Who selles the best Friction drive kit, for the price?
- Thread starter u2seek42
- Start date
- Status
Wheres my dog
New Member
Ever see the cost of machine shop work lately????
Buy the cheap... go ahead... you'll be back next year saying you should of bought a better one!
You get what you pay for, not what you dream of
Happy Valley
Active Member
It's not blind allegiance to anyone in particular, rather it's after trying a bunch of different offerings on the market with lousy results then being sold on quality, of something that lasts. Would you think Dave Staton not being aware of the cheap Chinese copies is the reason he uses the Japanese engines?
Staton sells his FD w/out an engine for $179, but go for it, get access to that machine shop you mentioned and see what you can knock one out for,
however in the context of this discussion it would need be of the same or better quality. There has been some innovative inroads in DIY here, some successful, some not so. Sometimes one can get lucky and locate or utilize cast-off and found pieces in DIY, but often if you have to source and order rough stock and parts individually, and pay shipping on those parts, costs can escalate quickly. Then there's the machining and sometimes you can get lucky there too and not have a drive unit turn out like looking like an erector set.
So give it a go and good luck with it, but I will tell you from experience that the prices you were suggesting as un-reasonable are not.
BTW it would be a mischaracterization to say all MBs end up on $99 box store bikes, by a long shot. Many have been there done that and move on, just like with engines and drive components, for more durable quality.
Staton sells his FD w/out an engine for $179, but go for it, get access to that machine shop you mentioned and see what you can knock one out for,
however in the context of this discussion it would need be of the same or better quality. There has been some innovative inroads in DIY here, some successful, some not so. Sometimes one can get lucky and locate or utilize cast-off and found pieces in DIY, but often if you have to source and order rough stock and parts individually, and pay shipping on those parts, costs can escalate quickly. Then there's the machining and sometimes you can get lucky there too and not have a drive unit turn out like looking like an erector set.
So give it a go and good luck with it, but I will tell you from experience that the prices you were suggesting as un-reasonable are not.
BTW it would be a mischaracterization to say all MBs end up on $99 box store bikes, by a long shot. Many have been there done that and move on, just like with engines and drive components, for more durable quality.
loquin
Well-Known Member
I started with a $99 wally-world bike, put a staton friction drive on it, and in about a year, the bike was shot. (bearings shot and spokes popping.) The idea was not to spend a huge amount, until I saw if MBs were worth it.
Then, bought a trek navigator, moved the Staton FD on to it, and haven't looked back.
I have NOT regretted my approach. Sure, I had a throw-away bike, which I did. But, that's no reason to buy a throw-away engine/drive, too! I didn't want to spend all my time tinkering with an engine and drive, just to keep it running. I wanted to ride, and not HAVE to keep wasting time and money.
On the other hand, if your time is worth nothing, throw it away on a engine/kit that will suck up all of your spare time.
IMO, the best friction drive, for the price, IS Staton.
Then, bought a trek navigator, moved the Staton FD on to it, and haven't looked back.
I have NOT regretted my approach. Sure, I had a throw-away bike, which I did. But, that's no reason to buy a throw-away engine/drive, too! I didn't want to spend all my time tinkering with an engine and drive, just to keep it running. I wanted to ride, and not HAVE to keep wasting time and money.
On the other hand, if your time is worth nothing, throw it away on a engine/kit that will suck up all of your spare time.
IMO, the best friction drive, for the price, IS Staton.
Last edited:
Happy Valley
Active Member
Oh yeah, from the cross posting going on here and the other site, I think the agenda of this whole thread is apparent now, asking question you already have the answer to. Nice try amigo, lol.
Last edited:
I am not trying to offend the original poster,, but you came here asking for advice, & when given the advice from motorbikers with years of experience,,, you got negative & refused it.
I don't recommend any builder, just my choice . I absolutely never have recommended cheap Chinese chain drive kits . I have always stated that " You get what you pay for ." To compare a cheap Chinese motor to a Honda, Subaru/Robin, Mitsubishi, Tanaka , etc., etc.,,,,,,,,, is a joke !
I don't recommend any builder, just my choice . I absolutely never have recommended cheap Chinese chain drive kits . I have always stated that " You get what you pay for ." To compare a cheap Chinese motor to a Honda, Subaru/Robin, Mitsubishi, Tanaka , etc., etc.,,,,,,,,, is a joke !
Ah the philosophical question is it better to be ripped off, by your own country men, or someone else s.
I think I will take mine over to a machine shop, and ask them how much to make this little roller kit.
Then I might have a better idea of who the thieves are.
Ah are you guys gonna be mean to me, a motorized bike is my only wheels. I bought one of those china girls, what junk.
I can see that most of you have stock in staton, apparently.
What burns me is that you can not tell which is which, as to quality.
From your perspective the more it costs, the better it is.
I have a 1.5 hp mower engine I'll sell you for $16000 bucks you just know it hast to be great!
The statton kit looks no different than the one I have, for $225.00
So we have junk china girls, junk FD's junk solex, and the fine 400 buck statton only to be out done by the 500 buck bikebug.
Yep you are right I need to go find a machine shop and ask him to do all that ball bustin work, drill some holes, press in some bearings and shape a roller.
Gee I did more work than that when I built my first airplane model a age 7.
Staton such a fine upstanding American.... uses Japanese motors.... traitor, should be shot no doubt.
Screw it, I'll get a bike built for two and hire a 16 yo to pedal it.
As for bikebug, what are your thoughts?
I can see that most of you have stock in staton, apparently.
What burns me is that you can not tell which is which, as to quality.
From your perspective the more it costs, the better it is.
I have a 1.5 hp mower engine I'll sell you for $16000 bucks you just know it hast to be great!
The statton kit looks no different than the one I have, for $225.00
So we have junk china girls, junk FD's junk solex, and the fine 400 buck statton only to be out done by the 500 buck bikebug.
Yep you are right I need to go find a machine shop and ask him to do all that ball bustin work, drill some holes, press in some bearings and shape a roller.
Gee I did more work than that when I built my first airplane model a age 7.
Staton such a fine upstanding American.... uses Japanese motors.... traitor, should be shot no doubt.
Screw it, I'll get a bike built for two and hire a 16 yo to pedal it.
As for bikebug, what are your thoughts?
Crosshair_84
Member
- Local time
- 1:55 AM
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2011
- Messages
- 38
You realize that those "$89" engines are really $300+ engines. The only reason you can buy them right now for $89 is because someone bought up some unclaimed freight or parts stock from a bankrupt manufacturer. Once those are gone you'll be paying $300 again.
When you look at it as it should be looked at, $300 engine and $179 friction kit, things are much more reasonable. Yes that may seem like a lot, but realize that you are buying quality. Japanese 2 strokes are top notch. My 1978 Honda Express still runs perfectly despite being over 30 years old. My 1982 Honda Hobbit has some carb trouble, but the engine is solid. How many of the HT kits are going to be running 10 years from now, let alone 30?
Many of us who are looking to motorize a bicycle are doing it for transportation, not for tinkering and experimentation. To be used for serious transportation requires reliability and low maintenance. Having your engine fail 10 miles from home is not fun and not worth the cost savings.
For motorized bikes there are three choices: Cheap, reliable, and low maintenance. You can only pick two.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked
