10 Reasons Why You Should Consider A Motorized Bicycle

If you’re like me, then the first time you heard the term “motorized bicycle” you might have thought the person saying it was crazy. A motorized bicycle? At that point you might as well just get a motorcycle, right?

Oh, how wrong you are my dear fellow cynic. Don’t worry, by the end of this page you won’t be dismissing the idea. First, let me define a motorized bicycle. Simply put, it’s a bike, with pedals and all, that has a motor and transmission.

The legal definition of this type of bike might change depending on where you live. For example, in many provinces in Canada, there is no legal difference between a bike and a motorized bicycle. In other places like France, they are regarded under the same laws that regulate mopeds and scooters (which means riders must be over 14, and either have a driver’s license or take a test instead of one).

Why You Should Consider A Motorized Bicycle

With that out of the way, here are 11 reasons why you should buy a motorized bicycle!

1 – It’s a speedy way to get up to speed!

When you ride your bike in traffic, one of the biggest sources of anxiety is stopping and starting again. In other words, going from a complete stop (like a red light) to the speed of traffic. This can take a lot of energy, especially if you’re new to road cycling and/or a little out of shape.

The motor is a great assistant. Getting you from 0 to the speed of traffic quickly, means you don’t need to worry about holding up the people behind you.

2 – Big hills? No problem!

Ah, a steep incline. A nightmare known to cyclists everywhere. It’s a huge bother, even when you’re not riding on the road. I’ll bet at least once you’ve climbed a hill on a bike, only to stop at the top to catch your breath and curse the hill’s very existence. However, if you were to have a motorized bicycle, that hill would be no problem at all. In fact, one of the biggest selling points for motorized bikes is their hill-climbing capabilities.

With the help of the motor, even the most intimidating neighborhood hills won’t be able to slow you down. Whether you use it in tandem with the pedals or simply rely on the motor, you won’t have to push yourself into exhaustion just to get up a hill any longer.

If you’re looking to upgrade your mountain bike with a motor, check out our guide on how to install a motor on your mountain bike.

3 – It’s great for when you’re tired!

Sometimes you just feel so tired, even when cycling isn’t a particularly tiresome activity. There’s just something about it that drains you. Well, fear no more. A motorized bike makes up for what you lack in physical energy. The motor assist is great because you’re still pedalling, and therefore still doing physical activity, but you don’t have to put nearly as much effort into it. I like to think this is the perfect feature for when it is just too hot to give it your all.

Whether you’re feeling sore, you’re really tired, or just feeling lazy, a motorbike lets you put in less energy while traveling at the same level of efficiency.

4 – It’s cheaper than a car!

Owning a car, especially for a city-dweller, is expensive. For starters, you need to pay for gas. A full tank of gas for your car is expensive, and even if it’s a fuel-efficient machine, the costs still add up over time. It can easily cost you thousands or more every year. But that’s not all. You need licensing and registration. There are also parking fees to consider; they add up.

And we haven’t even begun to think about the cost of things like regular maintenance and repairs. Regular bike maintenance can be done with mostly household materials and a few cheap additions (like a bike tire pump, for instance). On the other hand, routine maintenance on your car can cost over £100. On top of that, if there’s a problem with your car, it often costs hundreds of pounds to cover the repairs. In the USA, the average family spends roughly 1.5% of their yearly income on car repairs.

Bike repairs, on the other hand, are much cheaper. While it’s true that if you need to get the engine repaired it can be costly, it’s still cheaper than fixing your car if its engine fails. However, most repairs you get for your bike should reasonably cost under £50 with the price of labor included.

It’s not just fixing the expensive car; it’s getting one in the first place. Bikes generally cost under £2000, while new cars often cost well over £10,000. Some brands don’t sell any new cars with a price tag under £25,000. If you’re on a tight budget, a motorized bike is a way better option compared to a car.

5 – It’s safe(r than a car)!

As I am so fond of telling everyone, cycling is a much safer alternative to driving. For my non-regular readers, here’s the run down: according to the World Health Organization, 1.24 million people died in 2010 in accidents involving motorists.

Car accidents are one of the top 10 causes of death in the world. The amount of people who die every day in a car accident is staggering. Just look at these stats! Cycling is much, much safer. People often dismiss bikes as unsafe and point to the rare instances when cyclists are killed on the road. There’s no arguing with facts, and the facts prove that cycling is a safe alternative to cars.

A motorized bike has the same benefit of safety as a car, but with a convenient motor that helps you along. It can also help with safety. Most accidents between cyclists and motorists occur at intersections. Being able to get up to speed faster may help reduce the risk of an accident.

