Reasons for riding Motorized Bicycle

I've always wanted a turn of the century motorcycle. There was something about them that has always appealed to me. However the price for a rusted heap was more than I could afford, and restoring one could cost more than a new motorcycle on top of reducing the value. But seeing how the early motorcycles were basically motorized bicycles, I figured with me being a tinker and mechanically inclned I could easily hone the skill set to build one that somewhat resembled a 1900's style motorcycle with my own design twist.
 
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I ride mine for the long haul ride's, especially when i'm touring Ontario Canada. I enjoy the freedom of the open roads when i'm travelling for day's on end with my touring bike.


xct2 cflg
 
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I built an motorized bicycle for cheap transportation. Actually, it is a time machine to my youth. When I was about 11 a friends father made a bicycle with a reverse acting clutch that tightened a belt from the engine pulley to a pulley welded to a shortened crank. That drove a small sprocket on the right side to a regular front sprocket at the rear hub. A five-horse Briggs provided more go than a kid should have. No pedals required. We rode that thing everywhere and back. One day a really nice bike showed up in the trash at work. A coworker didn't want it anymore. Your trash, my treasure. But still all I did was pedal. After a year or so my wife bought a kit from DAX as a surprise gift. It sure is a great feeling to move through the world without a cage to dull the senses. Did I mention that I built my motorized bicycle for cheap transportation?
 
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Sometimes the bike finds you. I've got 3 bike, 2 of which were in
mint, unridden condition. $15, $25, And $30 for the used one.
Of course the engines on the 2 motorized bicycles cost 10 times what the bikes
did. I also had a freebee trash rescue bike I rode for many years.
 
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Because I don't have money for a car, but I want something I can get around with before I save enough money for a DRZ400sm! Who here doesn't want to get a real bike?

Don't get me wrong though, I don't think I'll ever stop riding my bicycle its ridiculously fun.
Kinda sucks though, I don't get my cardio work anymore like I used to before I had a motor installed.
 
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i love the lower back pain
 

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Cool. Please join Dax Friction Drive Fan Club on Facebook. cvlt1

I ride motor bicycles because it's plain fun, and I like the types of people that ride them (tinkerers and friendly folks). I have enjoyed conventional bicycles (road and mountain bikes) since my grade school days. I always wanted to put a Briggs edger motor on one but didn't know how. The Dax drive was the perfect solution: fits on almost any upright bike, and it's modular so it can move to different bikes as a better one is acquired. I had one on a multi speed hybrid bike before, and like it better now on a single speed mountain bike.

IlliniRider said:
I built an motorized bicycle for cheap transportation. Actually, it is a time machine to my youth. When I was about 11 a friends father made a bicycle with a reverse acting clutch that tightened a belt from the engine pulley to a pulley welded to a shortened crank. That drove a small sprocket on the right side to a regular front sprocket at the rear hub. A five-horse Briggs provided more go than a kid should have. No pedals required. We rode that thing everywhere and back. One day a really nice bike showed up in the trash at work. A coworker didn't want it anymore. Your trash, my treasure. But still all I did was pedal. After a year or so my wife bought a kit from DAX as a surprise gift. It sure is a great feeling to move through the world without a cage to dull the senses. Did I mention that I built my motorized bicycle for cheap transportation?
Click to expand...
 
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Friction drive is definitely the simplest, most hassle-free
way to go. The only drawback is slippage in the wet.
Where I live, it gets really soggy 7/8 mos. a year.
Happily, I fabricated a pretty bomb-proof roller, and
that failing, my Dax converts to a DIY belt drive in
about 30 minutes.
Actually, now I've 2 bikes, one Staton Friction/GX35,
the other, the Dax belt setup/Tanaka PF4000, both
with really low ratios that will cruise lazily at 15 mph
up almost anything.

cvlt1
 
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Working on these bikes teaches me a new skill. I've never messed with engines or mechanical stuff outside of computers. This is off the chain
 
Well I'm 15yrs old, go out alot and love bikes/cars/engines so why not a bicycle with a engine on it! Seemed like a great idea.

Its good fun going on cruises with friends aswell.
 
15yrs old... son you don't need an engine. Your young body is
the best engine you could hope for. Get out there and use it; make
it strong. Build stamina on a real bike. Engines are for fat@$$
old men like me.
 
Well seeing I was born in the Motor City, and my football career was ended with a knee injury. I have a passion for cars, bikes or anything to do with the automotive industry. Once I build my motorized bicycle a few months ago an took it for the first ride it just put a smile on my face, plus it turns heads and makes a good conversation piece and it shows my skills on fabrication.
 
Cool. Can you link me to more about your roller? I've heard that taking the stock Dax roller and making little slots in it with a bandsaw, will do a ton for wet traction. I've found tire selection to be the big factor (high volume tire with wide slick center, varying pressure and roller pressure for wet weather).

Once the intial oil-slick gets rained off, it's not too bad around here. Most of my rides are dry and hot so it suits me to run FD.

Belt drive sounds good for a bike that is going to be motored all the time riding it.

If you ride in the rain a lot, maybe a trike is the way to go. .trk
Good luck.

Otero said:
Friction drive is definitely the simplest, most hassle-free
way to go. The only drawback is slippage in the wet.
Where I live, it gets really soggy 7/8 mos. a year.
Happily, I fabricated a pretty bomb-proof roller, and
that failing, my Dax converts to a DIY belt drive in
about 30 minutes.
Actually, now I've 2 bikes, one Staton Friction/GX35,
the other, the Dax belt setup/Tanaka PF4000, both
with really low ratios that will cruise lazily at 15 mph
up almost anything.

cvlt1
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, MABs are great, but I really recommend riding the wheels off a good quality road bike. You're not going to get younger. And the older you get, the less time you get to ride. I mostly ride a motor assisted bicycle to carry cargo or to ride when I'm too tired to pedal a bunch.

Hhhaha. This icon looks like me having a leg cramp and taking a nap next to the bike. :-||
Otero said:
15yrs old... son you don't need an engine. Your young body is
the best engine you could hope for. Get out there and use it; make
it strong. Build stamina on a real bike. Engines are for fat@$$
old men like me.
Click to expand...
 
I second that. I usually make my ride to the post.grocer, or
hardware store on my pedal bike, reserving my motor for long rides.
In spite of having been serious mangled, my legs are getting really
strong again. Took on a hill in too high a gear the other day &
snapped my chain the same way I used to rip the bindings right
off my skis 40 yrs. back. Feels good getting that power back in
my legs.
 
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