Reasons for riding Motorized Bicycle

Re: Reasons for riding MB

For me, it started as a cheap means of independent transportation. I was working at a tobacco plant and getting rides from less than dependable coworkers. Thought about a cheap used moped and started looking on cl. Ran across a gasbike ad and bought a kit. Had no idea how much fun it would be. So now its transportation and fun, plus the complete ability to customize my ride with whatever parts I want and the freedom to drive down the road at a nice cruising speed. I'm on my 3rd bike, a completely custom 98cc cruiser and I have absolutely no intention of giving up this hobby any time soon. Really, who needs a reason to get into mb's? Lol.
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

FREEDOM! Talkin' bout FREEDOM.

Freedom from gas prices, insurance, registration, buses, trains, cars, pedaling, parking meters and gridlock.

I just wish I had some rear suspension on my bike. Potholes are a spine killer on my bike.
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

I have loved road cycling since I was a teen, but now I'm busy all the time with a child, and mountain biking whenever I get the chance, I'm too pooped to ride a road bike. The motorized bicycle lets me get to town and back (10mi round trip) without being drained.

I wanted something like this since I was a teen, dreaming of putting an edger motor on an old Schwinn. I never tried it, but someone found me a beach bike in the dumpster and I ordered a china kit. I didn't have a good experience with the china kit and finally ordered the friction drives I wanted in the first place. Now it's loads of fun, since the bike still works like normal with no drag except the dead weight if the engine is off. Works for me. I feel confident in the bike and use it to pull my daughter on our weekly "safari" through grassy rural roads or nature parks.
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

They aren't cheap, but look for Thudbuster seatposts, from the mountain bike world. Most suspension posts (telescoping) don't even move much unless you are heavy or with backpack. The thudbuster is customizeable and rotates in an arc. Some hardtail fans use them for the roughest courses, then put the standard seatpost back on for races or general riding.

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There are several different models. Some use a big square elastomer, and some use a stack of 2 elastomers in a "shock". They are expensive, maybe $70-150. But what's back surgery cost?

miked826 said:
FREEDOM! Talkin' bout FREEDOM.

Freedom from gas prices, insurance, registration, buses, trains, cars, pedaling, parking meters and gridlock.

I just wish I had some rear suspension on my bike. Potholes are a spine killer on my bike.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

Had a few to drink at a party on Saturday and on Sunday despite the fog and rain I went to A&W and got me a couple Teen burgers for $5.00 with a coupon.
(IMO the BEST burgers at A&W)

They were delicious and I got to them fast without using the car.

Anyway, I want to rebuild my old wrecked motor and I want a welder so I can do more stuff with old bike frames.
Well, I got a job now and this stuff seems possible again, after I catch up on bills, IOU's, payments and all that BullCrap!

I mostly ride for leisure, but it's nice to get stuff quick if the car is not available.
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

I ride cause I got my license messed up and the state of Texas demands over 10,000$ to get it back. That and insurance companies hate me. Last time I checked they wanted 250$ a month (this is basic coverage not full)

Yeah, so I kinda gave up on cars. I even moved out of Fort Worth because cars are so dang expensive and you really need one over there. If you rode your bike on the road you better learn to dodge cars, or they will hit you. Seriously.
 
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Loved motored stuff as a kid. Loved mountain biking also. Had a dirt bike and loved riding that. I work as a race car engineer and have two unfinished race car projects sitting around due to cost involved in finishing them.
Once on the way to work I saw an old dude doing 35mph in traffic on a Walmart style mountain bike with a HT on it. He kept up with me in flowing traffic, 2 pedals at the lights and then off he went! I was blown away!
I use to walk along a shared bike/walking path and use to think: "wouldn't a push bike with a stonking chainsaw motor strapped to it be a hoot along here!!" I don't care much for pedaling.
Living the dream now, and I love not having to pay registration and licensing for it.
If I have the energy, one day I would love to build a scratch built frame and maybe even a crank case that mounted in front of the cranks like on some old mopeds. Such creative fun!
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

Well, considering that deep down we all realize that by adding chinese gasoline engines to regular bicycles we have entered the pool of candidates for the Darwin Award....This leads me to believe we do it because we're all having fun living on the wild side! ahahahahahhaha!!! (evil laugh, but also knocking on wood..)
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

Simple enjoyment of it. I was looking in getting an ebike but with my weight and severely out of shape and banged up body they just did not have the distance without spending a lot of money at once for batteries. So gas bike it was and glad I went this way because I know a lot more about combustible engines over electric. With these little 2 strokes and 4 strokes, most things can be fixed with vice grips, screwdriver, needle nose, and sometimes if frustration sets in, the good ole hammer .kick2.

