Minibikes will never get old. My son and I enjoy riding together. He is learning so much about small engines because he enjoys riding and upgrading his.
Forgot how much fun they are my first one didnt even have a motor,bought it for 5 dollars at a garage sale, my grandfather had given me 5 dollars for my birthday and I had been saving it but I ran home and pushed my dream home, there was a big hill close to home and I used to push it up the hill just to ride down , it had the flaper steel plate that rubed the back tire for brakes,then when I was 6 yrs old my Dad bought me a 5hp Artic cat lepard skin style seat,lights shocks drum brakes that was the best Xmass ever. And a life long obsession of ridin bikes was set in motion and learning how to fix anything with a motor. I would have never became a mechanic if it was not for that mini bike. So many great memories,now I know how to bend pipe and weld think I will build one.Thanks for the great show
I had a Scat Cat minibike around 1973. It seemed like you could ride all day on a gallon of gas. I also got my first "Bernz-O-Matic" socket wrench set around that time and I learned so many valuable mechanical skills working on that bike. Fun times.
I have had minibikes since I was 8 years old. I'm 62 and still alive. My other thing was skateboards. Both great for making gnarly permanent scars on the bod! Dig you guys!
This is so well put together. My dad supplied mini bikes from age 3 for me. He even made one into a trike with a piece of all thread before I could balance.. All props to my dad and anyone else's who made us move as little guys and girls, I know there's a couple thousand gorgeous ladies out there who had a mini bike or go kart growing up..
Thank you MotorTrend for a memory lane trip. I remember riding my friends Honda minibike back in 72 (I think). It was such a joy. I later have had both big Kawasaki and Honda bikes and also a Piaggio scooter, a new one but it had the design of the old ones. Being a kid and riding the minibike I was in the clouds. After that the Piaggio is my best bike memory. The big Kawasaki and Honda actually come third in the feel good department. I remember riding that sky blue Piaggio a summer back in 86 when everybody had big powerful sports bikes in those days. Nothing else was in fashion. A lot of girls wanted to get a ride with me on that Piaggio. I think maybe they were thinking about that movie Roman Holiday :) I stand in gratitude to that Piaggio. It gave me an unforgettable summer.
This video blows me away :). Ive been waiting for a true minibike video from the Hot Rod guys after they did the replica Honda Monkeybike video. Ive been into vintage minibikes for the past 5 years. I had a Bonanza BC1100 hot rod that did 50mph in about 6-7 seconds (I sold it and miss it dearly!) and now I have a JC Penney El Tigre with a 212cc 7hp clone engine in it. Only geared for 35mph but it gets there in about 4 seconds and wheelies ALLL DAY. Vintage for life!
I miss my Manco minibike.. That thing was indestructible.. At one point of testing the new engine I put on, he throttle got stuck at 45mph! I had to tuck and roll! Another time I out ran a police car by dipping into someone's backyard... Ahh the memories
I'am 56 ''LOL'' !! Takes us back to the best years, & easier & happier times,, ''60's & 70's.''...… I had a Rupp with a Briggs & 3 speed tranny , w/diaphragm clutch & suspension, back in the early-mid 70's. Of course I took the governor out. Had ''a-lot'' of fun on that !! ..Bet it would be worth something today... Haven't seen another one like it since... Am sure working on that ect., helped build skills towards my 39 year carrier as a mechanic. Ian
I started out riding on a Taco Frijole that my parents gave to my brother and I for our birthdays in 1969. Been riding all sorts of bikes ever since then, but I always smile when I ride a mini bike! Riding mini bikes kept us all out of trouble, and definitely did get us into mechanics at an early age.
Damn seeing these mini bikes reminded me of when I was about 15,16,17 years old I used to have so much fun riding in the streets of the Bronx like a wild mofo lol ,thanks for bringing back the memories!
I got my mini bike in the late seventies. It came from a lawn mower repair shop. It didn't have a motor so me and my dad picked up a old edger at a yard sale and robbed the five horse briggs and stratton off it and bought a cheap clutch for it and I had a ton of fun on that thing. The brakes was scary because it had a lever that you pushed and a flat brake robbed the back tire to stop it. I still have it at my moms house.
Lol i had an old manco with that style brake.. it also had suspension though which is rare so i guess it evened out. I wish I still had it but i gave it to a neighbor when i moved
I love mini bikes! I'm 20 now but when I was 10 my uncle got me a vintage frame with wheels for Xmas, my dad and I pieced it together and I had a blast with that 5hp Briggs. I still have it but I stripped it down and my dad painted it all up, it's now pretty showy but I still rip up our lawn! :D
What the guy speaking at the 3:14 mark said gave me flashback chills! I also saved and begged and cried until I finally got my Dad to get me a mini-bike, a 1968 Honda Mini-Trail 50. Had a lot of fun on it! Love mini-bikes! I also learned some basic mechanics like carb cleaning and other minor repairs.
