Starting from 0, need some advice

scubaru89

Member
Local time
7:21 AM
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
51
Location
Pennsylvania
As the title says, I am looking for a way to save some money up at college this year and think this will be a definite help. Last month I spent over $390 on gas alone for work, the girlfriend and other travels. Granted I don't drive that much at college but the 1-5 mile commutes I do each day are wearing my car down.

For the kit I think I'm going with Bike Berry, I am not looking to spend a fortune on this, so one of the kits for $179 should be sufficient (Mega Motors or Flying Horse, whats different?). I am also looking at Angled head spark plug, I guess that creates a bit more power.
Also I am a tad worried as from what I understand in Pa I can have a motor less than 49cc's, no more than 1.5 HP and it only counts as a "Bicycle with assistance" and doesn't need registration / inspection. But I am after the 66cc model, could this cause a huge issue? I think as long as I have a headlight/tail light and act civil while driving it I shouldn't cause an issue.

I currently am looking to get a bicycle for this since the one I have I'd rather not modify, I saw Target and Walmart both have bikes that would do just fine. I've seen both in videos on Youtube with 66cc engines and they seem to fit just fine, the Walmart one at least has front shocks.

http://www.target.com/p/magna-men-s-...e/-/A-10993559

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Roadmaster...-Bike/15711164

Now I should also mention I am in school for Manufacturing Engineering and have full use of Mills, Lathes, CNC Mills/Lathes, Wire EDM, etc. So building pieces for a better fit won't be an issue. :cool:

Can someone give me some pointers on this, looking to order Monday!
 
Last edited:
I can give you a little input on these concerns, but it's up to you after that. First as far as the motor goes I found that on some bikes you might have trouble getting to the air cleaner after installed unless you have an offset intake. A lot of them come standard with that now. I got my new one recently from GasBike.net and it was $185. before shipping, but it had the new high performance carb and was a 2011 model. Also it has a choke for the handle bars which is a very good addition. My other motor didn't and getting it started on a cold day was problematic at best.

Most states require an under 50cc if you don't want to register it. I could be mistaken but I believe the only difference between the 49cc and the 66cc in looks is the size of the piston. They both have an information plate attached to the side of the motor, but it can be removed. You would have to lie if you are pulled over and you might have to bring in proof that it's a 49cc. Best if you just get a 49cc unless it's strictly off road and that doesn't sound like your plan.

I wouldn't recommend a Walmart bike unless all you wanted was the frame. Putting a motor on the bike will require some heavier duty parts that Walmart just doesn't put on their bikes. Bearing sets are an important issue as you will be hitting higher speeds that a Walmart bike isn't built for. Also make sure before you buy a bike that there is at least 14 inches in the V from the crank to the top tube. otherwise the motor won't fit. Most Mountain Bikes will work just fine.

All and All these go together pretty easily without much if any modification to the bike. You don't have to worry about making anything until you start doing things like I did. I put a charging system on it with a 12 volt motorcycle battery and powered a headlight, brake lights, turn signals, and so on. Also I put a shift kit on it that transfers power from the left side to the right side so I could use the rear gears. That is when a Walmart bike will fail compleatly and you will have to use your Manufacturing skills.

Hope some of this helps. Have a fun time on it but be careful. The traffic doesn't exactly respect you being in their way and these bikes are not as stable as a motorcycle. They will go fast, but they will also crash badly if you don't use regular maintenance and careful riding practices and never ride faster than your Guardian Angel can fly. :)
 
I can give you a little input on these concerns, but it's up to you after that. First as far as the motor goes I found that on some bikes you might have trouble getting to the air cleaner after installed unless you have an offset intake. A lot of them come standard with that now. I got my new one recently from GasBike.net and it was $185. before shipping, but it had the new high performance carb and was a 2011 model. Also it has a choke for the handle bars which is a very good addition. My other motor didn't and getting it started on a cold day was problematic at best.

Most states require an under 50cc if you don't want to register it. I could be mistaken but I believe the only difference between the 49cc and the 66cc in looks is the size of the piston. They both have an information plate attached to the side of the motor, but it can be removed. You would have to lie if you are pulled over and you might have to bring in proof that it's a 49cc. Best if you just get a 49cc unless it's strictly off road and that doesn't sound like your plan.

I wouldn't recommend a Walmart bike unless all you wanted was the frame. Putting a motor on the bike will require some heavier duty parts that Walmart just doesn't put on their bikes. Bearing sets are an important issue as you will be hitting higher speeds that a Walmart bike isn't built for. Also make sure before you buy a bike that there is at least 14 inches in the V from the crank to the top tube. otherwise the motor won't fit. Most Mountain Bikes will work just fine.

