Doing away with pedals

Thxcuz

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Aug 9, 2012
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I have a yd100 kit on my bike, I was wondering if anyone ever did away with the pedals all together.
I know Legally in some states it’s a no-no but I’d be riding dirty anyway with a 50mm bore.
I’m not using a coaster brake, I can upgrade the clutch and I’ve done the walk of shame on scooters and mopeds (ever try to pedal a puch maxi up a hill? May as well walk it)
 
I have a yd100 kit on my bike, I was wondering if anyone ever did away with the pedals all together.
I know Legally in some states it’s a no-no but I’d be riding dirty anyway with a 50mm bore.
I’m not using a coaster brake, I can upgrade the clutch and I’ve done the walk of shame on scooters and mopeds (ever try to pedal a puch maxi up a hill? May as well walk it)
I don't dare take the pedals off. I ride dirty in cali, but obey enough traffic laws to not get bugged. I break the 30 mph max rule for safety, having cars pass 20 mph faster with no shoulder is unsafe. Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
Remember: anything found in an illegal traffic stop is dismissed in court. A bicycle with no pedals is a motorcycle, and they will expect it to have all the stuff to make it a legal motorcycle. Plate with current registration, missing it is reason to pull over. No turn signals or brake light, another reason. Then they find no license or insurance, bye bye bike. They saw a legal reason to pull you over, so anything found sticks in court. If pulled over while not breaking any visible laws, then it is an illegal stop and anything found after will be dismissed.
 
The cops around here have bigger fish to fry than hassle a middle age guy who looks like their high school guidance counselor. Seriously, it’s not a problem here. I once saw a guy on a 250cc scooter with 49cc plate on it.
In missouri it’s still a motorized bicycle if it’s got an automatic transmission, under 50cc and has less than 3 hp. Pedals have nothing to do with it here.
So, if the legality of it was taken out of consideration - would it be doable?
 
How are you going to start it? The crappy little pull starts are called crappy for a reason. If you have a hill to run by and jump on and pop the clutch you're good.
 
The cops around here have bigger fish to fry than hassle a middle age guy who looks like their high school guidance counselor. Seriously, it’s not a problem here. I once saw a guy on a 250cc scooter with 49cc plate on it.
In missouri it’s still a motorized bicycle if it’s got an automatic transmission, under 50cc and has less than 3 hp. Pedals have nothing to do with it here.
So, if the legality of it was taken out of consideration - would it be doable?
I like my pedals, lets me race cars quicker from a standstill and coming out of corners. Others like them because using pedals while the engine is under heavy load takes some of the load off, increasing fuel economy. I don't care about gas but the same principal increases torque to the rear wheel. An average male can easily put 60 lb-feet of torque to the rear wheel. With large engines that would be negligible... but with these lil ones, it's a drastic difference in acceleration pedaling vs non pedaling.
Yeah, I’ll just bump start it
When I had a 2 stroke bike I would hold the clutch in and run about 5'-10' and hopped on while dumping the clutch. Was much easier and faster than pedaling up to speed to get the engine started. I only did that once it was warm and shut the engine off at long stoplights. Hated the 2 stroke noise...
I have an auto clutch (centrifugal clutch, yours is a manual clutch, making it illegal) and don't bother to shut my engine off at stoplights. I also love the deep notes of my 53cc 4t. I have had it to 53 mph in a previous gear ratio that was geared for 55 mph to prevent over-revving, reached 1 mph per cc. I currently have it set for 47 mph max to cruise the mountains and hills a few miles away, struggled in 2nd some and 3rd was unusable with those gear ratios. Now 2nd revs out all the time and can use 3rd sometimes going up those mountain passes. Pedaling helps tons getting my engine to max torque rpm.
 
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Not a good idea in my opinion but I'd say "Totally removing clutch on a gx35" is a slightly worse idea. Imagine trying to start it going up an incline you would have to coast downhill and then make speed to get back up. I had the same thing happen when I had one of the 2 strokes, chain fell off pain in the ash with the manual clutch. If you start running poor try motoring uphill and gaining enough speed. It would tear the clutch and you'd still have to kick off with feet. You either have to turn the wheel by hand or roll downhill to start. 4 strokes you pedal a few times and then the thing takes off.
 
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In Pa they have 3 classifications motor-scooter, motorcycles and pedal assisted bike/mopeds. Most states do have a 49cc limit for scooter or moped class. The legal usually pertains to electric under assisted bikes and the 20mph rule (20mph not sure why). I believe the Yd-100 being probably 4hp or less is still under the 5hp limit for motor-scooters thus not a motorcycle, it doesn't mean they would not hassle if they had the chance. You know the saying "license and reg. please". A loud 2 stroke that looks un- normal is a cop magnet especially with a tuned pipe.
 
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I vote to keep the Pedals and keep it a M/B The classic design of a M/bicycle it has pedals.

Whatever M/B ya got, pedal assist will come in handy more than ya think. Especially to start and at take off from a stop light.
If ya just can't make that tall steep hill? When the bike get's down to 15mph start pedaling to keep your momentum up.
In an emergency you can pedal the bike to the nearest shade tree or home.

The cops love to stop guys that look like a school guidance counselor :LOL:
No pedals ya better have a working tail stop light and a head light - Yes, in the day time
Good Idea to have a M/C license too.
 
I think most people take the one crank and rotate 180 degrees so it's in the same position as the other pedal and weld them in the position they want. Ive seen pedals removed and pegs bolted through the empty bottom bracket. I think one guy straight up had a thick wooden dowel running through the empty bottom bracket. Definitely possible.
 
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