*I sure remember owning a mini bike like several shown in this video*! My first mini bike had a 90cc chainsaw motor installed and was a real beast to ride. Later, I owned a couple more and gradually progressed into small street bikes. #minibikes #motorcycles #hotrods
I always loved mini bikes because they were part of the hotrod era. A new dirt bike you buy wasn't around back then. I have a 68 mtd mini I bought for 100 bucks and restored it when I was 15 and its cooler then any dirt bike ive ever had and I have pride in it because I spent hours on fixing this bike though me alot.
Im 15 and ive been working on a mini bike for a little while now just finished painting my fame. i honestly never really knew that there is that much history behind them its actually really interesting.
+1177tucker hey I heard that they go at least 110 mph I have seen a couple of then, he was riding it when every body was looking at him. lol but they go pretty fast :)
Kahviholisti, on industrial engines 4000 rpm is not the max rpm, they usually have governors that make sure you don’t damage your motor by running to fast, but governors on predators are easily bypassed and removed, as well as getting lighter flywheels, bigger carburetors and lots of other mods to get them to rev to 8000 rpm.
You should price a new Taco Minibike. The Taco 22 frame kit is $395 and the parts kit is another $395 and you still need an engine and clutch! Even with a cheap Harbor Freight Tools engine, you're in for a grand at least. www.tacominibikes.com/
I grew up in Central Fl. and was riding/building/racing lawn mower Engine powered mini bikes when I was still in elementary school in the mid/late 60's...there were mini bike races almost every weekend at a few different tracks and I had a hopped up 3 1/2 Tecumseh Engined mini bike and I was winning or at least competitive with that...then the honda mini trails started showing up and they were hard to beat but I would still beat them sometimes...then I read a mini bike magazine article about the new Bonanza mini bike/mini cycle, it had suspension (telescopic forks and a dual shock swing arm in the rear) and a hodaka 100cc 5 speed engine with open filter, and an expansion chamber, but it looked like a mini bike. My Dad was an Engineer out at Cape Canaveral and enjoyed working on the bikes with me so I was able to talk him into buying me a Bonanza. With stock gearing it would do 55+ mph and would pull wheelies at that speed...I weighed almost nothing so it was lightening fast with me doing the steering. The first time we showed up for the mini bike race with the Bonanza I was pulling wheelies with it thru the pits and it caused an uproar. My Dad told me to park it as some of the other Dad's were protesting it....I wasn't privy to what was said but the race sanctioning body (as it was...I think it was central Florida mini bike association or some such name) said I could race in the open class...I ran away with the races and was lapping the field...I think we only raced it one or two other times then they limited the engine size to 70cc to keep us out. I was already moving on to motocross by that time and was eyeing a YZ125 so didn't mind...my little brother got the Bonanza and wasn't much of a rider so my dad pretty much told him to park it and he sold shortly thereafter. It was a real beast and it was a good thing Pop was an Engineer as the Bonanza sheered the jackshaft sprockets and would bend the jackshafts along with chewing up the counter sprockets like they were made out of butter...My Dad machined new ones out of higher quality metallurgy and solved those problems but then it finally cracked the rear hub...we also had to completely change the gauge of chains and got to roller chains to keep the chains from breaking and to give the sprockets more lifetime...it really was a beast. p.s. if you stop the video at 00:18 there is one similar in the center of the screen, mine looked slightly different, had an orange fiberglass tank, unbooted telescopic forks with more travel and a jackshaft chain drive system with a rear swing arm...anyway similar.
I really do love this particular video, it's what inspired me to get my first minibike. 9 years later, of course, im an avid car guy with all sorts of motorized projects as well. These guys were right about it being your first hotrod 🤣
Me and my grand daughter ride mini-bikes together. I bought hers, a Moto-Vox, at a yard sale and mine , a coleman 200, thru Amazon. I'm 71 and she's 9 and we have a great time riding on the dirt roads in central Florida outside of Lake Wales.
Nostalgia bubble. It's happening with lots of things people remember from their youth. For those of us who aren't 50+, they're neat, but they're probably not worth as much to us.
I've had dirt bikes and quads since I was 9. Got my first mini bike at 24 and I've had over 40 different mini bikes and in 26, almost 27. I buy, sell, trade them and ride them while doing so. I'm addicted, constantly searching for sale pages for them. I just bought another today and currently own 5 but with the profits I've made, these 5 are free and I have a ton or spare parts. I've made one of mine street legal which is a BLAST! I still have other toys, but mini bikes are my favorite.
Oh yeah! I remember the HONDA 50 cc , I ALWAYS wanted that one, 1973-74 , but I got a 'CAT' with a '4'-hp engine. Loved that little gas tank, and the little shocks, and the mini everything about it. But that unmistakable HONDA sound made it complete. Maybe for my upcoming 51'st B-day I'll finally get one. Before I die would be great! ;-)
yah well thats finland ..... like awesomeness land lol... america not so awesome land anymore, cant even ride a fking mini moped lol..let alone get shot by your own cops ... in some state you can ride them adding the extra stuff but mostly due to size not allowed on roads or highways.
