A Quick (Not Necessarily Fast) Bike

[5-7HEAVEN]

A fast bike has a big number top speed. It is measured by a speedometer.

A quick bike accelerates at low speed, wanting to buck you off the saddle. Quickness is measured by a stopwatch.

Depending on gear ratio, a fast bike can also be quick or not.

A quick bike can also be fast or not.

Brute torque in a vehicle produces fast times for the first 60 feet in a quarter miles. On a bicycle it's probably wayy less than 60 feet.

Does anyone know of a way for all of us to measure and compare our motored bike's quickness?
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Honey, it's just a bicycle. and i REALLY need it to excercise, and to ride it to work.(hehe)

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Yes, with an hour glass or a sun dial.

 

[Motormac]

Thats a good question and a very interesting one. We would have to set a standard measurement time over perhaps a precisly measured 500 feet? I know my bike is already well into its maximum speed in about one city block. It takes I,m guessing here about 10-15 seconds of acceleration to get to maximum speed. so we need to set a standard so that everyone can measure exactly the same way.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

How about a realistic 0-20 mph time? Average cruise is around 20-24 mph. I think that would be our equivalent of the standard 0-60 time.

 

[Motormac]

That might not work Joe,everybodys speedometer is different and most are not accurate. You could have 2 M.Bs side by side going at the same speed and both will get different speedo readings. It needs to be a measured distance and timed with a stopwatch .

 

[mabman]

I have one word to share. Dyno. Having access to one is going to be necessary at some point to find out all there is to know about the hp, torque and how it relates to gearing of the motors we are all using. Unfortunately there are many types of motors and all are somewhat different so it might be awhile but the results should start trickling in by Spring....or sooner?

 

[Dave31]

I have one word to share. Dyno. Having access to one is going to be necessary at some point to find out all there is to know about the hp, torque and how it relates to gearing of the motors we are all using. Unfortunately there are many types of motors and all are somewhat different so it might be awhile but the results should start trickling in by Spring....or sooner?

Need a MC dyno...i tried a chassis dyno and ripped my spokes out
The roller was just to heavy for our little bikes

 

[mabman]

Got it covered.

 

[ibcnya]

That might not work Joe,everybodys speedometer is different and most are not accurate. You could have 2 M.Bs side by side going at the same speed and both will get different speedo readings. It needs to be a measured distance and timed with a stopwatch .

How about a dragstrip, you could measure 60ft times, and have enough track to get up to top speed. 1/8 mile should be long enough. Ive considered this already but would wanna go with another motored bike. Making winning factors mods and the riders pedal effort off the line.

Couldnt see myself running at the track alone though.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

For cars and motorcycles, it's 60-foot times.

For bicycles, it might be 20-foot times...or less.

That's how I like it...short. You could do it in a parking lot or pavement anywhere and not attract as much attention as racing down the city block.

A medium quick street car racer might have 60-foot times of two seconds or less.

Let's say that a medium quick motorized bike might have x-foot times of maybe y seconds or less.

We need to find how many feet is x feet.

Znsane Rider probably has a quick and fast bike, as do many with push trailers. EZRider has a quick and fast bike.

With twin engines and 4.4hp, my bike is quick but not geared to be fast. One engine has 18.75:1 gearbox, the other has 1.25:1 roller. Maybe it could be quicker AND faster by experimenting with various gear ratios.

JMO, if we can standardize the amount of feet to be traveled and the number of seconds, EVERYONE(!) can participate and compare their quick motored bikes against everyone else!

All it would take is an affordable stopwatch, a piece of chalk and a 20-foot piece of string to measure distance.

It will also allow everyone to modify their bikes and gauge each improvement regarding performance, like different engines, pipes, tires, gearing, weight loss.

This is exciting! I could compare my stats with Happy Time riders, or anyone else.

 

[xPosTech]

I would like to add a suggestion. How about 0-20 ft. and then the number of feet to stop? It might open some eyes as to how safe our bikes are. No difference (or "classes") for whether just coaster, coaster + front, etc.

It might not be long til we wouldn't see any coaster only brakes.

And those sports handheld radars are coming down in price. How does $135 sound? A group or club (or Creative Engineering ) could spring for one.

Ted

 

[Dave31]

I wanna know which two Motorbicycling.com members will be the first that will go on Pinks???

PROGRAMS - PINKS - Drag Racing, Rich Christensen, Pink Slip - SPEEDtv.com

 

[Walter F.]

I said it before and I'll say it again 1/10 mile makes sense, 528 feet easy to measure in parking lots or wherever, run against a stopwatch, if you make modifications you will be able to tell right away if they helped or hurt. A speedometer and tachometer on the bike would be a desirable item so you can compare numbers ect. The drag motorized bike is still in its infancy but by spring I predict it will be a growing segment of our sport/hobby. Cars have 1/4 mile & 1/8 mile strips - a 1/10 mile is perfect for us in that it's short enough to measure acceleration yet long enough to get completely wound out. You all think about. I'm ready for a trip down the strip. Walter F.

 

[jasonh]

I agree with Walter, 1/10 makes a lot of sense. The only issue I see is that it's pretty darned hard for the normal Joe to measure out 528 feet. Then you gotta worry about finding that length in a level road...

I think 20ft is way too short. Figure many people are going to pedal at least 5 feet before popping the clutch...my bike never got to top speed in 20ft....maybe 20yds (wait, that's 60ft).

Would be nice to have one of those little accelerometer units that you can stick on your windshield that gives you 1/8 and 1/4mi times, 0-60, 60ft times, hp and tq estimates, lol.

 

[Walter F.]

OK so it's maybe a little hard for some of you to measure 528ft, 1 city block, but once it's measured it's done and won't change. You need it level so you can see the starter/finish line flagman/stopwatch keeper, so it's gonna take 2 people.

For you young folks, before there was "drag racing" on a dedicated strip it was done red light to red light so it was a start & stop contest/enter 1/4 mile on abandoned air strips, now you could let it really hang it out there. Walter F.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I will say that the cops are going to be more interested in our bikes and what we are doing if we are making speed and timed runs on public streets.

Find a PRIVATE area, or at least one where you can see the cops coming a long way off.

Now who wants to be the sanctioning body and make it all official?

Oh! OH! I don't!

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

This Is Streetracing.

I disagree with all of you.

You're talking about dragracing fast bikes with a 1/10 mile test run and a speedometer.

I do not condone streetracing, although I do attempt to reach the speed limit safely with my bike.

Even with dual engines, the local police haven't given me a second(or even a first) look. I like that of mind.

Law enforcement here is concentrating on loud fast mopeds who are a nuisance in Hawaii. The drivers are teens to early-20's, wear slippers, shorts, tee-shirts and dark glasses. They ride thru the neighborhood at all hours of day or night.

I would not participate in a 528 foot test, which would condone racing and ruin my ful relationship with my community.

I concur with xPosTech Ted. Launch for 20 feet, then brake for 20 feet.

That would be a "quick" test of brute power and braking performance.

 

[Walter F.]

Well glad we got that settled-which one of you guys called it street racing? We were talking about "drag racing" as in NHRA on ESPN only scaled down to our size. Walter F.

 

[jasonh]

I think any type of "race" in the street would be considered "street racing." Even if it's just a solo time trial.

I'll do it in a safe place...if I can find a level piece of road 'round here, lol.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

I'll do it on a deserted path with no vehicles allowed and no pedestrians/bicycles in sight.

The zero to 20-foot to zero time trials.