How Far Can A Motorized Bicycle Go – Bicycles In Motion

How Far Can A Motorized Bicycle Go

How Far Can A Motorized Bicycle Go

Motorized bicycles come with gas and electric engines, and some have pedal assist. The more modern and adaptable your bike is, the further you’re likely to get on a single tank or charge.

Likewise, a bigger battery or gas tank will naturally go further up to a point because more weight will also lower your long-distance capabilities. How far can a motorized bicycle go?

A motorized bicycle with a 250-watt engine can travel around 15 miles and a 500-watt engine can travel around 30 miles, using the motor exclusively. If you use pedal assist, you can double the number of miles traveled because it’s more efficient. However, heavier weight, very hot or cold weather and hills can shorten the distance you can go.

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How Many Miles Can A Motorized Bicycle Go

The working life of a motorized bicycle engine may surprise you. They go a lot further than you think.

Since most bike engines come from China, they tend to have similar construction and come from similar materials, and they begin on an equal footing.

In short, most bike engines can go about the same number of miles regardless of the specifics of their build.

An average bike engine can go 5,000 to 7,000 miles in its working life. That may seem like a large discrepancy, but the most significant difference has a lot to do with how well you care for the engine.

Regular cleaning and maintenance and high-quality fuel can make a huge difference.

Another factor to consider is your weather and climate. The more moisture you have in the air, the faster your motorcycle engine will corrode—likewise, extreme heat and cold play havoc on your motor.

Unfortunately, the expansion and contraction will wear on your motor and the rest of your bike.

The other major contributor is how you use it. A motorized bicycle that you take out on weekends for a cruise down the local river walk is going to last longer than the one you ride uphill to work every day.

If you happen to be a motorized bike racer, then you probably already know the engines don’t last long at all. More strain on your engine will cause it to wear out faster and break sooner.

Whether you pedal sometimes impacts the engine use. Regardless, an excellent motorized bike engine is going to last you around 3 to 10 years.

With a little TLC, your motorized bike engine will run like new for years. To get the most out of it, buy new, have a professional do the installation, avoid running at the highest speed possible, and make sure your bike engine gets serviced regularly.

How Far Can An Electric Bike Go On One Charge

An average e-bike can go roughly 20 miles on a charge if the weather is not cold. Unfortunately, those batteries drain very quickly once temperatures drop down around freezing.

Many e-bikes will only travel around 3 to 5 miles on a cold night. The good news is that the tech is constantly improving, and there are battery covers that help retain warmth.

Just because 20 miles is average, it doesn’t mean an electric bike can’t go farther.

The current record holder for the electric bike range, the Delfast 3.0 Top, can travel 230 miles on a single charge.

It’s also incredibly fast, according to Delfast’s website. “Top 3.0 electric bike from Delfast (Guinness World Record holder) is Delfast bestseller and the model with incredibly high speed and the greatest power and range ever. Top 3.0 has been recently updated and improved. The e-bike speed remains 80km/h by default and can reach up to 90km/h max.”

How Far Can You Go On A Gas Powered Bike

How far you can travel on a gas-powered bike depends primarily on two things. First, how much weight are you carrying with you?

Having a passenger or gear will significantly cut your mileage because it costs more fuel to power a bike carrying a heavier load.

More importantly, what is the size of your engine? A typical gas-powered bike has a half-gallon motor that uses a mixed fuel just like a lawnmower.

These bikes can travel 60 to 70 miles on a full tank. However, some bikes have a tank that will hold a whole gallon, which can mean up to a hundred fifty miles on a single tank of gas.

How Long Can You Ride A 2-Stroke Bicycle

Your two-stroke bicycle will go about twenty miles if you don’t use a pedal assist. However, in the long term, this type of engine can provide 1,500 hours’ worth of power.

Most riders only put about 200 hours per year on their bike, and they last two to eight years depending on maintenance and how hard and often you ride.

How Far Can A 80Cc Engine Go

Many 80Cc engines are found on dirtbikes. This fun style of motorized bicycle is made to go forty to fifty miles per hour, which is fast for a motorized bike.

Additionally, dirt bike riders tend to go hard on their machines, using dirt trails and even taking jumps, which is not easy on a bike.

If you’re not stopping for refills and you carry no extra weight, this style of an engine can match any other gas engine for distance and fuel consumption, which is to say it will go sixty miles or more if the road is mostly flat.

Helpful Tips To Know About How Far A Motorized Bicycle Can Go

A battery-operated electric motorized bike might only make it five miles on the coldest days, while the world record is over 200 miles.

Meanwhile, a half-gallon gas motor will cover sixty miles in the cold, and a one-gallon engine can go twice that far.

Whichever style you prefer, here are more helpful tips to know how far a motorized bicycle can go.

  • How you treat your bike engines makes a huge difference. Motocross riders can burn through a top-end engine in as little as two hours of use.
  • The oldest known electric bicycle that is still working has (currently) over thirty thousand miles on it and it is more than ten years old. Doubtless, that engine has received outstanding care.
  • Motorized bicycles can go a long way, but they have also come a long way in the last 154 years. The first recognized motorized bicycle was the Michaux-Perreaux Steam Velocipede, created in France in 1868.
  • Most motorized bicycles have a top speed of around 52 kilometers per hour. That’s a little over 32 miles per hour.

Final Thoughts

Motorized bicycles last for years if they are well built and properly maintained. A decent quality new motor, whether it’s gas or electric should make it five to seven thousand miles and last you 3 to 10 years.

However, if you race, run at top speed uphill, and don’t get your engine serviced regularly, you will need a new one much sooner.

Electric bikes can easily travel over 20 miles on a charge, and some modified gas engines can get up to 150 miles on a single one-gallon tank.

If you want to go the distance with your motorized bicycle remember to use your pedal assist and never skip out on maintenance.

Brian Smith

Brian is the founder of Bicycles In Motion and an avid cyclist for 17 years. On the weekends, he enjoys exploring new bike trails and countryside roads to enjoy the outdoors.

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