Good lord what have I done ;) Fito Modena GT Build

Hey all my name is Matthew and I'm a motor-aholic. I think I screwed up big time today and decided in all my brilliance to build a motorized bike project. I'm not sure if I made a terrible decision or not but here is the bike I bought for my project. I'm a novice with mechanicals though I did use to work on bikes quite a bit in my mountain bike days and frankly I have a brown thumb when it comes to motors (just ask my non-running Vespa). So my project bike is the the Fito Modena GT Alloy 7 speed. I just liked the combination of features, front and rear disk brakes, build quality, custom fenders, forks, etc.. I would like to pair it with a black 2 stroke 66cc motor. I'm wondering what things I need to prepare for in doing this conversion. Is there a way I can spend a little more for the kit to dramatically increase reliability & useability? How does the shifting work with a motorized bike and how can I enable the engine to use the different gears? BTW I'm 6' 250# and will be using this bike in a somewhat hilly area. Any feedback you can provide or point me to is greatly appreciated. Also where do you recommend I pick up a black motor I know many of the places seem to be out of stock on the good stuff. Anyone know if this frame can be used to store fuel? Any modifications I'm going to need to make? Thanks again!!!

Here are the bike specs http://www.ebay.com/itm/130967664214?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

[butterbean]

In order to use the bike's gears as the engine's drivetrain, you'll need what's known as a shift kit. As far as to answer your question of spending a little more to increase quality and reliability, you can get a 4 stroke kit for a little more money. It all really depends on what you really want to spend, what exactly you want out of your bike, and how long you want your engine and the components to last. I believe there is a vendor selling 4 stroke kits for $369 plus shipping, and the 4 stroke shift kit is $180 plus shipping right now. So for around $600 after shipping, you can have everything you need to have a reliable engine and bike. The 2 strokes are ok, but in my opinion the quality control is much better on the 4 strokes. The 2 strokes are a crap shoot, never know if you got a good one or a lemon until you run it for awhile. There are things you can do to improve your chances, but I'd rather not go through all that work just to make an engine reliable when it already should be.

 

[gurutogo]

Gears

Ok so the main benefit of the gears is just better control over peddling hills unless you get a shift kit? I think with 7 it's simple enough to not over complicate or muck up the appearance but versatile enough to be usable. Are the 4 strokes better in cold weather? Will I need to have any custom parts above and beyond the normal kit to make this bike work with either kit? I honestly like the 2 strokes fine are there any that are bulletproof? Any other considerations you can think of? Thanks a bunch!

BTW I love your tagline

Also let me know where the best deal for a 4 stroke kit is. Thanks

 

[butterbean]

The clone motocross 2 stroke engines are pretty much bulletproof, but require a highly advanced mechanical skillset to build into a bicycle, and they are not cheap. The engine itself is around $500. The 4 stroke would do fine without a shift kit with the 7 speeds, you would be able to pedal up hills easily. 4 strokes do just about as fine in cold weather as 2 strokes. $369 is the best deal you'll find on a 4 stroke with a transmission thats any good. The only thing I can see about your bike that may need to be "customized" might be your gas tank mounts due to your odd shaped top tube.

 

[butterbean]

Oh, and the kit that is $369 is at www.bicycle-engines.com

 

[grinningremlin]

I'd say your worst mistake was the bike itself.Should NEVER go with an AL frame on an MAB.The stresses an MAB adds is asking for disaster on an AL frame, when it goes you can only hope you're going slow.Do your own research here to confirm this.

 

[gurutogo]

I've have had lots of both types of bikes over the years and I'm talking 275# loaded with gear hauling for 10 of thousands of miles. Have clocked 75000+ miles on all types of frames aluminum, ceramic composite, chromoly, easton Chro, etc.. The only frames that have snapped have been cheap Chromoly. Especially at the joints. Aluminum is less forgiving though. I'm not going to be putting a tremendous amount of miles on this bike it's more for a hobby project. Thanks

Ok one last question. Which dealer actually has stock of a good all black 66cc 2-stroke?

 

[grinningremlin]

I'm just going by what the reputable kit makers suggest, and the few AL failure stories I've read, one bad to ten good is enough for me.I must admit I love the looks of the bike, it's made for friction drive, though I think the tire may be a bit wide for a GEBE set-up.If it were about $50 to $70 cheaper I may even give it a try.Have fun and watch those welds.

 

[gurutogo]

It seems its hit or miss on whether AL is the issue or just poor workmanship and materials which can effect any product. I've had a few Huffy frames fail on me in my life (even when I was 12 and 130 lbs) and I see they are ridden by lots of Motorized bikers. I wouldn't trust my life to em. So go figure. I decided to contact Pirate Cycles for one of their black 66cc kits. I think it will be a good for the look I'm going for. Thanks for the advice we shall see how things go It should be interesting.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

Thick tube steel frames are less prone to cracking due to engine viberation. The other advantages is the heavy steel frames are cheap and much easier to weld if they should crack. I personally prefer 4 strokes. They tend to have a much longer life than 2 strokes. Just clean the air filter every 10 hours and change the oil ever 50 hours. You can buy a tachometer/hour counter to keep up with a maintenance schedule. The shift kit is the best thing for large riders in hilly areas.