Wanting to motorize an vintage Schwinn Mohawk trike

A

AndyJ85

Guest
Hello,

I found this really old neat trike a couple of years ago at a garage sale. I like it a lot, it looks very unique (and upon further research, seems pretty rare to find).

Anyway, I've been thinking it would look even MORE cool if I could motorize it somehow, but I just don't really know where to start. I am not mechanically inclined but I thought this would be a good entry-level experience for me to try to learn how to do these things.

Anyway, I watched a lot of videos (as many of them as I could anyway) and it seems like 95% of people take the back basket OFF and use it as the mount for the motor. I'd like to keep the basket on, because I use it to go to the grocery store and for mulling around town.

So, it is possible to use one of the "universal" mount motor kits I see on ebay and Amazon to do this? The type that sits right in the middle of the frame? I am concerned about doing this because the drivechain is very hidden on this bike. I don't know how I would mount an additional sprocket and get it to fit tightly.

So, has anyone attempted this before? I could really use the advice before I make a purchase on this one
 
My experience is to mount the engine on the rear. When mounted on the front you run into chaining problems due to the frame twisting when cornering. The portion of the frame connected directly to the rear axle stays parallel so no alignment issues on corners. You could attach a deck back there as well for cargo space while still having engine in the rear.
 
Remove the top bar, and reweld it across to the seat post. That will leave you plenty of room for one of the 66's engines. Add jackshaft etc., an enjot it.
 
Hello this is AndyJ85. (I created an account). I got some pictures of the trike to see if maybe that might help you guys discern my situation.

Also, I am very interested in the ease of the front wheel fiction drives, but I heard putting one of those on destroys tires. Can anyone confirm or refute that?
 

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Hello this is AndyJ85. (I created an account). I got some pictures of the trike to see if maybe that might help you guys discern my situation.

Also, I am very interested in the ease of the front wheel fiction drives, but I heard putting one of those on destroys tires. Can anyone confirm or refute that?

Also, I don't know if it matters but the drivechain drives both of the rear tires. I heard that might be different from other trike setups.
 
Also, I don't know if it matters but the drivechain drives both of the rear tires. I heard that might be different from other trike setups.

Additionally, I have no experience in welding nor do I own a welder, so frame modifications/rebuilds are probably out of the question. Additionally, I don't want to destroy what I am hearing is a pretty rare and unique piece. When I took it to get new tires after I bought it the bicycle shop guy tried to buy it off me for 3 times what I paid for it.
 
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