questions

[Greggl4321]

Hi I'm new here. Can I put a motor on my electra rockabiliy boogy? It has an upgraded transmission.or should I just keep it stock?



I'm a big guy I weigh 230 would 80cc works okay?

How hard is it to pedal with the motor on the bike

Do you have to hold the clutch

Would it be better to keep the electra rockabiliy stock and go with a different bike to motorize? If so which bikes are cheap and recommended to motorize?

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Well....you mention that the Electra Rockabilly Boogy has an upgraded transmission. I don't think I understand what you mean there. Unless we're not talking about a bicycle.

230 pounds is not too heavy at all for an 80cc two stroke engine. It might be just a bit heavy for a cheap bike that's been motorized. But I wouldn't worry about that if you ride it gently.

With the weight of the engine kit plus the friction of the drive train you can still pedal your bike. But no one would ever want to. It's no longer a bike that you pedal for it's own sake. And, yes, you have to hold in the clutch to pedal ride. But these clutch levers have a 'lock' feature.

For a cheap bike to motorize, the Huffy Cranbrook has some advantages. The wheels are actually pretty good. The exception would be that rear hub. They're a bit weak. You'd want to treat it well. And even then it probably won't last forever. The good news, though, is that it can be replaced cheap and easy with a genuine Shimano E-110 hub.

The Cranbrook also has a rigid front fork. Not desirable. But you can always get a shock absorber fork off of some mtn bike that someone has thrown away.

This bike needs a few improvements in order to be a good motorized bike. But for a hundred bucks or so, it's a good platform to start your project with.

 

[Greggl4321]

The rockabiliy boogie has an internal hub in the back, that's where the shifting occurs. I'm pretty sure it is a 7 speed.

It's had some work done to it, I may want to keep it this way without an engine, although if I could save money and put it on this bike I probably would.

How much are the cranbrooks? It looks like I'll have to get one on Craigslist as I'm not sure if I can pick one up for around 100 from a store. Does the cranbrook have this front brake I keep hearing about?

Are those ebay kits really 80cc? Is there a good one I should look out for for around 120?


How long will it take me to install the kit? Will I have to weld?

 

[bakaneko]

The eBay kits are 80cc as measured in China and 66cc as measured in America. Everyone uses either these kits or ones bought from specialty retailers. The kit will take about a half a day for someone with mechanical experience and a couple days for a novice. I would not rush the install or cut corners. You do not have to weld to install the kits for most bikes.

 

[Greggl4321]

Any chance it would push me up a hill?

Any additional advice? I think I'll go with the huffy cranbrook. Is one of the engine kits better than another? Is any drilling required?

 

[bakaneko]

There are differences between the kits. I think some come with a high compression head and others do not. Some smaller differences is that some might or might not have the U bolt mount included or a muffler holder. I bought one without the high compression head and it is fine for me (smaller rider), but I would defer the high compression head and non discussion for someone else.

There is usually no drilling required except maybe the throttle. I did not drill and used a different way to affix the throttle.

Since you are a heavier rider, I would pay special attention to the brakes. As if you are going ~25-30mph, the braking power needed to stop your momentum would be much greater than what is needed for me. A coaster brake would probably not be sufficient.

 

[Greggl4321]

Are there any other bikes that are easy to mount to and inexpensive besides the huffy cranbrook

 

[Brassneck]

You could look into the Micargi Pantera...relatively cheap...easy to build on.

 

[MacZulu]

I used a electra townie , and yes it is more of a pia. you will need custom mounts because of forward crank design and also the front frame tube is 2" on the townie, I don't know if the boogie is narrower. if your not set on using the boogie I would go with a frame that the engine bolts onto directly. being a noob for this stuff is enough of a challenge with out extra issues.

I'm around 210lbs and can hit 35mph so far, and I'm still breaking in. some light mods done. clutch lever should have a locking pin so you don't have to hold it while pedaling. the bike should not be too hard to pedal, if it is something is wrong.

also I recommend a cheez kit. cheezypks.com but better deals through facebook, Cheez Fickenworth

very good kits, replaced hardware, and good balanced crank

 

[Greggl4321]

What's the best engine to mount up to the huffy cranbrook? I've heard one of the engines is more sought after then another, can someone please provide that information?