Howdy From Texas

[Lisa Smith]

Hi Everybody. My name is Lisa and I'm taking my first step towards motorized bicycling. I just read about it after a disappointing venture into mopeds. I have a bike already and now I'm looking for the perfect kit to add to it. Just wanted to introduce myself.

Lisa

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Welcome to the forum Lisa. There is a whole contingent of you Texans here.

What happened with the moped if I may ask?

What type of bicycle motor kit are looking for? Rear mount (easy to install but expensive) or frame mount (less easy, but not bad, only fits certain bike types, cheap).

Read around, you'll get some good ideas here.

 

[Dave31]

Welcome Lisa to the forum, glad you could join us

 

[Lisa Smith]

The moped, well I was shooting for inexpensive in the 150cc range. Found some GREAT deals, but fortunately, we got the run around from the first place, found out that the second place had an F rating with the BBB and the third place, the dealer ordered the wrong moped and expected me to take it because it was "red". Yes, I wanted red, but come on...so anyway, I decided to do some more reading and found out that for the most part, people have been very unhappy with any China Made moped. After reading horror story after horror story I am GLAD we didn't end up with one of those things. I had decided to just ride my bicycle everywhere I need to go...and that is a laugh because I'm old and in terrible shape. My Silverado (truck, of course) gets very poor gas mileage and I feel like throwing up every time I have to fill up. Then I stumbled upon motorized bicycles! It is a match made in heaven to me. I can get much needed exercise since I sit at a desk all day long, but I will have the motor to keep me from going into heart failure. This time, I'm going to do my homework BEFORE I place any orders. My bike is a street cruiser I guess you'd call it. Multiple speeds, 12- I think. And I'd like to get the frame mounted motor. I do have the triangle shaped frame so it should fit very nicely there. I have a husband that I keep around to do stuff like, you know, mounting motors on my bicycle. He can handle it. (I hope)

Could I maybe post a photo of my bike and get everyone's opinion on whether it is worthy of being motorized? I think it is, but I am such a newbie. I am just a little concerned because it has those quick release wheels.

Thanks for the welcome and I am going to read around. Any advice is appreciated. Sorry for the novel...I AM a writer. LOL.

Lisa

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Lotta writers here too. Post away (pics too).

The Chinese scooters and mopeds are an abonination! Glad you didn't buy one. Now having said that, I'll say this; these frame mount bicycle motor kits are from China too, but not full of the problems that the CCS (cheap chinese scooter) or mopeds are.

As for the bike- quick release wheels are O.K. and ANY bicycle that you can fit a motor kit on is worth having your husband mount one on...

Also- this will help ease any growing pains- http://motorbicycling.com/f30/bicycle-motor-preperation-care-354.html
Not essential, but helpful.

 

[Lisa Smith]

I am so going to print that out! THANKS.

Lisa

 

[Lisa Smith]

I just tried to upload the photo of my bike but I don't know where it went. This is my first forum. Sorry.

Lisa

 

[Ilikeabikea]

Welcome, from another Texan. Lots of motorized bicycle enthusiasts here. I live on the other end of the state though. I have a son that lives in Spring. He's a manager at the Hard Rock Cafe.

I think that bike would be easy to put a motor on. It should bolt right in. Glad you joined us......................

 

[paul]

hi lisa and welcome to the site! the peugeot would make a fine motorized bicycle. the frame tubes are the right size and you would not need the adapter set for it. all the guys and gals you see here will be very helpful. they are sharp and the whole forum is designed to help with getting the bicycle motor set up on the bike and get you running and sharing experiences. glad to have you with us

 

[Lisa Smith]

Awesome thanks everybody! I'm so excited. Now I just have to find the right kit to buy. And I've still got a lot of reading to do.

I'm in Spring too!!! I just always tell people Houston since they recognize that city and I'm not far from Houston at all.

 

[deacon]

Welcome to the forum. I can't tell you much about how to mount or fix your bike, but I can tell you an awful lot about what not to do. I think I have made about all the mistakes possible.

You might as well go ahead and get two cause hubby is going to want one. That I can guarantee you.

Drop over to one of my blogs and maybe you can give me some writing tips.

 

[Lisa Smith]

Yes, I am going to go ahead and get two. Deacon, have a made a list of all your mistakes so us newbies can be sure we don't follow in your footsteps?

 

[thatsdax]

Actually, some of the Chinese Scooters are quite nice. Some are not as good as others, but I have never come across Junk Scooters from China. Not yet and not me personally. But then again, I have only tested and owned 8 of them from Different manufactures. Out of the 8, 6 were exceptional. Awesome actually. The only thing they have come up short on and that I consider poor is the Rubber for the valve stems and some of the trim rubber soft foam type. IT dry rots in 2-3 years. Not a big deal unless you are hauling butt and a valve stem let go from Dry rot. Not a big deal if you replace the Valve stem right away. A hassle when you consider you have to pull your wheels to have it done. The plastics are exceptional, motors are solid, Tires are Kenda which are pretty good. Some electrical connections are crimp when they should be soldiered. Or a better crimp. I only had that problem on one of the scooters anyway. So.. I guess I am nit picking. Over all. They are darn good scooters and motorcycles. My Favorite was the MD250T Tuohe. IT was fast, liquid cooled, Always starts even after a long park in the winter on the back porch. Covered but open. Sub zero temps, yet it would light right up !! Awesom Scooter. It would hit almost 90mph. I put on a UNI filter and yanked the EPA Intake convoluted box. Convolution is putting it mildly. Removing that work of.......ummm... "Art" really helped the power. Wow !! EPA requires them to keep the intake suction noise down. No kidding. Kills the power and mileage but makes the suction of the intake quiet. This was a top notch Scooter , motorcycle. The Rear Shocks were ok. Bouncy. They could be replace with Konis. That would make it near perfect. Front Fairing was sweet. Everything worked as it should. Around 1000 miles so far and has not missed a beat !! The others I have are 150cc and 50cc. My Feeling is that the Chinese Scooters will make a huge impact here in American as soon as the shops that sell them support them with parts and service. That will be and always has been the key.

okok.. I am long on wind with the Chinese scooter thing. Forgive me. As for the Bicycle engine kits. Now.. When it comes to the kits, I have come across some Junk. The engines some factories sent me I threw into the trash. That is what I mean by junk. Total Junk. It was sad to through away something that looks like it should work, but does not work !! So..Keep in mind this. Any engine kit you decide to buy, make sure they offer support and some kind of warranty. Thanks..And..Enjoy the ride...

 

[Easy Rider]

Welcome to the forum Lisa.
Finding the right kit is very important. You should give Dean @ Pipelyne a call. He will be making kits very soon for the 3 hp italian motors. Great mileage plus the quality is superior to the chinese motor. It will probably be the last motor you'll ever buy. Next month we are putting up a booth at Laguna Seca for the F1 Bike races. Dean will have about 6 or more 3hp bikes ready to go.

Pipelyne Manufactoring/Santa Cruz Scooter Works
(408) 279-2307