6 – They’re cool!

As a kid, I used to wedge crushed soda cans above my tires so the bike made a sound that, to me, sounded kind of like a motorcycle’s roar. While a motorized bicycle isn’t the same as a motorcycle, it can still give you that same kind of experience. You can sit on your bike, engage the motor, and feel like a badass biker as you ride.

The best part is, it can give you that feeling, without making you pay for a motorcycle, or get a license for one. Style is one of the main reasons we buy things like bikes, cars, houses, clothes, etc. Style matters a lot! So one of the big benefits motorized bikes have is how stylish and cool they are.

If you’re in the market for an electric road bike, look no further than our list of the best electric road bikes. From lightweight frames to powerful motors, we’ve got you covered.

7 – It’s fuel efficient!

Assuming we’re talking about specifically motorized bikes with an internal combustion engine (ICE) and not electric bikes, they do take fuel to run the engine. However, it’s not a lot, and it lasts a fair bit of time. In other words, for the same efficiency as a car, it produces a fraction of the CO2. Some critics claim that a motorized bike with an ICE defeats the purpose of riding a bike for environmental reasons, but in reality, the difference between a motorized bike and a car is still huge.

It’s an environmentally safe compromise between a car and a bicycle. Besides, electric bikes are considered a type of motorized bike, and those are emission-free. Completely manual bikes are better for the environment, there’s no arguing, but motorized bikes are the runner-ups.

8 – It’s a good stepping stone!

Have you been considering getting into cycling? If you’re overweight and out of shape, the idea of riding a bike as opposed to driving might not sound like a pleasant idea. Depending on the amount of physical exertion you’re used to it might sound more like an exercise in self-flagellation than a leisurely cruise.

Well, bikes don’t have to be so intimidating anymore, because motorized bikes make the transition from motorist to cyclist easy. One of the best benefits of the motorized bike is that you can choose whether you want to manually propel the bike, share the work with the motor, or relax and let the motor take all the slack. This makes it extremely easy for people who aren’t used to riding a bike to get into cycling.

9 – It’s great motivation to exercise!

I’ve seen people make the joke that motorized bikes are the “lazy man’s bike”. Ironically, a motorized bicycle is a great motivation for people to work out and not be lazy! You might be wondering how that makes sense. After all, with a motorbike you have the assist, which allows you to cruise and ride without putting in any physical effort. With the motor engaged, they can ride the bike without actually exercising at all, can’t they? Exactly.

If you’re riding a bike for exercise, you probably plan your route, and most people likely won’t stray too far from home for fear. After all, if you’re too physically exhausted to keep riding, but you’re 30 minutes from home, you’re going to have a bad time. But a motorized bike takes care of that problem.

You can ride your bike to your absolute physical limit because it doesn’t matter how close you are to home when your legs start to feel like jelly and flaming needles. When your stamina is completely gone, you can just use the motor. Or, you could use it more strategically, riding for a while, then cruising with the motor in control for a bit while you recover, and then switching back to full manual propulsion for the second half of your ride.

Don’t let the winter weather stop you from enjoying your electric bike. Check out our list of the best electric bikes for snow and winter riding.

10 – It makes carrying things easier!

Ok, yeah, cargo bikes are amazing, but come on. You couldn’t take anything that heavy on one, right? The extra weight would be too much, right? Wrong. With a motor to assist you, you’ll be able to handle bigger and heavier burdens on your cargo bike. A motor on a cargo bike will allow you to push that baby to its absolute limits. I’m taking fridges and other heavy appliances. Enough groceries to feed a family of 5. 

Conclusion 

Honestly, even if you don’t think you’d need it, you should at least give some serious consideration to buying a motorized bike. Why? Because they’re really handy to have. They are great even if you don’t plan on relying on the motor. If you’re having a particularly groggy morning, they make things easier on you during your commute. They help you work out better. The motorized bike is great for riding in traffic, helping you carry things, and getting over tough hills.

It’s a little extra kick for when you need it. It’s a get-out-of-jail-free card for when you feel lazy. It’s not that you need one, it just makes a really good backup for all those just-in-case situations. And once you have one, I can guarantee you’ll be using it more than you thought you would.

Also Read

• 15 Best Bikes For Heavy Riders
• 6 Misconceptions About The Foldable Electric Bike 
• 10 Best Adult Electric Tricycles To Choose From
• 6 Best Fat Tire Electric Scooters For Off-Road Adventures

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