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Bicycle to "Moped" conversion
Slater - 8/3/11 at 07:02 AM

How about this for a small fun project:

It's only 1650 South African Rand or 145 UK pounds.
I'll also need to buy a cheap 2nd hand bike.

Has anyone done anything similar? I'm not sure what I'd use it for but it look like fun for not alot of cash.

linker to ecotrax website


Mr Whippy - 8/3/11 at 07:47 AM

Yes seen them a while back but not allowed on uk roads or cycle paths with the engine running. Strimmer size engine and just as loud. For the money you'd be better buying a second hand moped tbh and it would be comparatively safer. Due to the fuel saving compared to cars, most motorbikes etc work out free and pay for themselves in savings in a matter of months.


hughpinder - 8/3/11 at 08:35 AM

My dad had one in the late 1950's! 25cc engine.
He lost all his front teeth when he came off it and bit the kerb - false teeth since his 20's!

Regards
Hugh


tony-devon - 8/3/11 at 08:55 AM

they are allowed on UK roads, but need MSVA

theres a couple about local to me, and also on the britchopper forum theres a thread about the build etc of one


swanny - 8/3/11 at 09:17 AM

they would be good for le mans, you'd be able to get around a lot of different places to see the race.
in the old days before the tram it would have been great whizzing up the big hill back from town on one of those.

surely the fremnch police wouldnt mind would they, they let that pirate ship drive around one year!

on second thoughts, adding beer into the equation that might get quite messy....


Strontium Dog - 8/3/11 at 09:40 AM

A chap near us uses one to commute to work daily. He loves it and can get around 30mph and a long way on a few pints of petrol. He says the worst thing is the car drivers who see a push bike and go to overtake assuming he is doing 10mph and then find he is doing 30mph and can't get past in the distance they thought they could

Apart from that he loves it and reckons it has saved him a fortune in fuel costs. I don't think he has registered his as a low power moped although you are supposed to and in this rural area he doesn't seem to attract any attention. Not that I would advocate breaking any of the just laws or flouting any of the red tape of this wise, just and fair country! Lol


Slater - 8/3/11 at 09:40 AM

I live in Johannesburg, so should be able to use it on the roads as long as I wear a helmet according to the legal links on the website. If not, I live in a huge gated community (1 mile square) and could use it just for getting about inside the estate.

Just thought it would be a cheap fun project.


nick205 - 8/3/11 at 10:55 AM

Go for it and tell us all about it - looks like fun


Mr Whippy - 8/3/11 at 12:15 PM

yeah if you can use it without getting in trouble worth a go, my racer will do around 30mph and that's well fast on a push bike. Do make sure you have an easy reach kill switch for the engine and very good brakes


tony-devon - 8/3/11 at 01:25 PM

I have ridden one to work, theres a beautiful smooth path (the Tarka trail) along the river from my house all the way to within 10 yards of my work over 9 miles all in.

I took a lot of effort to make it as quiet as possible, have also commuted on a goped scooter, that was fun, tuned up to hell, but that drank quite a bit of fuel.

here in the UK a lot will depend on the area you live in, for me its quiet and rarely see a copper, went past one once on the goped, he just looked, looked again, seemed a little confused and went back to watching the cars go by

diesel bike is my next project after the trike


Slater - 8/3/11 at 01:52 PM

Thanks for the advice....... kill switch and good brakes are good points, I think the kits includes a kill switch.

Once I get the kit and fit it to the bike I will report back for sure.


Peteff - 8/3/11 at 03:24 PM

They are available over here as Transformer cycles. They do an 80cc engine which would be more trouble to register as it would technically be a motorcycle and a 50cc which would be the obvious candidate to register on British roads as they would be illegal to ride unregistered. The police round here have really clamped down on pit bikes and mini motos, they are straight in the crusher when caught riding unregistered on public land.


tony-devon - 8/3/11 at 03:28 PM

you could probably get away with 23 or 26cc

the zenoah g230RC would be an ideal candidate

or fit a big bore with stroker crank, bit of tuning and your over 6bhp


02GF74 - 10/3/11 at 10:51 AM

quote:
Originally posted by hughpinder
My dad had one in the late 1950's! 25cc engine.



I once looked through book about British motorcycles in a library and back in the day when we actually made stuff, there were tons of companies making these type of attachments. Some use a chain as per the photo, others drove the tyre or rim, others were housed in the hub, quite ingenious.


There is an electic motor that fits inside the bottom bracket to help turn the pedals - worth checking that out.


Fred W B - 10/3/11 at 11:21 AM

I've seen one of those running around the pits at a race meeting, and the engine looks like it is still the 50's design.

Cheers

Fred W B


Ninehigh - 11/3/11 at 07:13 PM

Why not have an electric motor? Save all the legal hassle and your pedalling can charge it