Custom Motorized Bicycle For Sale

[Retmachinist]

* I am selling another one of my MB's. I have to many out in the garage, and want to start a new project. Wife says something has to go.* Whats a guy supposed to do.* This is a New Macargi Beach Cruiser with 66 cc ThatsDax kit. Has many upgrades including working Headlight and tailight. Custom machined 6061 Aluminum sprocket adaptor and chain tensioner. Custom exhaust, with one inch chrome tail pipe and removeable baffel.*The bike is just broke in with about 300 miles on the speedometer using 32:1 synthetic oil and runs perfect.* Price** $400.00** Pick up, or will deliver to Central Iowa for small fee.* John*

 

[Echotraveler]

Respuesta: Custom MB For Sale

thats a sweet ride.

 

[Retmachinist]

Re: Respuesta: Custom MB For Sale

thats a sweet ride.

Thats what's wierd about these MB's in my area. People are fasinated by them and they tell you if you sold them you could make a fotune. Then you ask them if they want to buy one, and it's like, Oh No but I bet alot of other people would. What's up with that?
I have only sold one, and I sell them for just what it costs me to build them, not counting the countless hours of machining upgraded parts.
The only reason I want to sell them is so I can build another one. It's addicting to build them!

John

 

[freewheeling frank]

Re: Custom MB For Sale

i gotta agree ive built three and they are all pretty sweet this forum helped me to debug them,so thanks to all you great poeple out there! but i still cant sell them, they are a blast to ride. my landlady is getting ticked at me she said think country produce or something like that NOT light industrial. so i have 9 bikes.i like bikes. whats this world coming to? i guy has to have a hobby, or 10. ya i too am a bike addict whether im pedaling or twisting the throttle same to me. see you guys later, frank

 

[Dontwannawalk]

Re: Custom MB For Sale

Frank,
I'm Norm & live in Carroll. I'm in the planning stages on changing my mountain bike into a 49cc street legal MB. The pictures you have here are really sharp but, how's your experience been with making them legal here in Iowa?? I'd like to build one of these to ride to work & not have to dodge the police on the way. I'm 67 & don't want to deal with that. By the way your machined plate really set that little motor off.

 

[rockvoice]

Re: Custom MB For Sale

i'm with you RETmachinist i sell bikes that i love just so i can build another. i think i like building them more than riding them.

 

[bairdco]

Re: Custom MB For Sale

so how much are you losing on it at 400 bucks?

 

[Dontwannawalk]

Re: Respuesta: Custom MB For Sale

Frank,
I'm Norm & live in Carroll. I'm in the planning stages on changing my mountain bike into a 49cc street legal MB. The pictures you have here are really sharp but, how's your experience been with making them legal here in Iowa?? I'd like to build one of these to ride to work & not have to dodge the police on the way. I'm 67 & don't want to deal with that. By the way your machined plate really set that little motor off.
Edit/Delete Message

 

[Retmachinist]

Re: Custom MB For Sale

so how much are you losing on it at 400 bucks?

Break even at best. I found out long ago you don't get anything for your time when working on a hobby. Lucky to get back what you have in it.
Seems most of the time people don't care about craftmanship or how much time you have in machining special parts, they just want "CHEAP" and the price of these Chinese kits has alot to do with that. I'm not complaining, i'm doing exactly what I have always dreamed about, working out in my shop, building anything I want for me for a change. That is the beauty of early retirement!

John

 

[Retmachinist]

Re: Respuesta: Custom MB For Sale

Frank,
I'm Norm & live in Carroll. I'm in the planning stages on changing my mountain bike into a 49cc street legal MB. The pictures you have here are really sharp but, how's your experience been with making them legal here in Iowa?? I'd like to build one of these to ride to work & not have to dodge the police on the way. I'm 67 & don't want to deal with that. By the way your machined plate really set that little motor off.
Edit/Delete Message

