Motorized Bicycle with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

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mrhite65

New Member
Sep 24, 2008
36
0
0
KANSAS
I would like to see some MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine. Here in Kansas you can have a 130cc or 3.5hp engine in your bike. I would like to see some setups of a chain driven engine with the engine in the V of the bike.
Thanks!
 

mrhite65

New Member
Sep 24, 2008
36
0
0
KANSAS
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

Here's a mock up of what I'm trying to do. 26" frame, Briggs or Tecumseh 3hp or 3.5hp engine, moped front and rear wheels.
 

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Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
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Moosylvania
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

The big challenge is the 5 inch clearance between the peddles. They can be widened. Then starting. A clutch has to be considered. All about the compromises. Keeps me awake at night, lol
 

mrhite65

New Member
Sep 24, 2008
36
0
0
KANSAS
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

What size go cart clutch would you use with a 17" moped rear wheel?
 

Spikedfox

New Member
Sep 14, 2008
59
0
0
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

your gonna have a few issues mounting chain driven with a 3.5hp briggs from the v

I think...

balance, sence you have to line up the rear sprocket and the clutch n(or else your goin to the hospital trust me. you gotta remeber how wide that engine is and that you will need a clutch gaurd) on a diffrent note, my dad has a decent casting of a gocart cluch

on his calf...

minibike we buiilt with qa 3.5 when i was a kid. we built it we didnt put a clutch gaurd on it and he specificly said to me.
"dont put your leg over this clutch it will rip it up good, now heres how you ride it."

30 seconds later i was pulling the bikeoff him and laughing my ass off at him. he woulda popped em a good one if he coulda caught me.
 
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mrhite65

New Member
Sep 24, 2008
36
0
0
KANSAS
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

LOL! Either put on a chain guard or think of something else. I see other 4cycle engines, are they narrower or something different altogether?
 

Spikedfox

New Member
Sep 14, 2008
59
0
0
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

well yeah there are some thinnner four cycles, but if you wanna use a briggs and straton why not mount it above the rear tire and still chain drive it. safer. and you dont have to worrie about obscuring your peddles
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
115
48
58
Moosylvania
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

your gonna have a few issues mounting chain driven with a 3.5hp briggs from the v

I think...

balance, sence you have to line up the rear sprocket and the clutch n(or else your goin to the hospital trust me. you gotta remeber how wide that engine is and that you will need a clutch gaurd) on a diffrent note, my dad has a decent casting of a gocart cluch

on his calf...

minibike we buiilt with qa 3.5 when i was a kid. we built it we didnt put a clutch gaurd on it and he specificly said to me.
"dont put your leg over this clutch it will rip it up good, now heres how you ride it."

30 seconds later i was pulling the bikeoff him and laughing my ass off at him. he woulda popped em a good one if he coulda caught me.
It's all fun and games untill some one puts a thigh out. (Kidding, you cracked me up SpikedFox) Has to be a; Y'all watch this joke in there some where. And good job on out running. I am normally laughing to hard and catch the hits.
 

mrhite65

New Member
Sep 24, 2008
36
0
0
KANSAS
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

well yeah there are some thinnner four cycles, but if you wanna use a briggs and straton why not mount it above the rear tire and still chain drive it. safer. and you dont have to worrie about obscuring your peddles
I don't like the look. I guess I might have to go with a 2 cycle engine in the V or a friction drive mounted on the seat post. I guess I just like the engine under me.
 

Clotho

Member
May 25, 2008
304
2
18
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

I think most of us remember a time when we looked at a motor and then looked at our bikes and tried to imagine them together and we thought to ourselves..."That would be sooo cool!"

My memories of old engines are mostly Briggs, Tecumseh and Kohler and I have fond memories of all of them on various go-carts and mini bikes. Others dreamed of Maytag and I agree that they are works of art.

Now that I am older and I have experienced building many things I can honestly tell you that the memory is fond but the reality isn't that great compared to what you will get with a decent kit. I wouldn't consider putting any of those motors on a bicycle. There are examples if you search for them and while I am certain that there was much pride and satisfaction in building it, (Indeed as there is in any build) I tend to find the results wanting and sometimes even dangerous.

