How much should I charge motorized Bikes?

[Nikko]

How much should i charge people TO motorize their bikes

hi, me .... again, (sorry im literally addicted to this site, so much good stuff)

Anyways how much do you think i should charge friends, friends of friends, locals, and others to motorize their bikes? not incorporating a friend discount.
given the fact that they bring me their bike and it doesnt require custom modifications to get the engine mounts on properly.
and Im going out 10 miles round trip to pick up the engine kit for them and installing it to the point there ready to ride home if they wanted to. of course i tell them they need to break in the engine first, and i give them a hands on tutorial on how to use it, from starting it, to shutting it off, to troubleshooting, and gas/oil mixtures and what i personally recommend

how much would you guys charge people?
the person i buy the kit from charges 160 for the kit and comes with everything i need.

i did my first customers bike (just posted on facebook if anyone wanted to motorize their bike like i did)
for 200 flat, it was a Mountain bike and everything went as planned, took about an hour and a half to install.
he was extremely satisfied with it and still contacts me for new parts he wants me to install, and general bike maintanence.



So the quesion is how much should i charge them total to buy a kit for them, and install the kit on their own bike?

im not trying to start a big business, but trying to make some good side job money.
also any advertising tips i could use, i usually say something like, capable of reaching 39 mph (with pedalling assistance.)with little modifications and 150MPG, never really calculated but thats what everyone says.

EDIT i realize people saying you can buy engine kits for 140 or so shipped, can someone point me in the right direction. btw i live in CA.

 

[Gary Harris]

Beer......

 

[daRog]

You should charge at least enough to pay for liability insurance to cover yourself in case you get sued by one of your customers.

 

[Nikko]

im selling to friends and such, what would they sue me for?

 

[Nikko]

and im 19, i cant buy beer

 

[Joaquin Suave]

xxxxxxxxxx

 

[Nikko]

the motorized bike went mainstream in the 1800's, its called a motorcycle and they decided to remove the pedals.
that being said
could you please explain this whole insurance and liability stuff you guys are talking about.

and also i have yet to see one motorized bicycle in my area. and my friends are all in highschool or under 20 so you know how much appeal this has to them.

 

[Joaquin Suave]

xxxxxxxxxx

 

[Nikko]

oh i see what your saying now. so how would i go about preventing lawsuits like that? could i create some kind of waiver and have them sign it and keep a copy?

also im not trying to start a business just encourage more people to ride MB

 

[Nikko]

and wasnt trying to be a smartass with the motorcycle comment, its the truth, if anything more people will buy motorcycles. im just offering a solution to people who cant afford cars and need to get around

 

[Mike B]

Yeah, lets say the cheap Chinese 2 stroke you bought and installed on your friend's bike siezes up (not uncommon) and your buddy doesn't de-clutch in time, wipes out and a car rolls over his skull causing his brains to pop out on the road.

Yeah, you are gonna feel real bad when you hear about it and you are gonna feel even worse when the attornies start calling.

Or maybe the chain idler goes into the spokes or the gas gushes out of the tank...

Or maybe he just gets run over, no fault of the bike whatsoever, but his parents know that you built it for him.

 

[Gary Harris]

Nikko, just get your buds involved in the building and the safety of these things. Have them help during the build and use your experience to properly train them on the do's and dont's of MB's.

Besides, a true friend wouldn't charge anyway!

 

[Nikko]

hmmm, i see, and i have only a handful of true friends, their called best friends, and both their parents bought them a car and pay for there gas so there not interested and yea i have more true friend, but if i did it all for free they would start walking all over me, and when trying to help someone who doesnt have any knowledge on the subject you end up doing all the building while they sit back and watch, and what about if you sold someone a bike on craigslist non motorized and the fork snaps while riding. there gunna go after you? even when all you did was sell them it?

 

[Gary Harris]

hmmm, i see, and i have only a handful of true friends, their called best friends, and both their parents bought them a car and pay for there gas so there not interested and yea i have more true friend, but if i did it all for free they would start walking all over me, and when trying to help someone who doesnt have any knowledge on the subject you end up doing all the building while they sit back and watch, and what about if you sold someone a bike on craigslist non motorized and the fork snaps while riding. there gunna go after you? even when all you did was sell them it?

You need better friends.

 

[Nikko]

why? you dont know my friends? stay on the subject and stop digressing

 

[Joaquin Suave]

xxxxxxxxxx

 

[Nikko]

im obviously not going to get a lawyer and start a full blown bike business. and you dont need to go calling young people dumb****s.

 

[daRog]

Considering your attitude, let me just wish you good luck. You're going to need it.

 

[Nikko]

well im just saying, alot of people on the forums act like dicks and no it alls, maybe they do maybe they dont, i simply asked how much should i charge for the labor and time of building them a bike, and i get incosiderate, foul mouths critizing on how i better get insurance. yea it may be true but could you maybe add a response to my question. and everybody will get defensive when criticized like this.

 

[Dan]

Honestly, it is a business venture froth with liability. 2 wheeled vehicles don't have "fender benders" Just broken bones at best. So if you have some thing you can lose, you will be sued. Right or wrong, is gonna happen. If some one like a partner or parent helped you, they are now libel as well. If you build a bike in some one's garage, they facilitated you and are liable. Just the way it goes.

So insurance is of great importance. That's just the liability stuff. What I personally think is more important is one has to be a master bike mechanic. We as hobbyists ask a lot of a thing designed to go around 10 MPH. It is the foundation and has to be in top shape. Making it go fast is easy. Stopping is far more violent an action. Also far more important then acceleration.

In no way trying or wanting to dissuade you but as a biz, ya have to think it all the way threw.

But none of that is what you asked. Tools and knowledge, I would think if you can bend a kit on in 4 or 5 hrs, I would go 100 bucks. $20/$25 sounds like a lot but your gonna also have to back it up with problem calls and stuff that ain't your fault but no way on earth you gonna convince the end consumer of that. Just wait until you hear some thing like "the front wheel was fine until you fixed the clutch" LOL, remember that one. If you provide customer service any where, your gonna hear some thing similar, some day.


Best of luck and hard work to ya! (Irish blessing) Love the desire to do and work/earn a living doing some thing fun!

Post lots of pics of your builds!