WisdomWarlord
New Member
I got my hands on a Honda GX110 4 stroke engine, 107cc and 4 stroke, I have been scheming ways to put it on my bike and still make my bike a ridable bicycle. If I didn't want pedals, I would have a motorcycle. But, on the other hand, I thought that big engine might be overkill. I don't want high speed, 35 is fine. That's about all u can average in city streets anyway!
I have been going to the gym this past winter because I knew my body was not ready to bicycle commute like I want to. Well, now it is....sorta.
I went for a ride yesterday, 13 miles round trip. Not bad, and I could walk comfortably after. I easily could have gone double. But the wind! Steady at 12 and gusting to 25. That and a steep climb up and over a highway overpass reminded me of some things.
Wind is a serious challenge!
Hills are too.
Hills and a head wind will test a mans commitment to the sport!
My bike only has an underpowered meat motor on it right now. In the wind I managed a 6.5 mph pace. I was pretty disheartened at that snails pace, since it was pretty flat after that first mile. On the way back, I managed 14 mph and was less tired at the end. So over half my horsepower was spend resisting the wind on the way there. Wow!
So, that tells me that most of the time, a 107cc engine may very well be overkill, there will be times when it plus my meat motor will be lucky to be enough!
So, if I want a daily driver, reliable and suitable for the terrain I come across, I will build what I have and do what it takes to keep the popo at bay.
I have often wondered about these 50cc and under bikes. I can see how on a flat road with no wind they would be suitable, but in the real world, I just don't see myself putting up with the limits and problems an underpowered engine would bring. I am real glad I got beat up by the before I traded off my Honda engine.
This bike of mine will be expected to go all over the country with me, on pedal power and engine, so durability and reliability are pretty high on my priority list. If the bike were strictly recreational, I would have a different view of the "legal" engine sizes. Not trying to dis anyone running them.
I have been going to the gym this past winter because I knew my body was not ready to bicycle commute like I want to. Well, now it is....sorta.
I went for a ride yesterday, 13 miles round trip. Not bad, and I could walk comfortably after. I easily could have gone double. But the wind! Steady at 12 and gusting to 25. That and a steep climb up and over a highway overpass reminded me of some things.
Wind is a serious challenge!
Hills are too.
Hills and a head wind will test a mans commitment to the sport!
My bike only has an underpowered meat motor on it right now. In the wind I managed a 6.5 mph pace. I was pretty disheartened at that snails pace, since it was pretty flat after that first mile. On the way back, I managed 14 mph and was less tired at the end. So over half my horsepower was spend resisting the wind on the way there. Wow!
So, that tells me that most of the time, a 107cc engine may very well be overkill, there will be times when it plus my meat motor will be lucky to be enough!
So, if I want a daily driver, reliable and suitable for the terrain I come across, I will build what I have and do what it takes to keep the popo at bay.
I have often wondered about these 50cc and under bikes. I can see how on a flat road with no wind they would be suitable, but in the real world, I just don't see myself putting up with the limits and problems an underpowered engine would bring. I am real glad I got beat up by the before I traded off my Honda engine.
This bike of mine will be expected to go all over the country with me, on pedal power and engine, so durability and reliability are pretty high on my priority list. If the bike were strictly recreational, I would have a different view of the "legal" engine sizes. Not trying to dis anyone running them.