Thanks for the replies. Timbone would you elaborate on why the 2 stroke HT would not be good for touring. Though I am leaning towards 4 stroke.
As to the question of pedaling without the motor, and kicking it in only when needed, how practical is that? Seems like all the four strokes require pulling a starter cord?[/QUOTE
First, if you wanna be a cyclist, get a bicycle as they are made to be highly efficient. The HT engine can definitely be pedaled, but it's not efficient. If you put a motor on your bike, you are gonna want to use the motor. Even on perfectly flat ground, you can't pedal up to a good speed. Forget about climbing!
You will quickly learn that these are short range vehicles. Even if you work it into a relatively smooth ride, it's never gonna be real smooth. A bicycle carrying a lot of weight at 28 mph will bring out the roughness in the road. Then there's the noise. And there's the vibration into the hands and feet. A 15 mile trek is about as far as you will want to go. These are just it engineered for comfort!