We need a new forum classifacation

[biknut]

This is probably going to go over like a lead balloon.

We have a forum for beach cruisers. Mountain bikes. Trikes, Choppers, Board Trackers, Whizzers, Rat Rods, and DYI.

I humbly suggest that since this forun is the preeminent motor bicycle forum on the planet, we cannot afford to leave out a classic and popular form of motor bicycle. We need to add another forum titled,

"Motor Bicycles Otherwise Known as Mopeds."

Before everyone gets all crazy, I'd like to point out a few facts. The factory owners manual for my new "motor bicycle" Refers to this vehicle as a motor bicycle no less than 15 times in a 17 page manual. It only refers to it as a Moped 10 times.

Adding such a forum will be good for business, and help increase overall forum intrest, traffic, advertisers, and probably have the effect of greatly increasing 2 stroke technical knowledge.

This is what I'm talking about. And don't say you don't build these bikes either. I've been working like a slave on this thing for 2 weeks now, using experience I've gained on this forum the last over 2 1/2 years.

I know all the moderators will just be wild about this idea LOL.

 

[biknut]

I forgot to mention I bought this bike from a major forum advertiser, Pirate Cycle.

 

[UVsaturated]

But that beast was manufactured by someone else! The very jest of motorized bicycling is that it is DIY and you take a bicycle and a motor separately and combine the two. Next someone will want to add a section on 2-stroke motorcycles as well and then motorcycles. I think motor bicycling is great as a niche market and not something else.

But...........I am not a mod so my two sense doesn't count.

 

[biknut]

But that beast was manufactured by someone else! /QUOTE]

So you're saying if someone buys a $2500 ebike from REI he shouldn't have a forum because it was manufactured by someone else?

 

[Wickedest1]

I concur biknut...I've had a brand new moped that required work out of the box...i sold it...lost money on the deal too...but, had there been some forum at this time id have tried to fix it...so I agree that there should be an additional topic section for mopeds...the knowledge is similar and could definitely lead to more business and more information surely...you have my vote..

 

[Mike B]

You guys bought brand new mopeds that didn't run out of the box?

What? They are crap like happy times only the whole thing is crap and not just the motor?

Why bother?

 

[rhodeisland]

I have a motor bicycle becuase I don't wear a sweater well tied around my neck and I don't have a tennis racket to sling over my back.

 

[BarelyAWake]

This topic has been addressed at length here;
Mopeds The Other Motorized Bicycles

& the gist of it is as this is primarily a "DIY" bicycle conversion & custom fabrication forum, mopeds while welcome to be discussed, are somewhat contrary to the point as UVsaturated mentioned;

But that beast was manufactured by someone else! The very jest of motorized bicycling is that it is DIY and you take a bicycle and a motor separately and combine the two. Next someone will want to add a section on 2-stroke motorcycles as well and then motorcycles. I think motor bicycling is great as a niche market and not something else.

The Tavern is still a great section for posting threads regarding off topic, but related subjects such as mopeds, motorcycles, gokarts & the like

 

[16v4nrbrgr]

I 100% support the idea Biknut, it can't be of harm unless people are really motivated to hate on mopeds.

The technology crossover is invaluable, and mopeds can be customized and stripped or whatever. My OCC is a moped, it's not a motorized bicycle since it's not a bike to pedal primarily. Like if I were to put a set of pegs into an empy bottom bracket, I would consider a bicycle a form of moped or motorized scooter, like a goped definition type of thing legally.

People get all caught up in definitions and the semantics of it creates lines of division. It sure would be a test to see who has too much time on their hands to hate mopeds, lol. A Whizzer is a moped too, just a classicly styled one along the lines of a Sears Allstate moped.

The recent picture threads show how every different combi nation of two wheeled vehicle has already been done, and the fact that each has its own valid rationale behind its design to get around, haul stuff, but mainly have fun.

I say why not.


EDIT, durr, just now read though the whole thing and the last post by BA, and I respect whatever. Just thought I'd voice my opinion on the matter. Mopeds have sick engines and brakes, although the mope community would be mad POed about motor-bicycle people coming in and sniping all of their unobtanium off the open market which is a tight niche.

 

[biknut]

This topic has been addressed at length here;
Mopeds The Other Motorized Bicycles

& the gist of it is as this is primarily a "DIY" bicycle conversion & custom fabrication forum, mopeds while welcome to be discussed, are somewhat contrary to the point as UVsaturated mentioned;

I beg to disagree. For one thing, for the last 2 weeks as I said, I've been slaving away doing custom fabrication, and conversioning work to my bike even though it happens to be brand new. I just spent 2 days lowering and moving back my seat 1 1/2 inches. That work didn't feel any different to me than any of the other work I've been doing to my motor bicycles. I bought a headlight for it on eBay. It didn't fit. I just spent 2 more days grinding on the forks with the same grinder I use on my other motor bicycles making it fit. I removed the rear fender, same as on all my other motor bicycles, and for the same reason. Then I spent 2 more days drilling holes in the frame, and running wires to custom fit a new LED taillight. I spent 2 more days installing custom bling lights under the seat, and then one more day trying to figure out why I'm too dumb to wire it up without shorting out the whole electrical system lol.

