2 stroke ped or build an ebike?

[1KW]

Hello,
Have parts to a semi complete variated vespa ciao moped. Should be reliable when built, and 80+ mpg, will do a solid 40mph.

or build up my 1kw yes com hub? Im pretty stuck on each idea. My ebike hub needs a battery(500), and the ciao a few more parts (200)....

literally cant make up my mind. Any help? is 10 mph faster really THAT much quicker? However part of my 11 mile commute , is 8 miles of open graded highway.

Seems like 72v on the ebike would fix problems, same as respoking it in a 20" wheel. However I dunno where to get a cheaper 72v battery.

BMS BATTERY has a 72v10ah headway pack for 499+ shippng..

 

[bowlofsalad]

The pros and cons is a tough call, I assume you've asked this question at a motorbike forum as well, so I am sure you'll hear both biases (if you haven't, it might be wise to do so). http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=48656 This polling thread on why people ride an ebike might give a little insight.

If you can manage a battery and deal with the range limitations (there isn't a RC charger on every corner that'll charge your pack in 15-30 minutes, but maybe you could carry something like that, because there are outlets everywhere and plenty of ways to gain access), the rest is pretty much gravy for ebikes.

Check out ebike.ca/simulator this little setup for understanding vague ideas about what sort of range at various speeds you might get. Keep in mind, anything you see here doesn't account for the infinite variables that are less than static world will present to you. While this is a pretty precise tool, the logic of getting a vague idea for watt hours per mile (wh/mi) is the same for MPG, you might say you get 80mpg, but it'll fluctuate plenty. What will effect one bikes wh/mi or mpg will effect the other pretty much the same.

 

[1KW]

I have indeed, and its leaning towards the ebike. 2 strokes are pretty peppy, but the maintenance requirements are almost overboard.

Higher voltage is what I will need, im not making a " I wanna go 50mph FOR 500 dollars post", more so just to have the few MPH more on the open lane. I am still bike shopping, and battery shopping. Taking my time as I collect my pennies, hope to have something together by end of August/ beginning of september.

I also have boycotted the use of gasoline in the house, electric lawnmower, electric weedeater, leafblower....

 

[Dauntless]

I want to say you should do both.

A shame to deprive that crowd of a perfectly good Vespa. Especially when there's deserving Chinese bikes waiting to be ripped apart. For $600 NEW, if only CARB would let me have one in California, I'd ditch the engine anyway.

http://www.powersportsmax.com/product_info.php/cPath/38/products_id/16903

 

[swbluto]

I want to say you should do both.

A shame to deprive that crowd of a perfectly good Vespa. Especially when there's deserving Chinese bikes waiting to be ripped apart. For $600 NEW, if only CARB would let me have one in California, I'd ditch the engine anyway.

http://www.powersportsmax.com/product_info.php/cPath/38/products_id/16903

I kind of get the impression that California is EVIL.

High business taxes
High business regulation (The state regulators are annoying businesses to the N-th degrees with their nanny-ism)
Taxes on almost every conceivable category
Disallows most defense weaponry, except for the wimpiest kinds.
Massive illegal immigration and subsequent subsidization via welfare, which itself is transferred onto the people via the aforementioned high taxes.
Restrictions on almost everything
Unusually high unemployment and rampant underemployment during economic down-cycles
Extremely expensive real estate

The only thing great about it is the weather. The diversity, vividness and innovation in its culture is pretty cool, too.

It appears that guy who rammed into the Californians in LA thought the state was evil, too. It seems there's a lot of violence down there in LA.

 

[dogman dan]

Lets assume 1KW lives in a state where driving the vespa is legal.

I'd say the common sense thing is to eventually do both. If $200 is all you will have for some time, then it's a no brainer to do the vespa first. With the vespa in the garage, you can then do a cheaper, slower speed build on the e-bike. Then use the tool that fits the job best for each trip.

Eventually, you might end up converting the vespa, or you might convert it into cash once it is running. But don't decide to dump the vespa till you have ridden it enough to make an informed decision.

 

[1KW]

heres the vespa, a moped, not a scooter. Not mine, but mine looks exactly the same except a purple flake paint job on the frame. Variated, tuned.

I just dont think I will be happy with a 48v battery after riding around 45+ mph mopeds the last 5 years. i will need high voltage.

 

[John in CR]

That Vespa very badly needs to be turned into a high powered emoped that absolutely slaughters any so called "pretty peppy" 2 stroker stink bikes, and get 500mpg while doing it. Have you ever ridden behind one of those things? They should be outlawed just for the smell. Mopeds never made it down here for some inexplicable reason. I've been looking for something just like yours for 5 years.