APCWORLDSUXAZ I don't know what shitty country you guys live in but i live in California and can ride my minibike on rural roads and many other places without incident and without the cops fucking with you.
About 15 years back I went to a lawnmower salvage shop, and saw an old minibike frame at the bottom of a pile. $10....got me the ride of a lifetime. I love that thing. My neighbors think I’m crazy.
Unfortunately, I was the kid that never had a minibike but always wanted one! Most of my friends had them. Yeah, I was "THAT KID." HA Now I'm a grown old man that still wants one. My wife just doesn't get it. Oh well. Great video! I am still looking to buy one now that I can finally have one! Ha! Cheers everyone and ride safe!
I was about 15 when I got my first bike , it was a bonanza with a 212 cc predator , ( 8 years ago ) I would ride it EVERYDAY , I no longer used my bike . I fell in love with a taco 22 my buddy owned but I couldn’t afford to buy one . I came across this guy selling a taco 22 For 80 bucks ! Jumped on that ASAP . I had it powder coat it fat slick in the back , looking nice and clean , till this day it’s still a project because I haven’t called it done yet . With time I was able to get me another taco 22 ( both have serial numbers 1967 ) I got a few cats ( still projects ) but this made me remember of wanting 1 so baddd and with time god blessed me with a few of them , now I got a Buick Regal that needs attention , Projects after projects . That’s the life lol , god bless y’all 🙏👍
I was 14 when I got a mini bike. Red with a Tecumseh 3.5 hp motor. This little machine took me everywhere. I was always on the lookout for the police as these were illegal for street use. I never got pulled over, but I was paranoid of losing my bike to the police. I will never forget the smell of that motor after I pulled the chain. What great memories. I have some ciders in my knee caps today from a bad crash many years ago. Loved the mini-bike.....
I got an old Montgomery Wards mini bike frame at a swap meet a couple years ago, I put an electric motor on it & rode it around for a summer. You wouldn't believe how many people thought it was the coolest thing ever.
Built a bunch of these for my kids 20 yrs ago, the grass has finally started to re-grow in the back yard, LOL. Kept one for myself, an old Rupp with shocks and disk brakes.
So did mine, but i said fuck that, i'm gonna build myself a motorcycle. So, i never did get a minibike, but i did get what i wanted which was motorized transportation. I saved up my money and bought a 14hp diesel engine from the hardware store, then i bought beach cruiser bicycle frame at a yard sale, and one of my friends hooked me up with a set of dirtbike rims, tires and forks. Another friend let me use his dad's welder, and 3 months after my parents said i couldn't have any motorized vehicles i rode up on a homemade scary fast and ear ringing loud diesel dirtbike. I was 14 at the time, and i still have my diesel bike and i still ride it.
ditto, i never had money or a mini bike whenni was younger, but now im way too tall for one so im building a beach cruiser with a engine kit, a dirt bike is gonna be next on the list
When I was a kid, there was a town dump near my house. I used to scrounge old lawnmowers and bicycles off the dump. I would canibalize the engine, wheels and tires, pulleys and belts off the mowers and spread the forks of the bikes and weld washers on the ends to mount the mower tires. Then I would cut out the seat tube and pedal bearing and connect the down tube and rear forks with a piece of 1/4" plate steel. The rear sprocket would connect to a jack shaft by chain and the other end of the jack shaft would connect to the engine by a belt. I would mount a roller skate wheel to a lever so it would maintain belt tension through a spring and then connect a bike brake cable to the lever to act as a clutch. Brakes were optional but it was an almost zero buck project and heaps of fun!
Back in 65, at the age of 10, I managed to save $100. Saw an ad in the local paper for a minibike. So my dad and I went downtown to pick it up. Walked up to the owner and presented the ad, which had a pic of a complete mini bike. The owner of the shop took us to the back room to view the bike. It didn't have a motor and the ad showed a complete bike. My dad almost choked the fucker. I cried all the way home.
60 or so years ago, I built one using a Mack 10 chainsaw motor. No throttle control (left index finger on throttle, drag foot brakes!). Top speed, 45 - 55 mph! No clutch, direct drive chain. Pick up back end and run and jump on!
Yes alot of mini bike have throttle on the handle and a foot brake. but my mini bike and my neighbors have the throttle on the handle front brake on the handle and rear foot brakes.
I retired 4 years ago and started cleaning up my 1100 sq. ft. garage. The 1st thing I dug out was my old Cheftah mini bike from when I was a kid. I wound up stripping and re-painting it, new tires, and went through the motor. The 3 1/2 hp. motor would barely pull me (now 6' 3" and 245 lbs.). I wound up putting a hopped-up Predator motor and Torque A Verter on it......does wheelies under 10 mph and 51 mph tops!!!
My late,older sister, won one of these as a door prize when we were kids! She rode it a couple of times,then I rode it till the wheels fell off!! Good clean fun!
Not one bit of mayhem in this video. In my neighborhood, if you try to ride anything fun that has a motor and no license plate someone will shut you down. If you have an ATV, you got one lap and they'll shut your down. Not one single non street licensed motorized vehicle is allowed.
