got a new beach cruiser
- Thread starter zearo
- Start date
4you2eat
Member
it's up to you and your budget. A 2 stroke costs $200ish for the kit delivered and a decent 4 stroke kit is $370ish delivered. The 2 stroke might have some issues w/ tire clearance using the kit motor mounts on the chain if the tires are 2.35 or wider. the 4 stroke has some more adjustment for chain clearance. the 4 stroke kit will require using the wider pedal kit to clear the motor. You might want to share what mechanical / welding fabrication skills you have. I like the gasbike.net kits myself. Im sure thre are several other sites to get good deals on motors. The eBay kits are hit and miss. The hardware on the rag joints are suspect on all kits. You might also want to share your budget to get some feedback ALSO what look are you going for ? vintage ? boardtrack ? gonzo ? rat ?
A 2 stroke motor has a clutch lever and you pedal the bike then release the clutch to start it. A 2 stroke bikes require you to mix oil with the gas. The 2 stroke bike is more affordable than the 4 stroke. You must have some clutch skills to operate and run the 2 stroke.
The 4 stroke kit costs more and features a centrifugal clutch. There is no clutch lever and you start the motor using a pull rope. The 4 stroke motor runs on straight gas. You might find the 4 stroke motors a little more reliable however they do cost more to repair in some instances.
best thing I can say is lurk, ask questios and check out the builds you see on the site. Ask questions from the builders most will tell you everything they know in order to help you out. I have built 4 bikes myself and love it. I hope to build 500 more at least. If I can help you out, give me a shout....... Good Luck !
A 2 stroke motor has a clutch lever and you pedal the bike then release the clutch to start it. A 2 stroke bikes require you to mix oil with the gas. The 2 stroke bike is more affordable than the 4 stroke. You must have some clutch skills to operate and run the 2 stroke.
The 4 stroke kit costs more and features a centrifugal clutch. There is no clutch lever and you start the motor using a pull rope. The 4 stroke motor runs on straight gas. You might find the 4 stroke motors a little more reliable however they do cost more to repair in some instances.
best thing I can say is lurk, ask questios and check out the builds you see on the site. Ask questions from the builders most will tell you everything they know in order to help you out. I have built 4 bikes myself and love it. I hope to build 500 more at least. If I can help you out, give me a shout....... Good Luck !
Last edited:
maurtis
New Member
I believe you are referencing your thread here: http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=44668
And I agree with the general notion that MBs are a great hobby but for reliable transportation to/from work I would go with a scooter instead. On craigslist I see 50cc and 150cc chinese scooters for $500 and up. After spending the money on upgrades to make a MB kit as reliable as possible, you end up spending about the same as you would for a scooter and the scooter will still likely require less day to day inspection and maintenance.
I know there are some who have put on many thousands of miles on their kits, especially the 4 stroke kits with Qmatic trannys. I am not saying it is not possible to make an MB a reliable form of daily transport, I would just say for someone who is not mechanically skilled and does not like doing frequent routine inspection and maintenance, MBs make a better hobby.
Good luck with you decision, and if you need a hand, we will be here for ya!
the chief
New Member
i don't think this hobby is for you, this is for people who don't give up or get discouraged easily, i may be mistaken, but from the above comment i don't think you fall into this category.
maniac57
Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Get a go-ped. No license required. This hobby probably isn't for you.
bigbutterbean
Active Member
Gonna have to agree on this one.