What would be good with this?

[ChaosinAZ]

Hi all!

I was a little overwhelmed trying to find a answer for a good starter motor so I decided to start my journey here. I have a 29" Mongoose Banish Mountain Bike I would like to use in my first build (A lot on ebay if you need to see it or check link below). This is a 21 Speed with Disc Brakes on the front and back.

Now for some details. I live in Prescott Arizona and we are about a mile above sea level and we have some small hills here and there (I have seen there are custom builds for high altitude).
I weigh a solid 220.

I am a complete idiot when it comes to small engines but that's because I have never messed with them.

If some of you wouldn't mind, would you be so kind as to look at this bike and give me an idea on a solid motor? I can spend around $150 on one. Later on this bike may also need lighting but not right now, just planning ahead. I would like some power in this build for any hills I come across.I have all the time in the world to put my first build together so time is no issue.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291922651818?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

P.S Any motor I get HAS to have instructions or at least online instructions.

Thanks Guys!

 

[Agreen]

Well, for $150 you're going to end up with a China girl. You know, the standard ebay kit. It's about the only engine that has instructions. Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that one of those will fit in the frame without modification.

For a little more $$, a "bumblebee bolt on" sounds right up your alley. It's super easy to install, and can be engaged/disengaged while riding, and you can still pedal assist up hills. It's modular, so you can take it off in minutes and put it on another bike if you want to change out bikes in the future.

 

[ChaosinAZ]

ok, here come the questions because i don't have a clue.
I went to look at prices and only found 2 Bumblebee Bolt ons on Ebay and zero on amazon, this has me a bit worried. Another thing is they have a rear and front wheel drive engine and the front wheel is around $324 and the rear is a little cheaper at $280 this is a little high for me. Also i am only seeing a 26cc for either? Sounds really low to me. Like i said, i think i may plan for this to be a hobby and from what i am seeing on craigslist, ebay and amazon, the motors look more like a real engines than something that looks like a weedeater and to sell one for the $500-600 average i see they must all be china girls. Maybe you can make things a little clearer. Thanks for the fast reply!

 

[Agreen]

Yes, the bumblebee kits are all 26cc 2 strokes, effectively weedeater engines.

If you want something that looks more like an engine, then you either go with one of the china kits, or go for a completely custom build with something else. There are a few options for china kits. There's the 48cc 2 stroke (a good option for a lot of people, since many states have laws that restrict the engine size) Then there's the O.G. 66cc 2 stroke engine kit, sometimes mistakenly called the 80cc. It's a good option for more power when legality is not a problem. Beware, the 66cc kits usually are horribly imbalanced. From what I understand, these 2 stroke kits were designed as the 48, then later redeveloped as a bigger engine, but that left the piston a little top heavy. There are some kits that are better or properly balanced. They cost more. Another common option is the huasheng 49cc 4 stroke kit. These have a little more torque than their respective 2 strokes, but they can't rev as high. You don't need to mix oil and gas. They also cost more than the standard china 2 stroke kit.

Popular options for full custom builds are the 79cc harbor freight engine, or various side shaft Briggs and Stratton engines, Honda engines, etc. These usually require a fair amount of knowledge to build, but it's not impossible. Heck, one member here did an instructable on the HF79. They usually require at a minimum: a clutch, a transmission (or some form of gear reduction), a throttle (usually a twist grip), a gas tank, and a rear sprocket.

Search and read. This forum will serve you well!

 

[Agreen]

I guess the answer you're looking for is:

Start with a Chinese 2 stroke kit from eBay. Most every does, then if the hobby sticks, they go on to build something really cool. Crawl, walk, run.

 

[Seabass]

Id go with a China girl for your first. Just make sure you get one with 415 chain not 420 as the chain alignment is pickier with the 420. Also don't use a Chinese coaster brake as they have a nasty tendency to strip out the brake arm causing you to crash. The mountain bike is a good choice. No matter what you get remember to have fun.

Some reason my edit didnt go thru. I like your choice of bike. Dont worry about fat tubes its way to get past it with hardware store u bolts or parts store exhaust clamps. Just start building and crossing bridges when you come to them. Its your first one. If you later decide to re work things, so be it.

