EbikeFL: Thank you for your reply. I think you answered my questions, but let me ask them a different way to you or anyone else who has the kit at this point:
Would the manual pedaling (with the system off or with a dead battery) of a modified bike be any different than pedaling on my current unmodified bike with 34 pounds of weight strapped to it in the appropriate locations?
I am trying to figure out how much if any resistance to rolling the kit adds (when ignoring the weight addition).
My needs/desires may be different from many in this group. I work at home (when I am not travelling) and when I am out, it is usually with one of my children or wife). An E-bike would be useful for quick trips to the store for few-item shopping. I would also like to use it for recreation. There are kits that are designed for that, but they are more expensive and perhaps beyond my needs. I was interested in the Paramotor option because this forum showed real people who were happy with the product. Here are a couple of links of the type of recreational uses I was envisioning. Nothing too hard core.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAqsM7EGc1k
http://www.gizmag.com/ego-kits-give-...a-boost/17888/ (see the video near the bottom of the article)
Thanks