Engine / Tires - How long can they last in miles?

Mike Lynch

New Member
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Joined
Jan 28, 2008
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25
Location
Clearwater Florida
1.) In stock condition, how long should a properly maintained, brand new Whizzer Motor Bike Engine last in miles? I'd purchase a complete Whizzer Motor Bike as I do not have expertise to fit an Engine in a frame / bike and perhaps not the time to become an expert.

2.) Is there a tire / tube combination that will fit the 26" Whizzer Motor Bike that is noted for long mileage / service to include gravel roads?

Best regards,

Mike Lynch
 
Whizzer Longevity

Hi Mike, well on tires, it's a crapshoot as to road hazards, riders weight, and a few other variables.

One of my customers has about 6,000 on his front tire, but we've changed the rear twice.

If he did not continually neglect, and abuse his bike it would have still been all orig engine parts, BUT it still runs as new.

Another customer has 5,000-6,000 by now and I've not heard from him since he ran it out of oil, and I changed only one 12.00 bearing in the crankcase cover and off he went, still runs better than new!

They not only last a long time, but are easily repaired, and stand up to a lot of unnecessary abuse.

Mike
 
I believe I will need to travel +-25,000 miles.

I do not know if the Whizzer Engine will last that long with proper maintenance.

I would consider having an additional Engine or two available if I could learn to successfully swap / change them out as required.

By as required I mean before one would fail.

If an Engine can last 5,000 miles before failing, by swapping it for a new or rebuilt Engine, I should be able to achieve my goal.

The question on swapping the Engines is how easy id it to do and can I learn to do it?

Where should I look for the experience to swap an Engine, either as a maintenance procedure or after a failure.

Locally, I have contacted the Vocational Technical School, the Junior College and the High School District, they all said "we do not teach small engine repair any longer". Wow, what a let down. They suggested a Harley School in Orlando but it's six months long, full time and very pricey.

Does any one have a suggestion regarding schooling / learning to repair a Whizzer Engine?

If I decide to purchase a Whizzer and I order an Engine, is there a certain level of the Engine that I should purchase? What I mean is: can I just order certain parts for replacement or should I order whatever comprises a "complete" Engine. O the scooter I had the engine fail on twice, that Manufacturer considers the CVT Transmission and the Rear Wheel as part of the Engine.

Please keep helping me think my way through this. So far, I believe it's possible, I just need to put it on paper, price it and try and make myself as self reliant as possible.

With regard to Tires, for some reason I thought they only lasted about 500 miles each, not 5,000 to 6,000 miles. Perhaps changing the Engine and Tires every 5,000 miles could ensure as trouble free a trip as possible.

Best regards, and thank you!

Mike Lynch
 
I learned while on the road. I had the service manual, and owners manual, and at on e point completely tore down and rebuilt the engine on a picnic bench in a state park. These are simple engines, and you can learn to do it. And it is a good idea to become the master ofd your machine for such an endeavor, which I am in awe of and applaud you for by the way, as this one you are undertaking. I would start with the public library- there are nunmerous small engine books to be found there, and once you go through that, find a junk 4-cycle lawnmower and tear it apart, juat to see how it all goes together and how it all works together. Just jump in there- old lawnmowers are cheap, (usually) plentiful, and you don't have to worry about breaking it- it's already broke, and who knows you may end actually fixing a few! Good luck and Keep us posted on all this, please.
Rif
 
I was a little intimidated at the thought of pulling and upgrading my Whizzer, but in fact it is not very complicated. I have a dealers repair manual, and it has step by step procedures. I find that it does require some thinking, but really I am very new to small engines.
 
25000 miles to where?

Hi your first post was a bit cryptic!

Anyway, if an NE5 Whizzer runs like new at 5-6000 miles, why would you want to replace it? The tires will prove when they need to be replaced by looking at them. Rear tires last a lot shorter time, than a front does.

The engine service is, from my point of view very simple. Rif's sugestion of Lawnmower engine is very good, as the little flathead Whizzer shares a lot of concepts with a flathead Briggs.

