Building a CHEAP Motorized Bike: Gas vs. Electric
Today in the shop my brother Drew and I put our collective building and mechanical experiences together to install this $100, 80cc motorized bike conversion kit onto our $100 Beach Cruiser bicycle. With the price of 2 gallons of gas and some 2 cycle oil, that puts out total to about $210 total. There were definitely plenty of times that we had to reference other videos, online tutorials, and the "directions" that came with it, while using all four of our combined hands to get everything in place and installed. Once it was all together, we took it out on a crisp and cold day, and got it up and running. We ended the day with a road test and comparison with the Rad Runner II electric bike. Although both have their positives and negatives, the motorized bike won out, in my opinion, due to its speed, MPG on one tank of gas, and the overall cool factor.
Thanks again to Drew for all the help. Head over and follow him on IG @drewpohara.
Check out our podcast, The Art of Craftsmanship, on all of your favorite podcasting platforms, where we talk about making things, shop tips, fun stories, and KZhead content creation.
Follow us on Instagram @theartofcraftsmanship and @theartofcameraguy to see what’s happening in the shop on a daily basis, join in with the live streams, and catch sneak peeks of our up coming videos.
If you would like to purchase AOC merchandise, you can find us on Tee Spring here...
the-art-of-craftsmanship-3.cr...
To those of you who feel like you got something special from our videos and want to know how you can support us further, check out our Patreon page here... / theartofcraftsmanship
I've been building gas bikes for 9 years... It's funny watching someone starting where I was back then knowledge wise.... I would highly recommend filing the intake and exhaust surfaces flat and make sure you use loc-tite on everything you don't want falling off... First upgrades I highly recommend are hub adapter, better hardware, carb jets, sparkplug and wire.
Currently building with a few years. Never used locktite...it's false Information for people who don't know how to build anything...
Also rag joints are best. Hub adapters slip like a mother
What's up big Ray?! 💪🏼😎✌🏼
Try helping the bike with it's forward motion by pedaling! Burn that clutch up🥴 different carb and proper jetting for your altitude helps more than you would ever believe. This is hard to watch.
yeah all that and these things do not like cold , good job nice!!
Thanks for the video 👍 I'm an outlaw motorized biker 💥👊😎💥 I rode a motorized bicycle across America 🇺🇸 last year Florida to California and back. I use my own build , so simple a cave man could do it. Works on any bicycle with a seat post. No special tools or parts required. Designed to make the bicycle none critical.
🚲💥💨💪
Can i get a video? I'm new and would love to see your build.
Gas Gang where ya at??
ها نحن
200 gas bike vs 1500 ebike? Gas win. Always. Lol. Thanks for the ride.
To optimize the performance of the engine, it is advisable to implement several key modifications. First, it is recommended to enhance the squish gap and undertake a cylinder and head deck adjustment. Furthermore, the removal of casting imperfections and burs is essential to ensure smooth operation. Precisely centering the magneto, achieved through the insertion of paper shims in the gaps, is imperative. Substituting the factory-installed spark plugs with NGK alternatives is highly recommended, given their superior performance. Moreover, replacing the stock exhaust pipe with a banana pipe is essential to mitigate excessive back pressure. Side port matching is an additional modification that can effectively reduce turbulence. It is crucial to acknowledge that these engines necessitate a meticulous break-in process before achieving optimal functionality. To maintain the engine's longevity, maintaining a fuel-to-oil ratio of 40:1 is advised. Lastly, fine-tuning the needle (carburetor) to minimize 4-stroking is a vital adjustment. It is important to bear in mind that these engines may require ongoing adjustments and are more suitable for enthusiasts with a penchant for tinkering.
Nice video...iv been building these little bikes for several years now and they seem to be a little weak when you first build them but if you put a pipe with a nice quiet silencer and a carb upgrade they have way more power it's unbelievable the power that you can get out of them with just a little amount of money....
Just so you know, The chain tensioner is NOT necessary. I normally don't use one and the bikes without one are smoother,quiter, and quite possibly a bit faster. And for sure less dangerous because it won't be going into the spokes and wrecking the back wheel and possibly ending your life. I don't think chain tensioners are always needed.
