How Many Miles Did You Get On Happy Time before the times became unhappy ?

[Irish John]

seems like the industy is lacking in the middle ground bicycle motor sales
thinking that a motor with some good quality for around 200 - 250 dollars
guaranteed to run for 5,000 miles

There is one such motor already and it's called a HuaSheng - cost about $200 for the engine.
The 2-stroke industry is lacking in the middle and high ground and if that demand is to be satisfied it sure as anything won't come out of China. We'll be looking to Europe, Japan or the US or maybe India (probably unlikely to be india) to meet that demand.
The only company I know of who have designed really powerful small 4-strokes is Honda. Their 50cc twin was used in motorcycle racing in the 1960s and they certainly have the edge on technology to deliver small multi-cylinder engines having made a 125cc 5 cylinder and a 250cc 6 cylinder 40 years ago. Both 4-strokes red lining above 20,000 rpm.
I think the 2-strokes are just too polluting these days to merit the substantial investment needed to make a small bicycle engine. The HuaSheng is only a good motor because it is a copy of Honda. But I've heard some disappointing reports of the HuaSheng recently from my supplier who stopped selling them when he had 4 that failed out of a batch of 40. One of these failures was caused by the owner using a fuel\oil mix that seized the engine but even 3 duds out of 40 is a defective rate of 13% which is totally unacceptable. Are we beginning to see quality fade here?

 

[graucho]

My experience with the 7 ive owned is 5 of 7 took a dump before 1500 miles. My current
66cc has 1750 miles and 'knock on wood" still sounds/purr's sweet. My family put on
1600 of them. (Maybe its just me, how I push them)

I know all about the quality, illegal/import, "green" issues but...
I feel we need the HT. Here's a common situation.... Say I heard about a putting a engine on a bike.

So I go on line, and I see a complete bike kit for 149.00 including shipping. I only have moderate mechanical ability,
not a lot of money and i'm not sure if i'll stay interested in the sport. I have to pass the costs/budget with the wife.

We get the green light to go. Kit arrives, and struggle a little putting it together but learn a ton about
what this MB things all about. Then go for the first ride then WHAM your hooked. You get
a good 800 miles of pure childhood rush.

Then, Bang bang bang knock knock knock KA-BHAM. Either, you've had your fun and enjoyed the experience, or
get another kit. Maybe its time to upgrade to a more expensive kit. Maybe you've learned enough to mix
it up a little and try building something harder.

Never the less, it was the HappyTime which has lead you here to experience something you never would have
tried if it cost you 400.00 to 700.00. Its only a matter of time before someone designs a version of the
HT with quality. I just hope the beginner/pro's and can afford to experience the same fun thry did with the complete 149.00 kit.

 

[Mountainman]

can't smoke on the sidewalk in Calif !!!

My experience with the 7 ive owned is 5 of 7 took a dump before 1500 miles.

Say I heard about a putting a engine on a bike.

So I go on line, and I see a complete bike kit for 149.00

Then go for the first ride then WHAM your hooked.

You get a good 800 miles of pure childhood rush.

Then, Bang bang bang knock knock knock KA-BHAM.

it was the HappyTime which has lead you here to experience something you never would have

so true
these in many cases are the first engines that get one's interested in MBs
and it seems like the bang for the buck is still a pretty good deal

when I was looking for a motorized bicycle
I had already taken a short ride on my friends HT
the HT just didn't do it for me -- there were many reasons
think that I had been spoiled by the many Honda's, Yamaha's ect over the years
and thanks to this site -- a little investigating done
I bought a motor made in Japan
also played in at that time ---
I wanted to spend my time riding and not repairing much

I still send many interested parties to a friend down the hill that sells HTs
if that's their only price range available
but if they can afford more I send them to my other friends bicycle shop
where they sell the Station set ups

there's something for everyone -- kind of anyway
still thinking that a nice little upgraded 2-stroke would be great
but then again I am in Calif
don't think that 2-strokes will be around long here !!!

one can't smoke cigs on the sidewalks or streets in many places in Calif !!!

ride the motor bike

 

[Large Filipino]

problem -- mixed oil wrong

noted -- HT when running good is addicting -- something special


question -- how many miles on your HT now Large ?

ride the motor bike

Haven't fired up the replacement engine yet so right now zero.

I keep procrastinating but I should get it done this week... or today.

 

[Revorunner]

What does everyone expect for 150.00?

If you baby the motor and do not drive it hard it will last longer. No brainer.

If you rev it to it's limit all the time it does not last as long. No brainer.

Like the old saying goes,YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

 

[Mountainman]

no guarantee on that claim

What does everyone expect for 150.00?
If you baby the motor and do not drive it hard it will last longer. No brainer.
If you rev it to it's limit all the time it does not last as long. No brainer.
Like the old saying goes,YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

no guarantee on that claim Revorunner

that's what this thread is beginning to explain -- I think

Happy Times may be good running for a very short while
or in some cases for a long while
there seems to be no guarantee -- hit and miss -- I guess we can call it ??

ride the motor bike

 

[Simonator]

These motors seem to go for a long time if you treat them right. The internals do anyway. Usually when something breaks on mine, it is not internally. For some reason I have had alot of problems with clutches and the gears going bad. On one motor I had the crank was wobbling. It caused the gears to wear out. I don't know if it was a factory defect, or if something happened to it. I only blew one motor. I think it was from over revving it. What happened is the wrist pin needle bearing came apart at about 3,200 miles. I wonder if i should replace the wrist pin needle bearing after a few thousand miles. All my other engines I went through were replaced for other reasons. These motors are so cheap that when a few things go wrong with it I feel I am better off buying a brand new motor. I am going to try to keep my current motor running as long as possible. I want to see how many miles I can get out of it before an internal part fails. I am going to make sure I don't over rev this motor. I have not exceeded 29 MPH on 26" wheels w/ 40T sprocket. When I do take it up to 27-28 mph I usually do not cruise at that speed for very long. Sometimes I go that speed for a few miles when some good music, such as static X is blasting in my ears, lol. Other than that, I try to cruise at 20 - 22 mph.

 

[KilroyCD]

I have a pre-ban GruBee 48cc square head on my '46 Columbia that must have been one of the good ones. I really don't know how miles are on it because the first year or two I didn't have a speedometer / odometer on the bike.
But the engine continues to run quite strong, and I hope to get some more years out of it.

 

[SirJakesus]

HT's almost made me give up on this hobby until I found higher quality alternatives. I believe they're downright dangerous to their operators.

 

[Irish John]

HT's almost made me give up on this hobby until I found higher quality alternatives. I believe they're downright dangerous to their operators.

Without a freewheel sprocket they are a death trap. I have a twist clutch from the old metal twist throttle HT days of about 5 years ago. Getting that clutch in is pretty quick because you always have a hand on the grip but even that wasn't quick enough when the engine seized and the con rod turned the piston sideways in the cylinder. The HT is the best motor for someone who is tired of living.