petrol engine power assists

Jeremy Watts said:

hi,

i'm after a small petrol (gasoline) engine power assist for a mountain bike. anyone know if there
is such a thing? i've seen electric motor ones that kind of clip onto the front or back wheel and
provide drive for going uphill etc. but i am interested in a petrol engine power assist for some
touring i have in mind.

i am in britain so ideally i'm wondering if anyone knows of anywhere i can buy one of these things
here, or failing that any other place in the world i guess.

jeremy

I have one of these on my Tour Easy recumbent:
bikemotor.commitsubishi%20bicycle%20engine.htmlOpen ↗

Pictures at: home.thegrid.netbikes.htmOpen ↗

I don't know if they ship to the U.K.

Check your local laws for legality.

Lorenzo L. Love home.thegrid.net~llloveOpen ↗

"Americans are broad-minded people. They'll accept the fact that a person can be an alcoholic, a
dope fiend, a wife beater, and even a newspaperman, but if a man doesn't drive there's something
wrong with him." Art Buchwald

"Jeremy Watts" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:ZB8Zb.78$m47.8@newsfe1-win...

Quoted message said:

i am in britain so ideally i'm wondering if anyone knows of anywhere i can buy one of these things
here, or failing that any other place in the world

i

Quoted message said:

guess.

In a country where the law makes it a feasible thing to have? (Italy?)

You'd have to have the tax disc, insurance, motorbike helmet etc. (as for a 50cc bike, even if
its only 26cc - which I believe the italian ones are. Aside: Things like this were what
started "Ducati"😉

Jeremy Watts said:

hi,

i'm after a small petrol (gasoline) engine power assist for a mountain bike. anyone know if there
is such a thing? i've seen electric motor ones that kind of clip onto the front or back wheel and
provide drive for going uphill etc. but i am interested in a petrol engine power assist for some
touring i have in mind.

i am in britain so ideally i'm wondering if anyone knows of anywhere i can buy one of these things
here, or failing that any other place in the world i guess.

jeremy

The series "Tactical to Practical" on the History Channel had one of these in a segment within the
last week, showing it mounted on a MTB. I didn't note the show number, but it looked pretty cool.
There was a small lever on the handlebars that you'd squeeze to get the power assist. I'm not sure
if it was gas powered or electric. Maybe a search of their site would be informative? Let us know.

I'm wondering if there's different requirements for gas-powere vs electric powered, WRT licensing in
come countries, and restrictions (as in Italy)?

-B

"Badger_South" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm wondering if there's different requirements for gas-powere vs electric powered, WRT licensing
in come countries

As I mentioned elsewhere, in britain, if its internal combustion its got the full range of
"motorcycle" laws.

BUT an electric powered bike with a cut off at 15mph has pretty much the regulations of a bike (ie
no insurance, helmets, tax disc or licensing ). ( you can go at 16mph, but that would be 100%
muscle power).

On Fri, 20 Feb 2004 18:23:31 +0000 (UTC), "W K" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Badger_South" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm wondering if there's different requirements for gas-powere vs electric powered, WRT licensing
in come countries

As I mentioned elsewhere, in britain, if its internal combustion its got the full range of
"motorcycle" laws.

BUT an electric powered bike with a cut off at 15mph has pretty much the regulations of a bike (ie
no insurance, helmets, tax disc or licensing ). ( you can go at 16mph, but that would be 100%
muscle power).

Right. I couldn't find your post to see if you specified. Thx.

-B

Jeremy Watts said:

hi,

i'm after a small petrol (gasoline) engine power assist for a mountain bike. anyone know if there
is such a thing? i've seen electric motor ones that kind of clip onto the front or back wheel and
provide drive for going uphill etc. but i am interested in a petrol engine power assist for some
touring i have in mind.

i am in britain so ideally i'm wondering if anyone knows of anywhere i can buy one of these things
here, or failing that any other place in the world i guess.

jeremy

A bike with a gas engine is called a Solex, or Velosolex:

home.planetinternet.be~wc607083Open ↗ solex-oldtimer.desolex-oldtimer.deOpen ↗ solexin.free.frsolexin.free.frOpen ↗
velosolex.orgvelosolex.orgOpen ↗

For those who have never seen one (Americans ?), this ugly black thing was the motorcycle equivalent
of the Citroën 2CV back in the 70ies. I have made interesting experiences with one of them:
- Climbed 700 m to my preferred small pass. Got there as sweaty as with my 5-speed bike, only
marginally faster.
- Pulled a (fortunately empty) boat trailer to the nearest harbor...

Fri, 20 Feb 2004 22:58:03 +0100,
<[email hidden]>, "Jacques Moser"

Quoted message said:

Jeremy Watts said:

hi,

i'm after a small petrol (gasoline) engine power assist for a mountain bike. anyone know if there
is such a thing? i've seen electric motor ones that kind of clip onto the front or back wheel and
provide drive for going uphill etc. but i am interested in a petrol engine power assist for some
touring i have in mind.

i am in britain so ideally i'm wondering if anyone knows of anywhere i can buy one of these
things here, or failing that any other place in the world i guess.

jeremy

A bike with a gas engine is called a Solex, or Velosolex:

home.planetinternet.be~wc607083Open ↗ solex-oldtimer.desolex-oldtimer.deOpen ↗ solexin.free.frsolexin.free.frOpen ↗
velosolex.orgvelosolex.orgOpen ↗

For those who have never seen one (Americans ?), this ugly black thing was the motorcycle
equivalent of the Citroën 2CV back in the 70ies. I have made interesting experiences with
one of them:
- Climbed 700 m to my preferred small pass. Got there as sweaty as with my 5-speed bike, only
marginally faster.
- Pulled a (fortunately empty) boat trailer to the nearest harbor...

My ex grew up riding a Velosolex until she was old enough to legally ride the more powerful mopeds
and scooters that she rode until finally getting a real motorcycle at 16. Even then there were
engine displacement restrictions.

Not like it is here. You can qualify on 150cc, get your license and go buy an 1100cc street racer.

Whizzer was made in U.S.A.

They go back to 1939. (An airplane guy retuning to his roots?) The gas engine is hung in the main
triangle and a belt drives the rear wheel.

Last built in the early fifties with parts available until 1965.

Since 1998 they're building 'em again.

whizzermotorbike.comwhizzermotorbike.comOpen ↗
--
zk

Zoot Katz said:

whizzermotorbike.comwhizzermotorbike.comOpen ↗

Yeah, this one looks funny too

You'll find a lot of info on motorized bicycles on our Motorized Bicycle
Discussion Area at this link:

oldroads.comd cst def.aspOpen ↗

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles, Inc. oldroads.comoldroads.comOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

i'm after a small petrol (gasoline) engine power assist for a mountain bike. anyone know if there
is such a thing? i've seen electric motor ones that kind of clip onto the front or back wheel and
provide drive for going uphill etc. but i am interested in a petrol engine power assist for some
touring i have in mind.

i am in britain so ideally i'm wondering if anyone knows of anywhere i can buy one of these things
here, or failing that any other place in the world i guess.

jeremy