Sscooter conversion after seeing the new QS mid motor kit?

[macribs]

After seeing the new QS motor that is bundled with wheel, the new APT controller, belts/pulleys and even swing arm I find myself tempted to do a scooter conversion. It is so many years since I paid any attention to scooters so I have really no clue what to use as a donor bike, other then it will have to had a tough life, with scratches, wear and tear and being sold dirt cheap. The uglier it looks the less chance people will take notice and stick their thieving little fingers inside the foot rest to steal batteries.




If I do this I will use this for riding places where I don't feel comfortable parking the vector bike and also use it as a "shopping cart", weekly shopping with multiple bags on the steering wheel is not so hot on the vector. Plus I don't think I fancy doing that in the snow and icy conditions we are having . I will not do anything in order for scooter to be road legal, just strip the engine, and find room for batteries. Dirt cheap build for use and abuse.

With all them China bikes on the market the last few years I am thinking China scooter would be a perfect donor. Seems they all run GY6 engine, and most likely the kit from QS will just slide right in without any welding needed. Another great thing is the price, those bikes does not hold their value very good. So used ones are really cheap.

For those of you that already did conversions, did you find stock fork and shocks to be sufficient? What about batteries? Did you fill the helmet space underneat the seat or make room for it under "floor panel"? What kind of pack size should I consider for say 30-40 miles range at 45 km/h? Maybe the little fairing up front help reduce drag compared to me riding the vector. Upright and wide as a barn door.

I wonder how cheap and ugly one could do a conversion, I think iirc the price for the kit was 450$. Then getting some cheap ass multistars and bob is my uncle.

The other option is to do make a custom swing arm and just get a 273 in a 13 or 14" rim. But that will mean I need to do more work. Plus that the hub motor alone is another 100$ extra, so 550$ plus controller, plus man hours to make custom swing arm.

What you all think? Testing the new mid motor belt drive from QS or do a traditional hub motor custom swing arm build?

 

[Baron]

looks cool. think could you mount it to an ebike frame? :lol:

http://www.cnqsmotor.com/en/article_read/New%20QS%20Motor%20Mid%20Drive%20Motor%20Assembly,%20Under%20Developing/572.html

 

[macribs]

Probably yes, but for legal reason and to avoid attention from thieving little bastards, a used and abused looking scooter is perfect for riding stealth.

Looking at this exploded view from your link gave me an idea. I saw a ship running diesel electric, meaning the diesel engine was running just for producing electricity to a battery bank that run 2 electric motors on the same axle. I was told even if those motor was mounted to the same axle two motors made twice the torque as one.

Dual motor could be possible with custom clamps to mount the second motor above the one that is running the pulley for the belt, both motors would be swing arm mounted. If two motors driving the same axle at twice the torque holds true for that ship, two motors connected via belt/pulley or sprockets and chain will also do twice the torque? One could double the torque yet still keep the design of motor moving free with the swing arm. What do you think?

 

[Baron]

IIRC there have been some builds here on e-s with two or more mid-drive motors. Off the top of my head, the user Recumpence had a nice build. https://endless-sphere.com/forums/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6262

his motors weren't mounted on the swingarm, which is probably better. less unsprung weight that way

 

[macribs]

Well yes frame mounted motors has its pros. But it got cons as well. Either construct one bad as swing arm with jack shaft in the pivot point to avoid chain growth or well it aint pretty.

This will not be a mtb/dh or even bike conversion. It will be like a cheap Vespa clone donor.

Yeah I have followed recumpence build threads and he does some solid work. A true craftsman. I am not even gonna try to do what he does.
The idea for this build is to be a penny pincher. Low to medium costs yet with some fun factor. No need for steep climbing or off road capability. An urban city glider to enjoy the streets, red lights and not worry so much about police or thieving bastards. Cops will just see a normal scooter, a little rough and abused ridden by a man who appears to be riding legal with helmet and daytime running lights. Thieving bastards will think it is ugly and old. Can't be too old though, or some might think it is a cool vintage scooter. Dirt cheap china scooter would be a perfect donor. Something like this maybe?

 

[Hillhater]

12" rims only......that would make the iVespa look like a drag bike !

 

[mistercrash]

You can fit a 12" rim on the front, I did it on my chinese scooter. But a 12" rim with a 120/60-12 tire is not that much bigger than a 10" rim with a 3.50"X10" tire.

 

[23skidoo]

Costs add up. Even getting my scooter for free, my 5404 motor for $350, the controller for $350, no cycle analyst, and running less hobby king lipo than you'll need its around $2k. The bolts, bulbs, bits, and bobs are easy to ignore.

 

[macribs]

23skidoo I know what you mean, for a while I tried to keep tab on my spendings for the Vector build. It soon got to the point I had to stop, as the costs went so high I didn't want to know the ugly truth. But with that build I started from zero. Every bolt, nipple and needed parts had to be bought and paid for as I had no bicycle parts from before. And I even had to get some bicycle tools. So things became costly.

With a donor scooter you got useful bits and bobs that will not require additional cash, everything like brake, front wheel, suspension, seat and handlebar, lights, etc. a conversion in the simplest way, done for just city riding should be way cheaper then doing a new e-bike from scratch.

Of course if the build turns out to be fun, one could over time put in performance parts, like getting better suspension parts, bigger brakes or even do custom frame work to allow for an even more practical scooter the will work even better as an all round scooter for shopping, joy riding with fast accelerations or go on evening cruise on back roads just to blow off steam. But those added costs is not a requirement up front to get a running electrical scooter.