4-stroke bike project

I

Irish John

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This is my first attempt to start my own thread. I'll stop now and go and see whether this is on my new thread. This is about my new Schwinn Cruiser 4-stroke motorised bike which I am going to spend a lot of time perfecting so it goes fast and quiet and looks utterly beautiful. With other members help I have every confidence I shall succeed. Now I'm off to sleep and dream about my project.
Irish John
 
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Still undecided but someone mentioned a horizontal Honda and gearbox yesterday.
I just want the absolute best in terms of power and reliability. I want it to cruise at 30 mph with lots of extra left so it's not revving too high. I want it to be quiet with a full length exhause that looks just right. I want it to be economical on fuel and to be environmentally sensitive. Basically I want everything. It has to freewheel if the engine or chain locks up. It needs to be pedalled easily without the engine so if it conks out I can ride it home etc. It can only be frame mounted cos I carry stuff in my paniers and I don't want a Chinese engine although a Grubee kit has a tray I could use. Those grubee chain tensioners are chinese though and useless. Pity Ducati don't make a little V twin for a bike!
Ducati do make bicycles now though. With Bianchi they released the Ducati Corse range of bikes.
 
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The Honda and Honda-clone Lifan horizontal singles are sweet, proven, tech. My issue with using one on a bicycle frame is that you will definitely be a motorcycle rather than a moped or motored bike. The frame would have to be beefy, or a custom build, the running gear likewise and the weight will just add up. I think that even the 50cc Honda weighs in at 35-40 lbs by itself. Before I went that route, I'd just buy a Sachs Madass for the street, or something like this, or this slightly cheaper version, for offroad
 
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My new Bike for the project

Got my new bike today for the 4-stroke project. It is almost identical to the Schwinn Tango Tandem I bought last week. See attached picture. I suppose I'll need wide cranks to get around the centrifugal clutch etc.
I'm going to try and build a reliable, powerful, quiet 4-stroke V-mounted rig for serious cycling. I'm not interested in the motorbikes mentioned above but thanks anyway.
What is a horizontal Honda? i.e. what is its proper name. Is it the Honda GXH50cc?
Who can help me with gearboxes and who can help me to avoid using any chinese parts although the Grubee "steamline" pipe is the sort I want. Presumably they meant to write streamline unless it is for a steam powered motor!
I'm on my way - the bike is in the workshop and I'm ready to begin.
All advice will be gratefully received but I'm building a motorised bike with a frame mounted 4-stroke engine. That is my goal. The Sachs engine is not a consideration. Too slow and not v-mounted. I've already tried one. Likewise with all the Chinese 2-strokes.
 

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What is a horizontal Honda? i.e. what is its proper name. Is it the Honda GXH50cc?

My bad, When you mentioned Honda, gears, and single in the same sentence, I thought you were talking about this type of thing. The GXH50cc etc are single gear industrial engines, rather than motorcycle engines per se.
 
Horizontals

Where can I find out about the Lifan? Is it from China? What engine size is the horizontal single? Who makes gearboxes in USA for what I'm looking for?
Irish John

The Honda and Honda-clone Lifan horizontal singles are sweet, proven, tech. My issue with using one on a bicycle frame is that you will definitely be a motorcycle rather than a moped or motored bike. The frame would have to be beefy, or a custom build, the running gear likewise and the weight will just add up. I think that even the 50cc Honda weighs in at 35-40 lbs by itself. Before I went that route, I'd just buy a Sachs Madass for the street, or something like this, or this slightly cheaper version, for offroad
 
Single geared

My bad, When you mentioned Honda, gears, and single in the same sentence, I thought you were talking about this type of thing. The GXH50cc etc are single gear industrial engines, rather than motorcycle engines per se.

Thanks Mickey, I Don't think a single geared rig will cut the mustard. Too much revs at top speed. That's one of my beefs with the big Chinese 2-strokes. If they had gears they wouldn't have to howl along at top revs all the time until the bearings fail. I saw some NuVinci gear & chain rig recently. Do you know anything about these? I just noticed the link in your message - very interesting. Thanks so much. I'll go back and look at that now.
 
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I saw some NuVinci gear & chain rig recently. Do you know anything about these?

Alas, no. Too spendy for my meager budget. But there is quite a bit of work being reported with them on this forum. Zombiebuilder has a couple of projects going. Other forum members are experimenting also. A search on NuVinci will show them.

I have, and am constantly rebuilding, a series of the little Honda motorcycles (CT70 C70 etc) and have replaced the Honda motors with the Lifan clones similar to those on the Hooper link I posted. They are Chinese built but seem to be up to western standards of quality, though not the old Honda standard. I think, but don't hold me to it, that they also make a version of the industrial type engines that most people are using in 4stroke projects. Google around.

Mickey
 
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