2 and 4 stroke motor conversion kits

[Max Tolerance]

DON'T SHOOT ME!

A question born of ignorance and not a flame war fuse. I have seen various Bolt On Kits you can buy to motorise regular pedal bikes.
What is the script with these, I mean legality wise. I am not interested in going to the bowels of hell for eternity or the thought police knocking on my door, I am genuinely interested, There is a young chap local to me and he zooms about on a bike so equipped but he does it without annoying anyone and without the (usual) cloud of 2-stroke smoke. So I am interested in finding out.

 

[Chainmale]

DON'T SHOOT ME!

A question born of ignorance and not a flame war fuse. I have seen various Bolt On Kits you can buy to motorise regular pedal bikes.
What is the script with these, I mean legality wise. I am not interested in going to the bowels of hell for eternity or the thought police knocking on my door, I am genuinely interested, There is a young chap local to me and he zooms about on a bike so equipped but he does it without annoying anyone and without the (usual) cloud of 2-stroke smoke. So I am interested in finding out.

Not a new idea, there were small capacity "bolt on" engines which were popular for a short time in the early 1950s. Your bike then became a moped and required registration etc.

 

[Nealh]

We don't discuss them on here as they don't concern us, though do get a mention as often idiots are seen riding them.
Legality wise they have to be type rated and insured as a moped.

 

[matthewslack]

DON'T SHOOT ME!

A question born of ignorance and not a flame war fuse. I have seen various Bolt On Kits you can buy to motorise regular pedal bikes.
What is the script with these, I mean legality wise. I am not interested in going to the bowels of hell for eternity or the thought police knocking on my door, I am genuinely interested, There is a young chap local to me and he zooms about on a bike so equipped but he does it without annoying anyone and without the (usual) cloud of 2-stroke smoke. So I am interested in finding out.

They are not electric, so not pedelecs, so not cycles. Probably low enough power to be in the bottom category of mopeds, which require various things including insurance to be legal.

 

[Plas man]

I have seen them on eBay and often wondered , you would have to DVLA the bike/motor as it would be classed as a moped , the bike In use would need disc brakes

 

[AndyBike]

I was tempted to go this route instead of my all mountain shopping machine.
Basically down to my love of very early motorbikes.

1909 Triumph.
Probably got a top speed of 20mph.

 

[Craiggor 2]

If you google motorized bicycle MSVA you will find an article on this one. There was an article a few years ago on getting a Chinese 2 stroke through the MSVA but I can't find that now.

 

[Max Tolerance]

We don't discuss them on here as they don't concern us, though do get a mention as often idiots are seen riding them.
Legality wise they have to be type rated and insured as a moped.

Well we should discuss them as they do indeed concern us, it is often a small minority of people who cause the most grief for the majority, I wouldn't like to think I am grouped together with the irresponsibles but I am afraid Electric bikes are often viewed in the same way electric scooters are and while I really actually like the idea of an electric scooter and I will buy one, when they are legal, it is the thoughtless riders giving them a bad image, same way as "motorised" is immediately grouped into "hooligans".

 

[Craiggor 2]

The Chinese 2 stroke engines look like they are copies of the Soviet Riga.

 

[Craiggor 2]

Well we should discuss them as they do indeed concern us, it is often a small minority of people who cause the most grief for the majority, I wouldn't like to think I am grouped together with the irresponsibles but I am afraid Electric bikes are often viewed in the same way electric scooters are and while I really actually like the idea of an electric scooter and I will buy one, when they are legal, it is the thoughtless riders giving them a bad image, same way as "motorised" is immediately grouped into "hooligans".

Plenty of e-bikes out there that should of gone through an MSVA test to be allowed on the road.

 

[Craiggor 2]

I was tempted to go this route instead of my all mountain shopping machine.
Basically down to my love of very early motorbikes.

1909 Triumph.
Probably got a top speed of 20mph.

I wanted to put a chinese 2 stroke in my bike. But I think a hybrid would need a full motorcycle MSVA not just a moped MSVA.

 

[flecc]

DON'T SHOOT ME!

A question born of ignorance and not a flame war fuse. I have seen various Bolt On Kits you can buy to motorise regular pedal bikes.
What is the script with these, I mean legality wise. I am not interested in going to the bowels of hell for eternity or the thought police knocking on my door, I am genuinely interested, There is a young chap local to me and he zooms about on a bike so equipped but he does it without annoying anyone and without the (usual) cloud of 2-stroke smoke. So I am interested in finding out.

If one is fitted to a bicycle the whole machine has to be presented to one of the official testing centres with a fee paid for the test. It will have to meet all the requirements for a 28 mph moped, which are listed in the manual obtainable on this link

In the unlikely event it passes the test, it will have to be registered, taxed, insured, number plated and ridden with the appropriate driving licence, a M/C helmet, and L plates if needed.
.

 

[Craiggor 2]

If one is fitted to a bicycle the whole machine has to be presented to one of the official testing centres with a fee paid for the test. It will have to meet all the requirements for a 28 mph moped, which are listed in the manual obtainable on this link

In the unlikely event it passes the test, it will have to be registered, taxed, insured, number plated and ridden with the appropriate driving licence, a M/C helmet, and L plates if needed.
.

.
If you follow the MSVA manual to the letter you will pass first time no unlikely about it. If it does fail the tester will tell you need to fix for the re-test.

 

[flecc]

.
If you follow the MSVA manual to the letter you will pass first time no unlikely about it. If it does fail the tester will tell you need to fix for the re-test.

Of course, my comment was on the likelyhood of an average conversion of a bicycle to i.c engine power passing the test.

And that is low.
.

 

[StuartsProjects]

Well we should discuss them as they do indeed concern us

Why is it a subject of concern ?

Are there many of them still about ?

Last time I saw one on the road was maybe 10 or more years ago.

 

[Craiggor 2]

In the last 10 years, I have only seen 1 registered vintage one and 3 unregistered Chinese 2 stroke ones. I see a lot more illegal unregistered e-bikes/e-scooters and loads of pit bikes.

 

[Craiggor 2]

Nice registered vintage cycle motor on eBay. Historic vehicle no tax to pay and MOT exempt.

 

[flecc]

Nice registered vintage cycle motor on eBay. Historic vehicle no tax to pay and MOT exempt.

Early 1950s 49cc Sinclair-Goddard PowerPak, ribbed alloy roller drive onto the tyre and the vibration a real bone shaker. Quite fast until it rained when the roller drive slipped, shredding the tyre tread.

They were the first i.c. cyclemotor company to go broke back then.

Even then electric cyclemotors would have been far better, if only the batteries then had been better.
.

 

[Craiggor 2]

Early 1950s 49cc Sinclair-Goddard PowerPak, ribbed alloy roller drive onto the tyre and the vibration a real bone shaker. Quite fast until it rained when the roller drive slipped, shredding the tyre tread.

They were the first i.c. cyclemotor company to go broke back then.

Even then electric cyclemotors would have been far better, if only the batteries then had been better.
.

Ditch the Sinclair-Goddard engine and fit one of these kits off eBay. What did you think of the Vincent firefly? I would have one just so I could say I own a Vincent, not cheap though.

 

[guerney]

Ditch the Sinclair-Goddard engine and fit one of these kits off eBay. What did you think of the Vincent firefly? I would have one just so I could say I own a Vincent, not cheap though.

160 mpg