Petrol driven bike!

Nosweat

Pedelecer
Sep 2, 2019
87
29
Heard a right racket coming up the street the other day. Expecting to see a youth in bandana on a quadbike I was bemused when the "thing" shot past me to see it was a pedal cycle with a petrol engine attached. I was too surprised and the rider was too fast to actually see where the engine was mounted but I did see that he wasn't pedalling so it must have been throttle controlled. And secondly it wasn't one of those 1940s French things but was a mountain bike. I assume it must have had the engine retrofitted therefore. Does anyone know more about rhese, is it legal, is it a kit or has someone shoehorned a lawnmower engine onto a bike? I can see no reason whatsoever for such an abomination save the love of noise and the smell.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,120
6,314
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,120
6,314

Gavin

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 11, 2020
316
179

those motors are 3k plus all the other bits you need but plod whould take it of you just becouse of the noise it makes not how fast it goes pmsl
They'd definitely take it off you when you set their trousers on fire!
 

wheeliepete

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 28, 2016
2,047
755
60
Devon
Although my 56 yo self would agree with Gavin and Nosweat, I grew up with Castrol R flowing through my veins and a lust for Micron and Allspeed exhaust pipes with cut down baffles, so I must confess if I could have had one of these systems for 2 weeks paper round money.......
 

Gavin

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 11, 2020
316
179
Although my 56 yo self would agree with Gavin and Nosweat, I grew up with Castrol R flowing through my veins and a lust for Micron and Allspeed exhaust pipes with cut down baffles, so I must confess if I could have had one of these systems for 2 weeks paper round money.......
I agree with you totally Pete- I spent 15 years racing 2-strokes. The sound/ smell of a Kwakka H2 or GT750 on Microns or Allspeeds is pure Nirvana...
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,112
8,219
60
West Sx RH
The RC jet powered bikes are awesome, they are insane but you have to love them.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,791
30,369
Almost all are illegal, but people have been known to jump through the hoops and register them.


At a car show some years back I saw a Raleigh Chopper that had been thus adapted, and that was all registered and plated.
Indeed, 70 years ago they were commonplace with over a million registered in the UK. But with the passing decades and changes in the regulations it gets ever more difficult. I believe emission regulations will eventually kill them off.
.
 

RobN

Pedelecer
May 15, 2020
101
29
Spookily enough in the last 2 weeks when I have been out on my bike I have seen these things buzzing about in the Rochdale area. Sounded like a strimmer engine or similar. I did not see how they went as they were just crossing both times at a pedestrian crossing while I was stopped at the lights.
I cannot imagine any coppers ignoring these things as they do make a racket, but I guess the users are not the sort to hang around and discuss it, they would be off down a back alley.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc