motor on bicycle

because of the high proce of gas, would putting a motor on a bicycle be practicle to get to work a few days a week? I live about 18 miles away it is all highway with a wide berm for bicycles. I have a spare 5 horse motor from an old tiller. Could I mount a bracket and put it above my back wheel to drive the back wheel on my 10 speed mountain bike? Would I be able to pedal it home if the engine failed? How would I rig a clutch of some sort or would I even need it? Seems like an interesting project.
How fast could you go with a 5 horse motor?

http://www.bikemotor.com / according to their site, these will go about 25-30mph. You could use the pictures as references for your own design.
good luck, walt
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Hey! I can tell you a better way to do this. It'd be a lot better just to go ahead and buy a motorcycle. They come in lots of HP's and speeds, and besides, they are instantly available whereas your experiments would take lots of time and $.
Bob Swinney
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Robert Swinney wrote:
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So untrue. I did this project, and it cost me a total of 70$ canadian...

He's back! How I missed you!
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How often a week do you go to work? If you really want to save gas, I would go with DHMO. Nasty stuff, but damned cheap! No more gas bills!
Read this: http://www.dhmo.org
HTH, Nick

wrote:
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I wouldn't wish DHMO on my worst enemy! We've had _severe_ DHMO fallout around our area for the last three weeks.
Trees are actually dying! People are getting sick. I've even seen _earthworms_ coming up out of the ground and dying because of it. And in New Orleans, the DHMO pollution has gotten so bad that humans are dying from it.
It's terrible. No... NO! Even Stryped shouldn't be maliciously directed toward mis-use of DHMO.
C'mon, Nick! Even for your enemies, you oughta have SOME heart!
LLoyd

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OK, I nearly got killed when some idiots spreaded a bit of crystal (!) DHMO on the highway!
Nick

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Was it the white crystal form, or the black form? The black stuff is much more hazardous, just so you know.

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Yes, the black monocrystal form! :-(( Next day a brief report about that spill of DHMO was in the newspaper. The reponsibles aren't caught yet.
Nick

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Ah yes, we had a problem with that at a fire scene a few years ago. It made the fire department's response very much more hazardous, and quite frankly slowed down the firefighting efforts and effectiveness significantly. Nearly caused significant damage to two of our vehicles, as well.

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No wounder! They use DHMO in nuclear power plants. One can imagine what **that** means. In the beginning of the exploitation of DHMO they used it in nearly 100% pure form! And later, they even heated it up to well obove 200°F! Lots of explosions und people got hurt or killed.
But don't think that they quit using DHMO. Research is going on to use a complex gas mixture that, when ignited, produces _pure_ evaporated DHMO.
Nick

Nick Müller wrote:
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I am folowing this thread (sort of) what on earth is "DHMO" ?

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If you go back to the start, you will find this link: http://www.dhmo.org
Nick

Nick Müller wrote:
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thanks

samc wrote:
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We really need to do something about this, have you spoken with your neighbors? If you haven't, please do.. it takes all of us to make the world a better place.
John

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Hell....could use horse manure.Seems to be enorgh flying around here. Might as well with something www.selectmotors.net/steambike.htm
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Arnold Walker wrote:
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That wouldn't end up being all that cheap, however a free 5hp engine, or a DC electric fan have the potential to be

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:
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Some places the speed of unlicensed vehicles and motorized bicycles is limited, check your local laws.

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In most Canadian jurisdictions any powered bicycle that CAN move on it's own, without pedaling, is considered a moped - limited to 50cc engine displacement and, IIRC, 25MPH. Anything else (bigger, faster, or no pedals) is a motorcycle. Both need to be licenced. Both require a driver's licence to operate - a moped can be driven on an automotive licence.
If you can design it that it can ONLY move if you are pedaling, it becomes a motor assisted bicycle and MAY be allowed to run without a licence. Virtually the only way this has been done is with electric power.

The old Solex design attached the motor above the front wheel on a pivot. The motor and drive roller lifted off the wheel to declutch.
Check your local Moped laws.