7 Speed Pantera with aftermarket carb...

[MotorBicycleRacing]

Did you remove the valve cover and do a check?

From your description BikeBerry should warranty the motor.

What happened was as I was riding it, it made this loud screech all of a sudden and bogged down and died. I pedaled it to the closest gas station and started inspecting it. Nothing abnormal so I tried to start it and the rope wouldn't budge. I called Bikeberry and told them this, and they said to take off the pull start unit and inspect it, so I did and nothing seemed to be wrong. Replaced the pull start unit, tried to start it, and it did fire up. It sounded good too, like it did all along. So I tested it out around the block, and all of a sudden it went POP!! and I stopped and looked down and smoke was coming out of the air cleaner. I knew this was bad, possibly a stuck valve, maybe broken. Something big. Tried to start it again, and it spins, like I can hear the crankshaft and piston moving, but there's no resistance, it just spins. There is no weird sounds coming from the case when I tilt it around, like metal bits or anything. It just spins now. Spark plug is in there good, so thats not the problem.

 

[sorcelement]

So as cool as my bike looks, the engine went tits up on Monday. I have been trying to get a replacement engine from Bikeberry, but they are saying that it is up to me to tear this thing down and find the problem myself. I don't feel this is acceptable after less than 30 days of owning it. I have talked to them twice on the phone and have been keeping email correspondence with them, but it seems that I am stuck with a broken motor. They will replace any parts that are broken inside of the engine after I do the work, but I say that I'm entitled to a replacement due to the nature of the failure. At this point I'll even pay to ship the broken one back to them and count it as a loss, but we'll see. Anyone have any suggestions? Is this legal? Did I just get screwed? I understand this a diy kit but the main component of the kit, the most important part, is broken. Shouldn't I get a replacement? I think so. I know what it will take to do this, and I just don't think I should have to after a few weeks of owning it. I've had 2 strokes last longer than this and that was the whole reason I shelled out the extra money, so I wouldn't have an engine fail on me. I've been very patient with this company and I'm starting to lose it. If you can't back up your product, don't sell it. Sorry for the rant but I think if anyone would understand, it would be you guys.

Sorry to hear about that. My experience with bikeberry is that they'll replace anything, which is the awesome part, but like you said, they make you do the work. I've only go 2-stroke motors from them, so i don't know anything about 4-strokes. They've made me tear open my 2-stroke before, which was a pain, but when I found the problem they were quick to sending me replacements. I've delt with other companies like pistonbikes and gasbikes. they're not as friendly and i can't get a hold of them like bikeberry. It's just the nature of these motorized bikes i guess. What i notice is that you're gonna have to open that sucker eventually anyway to replace parts after use. 30 days seems too short though, but like i said, they won't ask for the engine back unless you've done everything on your end to find the issue. Good luck.

 

[Poopyboogin420]

Did you remove the valve cover and do a check?

From your description BikeBerry should warranty the motor.

That's my plan. I'll let you know.

 

[Poopyboogin420]

Ok so its not the valves or springs or anything under the valve cover. That all works and looks good. My next thought is possibly piston ring failure or gouges in the cylinder wall. That might explain the squeal before the engine died and lack of compression, but I don't know why smoke would come out of the air filter. Timing? This is why I really wish they'd just replace the whole thing. I know this would be something I'd eventually have to do, buuuuut come on. I'm talking 3 weeks I've actually been riding this thing. It was barely broken in, I had just 10 hours on it a week and a half ago, did the scheduled oil change, and now this.

 

[grizadams]

Hey poopy what kit did you go with and what carb?

 

[MotorBicycleRacing]

Hey poopy what kit did you go with and what carb?

He said he bought the "5G" 4 stroke kit from BikeBerry.

The "5G" designation is made up to confuse buyers that it is
a later model to a Grubee 4G where as the 5G is just the
crappy pocket bike chain gearbox.

Rather dishonest marketing technique.
There is no such model as a 5G.

It's a Huasheng motor with the clutch pack in the motor
and the standard Huasheng carb that comes with all the
motors.

 

[Poopyboogin420]

Sorry, grizadams, been busy. It's what MotorBicycleRacing said, exactly.

Back to my engine problem. After removing everything(carb, exhaust, starter, tranny box) besides the clutch and flywheel, I tried to see what the piston was doing by sticking a chopstick in the spark plug hole while turning the crank and....nothing! No piston movement. After I drained the oil I did hear something rattling in there that I couldn't hear before. So connecting rod? When it initially broke down, the first thing I thought was seizure because of the way it died and how it was locked up when I tried to pull start it. The oil was always checked before riding, and it was always good, but I rode it only a little bit, and slow, easy "break in" style, so I have no idea.



Bikeberry has finally agreed to take the block back and determine what the failure was due to, so that's something I'm relieved about. Not very happy at all about having to pay more money so soon.

 

[MotorBicycleRacing]

Bikeberry has finally agreed to take the block back and determine what the failure was due to, so that's something I'm relieved about. Not very happy at all about having to pay more money so soon.

Block?
Do you mean they aren't going to give you a
whole new motor as a replacement?

What are you paying for?

 

[Poopyboogin420]

Block?
Do you mean they aren't going to give you a
whole new motor as a replacement?

What are you paying for?

I was confused about that, so I called and they said I don't have to take the engine completely apart, just down to the "assembled" block, leaving crank,piston, etc. but I still have to ship back a broken motor to them,and thats what I meant by more money out of my pocket. I have no idea if they are going to replace whats broken and send it back, or if they are going to replace the whole thing immediately.

 

[Poopyboogin420]

The ironic thing is that you are in Montana and could have ordered
a 4G from Bicycle Engines. They have new kits in that have the 100
tooth solid gear and they stand behind their warranty.

I just looked into this venue, I really wish I would have seen this earlier -_-
I might give them a call anyways. It would be nice to have a dealer closer to home.