What a toy that has reached your hands, Dustin! I'm sure it's been as fun as riding it. A hug. Congratulations
The easiest way to install a rear spocket and rag joint is to duct tape all the bolts with washers to the sprocket and then put the rubber ring onto the bolts then you can even tape the whole thing to the spokes to temporarily hold it in position and lay it on its side and then install the inside rubber and crush plates and all the washers and nuts.
Always entertaining! Thank you!
Thanks for watching
Thx for post
I've been building and writing two-stroke bikes since I was 13 absolutely love them picked up a dual engine e-bike last year honestly I think it's more fun to ride the e-bike.. the bike is hands down more reliable I mean not that fixing anything on the two-stroke is overly difficult just time-consuming when you're just trying to go out for a ride that extra 10-15 minutes to get something working right is a pain on steep hills the e-bike definitely outperforms the two-stroke but on flats the two-stroke definitely outperforms .. my main draw towards the two stroke bikes is the ability to upgrade them cheaply for an extra 50 to $80 you can get the two stroke up to about 50 miles an hour which I definitely do not recommend on a bicycle but you can while upgrading the e-bike is super expensive... Overall for my daily commuting grocery getting stuff like that I prefer my e-bike on trails or just riding out with friends or in the snow I definitely prefer the two stroke
rgreat video. is the engine a full time use idea of use vs part time assisting on long rides/slopes?
Nice video! You should do a video on the PHATMOTO gasbikes! You will get hundreds of thousands of views !
Overpriced trash china quality
One thing I know between the two., the e-bikes win hands down on maintenance and reliability… I originally had a Walmart pedal assist EBike which basically was maintenance free besides the tires, brakes and normal bike maintenance. As long as you remember to charge it, the bike just goes and gets you there. I bought a motorbike from a guy already assembled as I’m not that mechanically inclined hoping to replace my ebike with the cool factor as my daily driver to work (3 miles on mostly residential roads). I learned very quickly that these motors are very finicky and require constant maintenance to keep them running. The video even shows how hard they can be to start and run in the cold. I was never late because of a fault with my ebike. I’ve been late to work at least a dozen times with my motorbike. I have since gone back to my more predictable and reliable ebike. Don’t get me wrong, I love riding it when it is running, but my point is if you’re looking for easy maintenance and reliability, the ebike wins. The motor bicycle is more a hobbyist/recreational vehicle for fun riding. But a consistent reliable everyday driver it is not, especially if you’re not mechanically inclined and or don’t have the time/place to constantly work on it to keep it running. Another thing that e-bikes will win is the storage factor. Because it has gasoline, I can’t bring my bike into the building where I work, or into my apartment, but my ebike, I’m allowed to bring into my office and apartment.
The only thing I've ever had to do since converting my mountain bike into a 2000w beast is change the brake pads twice and it's been a year and a half lol. I got the schwalbe marathon plus tires so don't need to worry about flats. It's been the most reliable vehicle I've ever had and the cheapest to run. I'm spending about £1.10 a month in electric to charge my battery and that's for 300 miles of riding throttle only.
Yea to get a real good compairison you need the same size bike and rider for each to get the best report to compair them.
Them bikes gone have drop them price way or go out business here in Texas There are no restrictions motorized bikes $200 vs $1500 and the $200 dusts the $1500
you put the master link on backwards. closed side of clip should face the direction of chain travel. 8:53 has ithe masterlink clip come off yet?
Nice video.. But watching it and thinking i would have to call you two to put mine together for me lol don't think i would have the patience .
I prefer a gas engine bike, great mileage and cheap transportation.
And fill the tank in like 1 minute
nice ride
I've got one of these motorized bicycles in the UK and actually the law is pretty relaxed about it... ive been pulled over 3 times and they was asking me if it was legal lol its not legal but not illegal as its still technically a bicycle because you can peddle it (its the same law as the electric bikes) iv even taken it on trains.. where ever i have gone ive had nothing but positive reactions but i think the "cool" factor is a big part in why people dont react badly to it.. people just love to see it
I got a super overpowered electric one and have also had no issues with the law. The 2 police that have talked to me have loved the bike.
For starters the two stroke engines need to be broken in with the lean mixture and then the richer mixture. After the break in it will be a little bit better on hills. I’m a owner of two different bikes with different ccs.
