Questions For First MB!

[SubieGuy]

Hi all thanks for looking!
I've seen a couple of people riding motorized bikes around town, and have decide I want to make one.

Cliffnotes : Located in Canada. Budget ~$500. Best engine? What to look for in a bike?

I've decided to take my chances on a Chinese engine kit. I've done some searching and haven't found a definitive answer on whether or not one is better than the other. Is there? Here's the one I'm thinking of getting :

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/SkyHawk-GT2A...509?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item3a77242865

Since motorized bikes are illegal here (Canada) my theory is I'd get in less trouble for having an engine under 50cc vs one that's over. Or does it matter?

Now most importantly, which bike? I've looked through some threads and it seems like a lot of people recommend cruiser bikes. I don't think that would work very well around here (hills, roads are rough) so I'd like to use a mountain bike. Here is what seems to me to be the most 'appropriate' bike I've found so far :

http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/Kona-Mountain-Bike_18047171

Here's why I think this bike would be ideal :

- Doesn't cost a whole lot (my budget for this whole thing is about $500)
- Has suspension
- Looks to have thin tubes - easier for mounting the engine? (vs newer bikes with oversized tubes)
- Not single speed
- Good brakes

I'm also interested in shift kits. However, sickbikeparts lists their kits as out of stock. Where can I get one?
Also, if/when things need to be modified/tinkered with, I'm an automotive mechanic, have some experience welding/machining and have a welder available to me!

Am I going in the right direction? Any input is appreciated!

 

[Anton]

Hi,

That engine would work fine. There's plenty of discussion on the reliability of cheap Chinese 2-Strokes if you look around on the forum.

I have a Kona downhill bike - they make nice bikes. That one in the photo would suit you fine although you would need to use a shift kit (as you specified) because the rear disc brake rotor is right where you would mount the sprocket for a single geared setup.

The front folks would be an excellent idea. The roads where I live are rough as guts and when you go over corrugations at 40km/hr you bounce around all over the show without front folks. (I only have front folks one of my bikes.)

 

[SubieGuy]

Hey Anton thanks for the reply.

The bike in the link actually has a rear v brake!
With that said, I'd prefer to have a bike with both front and rear disc, but can't find a shift kit! Can anyone recommend where to get one? everywhere I've checked has them listed as out of stock

And yes, suspension is almost a must for me. The roads here are pretty bumpy too.

 

[Anton]

Hey Anton thanks for the reply.

The bike in the link actually has a rear v brake!
With that said, I'd prefer to have a bike with both front and rear disc, but can't find a shift kit! Can anyone recommend where to get one? everywhere I've checked has them listed as out of stock

And yes, suspension is almost a must for me. The roads here are pretty bumpy too.

Ah yes I didn't read the blurb. The thing that got me is that the bike still has a rear disc brake rotor in the photo!

I haven't had a problem with v-brakes on motorized bikes. They still pull the bike up perfectly and you also have the engine braking power when you are off the throttle. My personal opinion is that disc brakes were designed for downhill riding where you are constantly on the brakes and need full breaking power using just two fingers on the break lever while bouncing over rocks and holding on for dear life with your other two fingers and thumb! In this situation v-brakes would still stop you but they would take a lot more squeezing power and would probably wear away after just a few downhill runs. This is my opinion based on riding both downhill and motorized bikes using different types of brakes.

I'm not sure where else to get a shift kit as I haven't looked into one yet. All I can suggest is to email the dealers to see when they are getting them in again.

 

[SubieGuy]

Yeah I think you're right about the brakes. I've got some experience with high end bikes of all types. I agree the brakes on a downhill bike would still be overkill on a motorized bike. My theory though is, you can't have too much brake! And since it will be braking harder than it was designed to do, I figured it wouldn't be a bad option. Not all disc brakes are designed for downhill!

I guess I'll call around to source a shift kit and go from there.

 

[Anton]

It'd be great to have disc brakes. If you can find a bike with disc brakes within your budget then definitely go with that. I was a little worried going back to v-brakes but after the first ride I was confident enough to continue using them. Plus now I have a use for all those spare rubber brake pads I have laying around!