Frame-Mount 4-Stroke Source? YES!

[Herrmanator8]

this is exactly the thread i've been waiting for i plan on buying a nice bike with front shocks and a strong frame. then i plan on buying the grubee mounting kit from bicycle-engines.com-after that i will go out and find a nice honda gxh50 engine. then i will be getting a FMF PRO xr50 exhoust pipe and muffler, i'll then fabricate the pipe so that it wil fit perfectly on the engine i've also developed an idea of cutting off the back arms and replacing them with a swingam with a 5th element shock. somewhat like a dirtbike.

this will end up being around $500.00
im not cheaping out this time. my 2 stroke 70 is just problem after problem...

thanks, jon

 

[vyzhion]

I received a reply from bikekitsdirect.com. It looks like this kit is not the skyhawk 2 / Hua Sheng combo but a clone. I don't know about the quality until someone buys one. Personally, I am not that brave and will likely spend the extra $50 and get the Gru Bee kit.

--email--

Jesse, The kit is pretty much the same as the Grubee Skyhawk Stage 2
kit and has the Hua Sheng engine.
It does have the larger gas tank, and a different gear box than the
Grubee unit. The pedals shafts are to fit a square bottom bracket. It
has a centrifugal clutch.
If you have any other questions please email or give me a call on my
cell: 810 516-1700.
Thanks,
Bill Moller

 

[HoughMade]

That kit may work fine, but the engine plate looks like it is fixed, while the Grubee has adjustable ends. Also, the gearbox looks physically bigger. As for the pedals, they look to be for a 3 piece crank and mine required a one piece that is standard with Grubee- the quality may be fine, but there are differences that are easy to see.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

i bought the extended crank and the flat engine mount from the birdog dealer for my twin engine installation. parts should arrive next week.

Myron

 

[birddog]

Hi all,

I just wanted to offer a few facts on the previously mentioned 4 stroke kit that was cloned from the Grubee Whopper Stopper kit. This cloned kit is actually called the JL Hoot (the "JL" is for the factory it is made at in China and the "Hoot", well that's what happens when we let Don Grubee name stuff--after all, he did coin the "poo poo pipe".)

Here's the low down on the JL Hoot and the reason why it is being offered at a lower price (just the facts):

1) The gear box included in this kit is NOT the same as the Grubee gear box. Grubee actually has a patent on his design. The HuaSheng engine output shaft is too short for this gear box clutch design. This means that you have to use several flat washers to make the shaft longer. This is causing the bell housing to split and fail after a short amount of use.
2) The gearbox is not compatible with the Honda GXH 50.
3) The gearbox does not include an engager system.
4) The gearbox includes a fixed rather than a freewheel output sprocket.
5) The kits are sold with no warranty from the factory. This means it is up to the vendor to stand behind their product. I tried to follow the instructions to submit a warranty issue with one of the vendors and the web form I was supposed to use did not exist.
6) To my knowledge there is currently no way to obtain parts for this kit. If you break something I guess you'll need to buy a whole new kit.
7) The mounting plate is not adjustable which limits the bikes the kit will fit.
8) Does not include the dual brake, throttle, kill switch grip.
9) Does not include a kill switch. You must purchase and install your own.

So, while the JL Hoot kit might be a little cheaper, the buyer should be aware of these differences.

 

[gone_fishin]

1) The gear box included in this kit is NOT the same as the Grubee gear box. Grubee actually has a patent on his design. The HuaSheng engine output shaft is too short for this gear box clutch design. This means that you have to use several flat washers to make the shaft longer. This is causing the bell housing to split and fail after a short amount of use.
2) The gearbox is not compatible with the Honda GXH 50.
3) The gearbox does not include an engager system.
4) The gearbox includes a fixed rather than a freewheel output sprocket.
5) The kits are sold with no warranty from the factory. This means it is up to the vendor to stand behind their product. I tried to follow the instructions to submit a warranty issue with one of the vendors and the web form I was supposed to use did not exist.
6) To my knowledge there is currently no way to obtain parts for this kit. If you break something I guess you’ll need to buy a whole new kit.
7) The mounting plate is not adjustable which limits the bikes the kit will fit.
8) Does not include the dual brake, throttle, kill switch grip.
9) Does not include a kill switch. You must purchase and install your own.

birddog: if you've done any reading around here yet about our past experiences with the grube-cru, you'll know we're very touchy about what seems to be an overly "zealous" way of doing things...your second post smacks of strategy and 3rd party influence. anyone familiar with the history will understand what i mean.

i'll leave the info there because it's helpful, but if you think i think for one second you posted it because you wanted to help us, think again.

some vendors, even good ones with good products, may find themselves better off not stirring up the pot anymore than it is, or risking what seems to be a great reputation for a few dollars more. i don't understand why, with such superior products, grube-tactics are so negative in nature.

EDIT: i just saw your 3rd post...hours of operation and phone number...geez, man, could you be any more transparent about your intentions here?

 

[RATRODER]

birddod,is the gearbox&clutch you sell wet or dry,WE all want to know? louis

 

[gone_fishin]

birddod,is the gearbox&clutch you sell wet or dry,WE all want to know? louis

yes, that's my point...you sure did give us a ton of info about the competition, which pushes the envelope on seller-conduct at MBc. and you made sure to post a lot of contact info about your business.

but you haven't posted one word of tech support about/for your product & your existing customers, not to mention the potential customers who are watching. candid dialogue would sure go a long way towards healing the MBc-Grube rift. take note that, despite our past experiences with grube people, we "brought you in" to the fold with an eye to fairness, but then you poked us in that eye right off.

 

[birddog]

ratroder,

That seems to be the million dollar question right now. I'll offer what I know, but please understand that these have only been on the market for a short time.

The factory claims the clutch does not need lubrication. However...because the 4 stroke engine only delivers a power stroke every other revolution of the crank shaft, the clutch engagement can be "choppy" or jerky at lower speeds.

If a small amount (4 to 6 oz) of heavy gear oil is added this seems to alleviate the problem--at least for a while. The gasket on the gear box cover does not provide a liquid seal, but the heavier gear oil seems to stay in pretty well. The clutch will slip a little at first, but after it burns off the excess oil it seems to provide a fairly good balance between jerking and slipping.

I'm sorry that I can't offer a more definitive answer, but I am 75% sure that we will be moving to a lubricated clutch in the future.

 

[birddog]

augidog,

Sheesh...you really are relentless. Give me a chance...I've made 3 posts!