 

[ChaosinAZ]

Ok guy what about this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/80cc-2-Stro...ash=item25a6938ae1:g:kc8AAOSwimdXpDDB&vxp=mtr

And I am seeing no mention of a 415 or 420 chain?
Also, I don't think brakes will be an issue. Both bikes have disc for front brakes.
If you look at my links for both of my bikes I believe that the Diamondback Apex with the round tubing would be my best bet to start with even though I would like it on my Mongoose. Thanks again guys!

 

[Agreen]

The slant head you just linked to would probably fit in the mongoose. The disc brakes are a big plus. If the tube ends up being too fat to bolt the engine to, switch to the diamondback.

 

[Seabass]

It look like 420 chain...You will end up ordering 415. The 415 has the same tooth spacing as 420 but it is way wider. 420 is standard bike chain. Check out some of the venders here and take a look at the chain options. I would also find a kit with a name on it. These China motors are cheap so it makes me abit scared if there is no reputable vender and no product name.

 

[ChaosinAZ]

Ok, so far i am following you guys (Not lost yet!) I see what you guys are saying about all of these China girl motors, they are EVERYWHERE! I am willing to spend around 200 or so on a DYI kit just to get my hands dirty. So many to look at though. Some have no name (not going there) and then i see some like Flying Horse, Mega Motors, Dragon Fire, Bronco Racer and on and on. Would you mind sharing what you think would be a good starter motor? I am like Seabass, the idea of buying a a generic china motor kinda freaks me out.

P.S Any good news about Bikeberry.com products? They seem to have alot of brand names with tons of options.

 

[Agreen]

There are reputable sellers, but the kits seem to be a gamble if you go based on the "brand". I've had a few no-name kits before and they performed flawlessly. The difference between getting one of those and a quality kit that works well out of the box is the amount of work you have to put in before starting it. I'm pretty experienced at all things mechanical and electrical, so I know what to look for before attempting to start it. Your mileage may vary.

The last good reputable kit seller I knew of was Dax, found at thatsdax.com

 

[ChaosinAZ]

Yeah those guys seem ok i may go for a cheaper model and see what happens. I saw a post on tips from the forums on making your own gaskets and replace the stock ones? Any idea what size? I am also going to take some advice /other tricks such as using lock tight on the bolts and lubing the insides well with a quality lube and using old bicycle tubing where parts connect to the frame to reduce vibration/friction. And also using synthetic oils and a better spark plug. Any other pro tips would be awesome! Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[Agreen]

Careful with what you read. Some people have brain diarrhea.

The gaskets should be fine. Not sure why you would need to replace them.

The first thing is to remove the head nuts and pull the cylinder head off. Clean out any debris inside the cylinder. Put the head back on with new hex nuts, don't reuse the "acorn" nuts. They're decorative, but can bottom out against the head studs. Torque the head nuts to 120 inch pounds. Solid mount the engine to the frame. No rubber. Clean out the tank before mounting it. Use a fuel filter. Don't hack the muffler, you can't get extra power that way. Replace the spark plug with an NGK B5HS (can be purchased at auto parts stores ).

I may be missing some stuff, but that will at least get you farther than nothing!

 

[ChaosinAZ]

Awesome reply, thanks! I bit the bullet and bought a F80 PREMIUM SUPER DUTY ENGINE KIT from Dax. It was a bit more than i wanted but i figured hey, if i'm going to get my hands dirty at least give myself a fighting chance. From what i read this engine comes pretty clean but i will post a link and see what you guys think of my final purchase. http://www.thatsdax.com link seems to buggy but worked after a couple tries, the first motor you see should be the F80 and if you can think of anything extra i may need to do to it please tell me. Thanks!

Bike-Check
Motor-Check
Tools-Check
nervous- I will wait to freak out when i get all the above lol.

 

[Agreen]

Great choice. Dax takes pride in preparing each kit, and the customer support is awesome. This one you can just bolt on and go. You still might have to change the spark plug.

 

[ChaosinAZ]

Thanks, yes i have planned to change the plug to a better quality one. I see alot of post about people saying you need to take it apart and clean everything out and pre-lube the inside but i believe thats for a china girl. I think these guys are on top of their game and i will have little to worry about. Thanks again for the help and i will keep You posted!