Another build, questions.

[Huntington]

I am going back to school at the rip old age of 28, (Mechanical Engineering). I need transportation and have manged to lose my DL, again, so its back to the motor bike. (legality and my own stupidity aside)


Purpose of build: A daily commuter, round trip 10miles, almost no hills in beautiful So Cali. My college commuter, so I need to look cool and go fast.

Current frame choice: My old beat up 7 speed Point Beach Cruiser, or a new Chopper style bike. Both are aluminum and not of the highest quality. (Saving and selling stuff to buy this http://www.usabikemotors.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=16_18&products_id=144 the GT2) But I need to get rolling now.

Parts I have: I modified a suspension fork with disc mount to fit the point beach cruiser, welded longer tube, nothing special but should work better then straight forks.

I also have a nice rear wheel, not 12g spokes but it does have a 7 speed and disc brake mount, 36t sprocket mounted to disc.

A nice Trek 4300 I will use the front wheel but I dont want to destroy the Trek.

Some left over parts, rebuild kit, gas tank, and bicycle stuff in the shed.

Boost bottle for 66cc/80cc

Where to start, I'm on a limited budget till my next GI Bill payment comes in, Ill buy the frame then but need to get mobile ASAP.

I'm looking at the Grubee Skyhawk New GT-5 AF-A Angel Fire head with new " Speed" Carb. http://www.piratecycles1.com/grsknewgtafa.html $149.99 from Piratecycles

or

66/80cc Jet Black Limited Edition Bicycle Engine Kit http://www.piratecycles1.com/black-limited-edition-bicycle-engine-kit.html also Piratecycles $139.99

I hear the Jet is better then the Skyhawk but some say Grubee is the way to go. Advice/opinions?

I'm thinking about doing a rear gas tank, lower profile. I only want to spend around $250 to get started till I can get that GT2 frame. Any help or criticism is greatly appreciated. Also is Pirate any good, low price but I have never shopped from them. (My last kit was BGF, lasted about 1,000 miles but it was a struggle)

 

[wheelbender6]

For a first build commuter bike, I would use a steel framed mountain bike or beach cruiser.
Aluminum frames with gas power can develop cracks, but they are fine for electric bikes.
Good luck. ME is a tough row to hough.

 

[bamabikeguy]

Be aware that Cali is setting the EPA standards for the rest of the U.S., and I've read they are stricter on the between the legs HTs.

While the engines which pass muster are $250 for petro, $1000 for electric.

Check your local confiscation experts, but to get clean air immunity will cost you $500-750 or so, $250 for the engine varying amounts for ready to run kit systems.

 

[Evan]

BGF Kit

I am going back to school at the rip old age of 28, (Mechanical Engineering). I need transportation and have manged to lose my DL, again, so its back to the motor bike. (legality and my own stupidity aside)


Purpose of build: A daily commuter, round trip 10miles, almost no hills in beautiful So Cali. My college commuter, so I need to look cool and go fast.

Current frame choice: My old beat up 7 speed Point Beach Cruiser, or a new Chopper style bike. Both are aluminum and not of the highest quality. (Saving and selling stuff to buy this http://www.usabikemotors.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=16_18&products_id=144 the GT2) But I need to get rolling now.

Parts I have: I modified a suspension fork with disc mount to fit the point beach cruiser, welded longer tube, nothing special but should work better then straight forks.

I also have a nice rear wheel, not 12g spokes but it does have a 7 speed and disc brake mount, 36t sprocket mounted to disc.

A nice Trek 4300 I will use the front wheel but I dont want to destroy the Trek.

Some left over parts, rebuild kit, gas tank, and bicycle stuff in the shed.

Boost bottle for 66cc/80cc

Where to start, I'm on a limited budget till my next GI Bill payment comes in, Ill buy the frame then but need to get mobile ASAP.

I'm looking at the Grubee Skyhawk New GT-5 AF-A Angel Fire head with new " Speed" Carb. http://www.piratecycles1.com/grsknewgtafa.html $149.99 from Piratecycles

or

66/80cc Jet Black Limited Edition Bicycle Engine Kit http://www.piratecycles1.com/black-limited-edition-bicycle-engine-kit.html also Piratecycles $139.99

I hear the Jet is better then the Skyhawk but some say Grubee is the way to go. Advice/opinions?

I'm thinking about doing a rear gas tank, lower profile. I only want to spend around $250 to get started till I can get that GT2 frame. Any help or criticism is greatly appreciated. Also is Pirate any good, low price but I have never shopped from them. (My last kit was BGF, lasted about 1,000 miles but it was a struggle)

I got a kit from BGF for $105 with free shipping. Don't have 1000 miles on it yet but so far it runs great. I put it on a mountain bike so there were some adapters needed to make it fit the oversized frame but I was able to make them myself with things lying around. I'm no expert by any stretch but it looks like it would bolt right up to a cruiser. Not so familiar with the chopper frames
Evan

 

[bamabikeguy]

I got a kit from BGF for $105 with free shipping. Don't have 1000 miles on it yet but so far it runs great. I put it on a mountain bike so there were some adapters needed to make it fit the oversized frame but I was able to make them myself with things lying around. I'm no expert by any stretch but it looks like it would bolt right up to a cruiser. Not so familiar with the chopper frames
Evan

Are you in So. California?

That would be the thing, what works best locally, and whats the long term prospects?

 

[Huntington]

not the first build, just dropped the hobby for a while, necessity brought me back and fueled the motorbiking hunger.

The Aluminum isnt what Im worried about, it's the drilled hole in the frame, I didn't know any better. But like I said, 1,000 miles on that bike and not to much wrong. Welds look good and no cracks around the drilled hole.

Buying a new frame is not particle, I have three bikes now and am going to buy that GT2 to motorize in a few months. I need to decide on which frame to motorize and which kit to buy.

Thanks for the advice though, ME= too much math.. everything else is easy and review but come on.. like 15 math classes.. . just finished a programming class and happy to say I got 135% overall. Amazing what can be accomplished when not smoking, drinking, and chasing women. starting Drafting/CAD/Microcontrollers/WR1/and Math in a few weeks.

 

[Huntington]

I dont want to talk bad about BGF, ill just say I'm not going to buy from him again. As far as law.. I'm no stranger to bending a few. I'll do what I can to make it legal but I'll accept the consequence of riding.

 

[ToeCutter66]

Give Justin a call at Pirate Cycles. He will tell you which engine is better. My guess is that he will say the Jet is better, it looks like that is the motor they use when they sell entire bikes.

 

[Huntington]

Looks like they can only ship the Grubee kit so Cali, **** EPA. Guess that discussion is made for me.

 

[ToeCutter66]

If you really want the Jet, I can have Justin send it to me, and I could bounce it out to you. To the best of my knowledge, this is not illegal. But, if it is let me know and I will edit this post.