Vintage minibikes

Updates on my end:

I finally took some pics of my Minibike track...here's the link to it on the Minidoodle forum:

http://pub44.bravenet.com/forum/3754563678/show/859979


Also picked up this Taco 44 the other day to add to the collection:

 

OOPS! I forgot about the Yamaha mini enduro. I had one in 1971 so, I found a nice original one to re-live my childhood. The new Honda 50 is my daughters. A minibike reunion is a great idea.....Just plan it and they will come!

 

Yep, these little things bring back a lot of memories...I had a Taco 22 - didn't now what it was at the time, but do now from the old pics. I now have a 22 just like the original...as well as a 44, and a 100, etc., etc., etc.

 

i've got these 2 . the green one is my pit bike , the leopard seat bike is my girlfriends kid favorite. he digs the wheelie wheels....he said he wanted to learn how to weld , i said what you wanna make? he got a big smile on his face and said " wheelie wheels on the mini bike would ROCK!!!!"

 

The green one is an Alexander-Reynolds brand. I have 2 Alexanders, but different models than yours.

Not sure what the silver one is without looking through some pics i have.

 

Here are some pictures of the finished lil' Indian. Pinstriping was done by my brother nailhead_rikter

 

Figured I'd let people know that there is a fairly new Taco minibike forum:

http://tacominibikes.clientready.com/


As well as Old minibikes.com:

http://www.oldminibikes.com/forum/


And the Minidoodle site again:

http://pub44.bravenet.com/forum/3754563678

 

Also, someone posted up on the Taco forum that the show at golden gate park in S.F. on Oct 14th will feature some minibikes.

don't forget to bring the hot rods and minibikes to park next to them.

here's what was posted:

"Actualy the event is on OCTOBER 14, 2007 not on the 7th like I posted before, sorry got dates wrong, no there is not a 'minibike section, just people bringing minibikes to display along with the other old cars and bikes, unfortunatly SFPD will not let people ride thier MB's in the park as in the past, so if you do bring your MB just plan on dispalying it. BELIVE me anyone intrested to old cars, choppers, and hot rods will not be disapointed, this free event is better than most car shows that charge $15-20 to get in. Again like I said addmission is free but thier is a $20 fee if you want to display your car ($10 for motorcycle / minibike ) just be sure that you machine is 1973 or older. Plan on making a day of it, bring a picnic lunch, bring the family and kids. This is the 19th year of this event started local San Francisco sunset district natives it has grown into a HUGE event, I will be there with mt Taco MB and my 1955 Harley Davidscon Panhead I'll be the one with the Taco MB shirt". Ray

 

Go to www.sfvisbf.com for more info, we're racing tomorrow!

 

Mini Bikes were some of thee COOLEST things as a kid. I can't imagine what it'd be like without them for today's kids

 

Man I wish I could be there.

 

They have that cheap plastic chinese crap now instead. Luckily some of them get tired of those breaking down, and get into real minibikes.

 

What? it's about a 6 hour drive, if you start now you could make it!

Perhaps next time.

 

Here's whats left of my collection. The last pic is a Sensasion chopper that I sold to Tom and he re-did it.

 

Nice quarter midgets. I raced one when I was 7 in 1961, I think it was a curtis.

 

That looks really sick. I build a homemade bike similar (but not as nice) out of an old bmx bike I had laying around. It does about 40 mph and has a 3 hp Briggs. Also choptruck how did you connect the headlight to the magneto?

<img width="393px" height="294px" src="http://motormayhem.net/wp-uploads/2007/06/dscn4434.JPG" border="0">

 

You guys are killin' me! These are just the coolest. Back in '67 (I was 10 in '67), my Mom wouldn't let me have one.

I have since forgiven her, but you guys have now awakened the deep Mini Bike lust within that I had fogotten all about.

The flake jobs are my personal favorites.

 

Better get you one....or two.

 

Anyone know anything about a little bike called a Skat Kitty? I saw one at a car show last year and thought it was the coolest little bike I ever saw... I just bought one a month ago, and while it does run, it doesn't run great... thinking of taking it all apart and restoring it, but wondered if there may be reproduction decals, etc. for them... not sure how popular they were or if they have a following, etc... All I know is that it's a cool little skooter.

 

I have a mint '64 Skat Kitty, and yes they are the coolest mini-bikes I have ever seen. I restored mine about 3 years ago and I take it to car shows in the back of my '63 Ranchero. It comes with factory "Ape Hanger" bars and was originally made to fit in a suitcase to be used by pilots and flight attendants. The frame is entirely made out of aircraft quality aluminum. The engine in mine is a 2 1/2 HP Techumseh. Yours probably just needs a tune up to run well. I will post some pics later.

 

Boy, you said.

A couple similar to this one posted earlier would be just the ticket for my wife and I to buzz around shows on.

Apple green or gold flake for me and hell why not a pink flake one for her?

 

Cool... mine has a little Techumseh motor on it too, guy said it was the original, maybe it is... the frame is polished, which I assume was not originally like that. Its in nice shape, but I'd really like to do it up right, the way it was originally. Are there any places you can buy parts for these?

 

check with these guys.
oldminibikes.com

 

Mine was missing the foot pegs, and the kick stand, I looked everywhere for them, but found nothing. I finally built them myself. The tires are common pneumatic tires, the points, plugs and carb parts are readily available at any small engine repair shop.

 

Don't know if this makes the cut or not. It's a Mustang minibike that belongs to my Uncle. He has a couple of Cushman Silver Eagles as well. These things scare me. It must be the product of that one hell ride on a (then) new Honda scooter behind a very shapely and possibly suicidal brunette back in college!

 

Mustang scooters arent minibikes. At the tender age of 14 , nerds rode Whizzers, mere mortals rode Cushmans, & only Gods rode Mustangs. They were the Hayabusas of the scooter world until the Zundaps & Triumph Tiger Cubs came along. A good one is worth $6000 + or so now. If you have one, keep it, its better then money in the bank. Parts are fairly plentiful for them.

 

not vintage, but I built this in two days with parts I had laying around, I bent the frame up, machined the triples, added a 5.5hp honda motor, a single swingarm also serves as the exhaust pipe, it has a front spindle from a chevy 4x4 , a jeep rim and a drag radial from my old race car, no kick stand needed

 

Here are a couple of pics, the red one is the Skat Kitty, and the other is a '69 Taco 100 that will be restored soon.

 

we got a rupp at the shop were building a 32 for mickey rupp too!