How to Build a Motorized Bicycle

Well this is nifty. You get a crappy old bike (you could probably just buy one from a junk yard for $5 or something), you get

an old (but still in good working order) weedeater engine, and you get ready to get your hands dirty and scrape your knuckles. Also, it seems like you do need access to a minimal amount of tools, and a machine shop would be even better, though I’m sure the truly determined amongst you could make this work in your garage with

just some hand tools, drill, and maybe a dremel tool. Check this out.

First, a few tips

  • V-frame bicycles, such as cruisers, work the best because they will be the most likely to have the necessary space for the engine so you can mount it without requiring drilling or custom adapter plates.
  • The easiest thing to do is to purchase a bicycle engine kit like this one instead of trying to build everything from scratch, but of course doing it all by scratch is not only easier but much more challenging and therefore rewarding for those who can do it. If you can’t do
    the necessary machining and you know you can’t do the necessary machining, then there’s nothing wrong whatsoever with just getting the kit. The kit will come with everything you

    need including: the motor (5-6 HP), exhaust pipe, chain, chain guard, bearings, tooth sprocket, etc.

  • Take your time and do everything properly, you don’t want this thing blowing up or throwing the chain at 30 MPH with you on it.

What to do

Additional Resources and Further Reading

Here’s an entire forum devoted to motorized bicycling, that’s the first place I’d head if I wanted more help.

The guy who did the video above is just bad ass, you’ve got to check out his YouTube channel, he’s got all kinds of good shit on there :mrgreen: