Brakes Coaster brakes on a motorized bike?

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FarmHaus

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Hey guys, I'm thinking about buying a kit for an old huffy beachcomber I have in the garage. Its Got coaster brakes.. Good or bad for a motorized bike? It will be my first bike kit but i do have a 50cc miniature harley style hog motorcycle that I built with my dad last summer, which is great, but I'm looking for a new project/toy... Advice would be greatly appreciated, thanx
 
I would say definitely add a front brake of some description if it doesn't already have one. Something like 70% of your stopping power is through the front brakes. My experience with old bikes and coaster brakes is that they can lock up on you if you push down too hard. See the coaster brake horror stories thread below :cry:

COASTER BRAKE horror stories

Here are some other motorized bike and coaster brake discussions:

Single rear coaster brake on a single speed crusier has enough stopping power?

How do coaster brakes work on a bike with a motor?
 
It's hilly where I live, I'd recommend a coaster brake . Many a novice motorcycle rider crashed when they applied the rear [ foot ]
brake while the throttle was still open, the bike ' torquied ' out of control . Since your ' new ' I offer this advice ... Use caution when decending hills, the same torque multipling gearing, causes the drive chain to overspeed when decending hills . Excessive chain speed can cause chain to jump sprocket, or jam in engine case, locking rear wheel .
 
Thanks, I'll definitely add a front brake.

Well, you're already persuaded, FarmHaus, so I may be beating a dead horse, but I'd also add that in the event your pedaling chain comes off, a front brake is a backup. Second, to take a page from automotive design, increases in speed and weight must also have an increase in braking power.

After my brother told me about two pedestrians getting killed in San Francisco by bicyclists who could not stop on steep hills, I decided to add a front disk brake. It was a pain. I had to weld on an adapter and get a special hub, but wow! My motobike stops on the proverbial dime.

130224_0015-smdet.jpg

Best,
Rick
 
Coaster brakes are good, but I second the opinion of having a front brake installed. My rear vbrake on all of my bikes are a slow me down kinda thing, only the front stops me suddenly.
 
I have a coaster bike with a motor set up. I keep having a problem were the rear axle hub keeps coming loose from the vibration. Has anyone had this problem before? If so, do you have a solution.....
 
I have a coaster bike with a motor set up. I keep having a problem were the rear axle hub keeps coming loose from the vibration. Has anyone had this problem before? If so, do you have a solution.....

You need to adjust the lock nut correctly against the nut that rests against the bearings.

Here motorpsycho explains it well in this thread:
 
I just recently put a coaster brake as my front brake. So far, it works great! But they are known to suffer from brake fade.
 
Brakes

Hey all, new member here!
Looking to build my first motorized bike, and since it will be my first time, I am looking to build what I dub "the prototype"


I've read some threads here about brakes and all, and have the following ideas...

1) vintage beach cruiser with coaster brakes, was looking to possibly add an aftermarket front brake, and a 48cc motor.

2) older trike with front hub brake, adding a 48cc motor.

Either of these sound feasible??

Thanks!!!

JC
 
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