Hey guys! This one may get a bit rambly, but I'm at the very early stages of planning a motorcycle conversion and really wanted some input from people who're in the know. I live in BC, Canada. Here, we can have a 1500w motor on a motorcycle frame and have it designated as a "limited speed motorcycle". Top speed is about 70km/h which is just fine for me as an in-town commuter. For about a year, I was planning to buy a Super Soco TC from a company in Vancouver. After government rebates I'd be looking at about $4k plus taxes. If you haven't seen it, it's got a cool cafe racer styling. However, I came across a video on YT from FortNine (Canadian motorcycle retailer) showing how 'easy' and fun it is to do a conversion on an older, stripped down motorcycle and make your own. Plus it's far cheaper. This appeals to me immensely. I'm a half-decent mechanic, although wiring isn't my thing at all. I'm a new rider, so the chances that I'll drop this thing is fairly high, and I'd hate to scratch up a brand new bike. If I make it myself, I can repair it myself. If the batteries wear out, I can get replacement from lots of places, since they aren't proprietary. Most of you on here undoubtedly understand the appeal. If you watch the video, you'll see that they used a hub motor kit from somewhere in China that came "plug and play". Having watched Johnny's videos on direct drive vs hub motor, I'm starting to doubt this is a good solution. However, at 9:20 of Johnny's video he DID say he'd consider a hub motor for a single-speed motorcycle conversion, albeit at a higher wattage. So, I'm looking for opinions and input on this whole endeavor. I don't want to spend more than $3k-ish for everything (incl. the donor bike) and I don't want to have to get my motorcycle license (makes the wife too nervous - don't get me started). If DIY with these requirements is possible, where da heck do I get the stuff without having to take an electronics class to understand it all? Duties and dollar conversion from the US make purchasing from there unattractive. Is there a good plug-and-play retailer for parts like this that is in or ships to Canada? Should I just cave and buy the Super Soco?
top of page
bottom of page
I think we’re still too early in for plug and play kits for motorcycles unfortunately 🙁 have you considered converting a moped style bike? Might be easier to remove engines etc on a smaller scale. Plus using ebike rated 1500w hub motors would be available in a kit as plug n play.