Fuckers asked if our electric scooter was gas powered. They haven't figured out how to shut down an electric scooter yet. It probably comes up at meetings.
Yeah my dad almost peeled off half of his calf when he fell and the foot peg didn't have the rubber thing on it and it went through his calf and he had to ride home with have his calf muscle hanging off
j&m kicks - Well, that's nice if you can afford it, but I guess I'll just have to ride a minibike in my computer game, "7 Days To Die" when I feel like riding one. 😄
@Quirin Müller Well, if I had my own garage and a lot of scrap metal and knew how to use a blowtorch, that would work for me, but seeing I don't then that's out of the question. 😒
I'm the new generation. My dad always wanted one as a kid and he bought two old ones from 1965 and 1966 about 3 weeks ago. They had no engines and were in pretty rough condition but they are cool. We found the frames in a pair for $60 on Craigslist(a steal). We have been working on them together for about 3 weeks and we have got one of them running and looking good and now we are starting on the 2nd one. He keeps saying that he bought them for me so we could work on them together but I kind of think a little of the reason he bought them was so he could live his childhood dream. Anyway I am really enjoying fixing them up with him.
Man, every time I see one of these hot rod mini bikes it takes me right back to my childhood but not because I had one but because I always wanted one and never ever did get one. I mean I used to dream about having a mini bike but it was just never in the cards. Even as a grown man when I see one I still get that little yearning , so these videos are pretty cool to watch...thanks guys :-)
Ha! Nice, and I just bought a TrailMaster MB200-2 for about $750 and only rode it once today after putting it together and checking the oil/gas/engine. Can't wait to get on it more. This video is nuts and I'm sure the owners are too.
Thank you for this video. Highly highly agree with what you said about mini bowls I am a 13 year old and I love riding these things and u enjoy knowing that my parents rode these when they were little. I learned so much about mechanics on mine. Their a blast
I was 10 years old in 1973 I bought an Indian 50 cc 3 speed for 75 bucks my brother clocked me at 51 mph , It was the fastest minibike I ever rode, man those were the days .
Minibikes will never get old. My son and I enjoy riding together. He is learning so much about small engines because he enjoys riding and upgrading his.
Forgot how much fun they are my first one didnt even have a motor,bought it for 5 dollars at a garage sale, my grandfather had given me 5 dollars for my birthday and I had been saving it but I ran home and pushed my dream home, there was a big hill close to home and I used to push it up the hill just to ride down , it had the flaper steel plate that rubed the back tire for brakes,then when I was 6 yrs old my Dad bought me a 5hp Artic cat lepard skin style seat,lights shocks drum brakes that was the best Xmass ever. And a life long obsession of ridin bikes was set in motion and learning how to fix anything with a motor. I would have never became a mechanic if it was not for that mini bike. So many great memories,now I know how to bend pipe and weld think I will build one.Thanks for the great show
I had a Scat Cat minibike around 1973.
It seemed like you could ride all day on a gallon of gas.
I also got my first "Bernz-O-Matic" socket wrench set around that time and I learned so many valuable mechanical skills working on that bike.
Fun times.
I have had minibikes since I was 8 years old. I'm 62 and still alive. My other thing was skateboards. Both great for making gnarly permanent scars on the bod! Dig you guys!
One more thing people there's no age limit on having fun or what make you happy God bless you.
This is so well put together. My dad supplied mini bikes from age 3 for me. He even made one into a trike with a piece of all thread before I could balance.. All props to my dad and anyone else's who made us move as little guys and girls, I know there's a couple thousand gorgeous ladies out there who had a mini bike or go kart growing up..
Thank you MotorTrend for a memory lane trip. I remember riding my friends Honda minibike back in 72 (I think). It was such a joy. I later have had both big Kawasaki and Honda bikes and also a Piaggio scooter, a new one but it had the design of the old ones. Being a kid and riding the minibike I was in the clouds. After that the Piaggio is my best bike memory. The big Kawasaki and Honda actually come third in the feel good department. I remember riding that sky blue Piaggio a summer back in 86 when everybody had big powerful sports bikes in those days. Nothing else was in fashion. A lot of girls wanted to get a ride with me on that Piaggio. I think maybe they were thinking about that movie Roman Holiday :)
I stand in gratitude to that Piaggio. It gave me an unforgettable summer.
This video blows me away :). Ive been waiting for a true minibike video from the Hot Rod guys after they did the replica Honda Monkeybike video. Ive been into vintage minibikes for the past 5 years. I had a Bonanza BC1100 hot rod that did 50mph in about 6-7 seconds (I sold it and miss it dearly!) and now I have a JC Penney El Tigre with a 212cc 7hp clone engine in it. Only geared for 35mph but it gets there in about 4 seconds and wheelies ALLL DAY. Vintage for life!
I miss my Manco minibike.. That thing was indestructible.. At one point of testing the new engine I put on, he throttle got stuck at 45mph! I had to tuck and roll! Another time I out ran a police car by dipping into someone's backyard... Ahh the memories
I freaking love that thing, I want one..