Thanks Dr. It’s been running well for the last few days. So much fun.
It really is fun and one of the reasons why I built them, also if you want to learn more about the two stroke bikes or looking for some entertainment check out bike berry and LA Hover KZhead channels.
Respectfully you're given the wrong information telling people they need to break in their motor with a lean mixture. You're supposed to do the opposite of that, you're supposed to have a rich mixture of oil. You never want to get a two-stroke lean especially break in especially when you're trying to seat the rings and flush the metal debris.
@@JamesPiccone that was what I was meaning, they need to run a lean gas mixture to a rich oil mixture. I apologize for that caused any confusion.
"Fully open the choke to start"? No wonder you had trouble.
Yeah, had to play around with the tuning. First time with a 2 stroke
Everyone is doing motorized bikes now
As they should it's a great mode of transportation and it's good on gas
I don't know about electric, but I know I looooove riding and tinkering on my gas bike
Where did you buy this kit from?
Good video alright!
Awesome. Looks super fun! Think I’d still prefer my quiet e-bike.
Until a emp from a nuke
@@coryb71chevy not worried about that.
@@coryb71chevy😂
Ebikes are slow and have no range. It's like saying I prefer drug addict girls. Ah, ok you like inferior stuff. No need to publisize , is there?
@@derangius I can take my ebike anywhere I can take a normal bike. Also don’t need a license. If you can’t see the benefit in that 🤷♂️
I was thinking about buying a electric scooter. But gas powered bike can take me so much further. I need advice what cheap motorized should I buy.
Did you end up getting a motor? I’m not too familiar with the cheap engine kits. All I can say is I spent $220 for the Zeda 80 Firestorm engine kit and been riding great. I get 30-35 mph, I’ve ridden ebikes in the past and the thing that makes me always choose gas over electric is the price, range, and speed. It’s incredible how fast and far you can go on a $300 self built gas bike
*With around 3,500 miles clocked on a motorized (gas) bicycle, I'm open to answer any questions; be it mechanical or legal* *those "80 cc" kits are really more like 39cc, china measures their bores differently, unless you're rocking something special I'm unaware of but the one in this video looks like a clone of mine with a brand name painted on it. WIth that said, look for passenger vehicle designations in your state laws for motorized bicycles then the DMV documents available for registration. An MVR 58 (maybe its 59) will generally tell you to only fill it out for moped/motorcycle designations and since there is often a state legislative definition for a motorized bicycle/pedal assisted bicycle, you may be able to ride it without registration and or liability insurance. This is because you fall under low speed classifications which don't require liability insurance, and then the MVR document itself clearly defines what type of passenger vehicle is meant to be registered on the documentation. If the DMV in your state doesn't provide and regulation a necessary and available route to register a gas motorized bicycle that can go 20 mph on flat ground with an engine not exceeding your moped/motorcycle minimums, then you are still allowed access to the public road and regulated no different than any other conventional bicycle. I've hoped through the legal system with mine once or twice and spent nearly 6 months talking to various lawyers, police departments, insurance companies and our state's DMV dept of licensing title and theft to get a clear understanding of how the laws and regulations intertwine at least for me. I highly suggest getting a custom vanity tag made from amazon for $20 with an image you make yourself using DOT orange and black that reads "DO NOT REGISTER" then in small text below that explains your states general statutes that define the motorized bike, the DMV MVR literature and that you have been advised by your states DMV as such that you fit within your states definitions of a motorized bicycle which is separate from a moped or motorcycle under those definitions with no need for liability insurance either. Again.. open to answer any question, be it legal, or mechanical.. however I feel compelled to state this is not legal or safety advice, just words to ponder.
my E bike i hold around 23ish mph and can make out with low end gear + pedaling to about 35 straight line and 45 down hill. the 2 stroke bike is imo much more fun. if it wasn't for how loud they where i would use them as i like them better as i am a city rider not back road area. i also built my ebike with a bafang motor kit with a large cell battery that can get me up to 90 miles while pedaling and maybe 40ish+ with just using the motor and throttle. i think for a better comparison video you should sell that rad bike and buy a 750w or 1000w bafang motor with a high capacity cell. its night and day to a pre built. the rad is good if you are doing some short city driving. the other issue with the motor bikes is the wider leg stance you need and most people when they convert their bikes to motor bikes just stop peddling for the 2 stroke kits as there isn't really much of an advantage to pedaling when them. where the E bike works on better on pedaling.
