Ex Aetherus

Hi all, I am looking to effectively make a very lightweight trailbike of sorts (best nomenclature I can think of) by adding a 4 stroke motor to one of my bikes.

I have a Wheeler Proride 5900 which I want to convert into a motorised bike (would motoped be the correct term?) For survival camping and adventure riding. I don't intend on doing hardcore trail riding or jumps, just get from A to B relatively quickly and safely, and carry a load of crap with me at the same time.

Is this idea worth the time, money and effort I will put into it? I just want a straightforward project which won't cost as much as an actual trailbike, and won't leave me stranded in the middle of the outback, with a dwindling water supply, no reception, and work the next day.

Any suggestions on how to put together a decent motorised bike for bushbashing, or an affordable alternative would be greatly appreciated.
A trailbike is my last resort as I want something I can ideally ride on the street, chuck in my car, and cycle manually when using fuel isn't 100% necessary.

I guess you could say I want the motoped survival bike, but I am also a low-medium wage earner with other responsibilities, so I'm hoping this place will be my holy grail of entering a new level of adventure.

I'll be sure to post updates once the project commences, if I decide it is feasible and worth the effort.

veganbikes

This is a bike forum, not a motorcycle forum. If you have a bicycle leave it as a bicycle, if you want a motorcycle get a motorcycle. Bikes are not designed to be motorcycles. If you need help up hills or want to go further get a proper e-bike with say a Bosch or Brose or Shimano motor or just ride your bike more.

In terms of trails and bike lanes please stay away from them if you are unswayed and build one. Stay only on the road with cars and motorized vehicles.

hokiefyd 

You might find some folks here: https://www.bikeforums.net/alt-bike-culture/ who share some of your passions. I think motorized bikes are interesting, but I don't have any relevant experience to offer you, unfortunately, except for...

This bit is going to be difficult. Kitted up with a full engine, some sort of transmission (even if it's just a centrifugal clutch), and rear gear, the bike will be very heavy. Most of the engine kits I've seen mount a fairly large sprocket on the left side of the rear wheel (because the engine needs to spin very fast relative to the wheel). This ends up being a very heavy conversion project.

Ex Aetherus

A Motorised bicycle is not a motorcycle, completely different machine. If you don't have anything to really answer my question, I don't see the point of your response? It seems a bit blunt and frankly rude, I hope this is an outlier in these forums.

I am just a new bloke looking for advice in a hobby, I don't need gatekeepers trying to recategorise things and forbid me from asking completely relevant questions.

Cheers

veganbikes

It is a gas powered motor it is not a bicycle any more. Maybe a more dangerous moped but not really bicycle related. I did give you actual good advice which you missed. Get an electric bike if you are desirous of help up hills or going further they are designed to be bikes and to give you assistance as you pedal, they are awesome and not nasty pollution spewing motors that would add a ton of weight and a ton of danger to a bicycle. I also gave you more advice if you move forward with the idea is to stay away from bicycle paths and lanes as they are for bicycles and it will keep things safe for bicyclists. I know it sounds rough but too often people assume because they took a bicycle and threw a lawnmower on it that it is somehow still just purely a bicycle even though they are just using a gas motor and throttling it on a bike being designed for cycling and not for a heavy lawnmower motor and higher speeds is not safe to ride. With the motorcycle conversion you lose the rear brake or are stuck with a weak rim brake which is not all that great for stopping a very heavy gas powered machine.

My intent is not being nasty or rude but being honest. We deal with gas all the time it is nice to have a place sans gas where we can talk about bicycles. There are tons of great e-bikes and plenty of less than great e-bikes which would be miles ahead of a gas powered thing. Explore that or get an actual properly built moped which will be designed to have a gasoline motor in it and brakes that can handle that engine.