Me too
same bruh 😂
ill build you one, for a price of course
I think I watched this video at least three times over the last year. Is it wrong to be 58 years old and desire to ride a mini bike again? LOL
displayfireworks1. i love your vids
I'am 56 ''LOL'' !! Takes us back to the best years, & easier & happier times,, ''60's & 70's.''...… I had a Rupp with a Briggs & 3 speed tranny , w/diaphragm clutch & suspension, back in the early-mid 70's. Of course I took the governor out. Had ''a-lot'' of fun on that !! ..Bet it would be worth something today... Haven't seen another one like it since... Am sure working on that ect., helped build skills towards my 39 year carrier as a mechanic. Ian
no have fun no ones told old to have fun on minibikes
nope, my granddad rebuilt a Cushman from when he was a kid at nearly 70 so your good man.
54yrs
This video is what made me get a mini bike
The ringing centrifugal clutch is all I needed to hear to take me all the way back to my youth on my Taco 22. Great times in the early 70s
Like a bell
I started out riding on a Taco Frijole that my parents gave to my brother and I for our birthdays in 1969. Been riding all sorts of bikes ever since then, but I always smile when I ride a mini bike! Riding mini bikes kept us all out of trouble, and definitely did get us into mechanics at an early age.
Damn seeing these mini bikes reminded me of when I was about 15,16,17 years old I used to have so much fun riding in the streets of the Bronx like a wild mofo lol ,thanks for bringing back the memories!
Toco.com
All the girls in the playground fall for guys on a Taco bike. Oh yeah.
I got a 1974 Puch Magnum X.
Two-speed automatic, 50cc and 4HP.
Cool little bugger!
This little booger brings back some very fond childhood memories. The most fun I had as a small kid was with one of these.
I got my mini bike in the late seventies. It came from a lawn mower repair shop. It didn't have a motor so me and my dad picked up a old edger at a yard sale and robbed the five horse briggs and stratton off it and bought a cheap clutch for it and I had a ton of fun on that thing. The brakes was scary because it had a lever that you pushed and a flat brake robbed the back tire to stop it. I still have it at my moms house.
Lol i had an old manco with that style brake.. it also had suspension though which is rare so i guess it evened out. I wish I still had it but i gave it to a neighbor when i moved
Your never to old and it is never to late! We are here for a short time so have as much fun as you can!!!!!!!!
I love mini bikes! I'm 20 now but when I was 10 my uncle got me a vintage frame with wheels for Xmas, my dad and I pieced it together and I had a blast with that 5hp Briggs. I still have it but I stripped it down and my dad painted it all up, it's now pretty showy but I still rip up our lawn! :D
What the guy speaking at the 3:14 mark said gave me flashback chills! I also saved and begged and cried until I finally got my Dad to get me a mini-bike, a 1968 Honda Mini-Trail 50. Had a lot of fun on it! Love mini-bikes! I also learned some basic mechanics like carb cleaning and other minor repairs.
*I sure remember owning a mini bike like several shown in this video*!
My first mini bike had a 90cc chainsaw motor installed and was a real beast to ride.
Later, I owned a couple more and gradually progressed into small street bikes.
#minibikes #motorcycles #hotrods
nice :)
I always loved mini bikes because they were part of the hotrod era. A new dirt bike you buy wasn't around back then. I have a 68 mtd mini I bought for 100 bucks and restored it when I was 15 and its cooler then any dirt bike ive ever had and I have pride in it because I spent hours on fixing this bike though me alot.
Im 15 and ive been working on a mini bike for a little while now just finished painting my fame. i honestly never really knew that there is that much history behind them its actually really interesting.
+1177tucker hey I heard that they go at least 110 mph I have seen a couple of then, he was riding it when every body was looking at him. lol but they go pretty fast :)
110 mph sorry mate I doubt very few could get up to that speed
they are some badass turbo engines I'm not sure but they are turbos
These are the most Awesome Mini Bikes I have ever seen
theres some good cheap fun,,
Ha mustie what do ya know. Love my minibike thing does 70mph at 8000rpm with a built predator
How in the world it does 8 grand when pretty much all industrial engines max out at 4000 rpm
Kahviholisti, on industrial engines 4000 rpm is not the max rpm, they usually have governors that make sure you don’t damage your motor by running to fast, but governors on predators are easily bypassed and removed, as well as getting lighter flywheels, bigger carburetors and lots of other mods to get them to rev to 8000 rpm.
