FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Do you sell the complete kit with the engine?
A: No we do not sell engines, only the kit. You can purchase
a 4 stroke Honda GX35 for about $225. Another good choice to get started would be to purchase a 2 cycle Chinese replacement engine. They usually range from 43cc to 52cc, are fast and powerful and start at about $130. Please check out our engines page for where to purchase these engines.
Q: Does this friction drive system wear out tires quickly?
A: When your drive roller is locked down on your tire properly
you should easily be able to get 1500+ miles out of your tire.
When the drive roller is locked in the down position it should be depressed on the tire between 1/4" and 3/8". Make sure your tire is always inflated to its proper pressure. Apply only enough pressure to the tire so the drive roller DOES NOT SLIP when given full throttle. If the drive roller slips adjust more pressure and test again. If you do not have enough pressure the drive roller will slip and wear the tire, if you have too much pressure, the engine will not perform very well.
Q: Does the complete kit (without engine) come with the throttle?
A: No the complete kit does not come with the throttle or throttle cable. If you
require these parts they would have to be purchased additionally.
Q: Can you use this kit in the rain?
A: A friction drive system works best on dry paved roads, but can also
perform well on gravel, grass or dirt as long as the tire is not wet. Once the tire gets wet the drive roller will slip. You can still ride in the rain, but you would have to apply much less throttle and also pedal along to avoid slippage.
Q: What type of tire do you need to use?
A: The kits work best if your bicycle tire has a smooth or semi smooth street tread to allow better contact with the drive roller. An aggressive knobby tire will not work too well, but a hybrid style tire works very well. We have found that the best tire to use is a cruiser style tire. It usually has a wide width and thick tread that grips the drive roller very well. A cruiser tire will also last a long time. Click here for tire photos.
Q: Does the width of the tire on my bike make a difference?
A: A little bit. The kit works best with a tire width between 1.75" and 2.35". This covers most bicycle tires. This size allows for the 2.25" length drive roller to be in contact with more of the tire. A smaller or larger tire width will also work OK.
Q: Does the size of the wheel on my bike make a difference?
A: No. With a friction drive system the gearing remains the same whether it is used on a bicycle that has 16", 20", 24", 26" or 27" wheels. It can be used on any size wheel.
Q: If I get the kit with the 1.25" diameter drive roller, will this provide
enough power to get up steep hills?
A: It depends on the weight of the rider and the power of the engine. If you are using a more powerful engine like the Mitsubishi TLE43 or the Harbor Freight engine the 1.25" diameter roller is ideal. It will provide plenty of power to get a rider up to 250lbs up hills without pedaling. You can expect to reach speeds of almost 35mph on the flats. As stated in one of the above answers, a Chinese replacement engine is also a very good choice to get started if you want to save money. The 43cc-52cc Chinese engines are usually easy to find as they have been used on many of the pocketbikes/mini choppers/scooters that have been popular over the past few years.
If you are using a less powerful engine like the Honda GX35 (35cc, 1.6HP) or the Robin EHO35, the 1.25" roller works well on steep hills with a rider under 180lbs. If you use this engine and are over 180lbs you may have to pedal along with the engine when going up some of the steeper hills. You can expect to reach speeds of 25-30mph on the flats, even with a heavier rider. If you are more concerned about power over speed then the 1.00" diameter standard drive roller may be a better choice, which will reach speeds of aprrox 22mph-24mph
Q: What advantage does the drive roller with the one-way bearing provide over the standard drive roller?
A: While either drive roller will result in a freewheel system because of the centrifugal clutch, the one-way bearing drive roller acts as a "double clutch" which releases the clutch from the clutch drum instantly when you let off the throttle resulting in a smoother freewheel coast at higher speeds. The standard drive roller will still freewheel when you coast, but the clutch will not disengage from the drum until you slow down to about 5mph resulting in a more resistant coast. Both systems are completely automatic and remain idling when you come to a stop.
