An idea for a motorised bike boat

While surfing the net for an idea on how to make a bike trailer raft I happened upon a site that makes a kit to turn your bike into a pontoon bike raft. with the motorized bike set up this kit would provide make our bikes even more versitle. you would have a mini motorbike boat.

here is the link http://www.shuttlebike.com/index.html

 

[wheelbender6]

I have seen the bike pontoon kits but I have never thought about motorizing one. I did not see a price on the site.

 

[geebt48cc]

That would be fun, but it would be inevitable that you would turn it over. Uno, when that happened, it would be all over for these little china engines?

Think about it.....(The temps they run, in cool water...............HELLO!)..............not to even mention magneto,etc...

 

[Anton]

Interesting idea, wouldn't want to take my bikes anywhere near seawater though!

 

[wheelbender6]

Submerging your two stroke motor briefly in fresh water may not be a disaster. You can partially disassemble the motor to dry it out and replace the electric parts. Actually could you simply pull the cylinder off to drain and dry it? I agree that a salt water immersion would be a much bigger problem.

 

[Mopeder]

I agree the risks of immersion to the motor, (especially if it was running) are a big consideration.

The thought had crossed my mind though, from a practical point of view it could fit together quite well.

The engine on my Bernardi fits under the bottom bracket and drives via roller to the rear wheel, and the tank sits on the carrier.

The configuration of the Shuttle Bike wouldn't get in the way, because the roller take off to the flex drive to the prop is also off the back wheel, but higher up. So I guess it would work quite well, using the rear tyre to connect both systems.

Each take-off has it's own tension quick release, so any combination of drive is easy. (engine on land, engine on water, pedal on water, pedal on land etc.)

The Shuttle bike kit was around £700 about 5 years ago, ordered directly from Italy. It is very well made, with nicely engineered and lightweight parts in alloy and stainless steel. The drive is very clever too, a flex shaft from a roller on the rear tyre connects to an outboard style leg suspended below the front wheel, so the whole thing is very maneuverable, and steered with the handlebars just as on land.

They've been around for a long time now, and are surprisingly stable, with some sea crossings that have even been achieved.

The Bernardi engine would put the weight of the motor nice and low. I doubt I'll do it though, I use it on the Norfolk Broads, and the cost of the river license would jump from around £30 to nearly a hundred !