You should price a new Taco Minibike. The Taco 22 frame kit is $395 and the parts kit is another $395 and you still need an engine and clutch! Even with a cheap Harbor Freight Tools engine, you're in for a grand at least. www.tacominibikes.com/
Hi
I grew up in Central Fl. and was riding/building/racing lawn mower Engine powered mini bikes when I was still in elementary school in the mid/late 60's...there were mini bike races almost every weekend at a few different tracks and I had a hopped up 3 1/2 Tecumseh Engined mini bike and I was winning or at least competitive with that...then the honda mini trails started showing up and they were hard to beat but I would still beat them sometimes...then I read a mini bike magazine article about the new Bonanza mini bike/mini cycle, it had suspension (telescopic forks and a dual shock swing arm in the rear) and a hodaka 100cc 5 speed engine with open filter, and an expansion chamber, but it looked like a mini bike. My Dad was an Engineer out at Cape Canaveral and enjoyed working on the bikes with me so I was able to talk him into buying me a Bonanza. With stock gearing it would do 55+ mph and would pull wheelies at that speed...I weighed almost nothing so it was lightening fast with me doing the steering. The first time we showed up for the mini bike race with the Bonanza I was pulling wheelies with it thru the pits and it caused an uproar. My Dad told me to park it as some of the other Dad's were protesting it....I wasn't privy to what was said but the race sanctioning body (as it was...I think it was central Florida mini bike association or some such name) said I could race in the open class...I ran away with the races and was lapping the field...I think we only raced it one or two other times then they limited the engine size to 70cc to keep us out. I was already moving on to motocross by that time and was eyeing a YZ125 so didn't mind...my little brother got the Bonanza and wasn't much of a rider so my dad pretty much told him to park it and he sold shortly thereafter. It was a real beast and it was a good thing Pop was an Engineer as the Bonanza sheered the jackshaft sprockets and would bend the jackshafts along with chewing up the counter sprockets like they were made out of butter...My Dad machined new ones out of higher quality metallurgy and solved those problems but then it finally cracked the rear hub...we also had to completely change the gauge of chains and got to roller chains to keep the chains from breaking and to give the sprockets more lifetime...it really was a beast. p.s. if you stop the video at 00:18 there is one similar in the center of the screen, mine looked slightly different, had an orange fiberglass tank, unbooted telescopic forks with more travel and a jackshaft chain drive system with a rear swing arm...anyway similar.
Thanks for this Minibike video.
Mac
I really do love this particular video, it's what inspired me to get my first minibike. 9 years later, of course, im an avid car guy with all sorts of motorized projects as well. These guys were right about it being your first hotrod 🤣
these are cool i have just got my first one today and its awesome
I'm 15 and I just got my first mini bike a few days ago. I now understand why they are so popular, they're soo much fun!!!
These were the days! Gas was 89 cents a gallon out riding around with your buddies.
Me and my grand daughter ride mini-bikes together. I bought hers, a Moto-Vox, at a yard sale and mine , a coleman 200, thru Amazon. I'm 71 and she's 9 and we have a great time riding on the dirt roads in central Florida outside of Lake Wales.
You guys should make a mini taco project...these videos are amazing it reminds me on my old taco mini 😔
Im 60 years old and NEED one of those Taco Minis!!!
This is how we had fun when I was a kid, Thanks to my Dad.
I'm 13 and we still have fun this way...
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Mini bike's awesome memories and skin marks
Nostalgia bubble. It's happening with lots of things people remember from their youth. For those of us who aren't 50+, they're neat, but they're probably not worth as much to us.
Alex Paulsen I disagree. I'm 39. Had one in 1990. Just built one for my son and I'm pretty sure I like it more than him.
I've had dirt bikes and quads since I was 9. Got my first mini bike at 24 and I've had over 40 different mini bikes and in 26, almost 27. I buy, sell, trade them and ride them while doing so. I'm addicted, constantly searching for sale pages for them. I just bought another today and currently own 5 but with the profits I've made, these 5 are free and I have a ton or spare parts. I've made one of mine street legal which is a BLAST! I still have other toys, but mini bikes are my favorite.
Oh yeah! I remember the HONDA 50 cc , I ALWAYS wanted that one, 1973-74 , but I got a 'CAT' with a '4'-hp engine.
Loved that little gas tank, and the little shocks, and the mini everything about it. But that unmistakable HONDA sound made it complete. Maybe for my upcoming 51'st B-day I'll finally get one.
Before I die would be great!
;-)
Great vid !!! Mini bikes are alive and strong in Michigan !!!
MINI BIKES FOREVER !!!
these things are so awesome....till you find out you cannot ride them anywhere,even with a permit, or dependant on which cop catches you rather.
in finland youre allowed to drive these if it has lights and max speed 50kmh
yah well thats finland ..... like awesomeness land lol... america not so awesome land anymore, cant even ride a fking mini moped lol..let alone get shot by your own cops ... in some state you can ride them adding the extra stuff but mostly due to size not allowed on roads or highways.
APCWORLDSUXAZ
APCWORLDSUXAZ I don't know what shitty country you guys live in but i live in California and can ride my minibike on rural roads and many other places without incident and without the cops fucking with you.
mass/rhode island heh.... off road use only
8o(
Dude I'm 60 and I'm still riding ,talking mini bikes it keeps me young go mini bikes!!!!!
Much bike. Such mini
About 15 years back I went to a lawnmower salvage shop, and saw an old minibike frame at the bottom of a pile. $10....got me the ride of a lifetime. I love that thing.