One thing that might help is if you would put your location in your profile,as many of us are willing to help, and even let you watch us fix something, BUT if you live in Lower Slobbia, I cannot see you flying to Sacramento for a lil small engine education, Make Sense?

There are VERY few adjustments that need to be made to a Whizzer, and it is easily learned.

Mike
 
I'm sorry about the "bit cryptic". I was trying to follow instructions for joining and must have Posted my introduction in the wrong area. Here is what I had said:

I always wanted a Whizzer Motor Bike! Now what do I do?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My name is Mike Lynch and I want to purchase a Whizzer Motor Bike. It would appear that I may have waited too long as the "local" Whizzer" Dealer has closed and there isn't one in a reasonable distance from where I live, Clearwater Florida. I have found several WEB Sites that offer them but first I need to do some research which a local Dealership would have been great for.

This Forum and it's Members may help me with my purchase process but I have a few questions I'd like to ask. They are based upon my "motor scooter" experiences which occurred over the past four years. Since I was a young boy, about eight years old, the name Whizzer Motor Bike has been popping up. This is because my Uncle Ray always wanted to put a Whizzer Engine on his bicycle. Uncle Ray is in his eighties and I'm in my sixties and neither one of us has satisfied our Whizzer desires. With that being said, I want to ride the Pan-Am Highway from the North to South before I die. I tried it on a Vespa GT200 and never made it. Tire failures, two engine failures and with the last, RIP: Vespa GT200! Note, I do not fault the GT200 as I was trying to use it for a purpose it wasn't designed / intended for. A Motorized Bicycle however, might be a different story.

I have a new scooter now, it's a 2006 Aprilia Scarabeo 500 ABS. I believe my Scarabeo could make the journey but the cost would be quite prohibitive. Then the word Whizzer popped into my head again today, causing me to say why not explore the potential of meeting both goals / desires. Could I really ride a Whizzer from Prudhoe Bay Alaska to Ushusia Argentina? I do not know but that's why I joined this Forum? I need some answers and with them, I'll determine if a Whizzer and I can get the job done. For starters, my first two questions are:

1.) In stock condition, how long should a properly maintained, brand new Whizzer Motor Bike Engine last in miles? I'd purchase a complete Whizzer Motor Bike as I do not have expertise to fit an Engine in a frame / bike and perhaps not the time to become an expert.

2.) Is there a tire / tube combination that will fit the 26" Whizzer Motor Bike that is noted for long mileage / service to include gravel roads?

Best regards,

Mike Lynch
 
Now tires are a bit of a thing here. I ran 4-ply road tires, and when the rear one needed replacing, I would take the front one (which had little wear) put it on the rear, then put the new one on the front. I only went through three tires in that nearly 4,000 miles. I was runnin g 28" X 2 1/2 inch wheel/tires, but I do believe there are some companies that manufacture 4-ply road tires for 26" wheels. You'll have to do some searching, but if I'm not mistaken Michelin may make these...
Also I would recomend 'Tuffies' nylon tire liners and heavy duty thorn resistant tubes, I've had great luck with these.
 
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I live in Clearwater Florida,

MotorbikeMike said,

The engine service is, from my point of view very simple. Rif's suggestion of Lawn mower engine is very good, as the little flathead Whizzer shares a lot of concepts with a flathead Briggs.

One thing that might help is if you would put your location in your profile,as many of us are willing to help, and even let you watch us fix something, BUT if you live in Lower Slobbia, I cannot see you flying to Sacramento for a lil small engine education, Make Sense?
Mike

I now have a broken / non running Briggs Lawn mower. This weekend, I'll find an area where I can take it apart and get the Engine out. I am not sure what's wrong with it but with the Forms help perhaps I can learn what I need to know and have a functioning Lawn Mower also.

I'll repost a Photo of the disassembled Engine some time this weekend.

Thanks again for such a great idea.

Best regards,

Mike Lynch
 
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