All and All these go together pretty easily without much if any modification to the bike. You don't have to worry about making anything until you start doing things like I did. I put a charging system on it with a 12 volt motorcycle battery and powered a headlight, brake lights, turn signals, and so on. Also I put a shift kit on it that transfers power from the left side to the right side so I could use the rear gears. That is when a Walmart bike will fail compleatly and you will have to use your Manufacturing skills.

Hope some of this helps. Have a fun time on it but be careful. The traffic doesn't exactly respect you being in their way and these bikes are not as stable as a motorcycle. They will go fast, but they will also crash badly if you don't use regular maintenance and careful riding practices and never ride faster than your Guardian Angel can fly. :)

I would love to get a 66cc however the legality of the issue might have me going with a 48cc.

I would love to go with a Walmart bike for the pure fact of how cheap they are. How will the Walmart bike fail for the shift kit? Is it how the pedal set is installed? Cause it looks like there is more than sufficient space between the wheel and seat post.

My commute for the most part is down some not so busy roads, I should be fine with the traffic although I'll keep my bike more than well lite up.
 
If you Are considering a Shift Kit (aka Jackshaft kit) you will want to order it from "SickBikeParts.com". You will not be satisfied with a cheap knock-off. SBP is the original maker I believe and BikeBerry may not live up to your expectations. Also, if you go with the shift kit you will want the HD Kit because it has a much tougher front freewheel and will handle the constant kick starts. The standard kit might be fine if you had a pull start, but I wouldn't count on it.

When you order the HD shift kit it will also come with a Bottom Bracket Cartridge. That will be one thing that would fail on the Walmart Bike, another would be the Rear Deraillur and possibly the Casset. You need to remember that your speeds will be much higher than you could ever peddle and with much greater torque, so you need to make sure you have good heavy duty sealed bearings or good quality wheel hubs and free bearings which you will want to grease once in a while. I have had my bike past 40 mph on flat ground and at those speeds you will want good quality parts. If your parts fail at even 25 mph going over the bars and sliding down the road kinda' messes a dude up. :) Sometimes it's better to spend the money the first time than having to redo at a greater cost. The shift kit comes with new cranks but not peddles. There is plenty of room on any mountain bike Walmart or not for the jack shaft between the seat and rear tire.

A couple other little tips: when you are putting the motor on take an old inner tube and cut pieces to go between the frame and the mount. That will save your paint and cut down the viberation. Also your Motor comes with a clutch lever and that means you will have 2 levers on the left side unless you spend the extra 10 bucks and get a dual pull brake lever. That will pull both brakes at the same time using only 1 lever.

I have mine set up there the rear shifter and clutch is on the left bar, the right bar has the throttle and dual brakes. If you have a choke it can go anywhere.

Happy Building...
 
Uturn,

If it really bothers you operating the 66cc engine and hoping your face doesn't turn red when you tell the cop it is a 49cc, I can assure you (being an ex-state trooper) that they normally won't ask you the size of the engine. Also, you can buy the side cover that says "49cc" on it cheap....Dan
 
If you Are considering a Shift Kit (aka Jackshaft kit) you will want to order it from "SickBikeParts.com". You will not be satisfied with a cheap knock-off. SBP is the original maker I believe and BikeBerry may not live up to your expectations. Also, if you go with the shift kit you will want the HD Kit because it has a much tougher front freewheel and will handle the constant kick starts. The standard kit might be fine if you had a pull start, but I wouldn't count on it.

When you order the HD shift kit it will also come with a Bottom Bracket Cartridge. That will be one thing that would fail on the Walmart Bike, another would be the Rear Deraillur and possibly the Casset. You need to remember that your speeds will be much higher than you could ever peddle and with much greater torque, so you need to make sure you have good heavy duty sealed bearings or good quality wheel hubs and free bearings which you will want to grease once in a while. I have had my bike past 40 mph on flat ground and at those speeds you will want good quality parts. If your parts fail at even 25 mph going over the bars and sliding down the road kinda' messes a dude up. :) Sometimes it's better to spend the money the first time than having to redo at a greater cost. The shift kit comes with new cranks but not peddles. There is plenty of room on any mountain bike Walmart or not for the jack shaft between the seat and rear tire.

