18 mile round trip = 2 stroke practical?

steve lord

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Hi Guys,

I've been looking to save on gas. A motorized bike seems like a great way. My uses will be as follows:

5 days a week to work (18 mile round trip).


I've been browsing websites for engines and would love a 4 stroke engine . . . but will have to get a 2 stroke because of cost. 4 strokes seem to cost almost twice as much as 2 strokes. Thatsdax has been recommended thoughout this forum . . . . and will probably buy from Duane.

My question: If I'm reasonable about wear and tear on the engine, will a 2 stroke be suitable for my needs? Or will I wind up eventually buying a 4 stroke for it's reliability and, ultimately, "buy twice"? Total miles per week will be about 90.

I'm looking for an engine I can maintain and keep running in good order without major issue.

Thanks in advance for your ideas and help.

Steve
 
Golden Eagle has 2 stroke Tanakas. Just a little more then the Happy Time Chinese junk. They are EPA certified. Come with a pull start. You will have many thousands of good miles from those.
 
I've been riding mt frame mount HT 2 stroke 10-15 miles after work every day to get it broken in and its been pretty solid. After 60 miles, the only issue has been the fuel tank does not vent properly sometimes & starves the carb and the bolt holding the muffler together loosened up on its own. Just so happens that thats the only bolt I didn't put locktight on. I think it would be a perfect commuter for an 18 mile round trip. I can do half that just putting around my neighborhood for the fun of it.
 
The only mechanical thing that's ever gone wrong with my Happy Time was a bad magneto. (I had a motor mount bracket leave me but that was my fault for failing to check for tightness)Then I chucked the kill switch and set my idle to kill the engine when it's throttled down and not another problem.
Bike issues are a different story but get a good bike and keep up with making sure everything's tight and you'll have no worries.
I did 60 mile round trips with MOOP (my Happy Time) no problems. I kept my speeds constant but kept it about 18 mph. With a 44t sprocket that's about 3/4 throttle.
If you don't want to break down,get a good tool kit. I keep a whole slime tube in mine and a Wal-Mart Foot pump (yes,that foot pump fits in a tool pouch). Those frame pumps will wear you down and I couldn't get mine to over 15 psi before giving up.
I also keep a spare magneto and some tools. Basically every tool that touched your bike should go in there.
Better prepared than walking.
And a good tool kit goes for whatever engine kit you have for even though you may not have an engine related issue,you may have a bicycle related one.
I ride Cronus,my 4 stroke Titan on that 60 miler now because it's a better bike and it's a lot quieter. But I will still ride MOOP and not worry about going the distance.
 
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What's important is the 9-mile one way; you're never more than 4.5 miles from help. Either hitch-hike to work or walk home and dust off your car.

The human toll is something to consider, the vibration to one's hands gets 'em tingly. And you'll probably want a wide cushy gel seat.

I'm one of those guys who buys other peoples' broken stuff and fixes it with the cheapest redneck fixes ever. I bought one of these kits new and it got me... am usually pretty careful ("lucky") with all things mechanical. Note that some suppliers of chinese engines including mine include grade 4.8 fasteners that snap at will. I have 100 miles on one that a motor mount just up and snapped. Do not blow off people who tell you to use loctite or any other good advice on this site.

Don't be scared off though; even if you wind up only riding once a week the smile it brings is totally worth it.

When I fix my motor I'm using old neoprene from a wetsuit (a free promotional mousepad works well too) between the mounts and the tube to dampen vibration which fatigues everything.
 
If you're looking to make long trips regularly in comfort I'd suggest you stay away from the Happytime chinese 2-strokes. They vibrate everything loose on the engine and on your bike, require endless tinkering, not to mention they're LOUD and fickle runners! Get a frame mounted 4-stroke or a rack-mounted premium 2 or 4 stroke setup. They should require minimal maintenance and adjustments and last much longer. Most of the premium engine gas tanks don't leak gas everywhere even when laid down. I have a staton system which I can vouch for its durability and smoothness, and the freewheeling motor chain is a definite plus making downhill coasting smooth and allowing for trouble free pedaling through bike paths and such. Do not get a happytime unless you're just looking for a tinkertoy. You'll find yourself wanting something better and having to make another purchase and do another installation.
Just my 2c.
 
I agree Sir. The China stuff just don't hold up. Japan motors will last a lot longer.
Honda, Mitsubishi,Tanaka Subaru are all reliable motors. I ride that spoiler to work every nice day in the summertime.
 
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Mine is an HT engine from livefastmotors.com. Granted, I have replaced ALL the hardware with high grade stuff from Ace hardware and have locktight'd every bolt on the thing to keep it in place.

So far, so good. Put another 20 miles on it today.
 
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