Motor ideas for heavy Worksman Mover trike

[Jeff d]

I got a Worksman Mover trike for free from a friend. I'm getting it cleaned up to play with and I'm looking for options on motorizing it.

I'm not sure exactly how heavy it is but I'm a stronger than average guy and I had a hard time loading it into my truck by myself. Just about everything about it is heavier duty than any bicycle hardware I've encountered. So I figure the 2 stroke 80cc engine kits would have a pretty tough time with it.

I'm open to both electric and gasoline options and would prefer something cheap.

We have a ton of junked golf carts and Diahatsu mini pickups at work that I might be able to source parts from. Unfortunately all of the golf carts are gasoline and I can't exactly pull a whole motor from one of those. Would an electric starter-generator from a gas golf cart be up to the task? Would it burn up with extended use in the "starter" mode?

 

[uncle_punk13]

I know those bikes and right you are, the Happy Time type engines wouldn't last. I'd say Whizzer, but you are looking for cheap, or low cost I should say, so I've seen many incarnations of motoredbikes/trikes, with the little Briggs and Straton utility engines which are found on lawn edgers, small rototillers, etc.
These are still plentiful and relatively cheap, local hardware store should have the pulleys and such. Whizzer has a heck of a rear belt sheave that nearly self aligns and works great. Just some food for thought...
Rif

 

[Jeff d]

The problem I would have with an edger motor is the noise. I bought the quietest lawn mower available at Sears and then I still wear earplugs when I cut the grass 'cause I don't like listening to all of that noise.

Can they be quited down significantly?

For this reason I'm leaning towards electric. I know one of those E-Tek motors with a pair of deep cycle lead acid batteries would push it quite well but that's too much $$$ for a toy that I'll ride around the neighborhood with the kids. I might be able to salvage an electric golf cart motor from work but I think they're all gas. We haven't been buying electric until about a year ago and none of those have made the part-out pile yet.

 

[loquin]

The mitsubishi tle43 is pretty quiet. And it has good output. Just bear in mind with that heavy of a bike, you'll probably want to gear it for about 20 MPH or so, to get acceptable acceleration. Plus, get a front brake. There's a lot of mass to stop when you get it up to speed.

Those things also have very large spokes - 11 gage, I believe. So, while a clamp-on sprocket is not going to break the spokes, you might not get the GEBE gear ring on it.

 

[100"WB]

I think you should put a heavy safe on the back of it and do wheelies!

 

[KanesKustoms]

I got a Worksman Mover trike for free from a friend. I'm getting it cleaned up to play with and I'm looking for options on motorizing it.

I'm not sure exactly how heavy it is but I'm a stronger than average guy and I had a hard time loading it into my truck by myself. Just about everything about it is heavier duty than any bicycle hardware I've encountered. So I figure the 2 stroke 80cc engine kits would have a pretty tough time with it.

I'm open to both electric and gasoline options and would prefer something cheap.

We have a ton of junked golf carts and Diahatsu mini pickups at work that I might be able to source parts from. Unfortunately all of the golf carts are gasoline and I can't exactly pull a whole motor from one of those. Would an electric starter-generator from a gas golf cart be up to the task? Would it burn up with extended use in the "starter" mode?

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I used to work at a place where we had a fleet of these worksman trikes and your right they weigh a ton I would go with a larger displacment motor
and proper gearing attached photo Lifan 125cc