Hi from Illinois

nixonrules

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Jul 16, 2009
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Hi, my name is David and I'm considering getting a motorized bicycle. I go to college and I figure a motorized bike would be perfect for getting around. I do not have a car and I already ride a bike everywhere. I've already read pretty much everything on the web/forums about these bike and I'm really looking forward to putting one together when I get the money. I was considering getting the Grubee Skyhawk kit (is it a decent kit?) because it is one of the cheaper kits I have found. Maybe I would upgrade later on. I do have a couple of questions if anyone would be kind enough to answer.

1) I would like to ride the bike year round and it gets pretty cold here in the winter (usually under 20 degrees Fahrenheit) I was wondering how well these engines start and run in colder temps.
2) Is chain driven or friction driven better or is it just a matter of personal opinion?
3) Is there that big of a difference between the 48cc and the 66cc motors like speed or gas mileage? The price difference is not that great but if there is very little difference I would like to save my money.
Your feedback would be greatly appreciated on these questions. I look forward to joining your biking community.
~David
 
1) I would like to ride the bike year round and it gets pretty cold here in the winter (usually under 20 degrees Fahrenheit) I was wondering how well these engines start and run in colder temps.

Yo David,

I can address #1: reliable "one pull" cranking in cold temperatures is guaranteed with the 4 stroke R/S 35, and if broken in properly, the Japanese 2 cycles (like Tanaka) usually crank in 3 pulls.

and on #2, chains and belt drives run better on wet roads.

Reliability is directly affected by how much you spend on your engine in this hobby, and the Japanese engines cost about twice as much.
 
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Welcome aboard.

If you want to run in winter, it can be done. But you might want to avoid the happy time engines. Below about 30 deg F you have to one heck of a lot of pedaling before they fire up.
 
48 vs 66cc - Check your local laws. Some states require insurance, tag and license if larger than 48cc (like Arizona).
 
in il we got annoying laws
i just disregarded em and ordered a 66 cc though :D
 
Friction vs. chain drive

...
2) Is chain driven or friction driven better or is it just a matter of personal opinion?...

~David


David~

The first time you get bogged down in mud, winter slush or just some extra motor oil laying about an intersection, you'll know why chain drive is superior to the friction item, whose only saving grace is that it's cheap to manufacture...but it won't help you much when the drive roller starts slipping.
Go with the chain drive, but I'd avoid the "cross-shaft" set-up which incorporates an existing rear multi-speed freewheel, cassette or hub to provide various "speeds" for your motor, driving through the original, whimpy bicycle chain and rear derailleur, or worse yet, a "Sturmy Archer-style" 3-speed hub. (A "Nexus" 7-8 speed hub may be more substantial, but that's a guess.) If that single chain or derailleur fails, you can't even pedal home! Go with the 2 chain set-up that uses an additional #415 chain for the motor drive on the left side of your bike. In Illinois, at least, shifting gears automatically turns your "motorized bicycle" into a "motorcycle" anyway...
My own #415 motor-side chain came apart at the master link a week after I started using the bike, so even the heavier chain can fail in this application! Luckily I was just starting out from an intersection when it separated, so no harm done. Was it a defective link?...The Chinese don't have a very good reputation for reliability and quality control for many of these kits, but buyer make note! (Since then, I've eliminated the master link and run the chain without one, but ride with a motorcycle chain breaker in my "kit" and have covered the last 3 weeks without incident.)
One final note, with chain drive you'll have the option of easily obtaining rear sprockets (to mate with the std. 10 tooth item in front) of about 32 up to 50 teeth (many kits have the 44 tooth item as std.), so you can more readily "tune" your ride to the geography, your body size and personal style of riding. I think I've seen a web site offering custom, aluminum sprockets with an even greater range of tooth count choices, plus a rainbow of anodized colors! Naturally, the length of the chain needs to be sized accordingly.

Ode
 
David~
The first time you get bogged down in mud, winter slush or just some extra motor oil laying about an intersection, you'll know why chain drive is superior to the friction item, whose only saving grace is that it's cheap to manufacture...but it won't help you much when the drive roller starts slipping.

Go with the chain drive, but I'd avoid the "cross-shaft" set-up which incorporates an existing rear multi-speed freewheel, cassette or hub to provide various "speeds" for your motor, driving through the original, whimpy bicycle chain and rear derailleur

Well congratulations, you managed to be dismissive of a whole range of drive systems on just your second post. There are many here who are satisfied with thousands of miles on friction drives and shift kits.
If you read the forum rules you'll notice the effort to keep things positive. Post your opinion but you don't need to validate your choices by posting inflammatory or bogus remarks or by denigrating the choices of others.

It's hyperbole and false premise to suggest common riding conditions include "mud, winter slush or just some extra motor oil laying about an intersection"
and the average "whimpy bicycle chain" is designed to carry far more ft-lbs. of torque generated by a 180 lb rider pedaling off the seat than any 66cc engine will ever produce.
 
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