Greetings and Salutations Everyone!
I'm the new guy, not exactly brand new but returning from 2008 when I last joined up. Why I've been gone I can't exactly say except that life got in the way.
I am from North Texas and have retired from ATT (THANK GOD!!!). I have been riding & building these "little contraptions" since mid 2006 (when gas got up to $5.00 USD per gallon----WHEW). I bought a Giant Suede-e from a local bike shop and wore out two battery packs commuting to work until I retired. During those years I discovered these little "China Girls" and started building and riding them for fun. I wound up giving away the ones I built to family and friends. The couple I sold, I wound up losing money on. I want people to fall in love with these things like I have so during the build I bought the performance parts the little engines DESPERATELY need to provide reliability and reasonable performance. (this money was out of my own pocket as I had already quoted a price for the bike build for the basic kit and tune-up. No one has ever accused me of being too intelligent)
I have an almost son-in-law who swears I should turn my hobby into a full fledged business but I am really hesitant about that. I have finally figured out that it takes about $1000.00 USD to put together a bike that performs and is reliable enough a person could use it as a daily commuter to work and have a reasonable expectation of getting where they need to go on time.(and the mechanic to get paid--ME!)
That is the hang-up people have, they have Wal-Mart mentality; they see one of these bikes and think it will cost, oh $200.00 to $250.00,,maybe as much as $300.00 USD. We who have actually built more than one know better than this.
Well ENUF of my bellyaching and crying..
I just wanted to say Hello and say if there is anything I can do to help, I will be more than glad to lend a hand. I do promise that there will be no BS from me, if I don't know I will say so up front and do my level best to research an answer to the problem.
Looking forward to getting to know everyone!
Later,
Madd Matt
I'm the new guy, not exactly brand new but returning from 2008 when I last joined up. Why I've been gone I can't exactly say except that life got in the way.
I am from North Texas and have retired from ATT (THANK GOD!!!). I have been riding & building these "little contraptions" since mid 2006 (when gas got up to $5.00 USD per gallon----WHEW). I bought a Giant Suede-e from a local bike shop and wore out two battery packs commuting to work until I retired. During those years I discovered these little "China Girls" and started building and riding them for fun. I wound up giving away the ones I built to family and friends. The couple I sold, I wound up losing money on. I want people to fall in love with these things like I have so during the build I bought the performance parts the little engines DESPERATELY need to provide reliability and reasonable performance. (this money was out of my own pocket as I had already quoted a price for the bike build for the basic kit and tune-up. No one has ever accused me of being too intelligent)
I have an almost son-in-law who swears I should turn my hobby into a full fledged business but I am really hesitant about that. I have finally figured out that it takes about $1000.00 USD to put together a bike that performs and is reliable enough a person could use it as a daily commuter to work and have a reasonable expectation of getting where they need to go on time.(and the mechanic to get paid--ME!)
That is the hang-up people have, they have Wal-Mart mentality; they see one of these bikes and think it will cost, oh $200.00 to $250.00,,maybe as much as $300.00 USD. We who have actually built more than one know better than this.
Well ENUF of my bellyaching and crying..I just wanted to say Hello and say if there is anything I can do to help, I will be more than glad to lend a hand. I do promise that there will be no BS from me, if I don't know I will say so up front and do my level best to research an answer to the problem.
Looking forward to getting to know everyone!
Later,
Madd Matt