How many Ah is your battery?
@@ForcingShots 20ah. the display died over the winter for some reason.. or the controller unit. so i haven't been able to use it as of late which really sucks. i haven't really had the will to fix it. i put it on a gravel bike and my city roads are not kind to the added weight. so i need to get a proper mtb bike but it did move well till the issue came up
Many ebike conversion kits can go over 50 mph. They do cost much more than even a good used motorcycle but are mostly legal if driven slow. That slow ebike is overpriced. Most 72v ebike can smoke it. Cheap fun still
I have a pull start on mine 😁
Ya I seen those I'm gonna be building my first gas bike and I'm probably gonna pick one up because it seems like it would be easier on the engine by not cold starting it instantly under load.
Those pull starts like to break stuff when they eventually fly apart
They forgot to mention reliability!!!!!! Just wait till that Walmart bike goes out on ya
not a fair comparison. if the electric is one you build, price will be about the same and electric wins on maintenance, too. i picked up a walmart bicycle on craigslist for $20, a kit for $160 from ebay, and made my own battery that gives me about 60 miles for $40 (cells from a seller called batteryhookup, fast charger was about $35) and i use it to go to work everyday for 3 years now. Silent, 30 mile commute cost 14 cents, and rare/easy maintenance. I'm trying to make a decision for a next build (or next transportation investment or strategy upgrade or plan B commute) for more distance, either a 4 stroke motorized bicycle (or get a cheap Yamaha or Honda scooter, in both cases will need to add motorcycle to my license and start driving on roads) or but another electric but folding bicycle to use it in combination with buses, greyhounds, amtraks, ...etc.
Have fun charging ur bike half the day while I'm riding all day long
I am. An insane amount of it. In comparizon to your pedaling and energy/calories wasted pain. Think logically
@engineereuler1762 won't even ride a bike without complaining but either way I only pedal to start and it's not very hard to pedal on a mtn bike with 13 gears
The motorized bicycle gets more than "100mpg" So thats wrong! Almost 150mpg if running properly.
*Great bike but brakes wear down quickly*
8:57 - wrong direction chain lock installed
Okay i got a question now for you about the gas bike with Biden's new law where he want to get rid of regular gas for this new gas will these motor bikes use and run on this new gasoline. ??
Not sure.
I want to buy how much
hub adapter
No they suck
Torque down the headbolts and all the other motor bolts 😂
I'm buying a 50 cc gas kit so I can use it to get to work which is 3 miles from my house.
I ride a 13 mile 1 way ride to town and then I ride around town for about an hour ushally going around 30 miles while in town just messing around and then I have my ride back home and bike seems to do good ive made this trip 4 times now
In my State the motorized bike would be a motorcycle, as in tags, insurance, motorcycle DL.
🖐🙂What state are you in ? I ride motorized bicycles and tour with them . Been across America and back last year. Like riding down hill all day long.
Must be im commy California
Imo you always want to run 16:1 for break in
I ran 32:1 on my first motor but I just used 42:1 in my newest motor it'll be fine lol send it
NOISE!! That should be the #1 issue. In the city, no one wants that coming down the street.
With the stock mudfler it's quieter then a weed whacker running in ur newborn yard if people complain their just mad they don't have on or their Karen's
What is knocking around sounding like a cow bell lol
Chain slapping against the chain guard.
That was just ur mom and me my bad
Yea but its still braking in
Your spark plug is on the wrong side.
First?
The Black Widows ride again
My. Cycle and love 💕 my cellphone
The cops aren't going to mess with you if it a 80cc. just tell them its 50cc there not going to take the motor apart to measure it . I have never been harassed about cops here actually think its really cool
Thanks for the info.
@@TheArtofCraftsmanshipthey would have to have a warent to meshure the diameter of the bore and they would never do that
25 tears for me, get a better bike with v brakes F+ R with big V in front. , 50 years w motorcycles, I make my own rear wheel, hub and spokes, sealed bearings
Is it me or something like a cow bell ringing all the time😅
A gasoline powered scooter might function better.
