new here

[sweetlou82]

I'm spending way too much on gas for my daily commute to and from work ..

used to commute via bicycle until i moved to the burbs .. now i'm thinking about motorizing the old ride to help ease my finacial woes

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

Here are important questions to consider when building or buying for yourself or others:

1) What is the predominant riding terrain?
(Level ground, hills, asphalt or dirt etc...)

2) What type of physique does the primary rider have?
(Large, small, short, tall or health issues etc...)

3) What will the rider's local laws allow and require them to have?
(Lookup and personally read these laws.)

4) What kind of bike is being motorized?
(Mountain, road, whizzer or recumbent etc...)

5) What is the bike to be used for?
(Shows, long trips, around town, off road or racing etc...)

6) How much of a budget is to be used for the build or buy?
(All at the start or as you can afford projects etc...)

Seek the answers to these questions in order to get the most out of the bike you're building or buying. We're here to help with any questions you may have. The purpose of the "Questions to Consider" is not to overwhelm or confuse you. Rather help you focus in on what will work best for you and help you develop a building and/or buying philosophy. This site has lots of people who can help you but the only way they can is by asking questions. Any one of the questions to consider somebody here can help you with.

A fool never learns from their mistakes.

A smart person learns from their mistakes.

A wise person learns from the mistakes of others.

Good luck with your build or buy.

"I became rich by hiring people smarter than me". Andrew Carnegie ________________

 

[sweetlou82]

1) i'll be riding on paved roads .. on which traffic typically moves at 45 mph

2) i'm in good shape

3) seems like as long as my engine is under 50 cc's i'm good with local laws

4) i have a cannondale mountain bike .. no suspension .. rides more like a road bike

5) i'll be using the bike for my daily commute to work .. about 35 miles each way

6) i can afford to spend about $600 .. as long as this does save me money .. i currently spend about $18 a day on gas to get to and from work

i've already purchased a honda gxh50 motor for $320 and am going to put together a rear mount build

i'd like to purchase a trans next .. any tips on what i should be looking into are greatly appreciated

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

The Staton Inc 16.07:1 gearbox would work well with your engine. Of which you got a really good buy on. My setup is the Staton crank drive kit.

 

[PatrickW]

Welcome to MBc, Lou. Now that you have introduced yourself, be sure to read all you can, including the 'Stickies' at the top of every Forum. They contain a lot of information. For example, 'Sticky' by Al.Fisherman has 20 or so links to "How To." threads, and important pages for you to follow. 'Sticky' by Anton "Forum Rules and Infractions" is a must read about how you are expected to Conduct yourself. However, read all of them, and be sure to use the search feature. Almost every question you might have has already been asked and answered someplace here. If you are still stumped with a certain problem, post your question in the proper Forum and I am sure you will get an answer.

In the meantime, while you are reading the various threads, be sure to look over our Galleries, and the Albums of the various builders. I agree that you would do the very best with a setup by Dave Staton (www.staton-inc.com). He will help you out with with any problems you might have....just don't bust into his space (or anybody else's) with something like, ["Hey, Dude. I need to motorize my bike to get back and forth to the campus. What ya got?"] You have to be nice, and he will help. Golden Eagle is also a good system, as is EZM. You have to do your research. don't be shy about sending me a PM...K?

Patrick

 

[wheelbender6]

I would go 4 stroke for daily comutes to avoid mixing gas and oil. 2 strokes are fine for commuting a few times per week. Friction drive may not be suitable for the infamous Detroit weather.
Do a lot of reading on this site before you buy. Some brands of transmissions for in frame four strokes will not be durable enough for your commute, and should be avoided. I agree that the Staton kits are plenty durable for what you want to do.