Jose
From Berkley, Michigan
August 16th, 2004
Hello, my name is Jose Esguerra, and above
is my Kona Smoke with a Golden Eagle Bike
Engine (GEBE) Kit. I've had this setup since
Spring of 2004, and it's still going strong.
I've come to use the bike for errands around
the neighborhood. From trips to the grocery,
hardware store, café, visiting friends, going
to the model train club….etc….I've even spent
a great deal of the summer commuting to work
(unfortunately our company division has moved
to a new location in July --- I'll have to
find a new route….doh).
I came upon the GEBE kit from an article
in Popular Mechanics, and a quick visit to
their website sold me on the idea. I had
to have one. I love biking, and the thought
of commuting to work without putting up a
sweat was very appealing. Of course I'd bike
home (pedal) to get my 20 minutes of exercise.
With what time I have between work, house
chores, and taking care of my 14 month old
son, I really don't have the time to spend
2-3 hours at a gym working out.
It's so much fun, I often find every excuse
to use the bike instead of my car. In fact,
on the weekends I use my car primarily when
I've got to take the whole family for a ride
or when I've got to pickup something that
I can't carry on the bike.
So, in addition to the GEBE, I've added the
following to the Kona Smoke…
- Seat post mounted rack - Caution here…the
main complaint regarding these racks is their
tendency to loosen and swing out. In order
to counter this I've added a bracket below
the rack that attaches to the GEBE motor
mount. The bracket holds the rack in place.
- Rack Bag - Both the rack and the bag is made
by Topeka. This manufacturer has a great
quick release mounting system for their bags.
Since I carry my wallet, sunglasses, keys,
and cell phone in the bag, the quick release
allows me to quickly remove the bag and take
it with me wherever.
- Front Shocks--- The shock was something I
added lately, and it's not shown in the pictures.
Front shocks are a necessity at the speeds
you can reach on a bike with a GEBE. You
can easily loose control with a standard
fork on bumpy roads. Also it's very tiring
with a standard fork since your arms will
be absorbing the bumps and continuously correcting
your direction.
- Side Mirrors --- These are an absolute necessity.
Cars are big, fast, solid, and quiet. You
need to be aware of your surroundings at
all times. PERIOD. The mirrors give you that
ability without turning your head 360 degrees.
- Side bag --- This is for carrying slightly
bigger items. It also holds a packable rain
parka for unexpected rainy days, and my Kryptonite
bike lock.
- Computer --- These are really affordable,
and it's so nice to know how fast your going.
Real easy to put on, and there's many to
choose from.
- Lights --- I found that late nights during
the middle of the week are some of the best
times to go riding. There's very little traffic,
and at times you're the only one on the road!
Oh, and thanks GE for the rear taillight.
It's awesome.
We'll that's pretty much it. Some people
ask me why I didn't buy a motorcycle instead
or a Vespa. One reason is the cost, and the
other is the wife said flat out no to a Harley.
The Vespa is a neat alternative, but it costs
around $5000 for a new one, and it's difficult
to find a used one in my area…they aren't
very popular yet. A bike with a GEBE affords
me with a short distance (this is relative
- with my current setup I can reach 120 miles
one way) versatile commuter and neighborhood
work mule.
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