I sold chicken power engines

GoldenMotor.com

mysticalmancan

New Member
Feb 15, 2016
9
3
0
San Diego
I was a distributor for the Chicken Power engines back in the 70's! I was the authorized service and parts shop for the San Diego, Ca. area. I also mail ordered them and sold them wholesale to other bicycle dealers!

I was on the news when we had the first oil embargo and they showed me 3 times on a local TV station about the Chicken Power Engines! My phone rang off the hook for two solid weeks and I sold hundreds of these back then!

I also made a TV commercial about the Chicken Power Engines figuring I'd capitalize on all the publicity! However, it wasn't the same as a news event and it took over a years worth of sales to finally pay for the commercial!!

Believe it or not, I actually just posted the original TV commercial from the tape back then and had it transferred onto a USB/Disc...! I didn't even know if it was going to work because the original tape was over 40 years old, but it actually worked and it was outstanding!

Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNtHBEdZDYs&feature=youtu.be
 

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
38
Central Illinois
Cool video! And you must have stored that tape in a nice, cool, dry place. 'Cause it certainly didn't seem to deteriorate.

Having a product like that when the arab oil embargo hit must have been a dream come true. I don't recall seeing one of those engines at that time. I do remember Solex's multiplying like rabbits, though. Too bad it didn't last.
 

mysticalmancan

New Member
Feb 15, 2016
9
3
0
San Diego
Yeah, my timing for that distribution and motor was a perfect storm!! I couldn't have planned it any better if I tried!! lol! Was an interesting time...since also, there were NO MOPED LAWS in CA...at the time and as soon as you engaged the friction wheel to make the bike have power...for all intents and purposes you were considered a MOTORCYCLE by the definition back then!! Basically it was "illegal" to use!!
 

Tyler2012

New Member
Apr 6, 2014
19
0
1
Cincinnati
Like the video! You know, I got this engine in my basement that's been sitting for 4 or 5 years now, and it looks really similar to the chicken power engines (doesn't have the pull start so it's hard to tell) it came off of an old Sears and Roebuck folding bike I have and I haven't even touched it in a while. Maybe it's one of them, but it'd be good to know how it got from California to Cincinnati... I have some old pictures of the engine, but I don't know how to post them on here, could someone help please?
 

mysticalmancan

New Member
Feb 15, 2016
9
3
0
San Diego
Thanks, yes, it's been a long time coming to get this in the public domain, for sure! O&R engines were very popular as a number of products they attached that basic engine to..so I'm not surprised at all that you may have on...It never ceases to amazing me how many things people and O&R engines came up with to use their engines!

To add a picture to your message...click on the bottom of your reply and next to the POST QUICK REPLY go the "GO ADVANCED" section and in the tools you can attach a picture!
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
I had one of those some years ago and also had some Tanaka Bikebug engines. Thanks for sharing this. I suspect the guys at Moped Army would like to have this clip in their archives.
SB
 

kevyleven007

Active Member
Sep 25, 2008
1,217
8
38
texas
I remember seeing bike machine commercials when I was a kid. I thought it was the coolest thing I ever saw before. It was a lot like the chicken power. I always wanted one. I started looking for a bike motor about 8 or 9 years ago and couldn't find them anywhere. Then I heard you had to get them on the internet so I googled " bicycle motor" and I found all this.
 

Mysticalman

New Member
Apr 13, 2020
2
2
1
71
Nice tutorial! Hey, I'm back...I couldn't remember the email I used on here originally or even my password, so I had to make up another profile..same basic name, I just dropped the "can" part of Mysticalmancan, so now I'm just Mysticalman!
 
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Mysticalman

New Member
Apr 13, 2020
2
2
1
71
I was a distributor for the Chicken Power engines back in the 70's! I was the authorized service and parts shop for the San Diego, Ca. area. I also mail ordered them and sold them wholesale to other bicycle dealers!

I was on the news when we had the first oil embargo and they showed me 3 times on a local TV station about the Chicken Power Engines! My phone rang off the hook for two solid weeks and I sold hundreds of these back then!

I also made a TV commercial about the Chicken Power Engines figuring I'd capitalize on all the publicity! However, it wasn't the same as a news event and it took over a years worth of sales to finally pay for the commercial!!

Believe it or not, I actually just posted the original TV commercial from the tape back then and had it transferred onto a USB/Disc...! I didn't even know if it was going to work because the original tape was over 40 years old, but it actually worked and it was outstanding!

Here it is:
I'm back!!!
 
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Reactions: Tom from Rubicon

Chicken magnet

New Member
Mar 3, 2021
1
0
1
63
I'm back!!!
Hello Mysticalman I recently purchased a complete chicken motor set up, looks brand new never fired, has everything even owners manual, do you know how many were made and what mine would be worth, I'm probably going to hang on to it till the bitter end, I collect old bikes so it looks cool in my man cave. T Y Dee