New Aussie member - wish to link up with other Aussie motor bicyclists

[iron_monkey]

I travel 200 km to the town with the amenities like supermarket, etc..- three hours travel, 2 liters of fuel, come back the next day.

Clearly for your purposes a motorbike is more appropriate. Also, 200km in 3 hours equates to almost 70km/h. A bicycle is not designed to take those speeds continuously, let alone a vibrating engine on board. If you continue to use it this way, you are giving the government a very good reason to make them illegal.

After 37,000 kilometers on my alloy frame with high specification disk brakes and shift kit - your comments are lacking validity.

I didn't say all alloys frames are going to snap. Also, your frame is not representative of all frames.

All the problems you have describe relate more to operator error than manufacturing defects.

Leaking fuel valves, exhaust, tank lid, and carbs, busted woodruff key, severed centrifugal clutch bushing, funny vulnerable CDI, jammed chains; are not operator error, these are design flaws that shouldnt have been an issue in the first place. I think you are clutching at straws here. I only agree on one issue; busted rod bearings are indeed mainly due to people abusing the engines.

 

[chrustie]

Hi there, iron monkey - I expressed myself poorly there. The three hours is a one way trip, i.e. 100km, plus a p-break or two for resting a sore bum. Wish I could afford a motor bike. I had a license for many years, and about twenty bikes before I started the family, etc. Now I'm so broke at 65 that I can't afford the $700 to get my license back, plus the $3000 for a decent small bike. The bank's got me by the short and curlies for the next three years or so. My solar system did that, but it's worth it. Chrustie

 

[chrustie]

to make them illegal

Oh, they are already illegal - I want them to be legal, especially for people in rural areas, so it's worth the manufacturer's while to make them better. Chrustie

 

[iron_monkey]

You can get a second hand legal scooter off ebay auctions for less than $1000. I'm not sure why you need $700 to get a license, you committed a prior traffic offense?

If so, plus the fact that you're broke, means its not a smart move to further risk committing further offenses, and a $1000+ fine for driving an unregistered vehicle.

 

[Fabian]

I only agree on one issue; busted rod bearings are indeed mainly due to people abusing the engines.

My experience with 7 crankshaft and connecting rod assemblies fitted to 5 engines shows this not to be the case.
In each and every engine, they all failed from detonation caused by the excessive ignition advance of the standard CDI with it's 4 stroke ignition curve.
The big end connecting rod bearing was unable to deal with the detonation even though the air/fuel ratio was jetted slightly on the rich side.

Since fitting the Jaguar CDI, i've had terrific reliability with my current engine having exceeded 10 times the traveled distance of the previous engine, though i've replaced the piston rings at 4,000 kilometers, upon which the engine has given another reliable 4,000 kilometers.
I was quite surprised to find that there was no identifiable big end bearing slack when removing the cylinder. That new CDI must be working wonders.

Ok, where were we in discussing the danger and unreliability of these 2-stroke engines?

 

[chrustie]

Well, Iron Monkey - eh, I got a quote from the contractors who do the license training / testing, to arrive at that approx. figure. The days of going for a test at the local police station are long gone. The govt has privatised that into a business opportunity for some lucky souls. Now it really costs, and I really don't need the training. I have a clean car license since 1966. And, a clapped-out scooter, which goes little better than a push bike but is a relatively costly item to repair because of all the cosmetic and marketing nonsense hanging off it, is not much use to me. It seems you are happy with the status quo. You can obviously afford it, and have no stake in a new approach. So, it looks like this isn't going to go anywhere - I bid you good night.

 

[iron_monkey]

Well, Iron Monkey - eh, I got a quote from the contractors who do the license training / testing, to arrive at that approx. figure. The days of going for a test at the local police station are long gone. The govt has privatised that into a business opportunity for some lucky souls. Now it really costs, and I really don't need the training. I have a clean car license since 1966. And, a clapped-out scooter, which goes little better than a push bike but is a relatively costly item to repair because of all the cosmetic and marketing nonsense hanging off it, is not much use to me. It seems you are happy with the status quo. You can obviously afford it, and have no stake in a new approach. So, it looks like this isn't going to go anywhere - I bid you good night.

You've been fed hogwash. It doesn't cost anywhere near $700 to do motorcycle training.

I am not happy with the status quo, but on the other hand, the government should not simply let anyone ride on potential death traps. Even if you are to do it properly, those kits will be more expensive in price. A proper 2 or 4 stroke kit that is officially certified and tested will probably cost $500+, including certification costs. Even then you would have to buy it as part of a certified steel bicycle with suspension fork, because the bicycle is just as important to safety. You will be looking at close to $1000, however the main advantage above a scooter is that it is cheap to repair and simple.

 

[Fabian]

@ Iron Monkey

Problem with a steel framed bicycle (and i looked into the whole concept before buying my bike) is that you can't get a steel framed bike that comes with front and rear disk brakes.
It's foolish to run around on the streets with rim brakes in the dry and down right suicidal to ride around with rim brakes in the wet, and that's without an engine fitted.

Unless they exist in a corner that i haven't found, the only bikes that come standard with disk brakes have aluminium frames.
By far, an effective braking system is "THE" most important part of a motorized bicycle.

 

[zwebx]

Gday (not being stereotypical on purpose)
im from Melbourne and i ride a 4stroke, if you want to ride give me a time and a place and i would be happy to meet up

 

[zwebx]

i got stopped today at ringwood station (i was going to catch the train) and i was talking to one of them seemed nice, the other seemed angry (she was female through so you can never tell) and the other rung up i guess it was his boss and they took a photo of my bike and wrote down my details (even though i did not have my id on me) and silly me told them the top speed was about 30 kph and anyway they ended up letting me off and telling me to not let the highway patrol see me because they are less "lenient" so i went to the station and one of the stupid drivers walked past and had a go at me saying i cant take that on a train because... hurder hurder and he said it nastaly so i said im not arguing with you im just thinking of how i could get home because the cops just "warned me" so to speak.... the train driver was just an ***... imo he should have turned a blind eye as because i have taken the train with the bike all week