 

[1KW]

Haha. They are very addicting to mess with. Just check out mopedarmy.com and see the following there.

I brought up the idea of making it electric and people almost banned me..

What about I use the 2 stroke motor , and when I get sick of it ditch it?

Turnigy 80-100 and 12s Lipo bolted to gas tank area

 

[Drunkskunk]

Do the vespa first, then do the electric. I many ways, the vespa will be better to live with as transportation. You can spend $5000 on an Ebike to get it to perform like $500 of mods on a Moped. And that Yes.com hub is never going to perform as well, no matter how much you put into it.

But then do the Ebike. Its a whole different kind of awesome. I know from experiance. I've built 6 Ebikes so far, but I've currently got a pug and an MB5, and had a bunch of other mopeds too.

And LOL MopedArmy. Thats a place to go when you want to start a virtual bar fight. Bunch a Vegan Libral Hipsters. Yes, I'm a long time member there.

 

[Dauntless]

heres the vespa, a moped, not a scooter.

As your experience at Moped Army tells you, even the moped has Vespa fans. Since they're not building any more vintage bikes, I hate to take one from the true fans. If it's Chinese, it was put together to be taken apart and made better. $600 complete and brand new, what a conversion opportunity, if only I could get one. But CARB won't let me have it.

There's this 'Myron's Mopeds' near me, don't get caught saying ANYTHING about electrics close enough for them to hear you. We're talking pure Obama fandom there, with full rights to hate with extreme prejudice anyone who feels differently than they do.

Which brings up the idea of evil in the Peoples' Republic of California. (The main source of nonoffshore money for O Duce in the last 2 elections.) When Arnold had to replace the Lt. Governor that was elected to the House, he names this guy Abel Maldonado, who had some strange ideas about what he was ABLE to do as Lt. Governor.

The greatest shock was when he called us to war against Arizona. Seems Arizona passed a law he didn't like, the local radio ran an interview with him going 'Dr. Strangelove' on us. Luckily the Lt. Governor doesn't get to mobilize the National Guard.

Now that he's out he pops up here and there pushing yet another wacko extreme cause, all the while insisting he's NOT going to talk about running for Governor himself, so don't ask, don't beg, don't bring it up (They don't) until he's ready to change his mind about that. (I'll bet it'll start to get fun to PUSH him to talk about him running.) I wouldn't think he'd get any real votes, but then I wouldn't think Arnold wouldn't gotten any real votes. This is the state that had Tom Metzger win a major party nomination for office, anything can happen.

 

[1KW]

Interesting post. Seems like ill build both, sell the ped if I don't like it.

The main thing here, is that electrics should have 0 issues as long as I get a good battery and install it correctly. Once they make a fireproof Lipo chemistry I am set.

Found a 72v20ah primismatic for 950 shipped to my door, but those weigh like 30 lbs.

 

[John in CR]

There's this 'Myron's Mopeds' near me, don't get caught saying ANYTHING about electrics close enough for them to hear you. We're talking pure Obama fandom there, with full rights to hate with extreme prejudice anyone who feels differently than they do.

Sounds like just the kind of place I need to visit with my SuperV, and challenge to race the fastest stink bike around. Those guys need to expand their horizons and get into electrics.

ps- the previous 500mph was edited to 500mpg

 

[Dauntless]

If you do go to Myron's with a gasser they're a great crowd, (Like a clubhouse with only one or two of them actually working there) they'll help you find parts, etc. You'll be recruited to go on rides with them. (Talk about a MOPED ARMY!) I just remember how the attitude changed quickly when I brought up that I was ALSO into electrics. Downright strange. Though there might be some who don't feel that way, I just didn't meet them.

 

[Dauntless]

Oh, more what I I'd think someone would seek to convert. I want to tell this guy that it was worth more BEFORE he worked on it.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/3985830798.html

 

[dogman dan]

Maybe I just misunderstood? I was thinking you were trying to choose between gas moped and ebike.

Go for it if you want to stick a hubmonster or cromotor on that vespa, or replace the engine with an electric motor and use the original drive train. I just didn't grock that the electric vespa option was being considered.


The suggestion that you make a 48v ebike to go with the gas vespa was based on some silly idea you'd enjoy pedaling a bike from time to time. If that's not the case, then choose between having a 40 mph gasser and a 40 mph ebike, OR, just build the electric vespa.

 

[justlooking]

good thing about modding a moped to electric is that the petrol tank will make a great place to put the batteries, cut a door in it,