MTB's modified with 2-stroke petrol engines?

[Pneumant]

Has anyone else here recently spotted MTB's which have been modified with 2-stroke petrol engines?
I have seen two in Telford. The first made me do a double take as the rider was easily keeping up with the traffic, up-hill, at 25-30 mph as I followed in the works van. He hopped onto the pavement when the traffic backed up at some lights and was gone. The second sighting was during my morning cycle commute , bloke on the cycle path coming towards me (and in typical cycle-path fashion he was riding on the right side!). Not that fast but fairly noisy with a strong smell of 2-stroke in his wake. A quick favourite auction site search using the terms 'bicycle petrol engine' reveals the engine/transmission kits for these contraptions. My first thoughts are that these are extremely 'Heath Robinson' , secondly they must be illegal as unlicensed/uninsured PTW's ? Thirdly is that the transmission will surely destroy the rear wheel as it appears to be 'lashed' to the non-drive side spokes.

[NUKe]

They are illegal unless you go through an SVA test. They need to be registered for road use. The rider needs a licence and has to wear a motor cycle helmet.

[gaz]

.

[landsurfer]

I do believe electric versions are available, and just as fast ..

Lol

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

I do believe electric versions are available, and just as fast ..

Lol

I have blown past one of the legal types, I had to catch the sit up and beg with tweed trousers and checked shirt first, then spied a block on the rear rack

But was swept into the gutter by a fancy MTB ridden by some geriatric who took offence to being overtaken, I reckon he was doing 30 plus, I stuck my head down but on sighting him again but he turned into a cul-de-sac
On turbo or after burn he wouldn't last long.

[PH]

I was passed a few weeks ago by one on the cycle path. Whatever else I thought about it I was glad to see the art of bodge was completely dead, now disappointed to see you can just buy them on Ebay.

[mercalia]

Ah cyclemaster C1950's?





http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pattle/nacc/arc0322.htm

My dad had one of those

I wish I did

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Aren't the rear wheels worth about £500?

Mines a Honda P50, just needs restoring.

[Mick F]

Has anyone else here recently spotted MTB's which have been modified with 2-stroke petrol engines?

I know someone who bought the kit from eBay and built it up.
He was filmed riding it locally and he put the movie on FaceBook.

He knows very well that it's illegal, but who cares?
When was the last time you saw the police?
Can't say I've seen any for months.

[landsurfer]

Has anyone else here recently spotted MTB's which have been modified with 2-stroke petrol engines?

I know someone who bought the kit from eBay and built it up.
He was filmed riding it locally and he put the movie on FaceBook.

He knows very well that it's illegal, but who cares?
When was the last time you saw the police?
Can't say I've seen any for months.

Theres different rules in the wild west ..... of Cornwall .....

(Ok i know your not west cornwall but it's close enough. lol )

[Pneumant]

I've seen a few like you describe on eBay, I've yet to meet one on the road. Definitely not road legal, requiring type approval, tax, insurancce, MOT, etc.

There are some more elegant examples of the genre around and of course classic machines.

Here is another - can't see any engine/transmission kit costing £100 lasting, illegally combining with a crap BSO = death-trap. I still maintain the rear wheel lash-up is a fail waiting to happen.

[Stewart H]

I was looking at some back in the summer, someone I know has converted two mountain bikes, he told me that the complete kits cost £40, certainly a lot of hardware for £40, not sure I like that sprocket bolted through the spokes, very difficult to make legal in the UK, like gopeds, a white elephant.

[Bonefishblues]

Ah cyclemaster C1950's?





http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pattle/nacc/arc0322.htm

My dad had one of those

I wish I did

That's very close to the coolest thing I've ever seen. Sets up eBay alert and truffles off to find the Owners' Club.

[mercalia]

I've seen a few like you describe on eBay, I've yet to meet one on the road. Definitely not road legal, requiring type approval, tax, insurancce, MOT, etc.

There are some more elegant examples of the genre around and of course classic machines.

Here is another - can't see any engine/transmission kit costing £100 lasting, illegally combining with a crap BSO = death-trap. I still maintain the rear wheel lash-up is a fail waiting to happen.

yes catch your legs in the engine chain ( remove a few strips of flesh?) or burn your legs on the exhaust down pipe

[mercalia]

Ah cyclemaster C1950's?





http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pattle/nacc/arc0322.htm

My dad had one of those

I wish I did

That's very close to the coolest thing I've ever seen. Sets up eBay alert and truffles off to find the Owners' Club.

You'll be lucky to find one of them they are almost vintage and most long gone to the place in the sky - my dad turned the engine of his into a rotovator