The Chinese motors are magnificently simple little things and if you take the time to get to know them they can be a lot of fun and very rewarding.

If you don't want to "Get to know your motor" you may wish to consider a rack mount configuration as most seem to find these easier to set up.

In all honesty I would have to say that the majority of problems I have had, has been with the bicycles themselves. Strapping a couple of horsepower to many of them pushes them far outside their design envelope.
 
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Clotho

Member
May 25, 2008
304
2
18
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

I just realized that this was in the DIY section. Bad form of me to be suggesting kits. :oops:

I would have to honestly say that my favorite DIY builds are Deacon's or Haggard's

If you want maximum smile factor for minimum sweat and cost I would study Deacon's work. I think his bikes are brilliant and I would try my hand at it myself except that friction drives are impractical for my location.
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
115
48
58
Moosylvania
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

I think most of us remember a time when we looked at a motor and then looked at our bikes and tried to imagine them together and we thought to ourselves..."That would be sooo cool!"

My memories of old engines are mostly Briggs, Tecumseh and Kohler and I have fond memories of all of them on various go-carts and mini bikes. Others dreamed of Maytag and I agree that they are works of art.

Now that I am older and I have experienced building many things I can honestly tell you that the memory is fond but the reality isn't that great compared to what you will get with a decent kit. I wouldn't consider putting any of those motors on a bicycle. There are examples if you search for them and while I am certain that there was much pride and satisfaction in building it, (Indeed as there is in any build) I tend to find the results wanting and sometimes even dangerous.

The Chinese motors are magnificently simple little things and if you take the time to get to know them they can be a lot of fun and very rewarding.

If you don't want to "Get to know your motor" you may wish to consider a rack mount configuration as most seem to find these easier to set up.

In all honesty I would have to say that the majority of problems I have had, has been with the bicycles themselves. Strapping a couple of horsepower to many of them pushes them far outside their design envelope.
Very well said. Truely.
 

Clotho

Member
May 25, 2008
304
2
18
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

I came across this: Maytag Speedster

I think this is the sort of thing the Original Poster was interested in although this bike has only 2/3 of a hp and he was looking for 3+

I think it is beautiful. The downtube at the point just under the head tube looks like someone forgot to measure twice but other that I think this is one of the best adaptations I have seen with an antique motor.

It doesn't have pedals so it is a bit more of a motorcycle. The one pedal it does have is a great adaptation of a rear brake.

Overall I think this is a wonderful creation :)
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
115
48
58
Moosylvania
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

Clotho, man that's pretty! I thought it did have peddles. Very cool and food for thought.
 
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mrhite65

New Member
Sep 24, 2008
36
0
0
KANSAS
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

That is nice! A spring loaded coaster brake, cool! I wonder what the front brake came off of? It looks extra long.
 
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deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

I would think a modern tiller motor would do pretty well. It should already have the directional change thing worked out.
 

Clotho

Member
May 25, 2008
304
2
18
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

I found another one that looks pretty nice. Apparently it is a cast iron Block Briggs and Stratton kick start washing machine engine coupled to a Peerless lawn and garden tractor transmission

Briggs and Stratton bike

I bet these bikes are alot of fun to ride and build. Lots and lots of work went into both of them. Still they would be very heavy and a bit underpowered compared to the kits.

Very unique works of art tho!
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
115
48
58
Moosylvania
Re: MB with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine

"Very unique works of art tho!" Big time. The thing I find so impressive is the ppl back then had nothing to go on. Had a thought and went with it. They didn't know they couldn't do it, so they just did. Built em on there own. No interweb, they only had dial-up.

I can't remember his name, but a gentleman in japan after the war (WWII) took scrap, parts and what ever he could find and made cars, bikes and a ton of things you wouldn't see as possible from a crashed airplane or what ever. Humans amaze me. Is art for sure