And cost 4 times the price 🤦
My two motorized bikes were about $900 and $1,100. My two Fat Tire Mountain bike builds were $1,600 and $1,900.
Wow you have money, thanks for telling everyone. We all care so much
@@randellsmith7651 didn't even watch the video right to the comment section to talk trash. Nice. Spending $10,000 on a stake because you're hungry is money , not a couple inexpensive bicycles. Elevate your mindset.
Not that I'm complaining but I only subscribed to you because you make nice knives and I'd like to see that in the future. But you still decide what to broadcast
Thanks for the feed back. We’ll keep mixing knife making videos in the future.
Not sure why'd you want to compare a gas conversion on a normal bicycle with 26" wheels vs a ebike with 20" fatbike tires. That is like comparing a car versus a go cart and being surprised the car runs faster. Wheel sizes matter when comparing vehicles.
I think it is because they marketing of the e-bike is claiming the same use.
the video its self is fun but it also not a good comparison video at all. the rad bike is not good compare imo, a bafang motor 750-1000w would of been a better video. the rad just don't put out the juice a custom built bafang could do. my ebike i put together hold 23 mph while pedaling in 4th speed assist mode *not gear* and can push 35 in low gear and 9th speed assist most and down hill i can hit 45+mph i could go faster but im sorta not on the right bike for it. i converted a gravel bike with thinner tires and no suspension to ebike and it was a bad idea. im currently in the market for a full suspension bike right now but damn they get expensive fast. unless i get a walmart bike which i swore to my self i would never do. so all in all. right now. my bike was 650$ and the bafang motor was 1300$ after tax and then i had to spend 30 on a new chain and 60 on a new front sprocket as the default one was to long. so the 2 stroke kit is WELLLL cheaper and more fun to work on but also not really city minded where its a noise problem and easily heard by police who like to harass people for it. also with the fact that i feel a fat tire or a mtb bike is required with the ebike as it makes so much speed and torque the price can be go up much much more. so 1000+ for just the bike alone. hell i can't even find a good used full suspension bike brand that sells for under 1200-1500$ i can find hardtail mtb bikes for under 1000$ but having that rear mounted suspension i feel is IDEAL in my area. only reason i say that is the main roads are not 100% maintained and if you hit even smaller pot hole at 25ish mph on a skinny rim it blows the spokes out. i think im 80$ on just getting a new spoke and rim tured now. its the only reason im looking for a better bike. if my roads where fine then the bike would preform much better on road.
No need for licence even if it was 1000 cc bike. Asking for licence when travelling is against constitution and is actually criminal offense
They are cheap. Also unreliable, noisy, and they stink. Very limited on where one can be ridden, pretty much confined the the street. I have over 1000 hours on my home made high power hub drive ebike and zero problems. A 1000hrs on the ice setup will likely cost more then the < $1000- I have into the ebike due to gas and repairs.
I drive Mt motorized bicycle everywhere on 60 mile round trips to town offroad in the snow and I got the bike for free and the motor 100$ u can never beat that with an e bike sry
@@theLyzhendricks You have an ideal situation use one. I wish you luck, and reliability.
Is Hoping this product is made in America. 😊
China.
You're funny!
😂😂😂😂 America 😂😂😂😂😂 ur funny
No, Sum Ting Wong made it.
@@user-yo1pk4ky4k 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Typical bumcycle! Not allowed on bike paths & public transportation sucks to ride a chainsaw and smell the fumes😢
I love the smell of gas
That`s why you should not own one. I have peddle bikes , e -bikes and 2 stroke bikes. I guess I should make up my mind.
Two cycles have no torque and they leave you stinky. Electric bikes are ugly and expensive. Just pedal your damn bike.
Nah Bru it's 100$ amd u can go up to 40 mph if tuned right it makes a hour long bike ride take 20 min keep pedaling if u want but ima Stat with my gas
Amd whoever told u 2 strokes have no tourq is dum they have way more tourq in the PowerBand then a 4 stroke at wot
Or buy an actual motorcycle?
@@JackParsons. for 150$???
Sure did hear a lot clanking going on. Lol
Almost like it's a 2 stroke