Farm bike - do you have one?

[Lincoln75]

Great overview Pete, thanks for that.

I am probably going to "move on" the SWM 600 as I just don't ride it, and it is just depreciating in the container, and would use the dosh to buy an UBCO!

The complete ease of use is partially what really appeals to me, especially at the moment as I am still a bit immobile from a pulled hamstring, same as I reckon Herself would like it for checking stock and especially when checking her cuz's stock when he away!

Got to ask though, how do you find the ergonomics of the bike though, it has always seemed too small from my perspective, especially standing up on the pegs, or do you find yourself sitting down more, when off-road?

I am impressed at the range you got.... 3.1 battery?

I think a SWM600 is too heavy as a farm bike , 300cc is the most you`ll need , the UBCO`s have very basic/poor suspension and an hour or so (If they last that long) over rough dry land wont be any fun where as a Japanese or European petrol enduro will be a pleasure with high spec long travel suspension and excellent ergonomics.
As for 2wd , you dont need it , watch any enduro competition , all you need is the right tyres and a little experience.

 

[Lincoln75]

There are a couple of UBCO bikes around here and I was supposed to be getting one on demo last week but the local dealer rang to say that they don't think they're upto farm life and they are reluctant to sell any for onto stock farms.

They have plastic planetary gears in the front hub and these are causing problems locally.

I'm sure they'll be great in a few years but I'm holding off for now.

As I suspected , under developed.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

View attachment 986621

Stock checking yesterday . 110 miles £2,75 in petrol

Too far for the quad and wears the Landrover out

View attachment 986622

Be better when the stainless steel tray is on the back

I filled my passat with diesel and 3 cans of petrol for the quad on Friday. £185!!

 

[steveR]

I think a SWM600 is too heavy as a farm bike , 300cc is the most you`ll need , the UBCO`s have very basic/poor suspension and an hour or so (If they last that long) over rough dry land wont be any fun where as a Japanese or European petrol enduro will be a pleasure with high spec long travel suspension and excellent ergonomics.
As for 2wd , you dont need it , watch any enduro competition , all you need is the right tyres and a little experience.

The 600 was bought purely as a long distance trailie, mainly to do 2 TET rides in Europe. Not happening now....

I have pukka trail and enduro bike for pleasure rides already... I use my XR400 engined trail bike for around the farm as it is low and has soft power.

 

[RJ1]

I filled my passat with diesel and 3 cans of petrol for the quad on Friday. £185!!

We're not far away from the economics making sense to switch. If the products are improved a little and the price doesn't keep going up, it won't be more than a couple of years

 

[Cows 'n grass]

We're not far away from the economics making sense to switch. If the products are improved a little and the price doesn't keep going up, it won't be more than a couple of years

My brother has a road bike with a 1kw motor on that he put on himself. On the road it moves a perfectly acceptable speed without pedaling at all.

One of my winter plans is to buy a half decent second hand mountain bike on ebay and stick one of these 1.5kw kits on.

It's never going to compare to an UBCO or petrol bike but it should make getting the cows in and out a bit quieter and cheaper than trundling about on a 600cc quad.

 

[JP1]

My brother has a road bike with a 1kw motor on that he put on himself. On the road it moves a perfectly acceptable speed without pedaling at all.

One of my winter plans is to buy a half decent second hand mountain bike on ebay and stick one of these 1.5kw kits on.
View attachment 986652

It's never going to compare to an UBCO or petrol bike but it should make getting the cows in and out a bit quieter and cheaper than trundling about on a 600cc quad.

I gather they are targeted and checked now by the police as they're illegal on the road ?

 

[Lincoln75]

A new UBCO battery is errr a little pricey to say the least.

 

[Spud]

I really want a yard moped, something that you can just jump on and press a button to start and zoom up the yard to open the gates, I could waste half an hour some days unlocking and locking the gate

Push bike here for that job

 

[steveR]

I gather they are targeted and checked now by the police as they're illegal on the road ?

Heard the same, "illegal" mountain biking on bridleways and also on the road. Fine for @Cows 'n grass trundling around teh fields mind.

 

[steveR]

A new UBCO battery is errr a little pricey to say the least.

Bit like cars...

The only reason to have a second, is to swap out for something like hire bikes. At least you can swap!! I have long felt that demountable battery packs will be required for small tractors and light commercials.

 

[Lincoln75]

Bit like cars... only reason to have a second, is to swap out for something like hire bikes. At least you can swap!! I have long felt that demountable battery packs will be required for small tractors and light commercials.

They are onto it with cars https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/03/amp...pping-stations-for-bay-area-uber-drivers.html

 

[Lincoln75]

I gather they are targeted and checked now by the police as they're illegal on the road ?

I doubt they have the kit to test roadside.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I gather they are targeted and checked now by the police as they're illegal on the road ?