Norm, I think you must be referring to me. These bikes fall in a gray area here in Iowa. If you read on the D.O.T. website they are legal as a bicycle on the street but illegal when using the motor.
Sine you can't get them registered (They don't have a V.I.N. or factory Specs. plate.) The State can't make money off of us so they say they are illegal.
Myself I don't worry about it. I rode somewhere around 2,000 miles on the streets here in Urbandale last year end never had a problem. And believe me there are way more cops in the Urbandale area than there would be in Carroll. Although it only takes one real prick to stop us.
I generally hit the kill button and just pedal when I see them, although they have seen me several times, like when they were hiding with their radar.
I think at our age there is way less of a chance of getting hasseled, than some young kid riding one breaking all the laws.
Give it a shot, the worst that can happen is them telling you not to do it. I figure in my case, if they impound my bike, I will just break out another one. I think I have seven of them out there now.

 

[silverbear]

Re: Respuesta: Custom MB For Sale

Thats what's wierd about these MB's in my area. People are fasinated by them and they tell you if you sold them you could make a fotune. Then you ask them if they want to buy one, and it's like, Oh No but I bet alot of other people would. What's up with that?
I have only sold one, and I sell them for just what it costs me to build them, not counting the countless hours of machining upgraded parts.
The only reason I want to sell them is so I can build another one. It's addicting to build them!

John

Reading this is pretty discouraging for those of us who have hopes of doing builds and selling them. I know that Bairdco and I have each independently come to the idea of building up vintage bikes for sale. A few comments from Norm at Venice Bikes and now this thread and it makes me wonder what my chances really are. You guys do great work I could never come close to, so really why should I think I can make a few pennies doing these to sell?
I'm wondering if I am kidding myself. I think I'll follow through with my plan for the year and see what happens. That bike you're selling seems like it should be worth more than just $400.00. That's less than a Chinese scooter. Dang.
SB

 

[Retmachinist]

Re: Respuesta: Custom MB For Sale

Reading this is pretty discouraging for those of us who have hopes of doing builds and selling them. I know that Bairdco and I have each independently come to the idea of building up vintage bikes for sale. A few comments from Norm at Venice Bikes and now this thread and it makes me wonder what my chances really are. You guys do great work I could never come close to, so really why should I think I can make a few pennies doing these to sell?
I'm wondering if I am kidding myself. I think I'll follow through with my plan for the year and see what happens. That bike you're selling seems like it should be worth more than just $400.00. That's less than a Chinese scooter. Dang.
SB

SB, This is a really old thread, it dates back to last June when it was posted. I sold the bike locally for $400.

John

 

[Dontwannawalk]

Re: Respuesta: Custom MB For Sale

Do you put the lights , horn etc on them so IF they could be registered they'd be legal all the way or do you just use the hand signals that we always used to have to know to buy a license. I was reading a posting from a fellow in California that sounded like he just made up a VIN # and it seemed to be accepted. I'm a little concerned because I have to go past the police station and you can bet that they are going to be lurking around at 7:00AM and 3:00PM because the way to & from where I work are the streets to three schools. You made mention of being addicted to this & I can believe it. I started building guitars from scratch and that's the same way. While I was building one, I couldn't help from planning how I was going to do the next one.

 

[silverbear]

Re: Respuesta: Custom MB For Sale

SB, This is a really old thread, it dates back to last June when it was posted. I sold the bike locally for $400.

John

Still, it seems like it should have been worth more than that. You do such quality work.
SB

 

[Retmachinist]

Re: Respuesta: Custom MB For Sale

Still, it seems like it should have been worth more than that. You do such quality work.
SB

Like they say about anything. It could be worth alot of money, you just need to find the right buyer. I could probably double my money on these bikes if I was willing to box them up and ship them out of state. It's just to much of a hassel to try to package them in a way that you know they won't get damaged. I shipped one to Arizona, and it took me the better part of a day in a couple boxes lined with supports and packing to make sure it made the trip. Have you ever seen the way these packages get handled by UPS and Fedex. It's definitily not "Handle with care" they are on a time schedule and way to busy to worry about that.
But I wish the best of luck to anyone that can make a few bucks on this hobby. It is sure a fun one.
I guess that's why I don't worry about making any money at it.

John