A couple other little tips: when you are putting the motor on take an old inner tube and cut pieces to go between the frame and the mount. That will save your paint and cut down the viberation. Also your Motor comes with a clutch lever and that means you will have 2 levers on the left side unless you spend the extra 10 bucks and get a dual pull brake lever. That will pull both brakes at the same time using only 1 lever.

I have mine set up there the rear shifter and clutch is on the left bar, the right bar has the throttle and dual brakes. If you have a choke it can go anywhere.

Happy Building...

From what SBP has on the descriptions it states for all 66cc and slant heads you need the HD kit. That solves the issue of being sufficient enough for the forces. I never did think about the de-railer and what not having to stand up to more forces. I've had my Giant and some other brand of bicycle beyond 40 mph downhill. It didn't occur to me till now how although the wheel was going 40 mph the gear set, de-railer, chain, etc were still stationary with my feet.

As for the dual brake lever...where did you get yours? I've been looking for a few days and can't find any that look decent enough. Now I would assume with the shift kit it would allow me to then install a disk brake in the rear as the left side of the tire is now free for the disk brake, correct? What I really want to find is a dual brake lever wired so when pulled it can turn on a brake light. I've seen single units, now to find a double.

Uturn,

If it really bothers you operating the 66cc engine and hoping your face doesn't turn red when you tell the cop it is a 49cc, I can assure you (being an ex-state trooper) that they normally won't ask you the size of the engine. Also, you can buy the side cover that says "49cc" on it cheap....Dan

Well being that you are an ex-state trooper what can you tell me about how you or fellow officers might view these "contraptions". For instance, if I am using it as a simple means of getting to and from class amongst other places, driving cautiously and following all the same rulings of vehicles but at the same time not disruption the normal flow of traffic. If I outfit my bike with a headlight and working brake light amongst other safety devices, would an officer have much of an issue with it?

If stopped I would assume the best way to handle the situation would be to answer all his questions and obviously be polite and opened minded to his skepticism?
 
Indeed, torque is a key issue. Also being a 2 stroke you have even more torque than a 4 stroke. But when we are talking bicycles it's all the same. The first mistake I made putting mine together the first time was using the cheap 15 dollar front freewheel that came with the standard kit. Twice it froze up on me and I had to ride with my feet up on the forks while the peddles went by themselves. Yeah, funny... So just save yourself the trouble and get the HD kit.

When you order the kit "SickBikeParts" also has the "Dual Pull Brake Lever". You won't find a wired Dual pull, it's hard enough finding a single pull wired. Here is what I did for mine: I found this company that sells a soldering rod that will solder aluminum. Google "DuraFix Welding Rods" Weeks Distributers is the company. Then I made two L shape brackets out of some aluminum and welded one to the housing of the lever and drilled a hole in it to mount a switch. Then Radio Shack sells a small normally closed switch that when you push it there's no current but when you let go you have current. I mounted the switch in the first bracket and welded the other L shape tab to the lever such that when I pull on the brake it releases the switch and when I let go of the brake the lever spring is enough to press on the switch cutting power. I welded these tabs to the under side of the unit so it wasn't so noticable. It's real blurry but this was the only pictuer I could find of it. Also added a picture of the lever you need.

View attachment 45610View attachment 45611

When you order the lever if there's an option make sure it's a right side lever. Also when you do the welding you will need to take the lever apart first and grind off some of the paint. Here is the site for the two companies:


http://durafix.com/
http://www.sickbikeparts.com/catalo...ducts_id=41&osCsid=97k7inu82duhi45ffks49r1m60

I have found levers around 10 bucks, but if you're getting the kit anyway it will save shipping getting at SBP.

Now to address the ex-State Trooper thing... I have no idea where you got that idea lol, no, I'm not an ex-cop of any kind. I am however an ex-professional driver CDL and am well versed on the DOT laws. You might want to research your state though. In any case, if you are using a shift kit then a 49cc motor should do you just fine. I'm 220 lbs and I just bought a 49cc for a project I'm working on and I have a shift kit on it's way. Besides, if you Do get pulled over you won't have to lie. I don't lie even if a far chick asks "Does this dress look good on me". I just say "I don't much like that color". You might get pulled over just because the Cop thinks your bike looks cool and wants to get a closer look. You never know.

I had a shift kit coupled with a 49cc 4 stroke and it was plenty enough speed in high gear and pulled up the hills just fine in lower gears so you should do okay with a 49 ans still keep your Honor.

Let me know if there's anything else I can help with, I don't mind.
 
