Need information on V-RROOM! bicycle engines

[Bike from the Dead]

Does anyone here have any information about these Mattel V-RROOM! and Sears Hot Rod bike motors? I'm thinking of getting one for my MBBO trike, but I need to know a few things first, mainly the dimensions, and what I might expect to pay for one of these.

 

[AndyA]

I wonder which one would be faster. The Sears motor is a twin, but it looks like it has a mighty short stroke. Never ran one myself but I do recall that a baseball card and a clothes pin made my bike run faster, assuming that speed is correlated with noise. The best noise ever was from a neighbor's big, red Huffy. He had a mechanical siren with a chain that pulled a little driving wheel (like those on a generator) into the front rim. Man, that thing sounded like a police car!

 

[Bike from the Dead]

I wonder which one would be faster. The Sears motor is a twin, but it looks like it has a mighty short stroke. Never ran one myself but I do recall that a baseball card and a clothes pin made my bike run faster, assuming that speed is correlated with noise. The best noise ever was from a neighbor's big, red Huffy. He had a mechanical siren with a chain that pulled a little driving wheel (like those on a generator) into the front rim. Man, that thing sounded like a police car!

The Sears motor also looks like it might suffer from overheating problems, too. I mean, look at the cylinders; they're glowing red! I've powered my old Western Flyer Sonic Flyer with a playing card and clothes pin before, but I must've drawn a joker because it sounded gutless!

I think your neighbor wins the contest for the loudest bike ever! That would've been sweet to have seen and heard! Any idea where that bike is today?

 

[Verrt]

I wonder which one would be faster. The Sears motor is a twin, but it looks like it has a mighty short stroke. Never ran one myself but I do recall that a baseball card and a clothes pin made my bike run faster, assuming that speed is correlated with noise. The best noise ever was from a neighbor's big, red Huffy. He had a mechanical siren with a chain that pulled a little driving wheel (like those on a generator) into the front rim. Man, that thing sounded like a police car!

Hard to go past a big a single. Thumpthumpthumpthump...pausewut?...thumpthumpthumpthump


I remember sketching an idea to have different thickness cards that you could pull in and out of the wheel as you were riding, so you could "change gears"

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Hard to go past a big a single. Thumpthumpthumpthump...pausewut?...thumpthumpthumpthump


I remember sketching an idea to have different thickness cards that you could pull in and out of the wheel as you were riding, so you could "change gears"

I know there's an actual product that comes with different plastic cards to sound like different engines, but to have one that sounds like different gears? That would be cool.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Hard to go past a big a single. Thumpthumpthumpthump...pausewut?...thumpthumpthumpthump


I remember sketching an idea to have different thickness cards that you could pull in and out of the wheel as you were riding, so you could "change gears"

Here's what I was talking about earlier:

 

[Dbubbleguy]

Don't forget using long balloons with both ends tied to the fender stay. Makes a loud "blub, blub, blub" sound until they eventually pop. Just carry a pocket full of balloons. Years ago a buddy and I were on the Princeton Ride, which would attract over a thousand riders. As we "blub, blub, blub" along a lycra clad lad passes us and yells "GROW UP CLOWNS!", much to the laughter of his girlfriend who was riding with him.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Don't forget using long balloons with both ends tied to the fender stay. Makes a loud "blub, blub, blub" sound until they eventually pop. Just carry a pocket full of balloons. Years ago a buddy and I were on the Princeton Ride, which would attract over a thousand riders. As we "blub, blub, blub" along a lycra clad lad passes us and yells "GROW UP CLOWNS!", much to the laughter of his girlfriend who was riding with him.

I've never heard of this trick before... I'd have to see it in action to really see how it works.

 

[Dbubbleguy]

I've never heard of this trick before... I'd have to see it in action to really see how it works.

Balloon is not fully inflated, leaving a nub on one end and nozzle on the other. Tie each end of the balloon to the outside of the fender stay, then roll the bike forward pushing the balloon under the stay until it pops to the other side. Balloon should be to the tire side of the wheel. Have fun...

 

[Vroom]

Hmmm, never heard of them..... Yes I had one in the '60's as a kid and if I remember right you could turn a large dial on the side to increase the sound. I don't think they are very large as mine was mounted on a 20" tire bike.
good luck in your search.

 

[Kevin B]

Does anyone here have any information about these Mattel V-RROOM! and Sears Hot Rod bike motors? I'm thinking of getting one for my MBBO trike, but I need to know a few things first, mainly the dimensions, and what I might expect to pay for one of these.
View attachment 145183

Here is a Youtube video that will give you the idea of the vroom motor's size Vroom motor Ad
There are more videos at Youtube also.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Here is a Youtube video that will give you the idea of the vroom motor's size Vroom motor Ad
There are more videos at Youtube also.

How fitting that the ad shows it on a trike, since the one I'm getting is going on my own custom trike!

 

[Kevin B]

When I was in grade school we found a Vroom motor at the curb with the trash on our street. It still worked. That was about 1968.