My neighbors think I’m crazy.
why does everything they put out now seem like a infomercial
Wow, that brought back so many memories of my own bike when I was a kid in the early 70's. I'm gonna get me a new one. Thanks guys.
Nice ruclips.net/video/TYp7SgO_FrU/видео.html
HONDA Z FTW> \m/
Mini bike's are making a huge come back. good for youth, adults
Unfortunately, I was the kid that never had a minibike but always wanted one! Most of my friends had them. Yeah, I was "THAT KID." HA Now I'm a grown old man that still wants one. My wife just doesn't get it. Oh well. Great video! I am still looking to buy one now that I can finally have one! Ha! Cheers everyone and ride safe!
Kenny B did you get one yet
I was about 15 when I got my first bike , it was a bonanza with a 212 cc predator , ( 8 years ago ) I would ride it EVERYDAY , I no longer used my bike . I fell in love with a taco 22 my buddy owned but I couldn’t afford to buy one . I came across this guy selling a taco 22 For 80 bucks ! Jumped on that ASAP . I had it powder coat it fat slick in the back , looking nice and clean , till this day it’s still a project because I haven’t called it done yet . With time I was able to get me another taco 22 ( both have serial numbers 1967 ) I got a few cats ( still projects ) but this made me remember of wanting 1 so baddd and with time god blessed me with a few of them , now I got a Buick Regal that needs attention , Projects after projects . That’s the life lol , god bless y’all 🙏👍
I took a electric 1000 watt scooter and put a 80 cc 2 stroke on it it's pretty fast
I was 14 when I got a mini bike. Red with a Tecumseh 3.5 hp motor.
This little machine took me everywhere. I was always on the lookout for the police as these were illegal for street use. I never got pulled over, but I was paranoid of losing my bike to the police.
I will never forget the smell of that motor after I pulled the chain. What great memories.
I have some ciders in my knee caps today from a bad crash many years ago.
Loved the mini-bike.....
i want the one at 3:40 so bad its badass
I want 1of yourl motorbike
I'd rather have the one that halls ass
+Elian David Elian David where did u buy it
That one was custom built but just search mini bike on Craig's list
BACATCHER ll
I got an old Montgomery Wards mini bike frame at a swap meet a couple years ago, I put an electric motor on it & rode it around for a summer. You wouldn't believe how many people thought it was the coolest thing ever.
You didn't do a burnout !
Built a bunch of these for my kids 20 yrs ago, the grass has finally started to re-grow in the back yard, LOL. Kept one for myself, an old Rupp with shocks and disk brakes.
and how much is for the mini bike at 0:23 how muc is for that mini bike i watn to buy it .
Only about 1200 bucks (sarcasm)
man i can't beleve the things this brings back thanks to all
I was one of the kids who's parents said no way.
So did mine, but i said fuck that, i'm gonna build myself a motorcycle. So, i never did get a minibike, but i did get what i wanted which was motorized transportation. I saved up my money and bought a 14hp diesel engine from the hardware store, then i bought beach cruiser bicycle frame at a yard sale, and one of my friends hooked me up with a set of dirtbike rims, tires and forks. Another friend let me use his dad's welder, and 3 months after my parents said i couldn't have any motorized vehicles i rode up on a homemade scary fast and ear ringing loud diesel dirtbike. I was 14 at the time, and i still have my diesel bike and i still ride it.
I’m the kid who’s mom said no and so I️ build my own motorcycle too
A. Zak o
im the person who didnt get a nini bike but a dunebugy or a go-kart that had to have a roll cage
even if it was so low it would be hard to roll
ditto, i never had money or a mini bike whenni was younger, but now im way too tall for one so im building a beach cruiser with a engine kit, a dirt bike is gonna be next on the list
When I was a kid, there was a town dump near my house. I used to scrounge old lawnmowers and bicycles off the dump. I would canibalize the engine, wheels and tires, pulleys and belts off the mowers and spread the forks of the bikes and weld washers on the ends to mount the mower tires. Then I would cut out the seat tube and pedal bearing and connect the down tube and rear forks with a piece of 1/4" plate steel. The rear sprocket would connect to a jack shaft by chain and the other end of the jack shaft would connect to the engine by a belt. I would mount a roller skate wheel to a lever so it would maintain belt tension through a spring and then connect a bike brake cable to the lever to act as a clutch. Brakes were optional but it was an almost zero buck project and heaps of fun!
i want one!
Absolutely was obsessed to get one and eventually did. I built one from the frame up at 14! Great memories!
Back in 65, at the age of 10, I managed to save $100. Saw an ad in the local paper for a minibike. So my dad and I went downtown to pick it up. Walked up to the owner and presented the ad, which had a pic of a complete mini bike. The owner of the shop took us to the back room to view the bike. It didn't have a motor and the ad showed a complete bike. My dad almost choked the fucker. I cried all the way home.
60 or so years ago, I built one using a Mack 10 chainsaw motor. No throttle control (left index finger on throttle, drag foot brakes!). Top speed, 45 - 55 mph!