Actually very few so called mopeds I've seen are stock, and there's a good reason for that. There's only one brand of moped sold in America, and maybe not for much longer. The vast majority of so called mopeds are over 30 years old. People all over the country, and world, are struggling to keep them alive. Now days most mopeds are just as DYI as any other motor bicycle.

The majority of opposition stems comes from prejudice more than any logical reason that I've heard so far. If it's got working pedals, and can be pedaled like a bicycle, it's a motor bicycle.

 

[biknut]

I have a motor bicycle becuase I don't wear a sweater well tied around my neck and I don't have a tennis racket to sling over my back.

I don't know what you sling over your back when you ride, but what I do is toss my scrotum over my sholder lol.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Every time a new subsection suggestion is presented there's division between the relative applicability of the proposed section vs the intent of the forum vs how "cluttered" the sections have become - as this forum was created specifically to provide a place for people to discuss their homebuilt motorized bicycles, a subsection for factory built mopeds hasn't been well received overall.

I personally am not dead set against the idea: http://motorbicycling.com/showpost.php?p=227256&postcount=11 yet on the other hand there's some good reasons not to brought up by the staff & members alike regarding trying to keep the focus of the forum.

To play "devil's advocate" for a moment & make a few observations just to illustrate the difficulties...

"The technology crossover is invaluable" - as many motorized bicycles are homebuilt resourcing from any number of sources, this infers we could have subsections for gas powered generators & waterpumps, four wheelers, dirtbikes & pit bikes, gokarts & anything else we could possibly salvage parts from...

"Like if I were to put a set of pegs into an empy bottom bracket, I would consider a bicycle a form of moped or motorized scooter" - "moped" is typically a legal definition specifying a factory built vehicle conforming to a specific set of criteria, including the presence of pedals. As such what one individual considers their build to be isn't really a consideration when defining a new section, rather that what the common usage of the term is.

"People get all caught up in definitions and the semantics of it creates lines of division." - a new subsection is all about considering definitions, different sections are inherently "lines of division" else it wouldn't matter where or what was posted.

"unless people are really motivated to hate on mopeds" & "too much time on their hands to hate mopeds" - no one is suggesting there's any "hate" on mopeds, rather more that it's like showing up to a custom hot rod show with a minivan... sure they have wheels, there's even some crossover tech - but it's still very much "apples & oranges".



In the thread linked above: http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=24507 it was suggested that all whom are interested in mopeds to post in that thread and there was very little in the way of an overall response - had there been a significant number of replies it would have doubtlessly been reviewed with greater consideration.

Given the administration's stated intent for the forum itself, ie "motorized bicycles" or "a bicycle with a motor attached" and the general lack of interest from the majority of our members we've no plans to add an additional subsection specifically for mopeds - but as mentioned before, they're more than welcome in The Tavern and again, if there's enough members posting about their mopeds in that section, it's very possible that a new subsection would be considered - as it stands we'd have few to no threads to import to a new section in any case

 

[biknut]

That's ok BA. I realize it's a tough sell. I tried. I don't live in a internet cave. I've noticed a forum that deals with mopeds and have seen first hand that there's tremendous visceral hatred of china girl style motor bicycles there. I think it's a shame, and causes animosity both ways. Some people won't speak up because they're afraid. It's like 2 brothers that hate each other. It diminishes both, because they'd be stronger together, but that's life.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Agreed *shrug*

...but remember, please do create a thread & post about your moped creations & adventures in The Taven bikenut (and anyone else ofc lol), they're more than welcome there & I'm sure there's much to be shared - who knows what the future may hold if it takes off?

 

[biknut]

Not a bad idea BA. I'm going to do just that. I've heard there's more than one way to skin a cat lol.


Yuk what a disgusting idea. Who thinks up these sayings anyway?

 

[biknut]

I'd like to think everyone for helping me find the name of my new bike. After nothin for days, it hit me like a ton of bricks. The Black Sheep.

 

[2door]

Pappy Boyington would be proud. Good name.

Tom

 

[biknut]

Pappy Boyington would be proud. Good name.

Tom

Thanks Tom, that guy said you don't name the bike, the bike tells you it's name LOL.

 

[scotto-]

There are Moped forums already out there, I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you suggested they add motorized bicycles to their forum.

 

[biknut]

There are Moped forums already out there, I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you suggested they add motorized bicycles to their forum.

I tried that, but it seemed like they weren't wild about the idea because they said I was a #$%Yer, and a ^#@$%#, and a $^*%, %, and f(u%r, and something about my mother, and something about my sexual preference, and recommended burning in some place, and something about the sun not shinning there.

I don't think they're happy shinny people.