How to dramatically lighten a China bike?

[JFOlivier]

Now Boatguy if you just had a 45 to 60 ft Cat you could really consider your options, run the cat up onto the beach and run your bike up and down a ramp and you are good to go. Or even nose onto a pier go slow ahead and ramp on or off the pier. Lived aboard a 30 footer for about 10 years and found it difficult to work fold up bicycles onto a dinghy. Some places like St Helena and ascention island you would still need a heavy shoreside crane to get anything heavy off a boat, still fail to see how they got those shoreside cranes onto those islands to start with.

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

Agreed. They are immensely popular.

Also replacing engines isn’t something I’d like to have to do. I have enough years of work ahead of me already with boat stuff

And it's not just work!
It's also

Breaking
Out
Another
Thousand

all too often

[bigdano711]

I really want to get into boat building. I will start small and do the "stitch and glue" method and see if I like it. The main thing is having a shop big enough, and I just don't have that, yet. I may convince the landlord to let me build one, tho.



This guy really inspired me, and you can see the cool bike in the background!

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by Hunnicutt

I've never seen your boat, and I know very little about anything marine.
Is it possible to rig up a small crane with an electric winch and wireless remote on your boat? I envision a small boom crane with a hook that can be lowered to your dinghy. Set up a way to stabilize your Lifan on the dinghy during your run to the dock. Ramp the Lifan off the dinghy onto the dock. Does any of that make sense? Is any of it feasible?

My reasoning behind the suggestion are multi-fold. I have a jacked up back, neck, left knee, and my ankles aren't in the best of shape. Any mechanical advantage I can get is a plus, and will (hopefully) mean less pain. Dead lifting anything over 45 pounds for me right now is impossible. I would hate for you to get injured as bad as I am in your conveyance of motorcycle to and from boat/dinghy.

Not a bad analysis for a guy who says he doesn’t know much about marine stuff. Ha ha.

That’s almost exactly what’s going on.

It’s a sailboat so it has a mast and a piece called a “topping lift”. This holds the boom up and it’s no biggie to swing the motorcycle on/off the boat. That’s not the big issue.

The big issue is that last part. From dinghy to dock or from dinghy to land/beach/boat ramp.

I need a much lighter motorcycle so I can pull it out of the dinghy (over the tubes without damaging them) and just generally have an easier time dealing with it. The lighter the better.

I don’t really want to go down this rabbit hole in this thread though. It’s not going to be easy, no “boat people” can figure it out and it’s pretty much not done. But I like doing things that are not done. Ha ha.

I just need a lighter motorcycle really. No matter how it’s done. It will get off center. It will need some manhandling. It’ll try to tip. It’ll try to get away. It’s all moving and difficult.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by JFOlivier

Now Boatguy if you just had a 45 to 60 ft Cat you could really consider your options, run the cat up onto the beach and run your bike up and down a ramp and you are good to go. Or even nose onto a pier go slow ahead and ramp on or off the pier. Lived aboard a 30 footer for about 10 years and found it difficult to work fold up bicycles onto a dinghy. Some places like St Helena and ascention island you would still need a heavy shoreside crane to get anything heavy off a boat, still fail to see how they got those shoreside cranes onto those islands to start with.

I do have a cat in that range. But when you have a cat like that, you definitely don’t want to have to move it every time you go somewhere on your bike. That’s insane. Takes half the day. And how do you get back?

We are trying to find the lightest motorcycle here. That’s the thread. Let’s not get mired down in these theoretical boat ideas. They’ve already all been considered and worked through.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by bigdano711

I really want to get into boat building. I will start small and do the "stitch and glue" method and see if I like it. The main thing is having a shop big enough, and I just don't have that, yet. I may convince the landlord to let me build one, tho.



This guy really inspired me, and you can see the cool bike in the background!

Small detour of the thread for this. Even though you bitch slapped me for going so far off topic to say you have beautiful riding outside your house in one of your threads because it was too far off topic. Lol

Starting small is a pretty good idea unless you’re 100% committed to needing a larger boat.

Stitch and glue is a nice, fast method. Perfect for smaller boats and learning to work with the materials.

Protect yourself from the chemicals. I made myself sick for years by taking that lightly.

My boat is vacuum infused epoxy resin with Corecell core. It has taken a decade to build and it’s not even done inside. It’s an insane amount of work. But, it’s a bit like China bikes. The closest boat to the one I built is listed at $1.3mil on yacht world. I have no hope of ever affording something like that so I built it myself.

But yes stitch and glue is a great method.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by jeffrey

Get the X-PRO DLX 150 and build a small Higgins boat type dinghy.

The Higgins thing sounds cool, but there is a lot of work involved. I don’t have time to add more work to my life.

