Vintage minibikes

how many of you have them?

we got into them as transportation at the swap meets, and i now have a $hitload of them....and a few minichoppers.

Bonanza, Taco, Cat, Sensation, Gilson, Bird, etc.

here's a link to mine:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/390287/5

 

don't have a vintage one but...

perfect timing on this post man. i just acquired a 46cc gas scooter that's just begging to become a mini chopper but i have no idea where to start on the frame and such. plus i have to weed out all the unnecessary wiring for the signals and lights that were on this and then transplant the engine and wheels to a cooler frame...this one's bent anyway.

i don't want to hijack, but can you guys help me out on this thing? where to get a frame, basic wiring etc, plus i've never messed with 2-strokes before

btw...those are some fuckin awesome minibikes man, i can only hope mine turns out half as cool (not vintage ) as any of yours

 

yeah, I still have the one that I got in 1966 used ........

 

yep.

cat eliminator.

 

I've actually got three vintage "Kit-Kat" italjet scooter/minibikes. I started with one that I found in an old abandoned house and it just went down hill from there.

 

Not yet, but I'm looking for a little Indian 50 or 70 from 1973, it could have been 72 maybe, I remember they were white, I used to go into the Indian showroom and sit on the thing about everyday for about 6mo. until they sold it, trying to talk my dad into buying it. So 33 years later, as soon as I find a nice one it's mine.

 

No kidding about "you can't have just one" I started with a $5.00 frame to build our first, completed the secomnd and have about 5 in the bone yard.

 

Not exactly a mini bike, but how about a home built running a 2/3 hp Briggs WMB kickstart engine?

 

I love that bike. Do you have some more pics? I remember seeing some before. If that a gear box off a riding mower I see there? 3 spd with a reverse?

If I ever find just the right frame to start with, I'd like to build one of these. I have about 3 spare gas motors laying around.

 

The tranny is a 5 speed with reverse from a John Deere Model 68 riding mower. I rolled the tranny over so the bottom pulley is now at the front. I needed to reverse the direction of power thru the tranny, so the pulley is a flat idler with the bearings cut out and a hub welded in. A bolt blocks reverse, making it very easy to hit neutral.

Here's a link to the build pics:

http://triumphchoppers.com/gallery/album48

Why look for a frame? Cut the neck from an old bicycle and make the frame to fit whatever engine you use.

 

I have a couple old frames, I saw one on horse power tv a couple years ago,one that had an ice chest side car. does anyone have any pics of that one.

 

Wow! I had the chopper version of this. It was pretty much the same but had a little rake to it and a longer fork. My new one is buried under the Bleedster I think.

 

very nice, and worth a lot of green

 

definately like the home built one.

i had a feeling there would be some minibike nuts on here...

 

you are probably talking about the "Duster" - i have one in progress, and you can see it if you click my link at the top.

 

I have two Cushman scooters, At my present weight, I'm too gravity challenged for mini bikes. You do have a great collection.

 

I've got three of 'em. I've been a fan for 45 years. One Saturday morning about ten years ago I saw an ad in the local "used stuff rag" this guy about 50 miles away, on a farm, had two frames for sale so.....my son and I jumped in the truck and went for a ride. We brought home the frames, they were in sad shape, sixties style...but I could see potential. We rebuild two of them and will get to the third one....who knows. Anyway, at over 50 now, I still get as much of a thrill riding them as I did when I was a kid. Doesn't everybody have one, or three?

 

That homemade bike rocks. 81 probably doesn't qualify, but its a year older than me, so its fair in my book. No pics, but its a Z50R. I've been abusing it for at least 4 years now with no hint of displeasure on its part. I rode it around campus in college until I got long-winded lecture from a cop about it.

 

yep, i have several runners, several project ones, and 3 restored choppers that i mostly have for display....the 2 Bonanza choppers sit in my house in my "play" room for display only. ran them each down the road after restoration, and just parked them

i also have a 1/10 mile track at the back of my property, so you can imagine a good BBQ, with plenty of beer, and racing....

 

the Z50s rock, even though they are japanese

i have a Z50 project, and 2 running CT70s. the 1970 CT70 is in near mint condition, and worth quite a bit of change nowadays.

also have one of the new chinese copies of the Z50...it's an '04 model that i got for $20 in a raffle at work. it came in as an impound, and when we get something like that, we take a collection, and raffle them. i have fun beating the $hit out of it on my little track

 

Got one in the back waiting its turn to be built.

 

I bought a Rupp TT500 frame,fork,and a couple accessories a few years ago at a flea market for $20.Still sitting in my garage waiting for time and incentive.Got a Dandy pocket bike about 30 years ago and it goes everywhere with me as my,"despair tire". Yeah,I'm a little,"gravity-challenged" too but I still jump on it occasionally and blast it around the neighborhood to keep the local gendarmes from eating too many donuts.Someone always calls them if I make more than one circuit of the 'hood.

 

Here's a bike I just built not too long ago for my 12 year old son. I made the frame out of 3/4" gas pipe. The tank is a cut down Sportster tank, the seat is old Schwinn, the rear wheel is 70's moped, motor is a 5hp Briggs. I also made the forks outta some pipe, springs, and flat stock. They are functional springers! I had to make the clutch guard to keep everybody's ankles safe too. I made one like this before with a 10" wheel barrow wheel on the rear and it ran50 mph, so I think this one will really haul ass! I was thinking of taking it to the HAMB drags since the 34 isn't gonna make it in time, but i didn't know if the general public would be cool with that(since it isn't "real")

Rick

 

Here's mine. Has a Montgomery Wards 5hp on it. Dean (ps) I had to include the last one, I think it's cool.

 

That thing rules!!! If the kid get's sick of it I'll be first in line to buy it from him.

 

I think this might be the same one. I took this last weekend at the Chuck a Burger show. Is it CHOPTRUCK?

 

I had 2 Bonanza mini cycles as they called them. Basically a mini bike with 8" tires, and powered by a 100cc Hodaka. Really a lot of fun.

 

Yep, Thats it. A couple of the Bombers who were hosting the show got on it for a ride around the area, including Rich Phillip(the guy with the kickin' Harley bobber with the gold tank). The funny thing was that I left it sittin in front of my 61, and later that night I was stripin the dash of a massively chopped 51(I think) Chevy and every now and then somebody would go by on it! Talk about losing your concentration!!
Rick

 

This is Squank.

 

i have a mini-chopper i guess. i got it in 76 when i was 8 years old. it was used then so i don't know how old it is. i looks like your yellow one. i has the same wheels and tank location. but, mine has rear brakes with a foot pedal. the forks are a little different. mine has a plate where the headlight goes.