what to look for when buying first bike

[Dr mac]

Ok what do I need to look for in buying a first bike to turn into a motored.

Do not want a chop as have a cb750 I'am already working on.
When we were kids ( back in the 70s) we would ride raliegh or schwinn 10 speeds .Which I still ride from time to time.

Can I just take a mountain bike from walley world and convert it . That or ? suggestions with a pic or ?

thanks in advance

Dr mac

 

[motorbikemike45]

You can motorize a cheap wally world bike, but...... to be safe and reliable you will need to upgrade many parts. I always tear a new bike down completely and clean and re grease every bearing. Cheap bikes have bearings that are dirty, filled with metal filings, packed with poor quality grease or not greased at all. The bolts can be so loose you can take them apart with your fingers, or so tight you will strip them trying to take them apart. Reassemble the bike with care using loctite or similar products on key fasteners to prevent them vibrating loose and you have half the battle won. Cheap wheels, tires, and brakes are not up to the minimum standard when you increase the speed to that at which motored bikes operate. Up grade wheels, brakes, and tires and you should be fine. Your local bike shop is your best source for quality parts/advice. It might cost as much as twice what you paid for the bike originally, but it will be much much safer and still be a bargain, and in the long run it will be money well spent.

Remember, the cheap is never good and the good is never cheap. That also goes for the motors/drive kits.

 

[Skyliner70cc]

I use the 2 year and older Schwinn Skyliner and Schwinn Searchers that used to be sold (don't know if they still are) at K-mart and Sears. They are great bikes for motorizing and nothing is really needed to be done to the bikes to motorize them other than upgrading the tire tubes to thicker ones.

I haven't been impressed by local bike shops and as a mecca for wannabe Lance Armstrongs, we have plenty of bike shops. None of the 4 bike shops I went to could get me the correct size axle for my rear bike....each one sold me the wrong wrong. My axle is 3/8 x26 and several of the shops sold me 9.5mm x26 which works but there is too much slop in the bearing cups and bolts. Another didn't even come close to the thread and sold me a 10mm x1

I order online from now one and skip the local bike shops.

 

[RedBaronX]

I have a Greenline beach cruiser, and the motor fit was practically plug and play-- no additional engine mounts and NO drilling the frame

This is the bike I bought and where I got it: beach cruiser though I got the 7 speed version. The site has a larger selection of Micargis, which is nearly the same frame (I think...)

 

[skyl4rk]

This one is built for motorizing and has a lot of parts that you might have to pay extra for on a walmart bike:

http://www.bicycle-engines.com/series-bicycles-c-24.html?osCsid=ds02krpjajg0gbdtv05hsv5a31

There is also a GT-2 with a gas tank in the frame, that would be my choice.

 

[RedBaronX]

This one is built for motorizing and has a lot of parts that you might have to pay extra for on a walmart bike:

http://www.bicycle-engines.com/series-bicycles-c-24.html?osCsid=ds02krpjajg0gbdtv05hsv5a31

There is also a GT-2 with a gas tank in the frame, that would be my choice.

it's a steal for what you get... looking over the specs, it's a great bike for someone new to MBs, ESPECIALLY one who might not be as mechanically inclined as the folks on the forum that can MacGuyver a beautiful bike together from beer cans, rubber bands, and a tampon...

 

[ibdennyak]

it's a steal for what you get... looking over the specs, it's a great bike for someone new to MBs, ESPECIALLY one who might not be as mechanically inclined as the folks on the forum that can MacGuyver a beautiful bike together from beer cans, rubber bands, and a tampon...

Well....thank you. I prefer Heineken cans and the large industrial duty rubber bands. Never used a tampn....do you have a preference????

 

[motman812]

Gt-2?

Does anyone know where a GT-2 is available?

 

[hurricane]

This one is built for motorizing and has a lot of parts that you might have to pay extra for on a walmart bike:

http://www.bicycle-engines.com/series-bicycles-c-24.html?osCsid=ds02krpjajg0gbdtv05hsv5a31

There is also a GT-2 with a gas tank in the frame, that would be my choice.

thats a sick bike frame for the money, and it comes standard with three brakes, but yea gt-2 is better due to the tank but it isn't available right now.

 

[retromike3]

look at drop outs

If it is possible look for a bike with long horizontal drop outs. I had problems with my current frame because that I had vertical dropouts. Its nice to be able to move the rear wheel to take up the slack in the drive train.

I am installing track type dropouts on my current cruiser so I don't have to worry about a chain tensioner.

I would also stay away from cheap "wally world" bikes because at a certain level of quality you just don't have to worry about them. The bike I am currently using is a 94 Giant mountain bike with mid level components. I built the wheels and installed all of the parts from the ones I had except for the Kings rear sprocket and adapter.



mike