However! One thing not considered is a special type of ramp. A ramp that has a hill in it that can get the bike over the tubes.

Nonetheless, it’s the bike we need to figure out here. The lightest one available that can meet the requirements

So why the DLX 15” over the Orion 190? What’s the reasoning?

[Megadan]

There are a few different bikes like the Orion 190 and DLX 150. Basically just large pit bikes with a simplistic electrical system. Technically they have everything needed for road legality (lights and mirrors) but many places may not allow them to be registered. Might be something to look into before purchasing.

Otherwise, something like the Lifan KP Mini might be your best compromise. About 250lbs wet, 150cc vertical engine with 12hp and they are capable of 70mph. It may be a tad heavier than what you would like to have, but it is still not an unreasonable weight, and smaller thanks to it's grom sized wheels and tires.

It's popular enough that even the cheap brands make their own knock off of the knock-off lol. Xpro, venom, etc. all sell their own version of it, usually price around 1800-2200.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by Megadan

There are a few different bikes like the Orion 190 and DLX 150. Basically just large pit bikes with a simplistic electrical system. Technically they have everything needed for road legality (lights and mirrors) but many places may not allow them to be registered. Might be something to look into before purchasing.

Otherwise, something like the Lifan KP Mini might be your best compromise. About 250lbs wet, 150cc vertical engine with 12hp and they are capable of 70mph. It may be a tad heavier than what you would like to have, but it is still not an unreasonable weight, and smaller thanks to it's grom sized wheels and tires.

It's popular enough that even the cheap brands make their own knock off of the knock-off lol. Xpro, venom, etc. all sell their own version of it, usually price around 1800-2200.

All I know is this is a very, very difficult decision to make.

I’m definitely tempted to just go for the lightest thing possible to make life easier, but of course something like this handles the road much better.

I’m still not a fan of these Grom type bikes. I feel they are really dangerous because they are hard to see on the road.

As much as the pit bikes are poor handling in comparison, I think they have a lot more visibility. I guess that’s an important part of this process too.

Living on a boat means a physical life. An accident would mean disaster.

Oh yeah. That Orion 190 says “motorcycle “ on the mco. They couldn’t really resister the xpect in my state either, so they just put it under “motorcycle, other”

[Texas Pete]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

I’m still not a fan of these Grom type bikes. I feel they are really dangerous because they are hard to see on the road.

Or how about split the difference, get the inexpensive Grom type bike but get a Hi Visibility airbag vest. Not only will you stick out but it will save thousands in hospital bills. The guy always going on about how great they are didn't believe in the vests until he fell off his bike and had a "minor" break to his collar bone. He ended up in the end spending about $8,000 in hospital bills and recovery over the next year. Now he wears the $700 airbag vest all the time when riding. If you had a serious road accident I could see hospital bills in excess of $100,000 towards $200,000 unless you got great insurance. In the latter case it makes a $700 vest cheaper than anything out there.



The model is Helite Turtle 2 Hi Vis. They have full black for those that want to look "cool" instead of look "visible" but hey this is to help you be visible.


You can take it anywhere with you, use it on any bike and use it with any riding gear you want. It isn't locked to just one riding jacket etc.



When it inflates you get massive spinal / neck protection.





But when not inflated it sits flat but still hi visibility.

[Boatguy]

I always ride with hi-viz and a white helmet. I flash brake lights at stops. I’m really really focused on making sure I’m seen when riding. It’s a big deal to me.

I also have escape routes ready at all times from as many threats as possible. I prefer not to be hit in the first place.

The issue with these tiny bikes isn’t that type of visibility.

It’s that you can’t see them very well over the hood.

I’ve been driving with groms around me in Florida. You can’t see them next to you easily or in front of you. I’m not willing to ride something like that.

Realize this riding is in populated areas. Stopped at lights, in traffic, etc. not open roads. Too dangerous for short bikes.

[bigdano711]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

Small detour of the thread for this. Even though you bitch slapped me for going so far off topic to say you have beautiful riding outside your house in one of your threads because it was too far off topic. Lol

I don't know what you're talking about, but if I "bitch slapped" you, you most likely deserved it. You probably made some dumb ass comment like the one above.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by bigdano711

I don't know what you're talking about, but if I "bitch slapped" you, you most likely deserved it. You probably made some dumb ass comment like the one above.

You want to see it? I was being all friendly to you, a new member, complimenting the great riding outside your door where you live and got shut down. Sounds super dumb to me.

Welp, you edited it so I guess it was a heat of the moment thing.

No big deal.

[bigdano711]

[GypsyR]

I'm just hanging in here because I'd really like to see what the final selection is and how/if it works out. Thread's kind of deteriorating though.