First posts are for venting, and other things

N

neophyte340

New Member
Hello, my name is mark long time listener, first time poster.
First off I am glad to see a bunch of you guys are very involved in the idea of bicycle motorization and the like. The site is put together well and the posts flow of wisdom which is great. I would like to build a Bike for fun(speed) and reliable transportation.(Just in case we have to get all Mad Max) Also Ive wanted a moped/dirtbike/scooter/gokart/hoverboard since I was a kid and this is my reckoning of those lost times.

I myself havent ridden a bike for about 10 years or so. I used to read the "Performance" Bike catalogs my dad would get in the 80s. I was always more intrigued by the speedometer computers and expensive parts that seemed to flood the pages, then the actual idea of riding, though i did have a single speed Huffy which was cool, and my Dad would eventually give me his Alpine Road bike. But later on we would ride much more after we had some ten speeds would have allow some great riding times my brother, father and I.

So my first question and beef is, What is with the pricing of bikes?,..Do they really cost that much to make?? 3000% more then a nice looking(Untrained Eye) Walmart Bike?? I thought the Jeep Wranglers at Sears for 600 was over the top back in 1999 or so. How much more aluminum do I NOT get for a lighter much more expensive bike. heh

I dont know what my dad paid for his alpine but i know it wasnt 3 grand or even 1 grand!, Im thinking like 400 at most. I was able to go 40 or more downhill just the same as one today, It was light and fast, So are todays bikes really that much better then a top of the line "Performance" Bike or similar when i was a kid, I cant imagine any bike on the market being even as cutting edge as a 25 year old Olympic bike...But i could be completely wrong. And at the end of the day,,,How much faster are you really gonna be? I know Carbon Fiber is nicer then fiber glass but...ok n/m thats all just money and tech and speed.

See I worked in the automotive industry (Ford Parts)for years, and I,- just like the old guys, KNOW the old stuff is better(Ford Anyway) then the new..Well it depends on what you want...The old stuff is easier to work on, parts are cheap and plentiful for the most part. Though I may throw that in to the wind in this endeavor. I just love the look of dual suspensions over none.

Ok ok,,Im not complaining or anything, I love expensive stuff as long as I feel im getting something for it ya know..these tough times...anyway..Jeez just looked up Performance to see if there still in business and they are expensive too! lol

So its like...that K2 or that KIA ...you guys are hard core cuz I know you guys have a bunch of thse bikes too, wow..

Ok so I would love to have rides like you all and I wanted a bit of advice..I wanted to get a (used) decent mountainbike thats has dual suspensions and will be best to accept a morini 50cc(5.8hp) and the SBK jackshaft/shifter kit .. Is there a generic version of that GT LTS frame?????? lol

thanks brnot
 
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WELCOME TO THE FORUM. I WOULD THINK DUEL SUSPENSION MOUNTAIN BIKES ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO INSTALL A BIKE KIT, ESPECALY WITH A SHIFTER KIT, BUT I'M SURE SOMEONE HERE HAS DONE IT. IF YOU WANT SPEED, GET SOMETHING WITH 700C WHEELS AND GET YOURSELF A 34T SPROCKET. THE morini 50cc(5.8hp) WOULD BE SWEET ON A MOUNTAIN BIKE WITH DUEL SUSPENSION ,BUT YOU MAY HAVE TO PUT IT ON A RACK.
 
Actually a dual suspension bike is incorrect , I think i mean "Softtail"

though a dual suspension would certainly be awesome too

and the jack shaft is no go
 
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A "softtail" is a "dual" or full suspension bike, a softtail just doesn't have near as much travel, in the back, as a normal full suspension bike. A hard tail bike has only front suspension and a rigid frame bike has no suspension.
 
Howdy Neo, welcome. I think you are on to a good start. A good bike makes for a good foundation. I have had great luck at Goodwill, yard sales and craigslist, for older bikes. Some times, I have bought bikes just for parts that always seem to come in handy. But back to your point, the mega-price bikes, well they might be worth it for a competitor or some one really in to it. A lot goes into them with R&D and exotic materials for performance and weight. Not as big an issue with a MB. If I may be so bold as to offer a suggestion, start with the perfect steel frame, bought new or scavenged off an old bike. Build her from the ground up or start with a really good old bike and upgrade as you like.

One of the coolest things about building these is that your never finished. There is always some thing you wanna try or change or paint or redo. Or start on that second build you have been thinking about since you almost finished the first.

Welcome to the crazy.
 
Neo,
Welcome to the forum. Dan gives good advice. There is absolutely no reason to select one of those high dollar bikes as your first motorized experiment. You want to stick to a steel frame if possible, (not ruling out an aluminum frame, steel just makes it easier for the beginner). Few, if any of us use the exotic materials, carbon fiber, carbon composite, etc etc. Steel is the best choice and usually the least expensive. Take a drive by the local Goodwill stores, garage sales and second hand stores and look for a good solid 26" 'V' frame bike for your first attempt at motorizing. If you elect to go for the 2stroke, in-frame kit, of which there is a huge selection to choose from, the 'V' frame will allow an easy install without fabricating mounts. Most of the cruiser style frames, such as The Schwinn Point Beach, Jaguar, etc. will require a special mount for the curved, and often oversized down tube. Keep it simple the first time and you'll be rewarded with a successful build that will give you confidence to approach your next project...and if you're like most of us, there will be a second...and a third, and on and on. Good luck, keep us informed on your selections and progress. We're all here to help and answer the inevitable questions you'll have on that first project.
Tom
 
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