Theoretically: Long trips on a HT 48cc powered bicycle...?

[Frogslayer]

Unless you run some adjustable carburator I'm afraid you probably will have to change jetting along your trip. If you ride easy on the throttle where the needle is still inside the tube maybe you can get away with adjusting just the needle but i wouldn't count on it. Your going to need some power to make some of those mountains.

 

[Herman Klutz]

On one of the MB forums there is a member that uses the screen name of Cannonball2 that adapted a Stihl carburetor to a 66cc engine. It has a better jet system than the crap sold with these little engines. Not sure of which forum. But I would say an answer to the carburetor issues is a modification. That same person also adapted a 3 speed hub in a jackshaft for a transmission. Those 2 mods will get you over the mountains.

 

[ron67h]

I like to try it however I live near lake Erie NY SIDE but no one near my has a gas bike so I ride alone

 

[Street Ryderz]

I like to try it however I live near lake Erie NY SIDE but no one near my has a gas bike so I ride alone

I know of at least a half doz guys that live in Niagara and Buffalo area's that ride!

 

[extremeodd]

Getting a carb where you can put an adjustable jet on would help with needing to rejet from elevation changes. That or modify a carb to have an adjustable jet (not that hard).

 

[Kevinmiller85]

Unless you run some adjustable carburator I'm afraid you probably will have to change jetting along your trip. If you ride easy on the throttle where the needle is still inside the tube maybe you can get away with adjusting just the needle but i wouldn't count on it. Your going to need some power to make some of those mountains.

My problem is the law. I have a 79cc Phatmoto bike. It goes about 20mph top speed, yet so many states have no restrictions. So many want title license registration and insurance.... There is no consistancy. I am realizing that the number one thing that will determine my trip is the law... I hate the United States. We are retards. 50 different expectations all in 1 nation... Yay.

 

[LewieBike]

On one of the MB forums there is a member that uses the screen name of Cannonball2 that adapted a Stihl carburetor to a 66cc engine. It has a better jet system than the crap sold with these little engines. Not sure of which forum. But I would say an answer to the carburetor issues is a modification. That same person also adapted a 3 speed hub in a jackshaft for a transmission. Those 2 mods will get you over the mountains.

Yeah Cannonball2 is a legend, he's done some impressive DIY bike engine conversions.

He also installed a Yamaha PW50 carb to a 66cc engine which was my inspiration for my 48cc. His claim about the PW50 carb is it is better made, has more precise mixture control and it has a smaller venturi which means overall better power with a slight hit at the top end. He described running it to suddenly having a trials bike powerband that pulled well from lower RPMs without the stuttering and weird rich-lean-rich changes the CNS carbs do.

So far my PW carb has been a good change, if anything slightly rich at full throttle, a change in main jet soon as it's broken in now. The Stihl carb is a chainsaw pumper type carb and they need more mechanical chops to adapt to HT engines than I have the patience to deal with. The PW50 carb's only adaptation was making a reducing collar out of soft 20 gauge sheet aluminum so it could clamp on the smaller intake spigot of my HT 48 cc engine. I also added a Viton O ring to the little rectangular section O-ring the NT carb uses, so it seals better.

I want to avoid the NT carb issues and like having a carb that is much more precise, has an idle pilot jet and mixture screw, and a start circuit instead of a choke flap. The downside of the PW50 carb is that it will need the bowl removed to change jetting for altitude. I think I can get away with adjusting the metering needle up to about 6000' altitude.

 

[Greg58]

Cannonball has the advantage of being located near sea level with all flat roads, that would be nice, here just south of Atlanta we have a varying landscape.

 

[LewieBike]

My problem is the law. I have a 79cc Phatmoto bike. It goes about 20mph top speed, yet so many states have no restrictions. So many want title license registration and insurance.... There is no consistency. I am realizing that the number one thing that will determine my trip is the law... I hate the United States. We are retards. 50 different expectations all in 1 nation... Yay.

Most of the Western US is a mess of differing MB laws, I dread the time I come into the control of a law stickler LEO.

Oregon has this weird ass, 34 cc maximum displacement, maximum top speed of 24 mph but expected cruise of 18 mph, ( must have a saddle if a bicycle...), and be auto clutched. It's made to deal with gas powered foot scooters, but motorized bikes seem to fall through into this category. But the funny thing, there's a ton of local people riding HT kitted bikes, and the ones I've talked to about this have said: That as long as you're obeying the road laws , wear a helmet, use lights and hand signals you're golden, it's a rather unspoken and arbitrary.

I mean with the changes I've done to my bike it's got about a top speed of 24 mph. (I really don't feel safe above 28 mph on my bike..) and it's happy cruise is about 17 to 19 mph. Yeah it's 48 cc but I mean damn these HT engines are archaic, old school, and with the 48 cc, they're anemic and really meant as a bicycle assist engine. I cannot see starting from a dead stop on the clutch and engine alone as a steady diet with a loaded trailer behind me. I have a gut feeling that the 30 cc Weedie in my friction drive bike is nearly as powerful as my 48cc bike, it does as good a job of climbing hills with a load.

 

[LewieBike]

Cannonball has the advantage of being located near sea level with all flat roads, that would be nice, here just south of Atlanta we have a varying landscape.

Yeah I live in the Oregon equivalent of San Francisco. it's sea level also but it's hilly, it's also really windy from the North in the summertime. We have a long, narrow 2 lane bridge with awful traffic if I need to head out of town. I have to plan out my trips for time and terrain. A shifter kit would be considered if I could convince myself the added complexity was worth the effort and money.

I like simple machines, running this as a pedal bike with engine assist is complex enough. I also have a motorcycle but you cannot pull the clutch in with the moto and pedal it around the farmer's market and the bicycle is so much more flexible for parking.