Motorizing Your Tandem Bike

For a while it seemed like the only easy way to motorize a tandem bike is to put an electric wheel on it. We've seen gas-powered tandem bikes before, but heard too many horror stories of how hard they could be to build. But this week a rider sent us a picture of his tandem build and explanation of how easy it could be to assemble a 2-stroke gas engine on to a tandem bike. The key: the right frame. Frame Sizing The right tandem frame is a little tricky to find. Most tandem bikes have frames closer to MTB or chopper bikes, which often require special motor mounts to fit. For this job you'll be looking for is a frame with at least 10" of clearance somewhere in the front or back of the frame, and with 1.5" diameter frame tubing-just like a cruiser frame you'd use for a regular ol' build. Make sure the frame has no more than 7" of space between the bars you'd use to mount the engine, otherwise you'll need a special mount like the OCC Chopper mount. To see a video on sizing a frame to assure an engine will fit, click here Don't forget about that chain! A long frame means you'll need an extended chain. Thankfully we've got everything you need to connect chains and get your motorized tandem bike on the road. All you need is a chain breaker, an extra 415 Heavy Duty Chain, a 415 Master Link, a couple of 415 Half Links. Just click here and you can find everything you need