They're definitely not road legal but brothers one just has a switch so you can change it on the move from pedal assist to thumb throttle like a quad

 

[steveR]

They're definitely not road legal but brothers one just has a switch so you can change it on the move from pedal assist to thumb throttle like a quad

Not actually legal to use on a road unless the power control meets the criteria according to this.

Is your e-bike legal? | Cycling UK

The electrically assisted pedal cycles regulations are the laws that let you have a small electric motor on a pedal cycle, and still use it just like a normal bike. Find out what they mean for your e-cycle

www.cyclinguk.org

 

[steveR]

There are a couple of UBCO bikes around here and I was supposed to be getting one on demo last week but the local dealer rang to say that they don't think they're upto farm life and they are reluctant to sell any for onto stock farms.

They have plastic planetary gears in the front hub and these are causing problems locally.

I'm sure they'll be great in a few years but I'm holding off for now.

A bit of a surprise that, I would have thought the Kiwi's would have sussed out any problems by now? They use their farm kit hard... @Kiwi Pete?

I wonder what is causing the problem?

 

[JD6920s]

I filled my passat with diesel and 3 cans of petrol for the quad on Friday. £185!!

Doesn’t seem that long ago the pump used to cut out at £50, barely fill some cars half full these days

 

[Kiwi Pete]

A bit of a surprise that, I would have thought the Kiwi's would have sussed out any problems by now? They use their farm kit hard... @Kiwi Pete?

I wonder what is causing the problem?

The early bikes - I have #0016 here - had pretty spindly gears and a very thin keyway onto the axle.

as you can see they weren't really up for abuse, just use.

The Gen 5 bikes are twice as thick, bigger teeth, proper splined axle setup based on those earlier ones giving issues, also the finned hubmotors cool much better.
I had a look at them both in bits for comparison, as I was concerned the earlier ones were just a bit too "bikey" in the spokes etc

Round the local MX track I got the motors up to 95°, but I was getting close myself, most of the time they sit around 35-40° with the stop-start use I give it..

for what it's worth 0016 has been used daily on a 600ha property since 2014... still original battery pack, has had at least a new hubmotor in each end... possibly done 75-80,000 km. He's got about 8-10 UBCO's and a KTM450

Borrowed it for a demo, must take it back...

Replacement part costs in that 7 years would maybe come to similar as an o-ring chain and a set of steel sprockets, let alone tyres oils etc etc

 

[Cows 'n grass]

The early bikes - I have #0016 here - had pretty spindly gears and a very thin keyway onto the axle. View attachment 986832
as you can see they weren't really up for abuse, just use.

The Gen 5 bikes are twice as thick, bigger teeth, proper splined axle setup based on those earlier ones giving issues, also the finned hubmotors cool much better.
I had a look at them both in bits for comparison, as I was concerned the earlier ones were just a bit too "bikey" in the spokes etc

Round the local MX track I got the motors up to 95°, but I was getting close myself, most of the time they sit around 35-40° with the stop-start use I give it..

for what it's worth 0016 has been used daily on a 600ha property since 2014... still original battery pack, has had at least a new hubmotor in each end... possibly done 75-80,000 km. He's got about 8-10 UBCO's and a KTM450

Borrowed it for a demo, must take it back...

Replacement part costs in that 7 years would maybe come to similar as an o-ring chain and a set of steel sprockets, let alone tyres oils etc etc

That's interesting. The only adverts for UBCO bikes I've seen over here are very much aimed at the leisure and commuting market.

I wonder if the uprated gearing hasn't made it to the UK?

 

[steveR]

The early bikes - I have #0016 here - had pretty spindly gears and a very thin keyway onto the axle. View attachment 986832
as you can see they weren't really up for abuse, just use.

The Gen 5 bikes are twice as thick, bigger teeth, proper splined axle setup based on those earlier ones giving issues, also the finned hubmotors cool much better.
I had a look at them both in bits for comparison, as I was concerned the earlier ones were just a bit too "bikey" in the spokes etc

Round the local MX track I got the motors up to 95°, but I was getting close myself, most of the time they sit around 35-40° with the stop-start use I give it..

for what it's worth 0016 has been used daily on a 600ha property since 2014... still original battery pack, has had at least a new hubmotor in each end... possibly done 75-80,000 km. He's got about 8-10 UBCO's and a KTM450

Borrowed it for a demo, must take it back...

Replacement part costs in that 7 years would maybe come to similar as an o-ring chain and a set of steel sprockets, let alone tyres oils etc etc

Pretty comprehensive and positive "long term" review Pete I guess the "owner" is pretty happy with them, if he is running so many UBCO machines!

I saw elsewhere that the earlier bikes were not really up to hard work, but reckoned 5-6 years down the line they should have sussed the problems... Interesting to look at the pics (and reviews) of earlier machines and you can see the difference.

Intriguing that the hubs really do benefit from the finned castings...