Well being that you are an ex-state trooper what can you tell me about how you or fellow officers might view these "contraptions". For instance, if I am using it as a simple means of getting to and from class amongst other places, driving cautiously and following all the same rulings of vehicles but at the same time not disruption the normal flow of traffic. If I outfit my bike with a headlight and working brake light amongst other safety devices, would an officer have much of an issue with it?

If stopped I would assume the best way to handle the situation would be to answer all his questions and obviously be polite and opened minded to his skepticism?
Generally they won't stop you as long as your not showing off, running stop signs or blocking traffic and going over 25 MPH at the same time. They tell me that in Indiana they are looking for kids on a scooter with their buddy on the back, dragging his feet and going over 25 MPH. Personally they have better things to do than stop someone on a bicycle.
 
Indeed, torque is a key issue. Also being a 2 stroke you have even more torque than a 4 stroke. But when we are talking bicycles it's all the same. The first mistake I made putting mine together the first time was using the cheap 15 dollar front freewheel that came with the standard kit. Twice it froze up on me and I had to ride with my feet up on the forks while the peddles went by themselves. Yeah, funny... So just save yourself the trouble and get the HD kit.

When you order the kit "SickBikeParts" also has the "Dual Pull Brake Lever". You won't find a wired Dual pull, it's hard enough finding a single pull wired. Here is what I did for mine: I found this company that sells a soldering rod that will solder aluminum. Google "DuraFix Welding Rods" Weeks Distributers is the company. Then I made two L shape brackets out of some aluminum and welded one to the housing of the lever and drilled a hole in it to mount a switch. Then Radio Shack sells a small normally closed switch that when you push it there's no current but when you let go you have current. I mounted the switch in the first bracket and welded the other L shape tab to the lever such that when I pull on the brake it releases the switch and when I let go of the brake the lever spring is enough to press on the switch cutting power. I welded these tabs to the under side of the unit so it wasn't so noticable. It's real blurry but this was the only pictuer I could find of it. Also added a picture of the lever you need.

View attachment 45610View attachment 45611

When you order the lever if there's an option make sure it's a right side lever. Also when you do the welding you will need to take the lever apart first and grind off some of the paint. Here is the site for the two companies:


http://durafix.com/
http://www.sickbikeparts.com/catalo...ducts_id=41&osCsid=97k7inu82duhi45ffks49r1m60

I have found levers around 10 bucks, but if you're getting the kit anyway it will save shipping getting at SBP.

Now to address the ex-State Trooper thing... I have no idea where you got that idea lol, no, I'm not an ex-cop of any kind. I am however an ex-professional driver CDL and am well versed on the DOT laws. You might want to research your state though. In any case, if you are using a shift kit then a 49cc motor should do you just fine. I'm 220 lbs and I just bought a 49cc for a project I'm working on and I have a shift kit on it's way. Besides, if you Do get pulled over you won't have to lie. I don't lie even if a far chick asks "Does this dress look good on me". I just say "I don't much like that color". You might get pulled over just because the Cop thinks your bike looks cool and wants to get a closer look. You never know.

I had a shift kit coupled with a 49cc 4 stroke and it was plenty enough speed in high gear and pulled up the hills just fine in lower gears so you should do okay with a 49 ans still keep your Honor.

Let me know if there's anything else I can help with, I don't mind.

I had considered making my own switch for the brake lever but wasn't sure about durability with the elements, but I suppose if I take the time to get stuff suitable for the outdoors and keep it covered it should do fine. I was looking at making my own tail light assembly with just cheap housings from Advance Auto or online, use all LED components as they draw the least amount of power. For that matter what does the magneto put out as an average voltage and amps?

As for the State Trooper issue I was actually referring to "Birdmannn101" who mentioned he was an ex-state trooper, sorry for the confusion.

Generally they won't stop you as long as your not showing off, running stop signs or blocking traffic and going over 25 MPH at the same time. They tell me that in Indiana they are looking for kids on a scooter with their buddy on the back, dragging his feet and going over 25 MPH. Personally they have better things to do than stop someone on a bicycle.

Yeah my college town has two colleges, numerous clubs and bars, and enough violence going on in the so called "ghetto". I just don't want a cop who is bored or ****ed and looking to find something to say to stop me and turn it into this whole ordeal. I would obey stop signs and everything as I do when I pedal my bike, attaching a motor in my mind gives me no additional privileged above pedaling or driving a vehicle. Lets hope the cops in my area can respect I'm trying to save some money.
 
Back
Top