hardknocks

[Von Stans]

does ne one own one of these kikker 5150 hardknocks i am kinda curiose about them specially since they have a 200cc motor.... and are they street legal......if ne one from canada has one i would love there input

http://www.kikker5150.com/hardknock.html

[Lightfoot]

They sure are cool looking little bikes. Don't know anything about them myself but there is this thread from another forum about them.

http://motorbicycling.com/f3/my-new-toy-kikker-5150-200cc-4264.html

[SkidMark]

They would only be street legal with a headlight, taillight & brake light, license plate light, and also turn signals. I think there also has to be a red reflector on the back visible to the side, and an amber reflector on the front fork visible to the side. They'd probably have to have and ignition switch and a separate kill switch, and have a battery/alternator type electrical system, instead of straight off a flywheel magneto type setup. This is basically all the DOT Approval stuff, and then there are the fees the manufacturer would have to pay to the DOT...

[CCR]

skidmark is right about the lights, they can put lights/signals on them for extra $$$ when you order them. ive only seen one before at a bodyshop, they said they had the 150cc but they got the 50cc after getting in trouble riding it on the streets. i did hear a guy say on the scooter forums that his order was promised in 2 months, after 8 months he called ( for the 10th time) and the guy at kikker told him not to rush him and that these bikes were works of art rather than just transportation, but thats hearsay from an angry forum member so take it for what its worth.

[Lightfoot]

I joined the forum on their site and poked around a little. It looks like quite a few guys have managed to get them registered and tagged in both the US and Canada.

My wife has been talking about getting a scooter to run around town on to save gas, maybe i can talk her into one of these instead.

[SkidMark]

Works of Art? They are production "customs" or "choppers" like Big Dogs, etc. not one-off customs like Hank Young or Jesse James build. Please, there's more art & fabrication in the average Rat Rod Bike on this site!

[BrigmasterA]

Works of Art? They are production "customs" or "choppers" like Big Dogs, etc. not one-off customs like Hank Young or Jesse James build. Please, there's more art & fabrication in the average Rat Rod Bike on this site!

I agree. More and more Jesse James builds are becoming less and less a build as well. He's gone from making a custom one-off bike to having a line of bikes. Yeah, you can customize them, but he still has a "line" of bikes rather than "a" bike... But he's got a product that people seem to want... Those kikker bikes look cool, but I don't see what makes them a "work of art".

[Von Stans]

i really just want it as a starting point then just go crazy on customizing it i really just want the hardtail and the motor.....there is the 200cc so i am pritty sure i will be able to get it on the road.....

[SkidMark]

Why not just get any old Japanese bike and hardtail the frame? An old Japanese bike once tuned up is going to be more reliable and last longer than a brand new Chinese knockoff of a Honda Passport engine.

Jesse James does offer frame and parts kits but there is still tons of room to make the bike your own. There are "production" ones but you can still make your bike as unique as your wallet can handle. Exile has been making rolling chassis kits for years, and that's basically all Flyrite does. Even Zero Engineering has two production bikes available in the US and 4 available in Japan. If it allows the builder to kick back and take their time creating one or two full-customs a year, that's pretty cool. Same with merch, why not make money if it gives you the freedom to be creative?

[Von Stans]

i have a 1974 enduro 400cc 2 stroke i want to hardtail just havent gotten around to it yet.......

i would love to get a roller from flyright or on of though's other company's...... i just wasn't sure how much in cash though's beasts would cost.....