random stuff i've learned: motorized bicycles 101

  So.... you haven't got a license yet - but are still craving something you can drive around on. Bicycles are trusty - sure, but a bit boring aren't they?

  That's where the almost 30+ year old hobby I fell into comes in: motorized bicycles. Just as the name sounds - it is the affixing of a motor (gas, electric, etc.) to a bicycle. Any of you guys who've stalked my profile know about my home-made motorcycle - well this is it. This is a basic run-down of the hobby, what you can expect from it, and the (many) struggles you may face in it.

  Part 1: How? (Macro)

   I'm glad you asked - people have been motorizing bikes as far back as 100 years ago. In fact - the very first motor vehicle was a motorized bicycle. Their natural evolution into the modern-day motorcycle makes sense - but what makes the motorized bicycle different?  Nowadays Amazon and other motorized bike retailers sell kits - in the 2-stroke or 4-stroke variety - which can be installed onto your bicycle to convert it into a moped. The key here is that conversion - every motorized bicycle starts out as a regular bicycle. These conversions don't need to be from kits, though - if you're especially creative, you can indulge in lawnmower conversions, weedwhacker conversions, and even motorcycle conversions. 

  Part 1.1: How? (Micro)

  The mechanism is much the same to normal motorcycles - you have an engine which turns an output of some kind (flywheel, etc.) - and applies that energy via chain to the back (or front!) wheel. Similar to a normal bicycle - but instead of your pedaling going to the back wheel, it's your engine. For our uses in this article - that over simplified version is enough, but there is a bit more mechanical nuance when you actually create one. Summary: the main mechanisms are your throttle, engine, chain, and rear wheel - all of which are the basic essentials to running one of these things. 

  Part 2: Why not buy a moped?

   Frankly - you'd likely be better served by one for practical uses. Motorized bicycles are a tinkerer's toy - not so much a get-around-town machine. People do commute via motorized bicycle, and I personally have drove around town on mine a fair bit - but if you don't want to tinker and toy with mechanics, a moped is a much better option for the regular joe (or jane!). Bicycles are just not designed to accept engines and their vibration - as beautiful as a motorized bicycle can be once you get it running, it's a constant labor of love - and eventually parts will give out. You will always be asked to reply to an issue - and at points, it can be downright dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Even something as simple as a loose chain can cause you hours of grief - if I didn't know any better, I'd say it's a masochists' hobby. 

   Part 2.1: Pros / Cons of Motorized Bicycles

  Pros:
-Grey area legality - I drove mine around for months without any form of license and never got in trouble. For a teenager with no license - that's a cool experience, getting around on your own effort-free.

-They're plain cool. I showed my friends mine and they wouldn't stop asking about it - and they turn heads no matter where you go with them. 
-Relatively cheap. Yes, the price of admission is at least ~$175 - $400 depending on the kit you buy and whether you buy a new or used bicycle - but for a cheap build to get in the game, you may only have to spend $200. They're the cheapest, somewhat readily available motorized vehicles you can get your hands on - not even ebikes match their value. 

-Cheap on gas. Even bad 2-strokes get minimum of 75MPG and cost single digit dollars to fill up - my personal 4-stroke build got 150MPG and cost $5 to fill up a tank. In theory - you could go on a longer trip with one of these than an e-bike, as gas stations tend to be more readily available than charging stations (sadly). 

Cons:
-Labor-intensive. You need tools, some mechanical know-how - and extras. I'm a gay, chronically online teenager and I could figure it out with enough YouTube guides - but be ready to get dirty and suck at it while you learn. This can be the most debilitating con - but it's also what provides the reward when you figure out a problem and solve it. 

-Slow. Some specially modified bikes get up to 60MPH, but for regular off-the-shelf cheap builds, you can only expect 25-35MPH top speed - practically, you'll only want to drive around ~20-25mph and cruise to keep your engine from getting too hot anyway. 

-Make you stink. No - this isn't a joke. The exhaust on these tends to shoot right onto your leg - and even if you grow noseblind to it, the smell of gas and exhaust can accompany you after any riding session. If you get a different exhaust this can be less of an issue - or if you're especially careful to not have any gas leakage anywhere.

-Difficult to operate at points. You often need to bring tools, parts, pause to let the bike cool down when it gets hot, and pamper it a little with bumps and crashes. You may be left stranded by a bad enough crash if a crucial part (e.g. sprocket, chain, etc.) breaks. Pre-trip, you will want to check every bolt to ensure it hasn't loosened from vibration - check chain tightness, carburetor function, etc. Complacency kills - and it's no different with motorized bicycles.

-You could make an argument that they are worse on the environment, as they don't meet any formal emissions regulations and burn gas. E-bikes fall into the same moral dilemma (most cobalt from your batteries is illegally mined in the DRC by children - look it up) - but by this point it's difficult as consumers to balance these dilemmas with price and practicality. If we could afford to buy clothes which weren't made via poor methods - we would, but most of us can't - which is what makes environmental issues more of a systemic issue than a personal, consumer-level issue. That's just my 2 cents, though - and isn't particularly relevant to motorized bicycles. This one's tricky - and I wouldn't blame any environmentalists for disliking them. 

-Grey-area legality. Some places have explicit legislature against motorized bicycles (Toronto) - but their enforcement is another thing. Some of this is down to luck - and some of this is down to how and where you ride these things at what time.



   Part 3: Summary & Resources
  While they aren't the most legal, or even practical hobby - for budget guys (or gals) with mechanical know-how and an interest to learn - motorized bikes are a fun project. They got me out of the house for a summer - and for me, that's impressive; so if any of you are in that variety of autism which involves tinkering with things, maybe consider it. If any of you do explore this hobby - I have a couple sources I used for most of my help.

Hughes Motorized- old guy in his garage. Best tips and tutorials I've gotten. 
LA Hover Bikes - chill dude. Good tips and dialogue on motorized bicycles. 
motoredbikes.com - the de-facto forum website for all kinds of ideas and questions.

    Part 4: Gallery (eye candy)
Motorized Bike Racing
Motorized Couch
Motorized Tricycle(these are sick)
Steampunk Motorized Bike
Crazy Old Guy Bike