Glad I found this thread. I thought there was a forum for (gasoline) motorized bikes...I guess not. I frequent several of the BFs but this is my first post in the alt bike culture thread. Anyway...my concern is over a motorized bike that my teenage Godson has. It was "a kit" but I'm not sure of the engine size. Generally, he's more mechanical than lots of kids. But like most teenagers he's stupid too. He doesn't know a lot about specific bicycle mechanics...so he usually comes to me. Case in point: He brought a rear wheel over today that was missing more than half the spokes, and he asked me to essentially re-lace it for him. It's all set now... tensioned, and trued. I haven't actually laid eyes on this motorized bike, but some of the things he's mentioned to me about it have me worried. He says that it's go about 30-35mph. But like you said...the bike frame and wheels are not designed for those speeds. And then he mentioned that there aren't rear brakes on it...just front. OMG! I told him to get working rear brakes on it BEFORE he rides it again. (I envisioned and ass over teakettle situation followed by dental work, and facial reconstruction.) And, I told his mother about all this and clued her into my general concerns. She knew about the motorized bike, but not the condition he keeps it in (i.e. no rear brakes). So, knowing that he's going to keep riding it...what other concerns should I consider?


Damn kid!!! Saw him today and he tells me that he sold the motorized bicycle for $400. And then he tells me that part of his sales pitch was that "it has a newly re-spoked rear wheel"...THE SAME WHEEL THAT I JUST COMPLETLEY RE-LACED FOR HIM...FOR NO CHARGE. I said I better be seeing at least $100 of that money. Little fncker!!!

Dan