Motorized bicycle

[marcmax]

Was at the home improvement store and has someone stop and want o talk about my sidecar rig ( love it ). After a bit of talking he said he had one of the little 2 stroke motor kits mounted on a bicycle and had been having nothing but problems with it, having destroyed 2 rear wheels in the process. Asked if I wanted it free of charge. Are you kidding? Two wheels and a motor? Hell yes!

It ended up being a 66cc 2 stroke Chinese motor (missing a key piece) mounted on a 40 lb pos bicycle. But free? To me that was a no-brainer. I brought it home after stopping at my local bike shop (good friend). He gave me a nice cyclocross bike that someone left at his shop. Too nice to throw out but not nice enough to resell.

So for a grand total of $6.23 (for the missing part) I have a new project. I don't have any great expectations but what the hell. It was free and I love to tinker.

[montmil]

FREE.

My all-time favorite four-letter "F" word. [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

[Barry]

I like it  - should have a good power to weight ratio.

What will it be in legal terms, a bicycle or a motorcycle ?

In the UK they are rather spoil sports when it comes to something like this. Even electrically assisted bicycles are classed as a motorcycle with the attendant costs of Road fund tax, insurance etc, unless motive assistance is only provided when the rider is pedalling.  

[Ed Miller]

Some guy in Falls City has one of those.  Noisy suckers, and I don't think he goes any faster than I do on my bicycle.  Probably uphill he would, though.  

At least I can pass the horses going uphill on my bicycle.  

[marcmax]

I have no idea how noisy or fast this thing is. I haven't gotten to the point of trying to start it. Being a little 2 stroke I am sure it will sound like a yard string trimmer. There are a ton of aftermarket exhausts available, longer, shorter, expansion chambers, etc. Have to see how it sounds and runs before I decide to put any money into it. The guy I got it from said it would cruise at 30 mph which is plenty past on bicycle tires and brakes.

As far as legality, where I live anything under 50cc with pedals is considered a moped and exempt from licensing, etc. It is not allowed on highways or main roads but can be on the side of secondary roads. No lights, turn signals, etc required.

[Ed Miller]

Even though yours is over 50 cc I doubt the cops will bug you.  It doesn't say "66 cc" on the motor, does it?

[marcmax]

There is nothing on it to identify the displacement. They are pretty clever with their design. Three engines all share the same bottom end and only differ in the cylinder, piston, head and carb. There is a 49cc, 66cc and an 80cc that all look identical. Asa matter of fact you can buy a kit of any displacement you want to "upgrade" your lower end.

Obviously there have been some "over the displacement" issues in places because an aftermarket company sells a magneto cover that has cast into it 49cc.