Then replace scratg (p)
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

I use japanese engines and upgrade my bikes.

I ride because it's practical, not because it's wild. People do look at me like some kind of wild man, though. Maybe it's the mustache. .cs.

Groove said:
Well, considering that deep down we all realize that by adding chinese gasoline engines to regular bicycles we have entered the pool of candidates for the Darwin Award....This leads me to believe we do it because we're all having fun living on the wild side! ahahahahahhaha!!! (evil laugh, but also knocking on wood..)
Click to expand...
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

Building a DIY motorbike might be a good part of the whole thing, but as soon as the weather is cooler I'm going to do trail riding more often. The DMV I got my sticker and since I don't have pedals on the machine, they classified it as motorcycle for off highway use only.

MT
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

I wanted to be riding more, and the Goldwing was a lot of hassle for small trips in town, plus I was having mechanical problems with it, and wanted something simple.

I looked for a smaller motorcycle, and all the ones I saw were ridiculously high priced, and most of them were junkers anyway. (Thanks to American Pickers, everyone thinks that garbage is gold!)

While searching, I stumbled across motorized bicycles; then went to ebay and bought a CG kit. Then I bought a bicycle.

I never could get the CG kit to fire up, so I got frustrated and bought a 4-stroke FD kit. It fired right up, and the fun began!

For me, the motorized bicycle doesn't take the place of the cars or motorcycles, it just adds to the tools of freedom and exploration. I can't take it to all the places I want to ride, so I'm building a Lifan 140cc powered Honda Trail 90 too.

I also have a couple of other motorized bicycles' planned, so the motorized bicycle addiction is still there!
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

I got into motorized bicycles because of my driver's license was suspended. Just never drive without insurance . . .

I lost my job due to my lack of transportation. I used to ride mini choppers around, but the cops gave me a HUGE legal threat one day (like five tickets), but they let me go on a warning never to ride them again. It makes me mad because I see people riding them around here all the time.

Anyway, I was totally broke when I discovered motorized bicycles online. I gathered up about $35 and said, "Yep, this should be enough to do it." I then found a scrap yard on craigslist that showed a MASSIVE pile of rusty bicycles. I got a ride over there and found a beach cruiser in fairly ride-able condition (no brakes though) for $15. I then purchased a running leaf blower for $10, and a plank of wood, some bolts, and a push mower throttle control (you know, turtle to rabbit) for a total of $12 and some change. I spent about three hours figuring out how to turn all of that into a working FD. Ended up mounting the motor to the plank, then securing that to the back of the bike. I was surprised by how comfortable the ride was. I that thing for the rest of the summer with no brakes. (I wired a kill switch to use engine braking.) The next spring, I bought a chinese 2-stroke from ebay. It was used, and I got it for $75 (originally $100, but I got a $25 discount because the seller didn't package it very well, and there were broken cooling fins and a smashed muffler when it arrived.)

Ever since then, I've been totally hooked. Even when I get my license back, I'm not gonna quit motor bicycling. I ride for much more than transportation. Sometimes I get "cabin fever", and I take off on my bike. Sometimes I'm just overworked with college coursework, so I take off for a while. Sometimes I just need some toilet paper, so I take off on my motorized bicycle. Whatever the reason for the trip, I always come back in higher spirits.

BTW, I've got like 1500 miles on my original china girl engine. Okay, so maybe it IS on the third jug, but break-in's not all that bad, right? Oh, I've also managed to install some working brakes, so don't worry about me.
 
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Re: Reasons for riding MB

I got into it because I needed a ride to work and this was the cheapest thing and I fell in love lol. I mean as a guy who loves cars, this is great in itself. I get to pretty much do what I want with it and not have to pay a shop to fix it, I got you lovely bunch of folks to help me out if I run into problems :-)
 
Re: Reasons for riding MB

That's what I was thinking too.. I've got 1500 miles on all the original parts.
 
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