I have had my bike

GoldenMotor.com

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
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for several months and have begun to reflect on it. The blush is off the rose so to speak. I still love it and I love to ride, I am just beginning to see it for what it is. The spare change pit lol.

The most important tool I personally have to work on the bike is my visa card. It's a gas line here, a new chain tool there kind of thing almost every three days like clock work lol. thank god it isn't a car. I couldn't afford to work on a car any more.
 

bgoates

New Member
Mar 3, 2008
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I agree...I'm starting to rethink this whole motorized biking thing to. I don't know if I just got a bad lemon, learning curve, ir what. In any case I have another kit sitting in a box and will maybe give it a try on a 26" bike and hope for better results. I'm wondering what AI should build my son because he doesn't have the time to fiddle and isn't as mechanically inclined. I suspect that we are hearing from the people who have had problems on the forum but those who are happy have no reason to posts. I would like to hear some good news stories if there are any.
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
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north carolina
Oh i have lots of fun with mine, but my bike is high maintenance I think. But they are small things not big like with a car. A power window can cost more than i have spent on the bike all together so it is still a good deal for me since I ride mine around on errands not just for fun.
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
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up north now
I suspect that we are hearing from the people who have had problems on the forum but those who are happy have no reason to posts. I would like to hear some good news stories if there are any.
A big part of why we hear from folks with trouble is simple- you don't have to ask how to have fun!

How's this? I have built two dax kits and one rack mount (not really a build) and have two more in the wings, so to speak.

I have had over a thousand trouble free, break down free miles. I did run out of gas a couple of times and the frame mounts are not so good when the fuel is gone, the rack mount is as easy to pedal as a "regular" bike.

One bike I sold, the guy brought it back after awhile with the frame broken at the seatpost welds, but he was pretty big and rough on the bike too.

Granted, I don't run 'em that hard, and I did everything here-http://motorbicycling.com/f30/bicycle-motor-preperation-care-354.html before I ran them.

I spent the better part of last summer building and riding motorized bicycles and no problems...guess I should consider myself lucky?
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
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north carolina
Like I said all my problems with very small but it really is one nickel after another. I mean who ever heard of a gas line going bad from being put on and taken off a couple of times. Then for some reason the new on expanded so that it leaked like a sieve. The chain has been a constant thorn in my side. That could be a stretching problem or the bike wheel being pulled forward. Then there was the lousy instructions that had me almost rebuild the motor.

Sure some of it is my own fault, but the vibrations are so bad the carb temple was about to fall off lol. The bike is fun and I love the challenge of "What Next". But I am a realist enough to know the mutha is high maintenance.
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
That's all part of the package. If a person doesn't know much wrenching before, they will get an education once they build one.

That or go home cryin'.
 

Norman

LORD VADER Moderator
Jan 16, 2008
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pampa texas
You all know I've taken my engine all apart and back together. What you didn't know is I did it for fun it didn't need a thing done even when I thought I had a wrist pin going bad it was not from anyhting I heard or felt I just wanted to take the thing apart. The wrist pin is fine even though I had to lower my standards to fit the engines. I think the worse thing wrong was one sparkplug kept fowling out so I trash caned it. I did break a rear axle but it was not due to the engine being on the bike when I rebuilt the bike I discovered the rear axle was bent so being cheap I straightened it when I should ahve replaced it.
I can't say I've put money into it either I really haven't had any trouble from any of my bikes.
I do think my bikes have been easy and cheap for me and fun.
So my story of motorized bicycles is a success story.
norman
 

paul

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2007
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Kalamazoo, MI
i am with norman. every thing i have done that i have spent money on was because i wanted to. everything i have done that cost money was for fun. minor repairs have always been pretty much cost free. replace a bolt here. shorten chain ect. i love my bicycle engine. it gives me many hours of pleasure not only riding but trying to modify also. by far it is the cheapest hobby i have ever had