No clutch, direct drive chain. Pick up back end and run and jump on!
throttle on the handle bars and brake foot? i dont know anything about minibikes
Yes alot of mini bike have throttle on the handle and a foot brake. but my mini bike and my neighbors have the throttle on the handle front brake on the handle and rear foot brakes.
Oa
I retired 4 years ago and started cleaning up my 1100 sq. ft. garage. The 1st thing I dug out was my old Cheftah mini bike from when I was a kid. I wound up stripping and re-painting it, new tires, and went through the motor. The 3 1/2 hp. motor would barely pull me (now 6' 3" and 245 lbs.). I wound up putting a hopped-up Predator motor and Torque A Verter on it......does wheelies under 10 mph and 51 mph tops!!!
Shweet !!!!
Never to old to have a blast😎
0:17 wooooooooooooooow
The guy scratching his ass or am I missing something
Jose Fuentes yea
My late,older sister, won one of these as a door prize when we were kids!
She rode it a couple of times,then I rode it till the wheels fell off!!
Good clean fun!
Ha I have a official chip foose mini bike and he gave it to me
I didn't know Freiburger had another show! Awesome.
Not one bit of mayhem in this video.
In my neighborhood, if you try to ride anything fun that has a motor and no license plate someone will shut you down. If you have an ATV, you got one lap and they'll shut your down. Not one single non street licensed motorized vehicle is allowed.
+Clearanceman2 Right. no fun if it sits in the shed or garage
Fuckers asked if our electric scooter was gas powered. They haven't figured out how to shut down an electric scooter yet. It probably comes up at meetings.
Thanks you guys so much for bringing me to mini bikes just now I bought one
Yeah my dad almost peeled off half of his calf when he fell and the foot peg didn't have the rubber thing on it and it went through his calf and he had to ride home with have his calf muscle hanging off
+Ajdero5 I had the same, footpeg didnt fold and dug a deep gash into my ankle .Had to get a lot of stiches and a cast for six weeks.
+Joe Westcott yeah and he had to ride home with half his calf hanging off, he got some stitches but not a cast
I can't stop watching this
i would 100% rather be outside working on a go kart or mini bike then anything on an xbox or computer.
j&m kicks - Well, that's nice if you can afford it, but I guess I'll just have to ride a minibike in my computer game, "7 Days To Die" when I feel like riding one. 😄
@Quirin Müller $ 50.00 of material like what?🤨 Anyway, you must have a driver's license, I don't. 😄
@Quirin Müller Well, if I had my own garage and a lot of scrap metal and knew how to use a blowtorch, that would work for me, but seeing I don't then that's out of the question. 😒
Ahhhhh....the sweet, sweet memories!
who builds mini drag bike
These bikes are very cool. They seem so fun to ride and mess around with
I hate that Motor Trend takes cool stuff and douche'ifies it.
I'm the new generation. My dad always wanted one as a kid and he bought two old ones from 1965 and 1966 about 3 weeks ago. They had no engines and were in pretty rough condition but they are cool. We found the frames in a pair for $60 on Craigslist(a steal). We have been working on them together for about 3 weeks and we have got one of them running and looking good and now we are starting on the 2nd one. He keeps saying that he bought them for me so we could work on them together but I kind of think a little of the reason he bought them was so he could live his childhood dream. Anyway I am really enjoying fixing them up with him.
building a mad minibike in my engineering class at school. can't wait for it to be finished.
Man, every time I see one of these hot rod mini bikes it takes me right back to my childhood but not because I had one but because I always wanted one and never ever did get one. I mean I used to dream about having a mini bike but it was just never in the cards. Even as a grown man when I see one I still get that little yearning , so these videos are pretty cool to watch...thanks guys :-)
Ha! Nice, and I just bought a TrailMaster MB200-2 for about $750 and only rode it once today after putting it together and checking the oil/gas/engine. Can't wait to get on it more. This video is nuts and I'm sure the owners are too.
Those are some wild mini bikes!
Thank you for this video. Highly highly agree with what you said about mini bowls I am a 13 year old and I love riding these things and u enjoy knowing that my parents rode these when they were little. I learned so much about mechanics on mine. Their a blast
I am 50 and just built another mini bike , rupp roadster 11 and just love it . its on my you tube.
Motorcycles bore me to tears, but that looks like hella fun!
Awesome,little bikes are the best!
I was 10 years old in 1973 I bought an Indian 50 cc 3 speed for 75 bucks my brother clocked me at 51 mph , It was the fastest minibike I ever rode, man those were the days .
Honda Mini Trail when I was a kid. It was adream come true. The Mini Trail was indestructible.
I had a classic Honda CT70 and a Honda MB5 'back in the day', but sold them in the early 80's! I just bought both models again, after 30 years!
I can't stop watching it
I'm building a mini bike now. Cool little bikes to put around on
Absolutely awesome I had a mini bike in 1972 with a hodaka 100cc
Engine on it and it was very fast for back then.
Predator 212cc is reigniting the glory days!
Wow, what cool memories. I also had a taco mini bike. Turned me in into a motorhead and loved heavy metal music; no regrets!!👍✌️