Introduction time.

[boogerballs]

Really love the idea of getting around on a motorized bicycle. I've had motorcycles from 50cc to around 550cc, but somehow with the skinny bicycle tires, marginal brakes, put-put of the engine, and little-to-no-suspension makes it feel like what it must have been like when these were the fastest things around.
Here's my current ride. It is a 50's-60's Columbia frame labeled Goodyear HiWay Patrol. It has a detuned 125cc Zundapp motor with its gearbox hacked off. It runs a friction drive and idling goes about 10-12 mph. It has only a coaster brake that doesn't seem to funtion at all. I know if it were to run properly it would be scary-fast. I just use it around town.

 

[paul]

wecome to the site! awesome ride. looks alot like the original motorized bicycles. front brakes will make all the difference in the world. glad to have you with us

 

[Ilikeabikea]

Welcome to the forum. Cool looking motorized bicycle. Several people here real interested in that friction drive. How does it work on wet ground? Lots of good info and helpful folks here........................

 

[boogerballs]

Can't say that I've run in the wet, since I live here in sunny California... Since the "friction" wheel is a 2" diameter tube with a bunch of 3/16" holes in it (for the friction part), I doubt whether it would be great in the wet unless you adjusted the wheels VERY tight to the tire.

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

I love bikes that are old & crusty like this!
Get a front brake... Trust me!

 

[boogerballs]

Actually, the forks have hairline cracks where the fork tubes meet the fork crown lug. I'm changing out the whole fork for a stronger one setup for brakes.

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

I had my coaster brake crap-out at full speed heading into a major intersection here in Los Angeles. (I wore out my shoes dragging them to stop!)
After that, I spent the money to put a front drum brake on the bike for safety!

 

[Pablo]

THAT is a classic bike.

Very nice......something about riding that thing would be REALLY fun!

WELCOME!!!

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

ABSORIGGINLOOTLEY AWESOME!
Welcome.

I have a Sachs 100cc engine without a gearbox, never thought about that kind of application for it.

 

[RedB66]

Welcome to the Forum. Very cool looking bike!!

 

[boogerballs]

This bike has such a great rusty patina going that I feel it would be a shame to ruin that with a good paint job. If I had it to do over again though (like say witha sachs 100cc gearboxless engine), I would run the power from the crank to a jackshaft right about where my friction wheel is, then to the same large pulley as on the whizzer. The clutch would be a lever acting on the first belt with a pully to tighten. Needless to say it would painted flawlessly, everything else would be nickel plated, brass or copper, white tires, wooden fenders...

 

[boogerballs]

The old Zundapp motorbike is real cranky and isn't all that reliable. So, I'm thinking about getting a new engine kit to be installed on a cruiser frame I have. Could someone please tell me the difference between the slant head and non slant head versions of the chinese two-strokes? Also 48cc seems fine to me as I'm not out to set any records but just to have some slowspeed fun. Thanks.

 

[paul]

i was wondering the difference in the 2 also so i hope someone answers. i opted for a dax 4 stroke titan for my new build. i am moving to st croix in the virgin islands and plan on the bike being my second vehicle and the 4 strokes are alot more reliable from what i have read and been told

 

[boogerballs]

I agree that the DAX 4-stroke would make a more reliable ride. It's just the price issue. Right now $160, is like "toy" money. $400 puts it into a different category for me. Not that it isn't worth the money, but part of my idea of this type of fun is having something that resembles older motor bicycles. That Honda clone engine and its placement on the bike are just a bit ugly for me. I wish somebody made a De Dion Bouton-like 4-stroke engine kit. Now that would really sell!

 

[boogerballs]

This is what a De Dion Bouton engine looks like. I'm sure that it would be possible to modernize the head and keep a similar look...

 

[paul]

it will be just a matter of time and good looking 4 stroke bicycle motors will be out their. for now reliability is the most important factor. i will still get me another 2 stroke and make a custom bike but for commuting to work i will use the 4 stroke. i have to agree the 2 strokes are bad to the bone looking

 

[nogoodnic]

WOW, cool bike, great patina. Just my opinion but I think that engine would look good in a drop loop frame. Oh yeah, a front drum break would probably be a good thing for you also. Welcome to the group...Kelly

 

[boogerballs]

If you mean the engine shown above, you're right. It probably looks best in a drop loop frame. But if you go back and look at some of the configurations used with this type of engine, it has been placed... in front of the down tube, inside the of the diamond leaned forward near the head tube, leaning forward near the bottom bracket, standing straight up, leaning back like the seat tube, and part of the seat tube. That was when the engines were samll enough to fit in those spots, about 1-3/4 hp. When they got bigger, say around 2 hp or larger, then they would sometimes only fit in a drop loop frame. My idea would be for the smaller variety. A kit that could be made to fit on either the down tube or seat tube locations as well as looking great in a drop loop frame. New technology would allow a 50cc size (hopefully) and a decent enough hp. I hope.

If you meant the engine that's currently in my bike, the 125cc Zundapp, then in order to fit in a drop loop frame it would need an awfully wide bottom bracket for the crankarms to clear the motor. It's pretty wide. That's why it sits so high in the frame.

 

[fabian3801]

Hi im tim fabian i found way to beat texas laws on a motor bicycle. Look in texas driver book on slow moving vehicle page. all vehicles that is designed to operate at maxium speed of 25 mph. can be a ox cart wheel chair or bicycle or machenery. things you need 2 head lamps 2 white flashers front rear 2 red flashers 1 red tail lamp 1 red reflector 1 slow moving vehicle emblem. on flashers i use aaa battery led flashers that you can recharge. yes i did it its all on my motor bicycle.

 

[nogoodnic]

Yeah, I wasn't thinking about the crank width, I'm used to the Chinafire engines where width isn't an issue. I was looking at the lines of the engine and it looks like it would tuck into a drop loop nicely....Kelly