / Used Worksman - $700
Staton RS EHO35 FD / Mango Toucan 3 - $1000
Magic Pie 2 / Ping 15AH / Giant Revive - $1800
Magic Pie 3 / MP 20AH / Dawes Bullseye - $1800
Suzuki Burgman 650 new out the door - $10000

I'm not building any more motorbikes, but I am happy I built the ones I did. Gave me something to do. Getting rid of 3 of them that will give me something else to do. Keeping the Solex and the Dawes and the Suzuki.

One gas, one electric and one that goes down the freeway -

Tom, I couldn't agree more.

I was pulling out of a strip mall as a car pulled in. The driver called out that I "should have bought a motorcycle"

I didn't have the time or words at that moment but later thought; "You just don't get it. Any one can buy a motorcycle. I built this" It was the HF, whisper drive build. Pretty much all DIY and the best motorized bicycle I have built. (and had the 2Door lay-back style seat post for the discerning motor-bicyclist)

So I threw a screw driver at him and bravely rode away down the rail road tracks so he and his friends couldn't drive on and catch me.

wut? snork

I have never had to push a motorcycle down the road because it crapped out on me.

I can't say the same for 2 of the motorbikes. The gas ones. The ebikes rock!

Mike B said:

I have never had to push a motorcycle down the road because it crapped out on me.

Click to expand...

I wish I could say that. But the truth is I have had several motorcycles crap out on me. Bridgestone, BSA, Triumph, Honda, HD, the list is to long. The fact is if you ride a machine with a engine on it it long enough it will break. The ones I listed where under 2 years old when the let me set.
The good thing about motorized bicycles when they stop you can still peddle. And they don't weigh as much as a GoldWing.

Bummer dude.

Hey, my 2 year old car crapped out on me 2 weeks ago going down the freeway. Had to pull over and restart 4 times to get to a parking lot. Towed to the dealer and fixed under warranty free, but I still had to rent a car for a hundred and fifty bucks.

Bad "throttle body". Whatever that is.

But none of my motorcycles ever left me stranded. A stupid woman once backed into my parked Honda V30 Magna and knocked it over. Busted the fork brace, a mirror and bent the handlebars, but I still rode it home.

jimmymc2286 said:

I wish I could say that. But the truth is I have had several motorcycles crap out on me. Bridgestone, BSA, Triumph, Honda, HD, the list is to long. The fact is if you ride a machine with a engine on it it long enough it will break. The ones I listed where under 2 years old when the let me set.
The good thing about motorized bicycles when they stop you can still peddle. And they don't weigh as much as a GoldWing.

Click to expand...

lol Jimmy, ayup. me 2.


Really is cool to have the option to pedal home or to the gas station.

Havin' to pedal home... man I've done that more times because I ran out of gas than because my bike broke down.