New too MB's and the Forum

[Fyre Koiss]

Hello everybody! Fyre here, first time poster and potential first time MB builder. Considering buying a cheap HT motor and seeing how it works out. I expect problems, but just wanna get a feel for it and see if I will be wasting my money on this. The cheap china motor will not be a waste even if it's junk... I'm a pretty big DIY'er so I'm sure I can find a use for it. Hoping to (eventually) build something reliable enough to get me back and forth to work reliably.

Live in southern Arkansas... so hills are non-existent. Not a speed freak, more concerned with MPG and reliability. Doing this mainly because I want to cut back on gas and have a new little hobby to work on.... ok so mainly just for the hobby, but the MPG is a good excuse to the wife.

I've browsed the forums here quite a bit and you all looked like a good, helpful, and friendly community so I figured I would join up.

Once I get the bike started, I will have pictures. My first 'idea' (and this is very much an idea. I have the money, but I want to get all my ducks in a row before I start buying stuff) is to buy a hybrid cruiser. The motor I am currently looking at is a Flying Horse 48cc kit. I will be changing out some of the stock garbage on this. The list as of now is:

-Exhaust switched for an expansion chamber
-High performance Carb
-Boost Bottle (maybe)
-Possibly changing the rear gear from the 44 tooth to the 36 tooth
-Spark plug... since everything I have read says the ones in the kits are crap
-Higher quality tires and tubes for the bike

Any comments are welcome, and I'm open to opinions since none of this has been bought yet. Keep in mind this is my first build, and my knowledge of 2 strokes is limited at best (I've repaired a few chainsaws and weedeaters... that about sums it up).

Glad to be on the forums... and thank you all for having me!

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Welcome aboard. There's always room for one more.

From what you've said about yourself, I think I'd recommend keeping it stock. I'm not sure whether to recommend a hybrid or not. The narrower wheels and tires have me concerned.

You can make a happy time set-up pretty reliable. It takes some practice for most people. And you won't bat .1000 even then.
So you'll want backup transportation. That could be your car. I use a regular old pedal bicycle (and sometimes my car).

But one of the best things about china girls is that you could just keep a second build on hand. They're inexpensive enough.

Have fun.

 

[wheelbender6]

Welcome to the forum. Get your kit running in stock trim before adding the goodies IMHO. Fewer variables in case you have trouble getting it started.

 

[Fyre Koiss]

Most definitely. However, I do want to eventually start switching stock for higher performance... what good is a hobby you can't tinker with after all? This is far from my only mode of transport, but the added MPG over my car would be really nice. Didn't realize hybrid bikes had a smaller tire size then standard cruisers... thanks for mentioning that. Seems that I'll be going with a standard cruiser. Thanks for the advise!

 

[Pablo]

Welcome.

Considering buying a cheap....

Low cost is good. Cheap is not good. Something could be $4 less and cost you a LOT more. Go beyond just the price tag.

OK that's my tip for today and I'm sticking with it.

 

[grinningremlin]

If you're looking toward reliability for work, I suggest a FD or GEBE rack-mount drive.From my observations, frame mounts are for short distances and tinkering, rack mounts are for riding and the occasional tinker.Frame mounts require pedal extensions and other mods, rack mounts are clean with no mods to the bike.Now they are a bit more expensive up front, but a good engine will save you $$ in the long run (less oil 2-stroke, less gas-mileage, less rebuilds, forced fan cooling) and the simpler the drive, the less to go wrong.The last thing you want in the morning is a tinkering prob.If set on china-girl do like bluegoatwoods suggested and have a spare bike.Have fun.

 

[Fyre Koiss]

@ bluegoatwoods- Thanks for the advise. Was in walmart today and decided to look at the Hybrids up close instead of simply online... I knew the tires were narrower, but not by THAT much! Definitely going with a standard cruiser now.

As for the HT china bike, I am starting off with it stock, then after I get it working I was gonna try and get some better equipment on it (not the other way around). I still have my gas-friendly (sorta) car to fall back on if necessary so I'm not to worried if it breaks on me. I wanted to start off with a less expensive bike and see how I like it, knowing of course it will not be very high quality. If all goes well, then I will probably end up buying a GEBE motor for a rack mount as my main bike and continue to tinker with the china-girl. As it stands though, I just don't know if I want to put $700 plus into something I'm not 100% on.

Though I do have another question with the GEBE motors. A friend of mine here does motorcycle repair on the side. He says he likes the belt fed systems but that they have more problems then the chain drive does... is that just with Motorcycles or does that hold true for MB's as well?

 

[grinningremlin]

First I would never suggest buying a whole GEBE new, too expensive.The drive kit without engine is $350, then you could find a used engine and save a bit, or wait for a whole used system, there's VERY little to go wrong.OK, the GEBE is a different beast than the china-girl.With a 2hp engine everything is at a limit with the GEBE, it has no take off b.a.l.l.s., you are the low end, but once you get going HOLY C.R.A.P.So if you can have mechanical sympathy everything lasts a LONG time.Pedal 5 to 10mph and ease in the gas and you're gone, if you want better belt/sheave/gear/petrol mileage you pedal when accelerating.The problems people had were trying to start too fast too soon (belts stripped, spokes broke) and not going the extra mile and securing the sheave (a gap develops, then gets larger with each hard throttle and slams the sheave against the spokes), there's no need for 12g spokes, just a lattice of zip ties that pull on the dish side spokes as well.To the point, I've never had problem one, did two 162 mile one day trips in the last month, and didn't even fiddle with tire pressure, just gas and go.