And so the game begins...
What I am talking about is "raising the bar"! Motorised bikes are a VERY cool mode of transportation that is in a PERFECT place to substantially grow for those business-wise forward looking enterprising individuals and as a cultural trend...
If the general mindset can be shifted from the mega-cheap and DUI set...
OK, 'Raising the bar'. Near as I can tell these '94 Tomos that Pirate Cycles had for a bit set the bar for 2-stroke 49cc MB's under $1500.
Are you saying that your $1200 'frame only' bikes that uses bicycle parts like this is the 'new bar'?
That looks dandy as a cargo hauler but I sure as heck wouldn't want to have to deal with it's length for my normal running around and parking, nor would any of the buyers I typically get.
And who exactly is this 'general mindset' you want to change?
All of us builders? Motorcycle buyers? The general auto driving public and spandex riding crowd?
I am not trying to start a fight here, I just can't seem to figure out what
exactly the point of your topic is about.
When was the last time you went it to a up-scale bike shop and asked about motorized bikes?
A couple of times a week.
Sure, there was this old spandex dude with a shop the size of my living room that poo-pawd me, all the rest love me, know me by name, and even keep my fliers for motorizing on their counter.
The difference between a $600 dollar bike and a $2500 dollar bike is a world apart, a quality regular bicycle these days is at least $1000 - $2000 if not more...
The motorized bicycle market is only used to $600 bikes,
Design Logic is at the next level in quality ie cromolly american made frames, disc brakes not sidepull, Honda and Subaru engines not chineese 2 strokes and a proven Staton transmission.
People find value in our products, you get what you pay for
Ohh, a double team, perhaps you can shed some more light on your goal with this topic is Lance.
I could not agree more with you that the better the base bike, the better the outcome. That is why I don't include the bike itself in my motorizing price quotes.
I also totally agree that all the 'wanna be' builders that slap a $100 kit on a $100 bike give motorized bikes in general a black eye.
Sadly there are a couple of storefront shops here in town that do that very thing and like 'The prussian' I to have had to work on their new builds as well.
I do have to disagree that a great quality bicycle needs to cost 4 digits.
Giant makes great bikes, my personal ride is Giant that was $500 and you can get a great bike like this Giant Roam 1 in XL for under $700
Personally I would like nothing better than to only build on expensive bike bases, and Jackshaft them with performance upgrades as well but that is a nitch market, not the majority.
All that said, my personal goal is always improving on every
complete build and setting my lowest standard a notch a little higher every time.
The reality is most people don't want to bicycle at all even with a motor, and of those that do over half do it because they have to for one reason or another.
Sure, many want a quality bike, some just want a disposable lighter build for a year, the trick is to set a low bar good enough to be safe to me.
Now back to this topic title...
What
exactly is a
'so-so builder' and are you one as well as me?
Or does your $1200 bare frame bike make you a Real Motorized Bicycle Company?
PLEASE UNDERSTAND I AM KNOCKING YOU GUYS OR YOU BUSINESS!
I really mean that.
I just think you two should draw that line in sand and which side of it everyone stands on if you are going to come in here and make the point is all, because there are some many fantastic skilled builders here that like me, might take offense to you insinuation that using a good 2-stroke motor on a good bike somehow makes us 'so-so' builders of crap.
Balls in your court again ;-}