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.
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 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 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!
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
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!
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..
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 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 🤣
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 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.
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 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
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 :)
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.
*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
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 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.
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! ;-)
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 :-)
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'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.
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. 😒
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!
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
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 wanted a mini bike so bad when I was a kid that I dreamed once I had one and when I was done riding it, it turned into a briefcase!! I've got so good at dreaming about motorcycles that I can get into third gear and ride on tables with a chick on the handlebars...without waking up! Thanks
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!
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.....
Oh man, my dad pulled my first mini bike out of the shop, where it had been sitting under a sheet for over twenty years. It was awesome. Happy to be getting a 60s ct200 here soon lol
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!!!
i remember as a kid and racing minibikes at the Saddleback Motorcycle Park in Santiago Canyon, Southern California. I was sponsored and raced for " The Hawk " Racing Team. I rode a modified Zebra Mini Bike, with a 6 horse Techumshe motor punched out with a mikuni 26 carburetor running nitro methane using a torque convertor putting 12 horse to the rear wheel. I was clocked at speeds in access of 60 to 70 miles per hour. Those were the day's.
A real "Blast from the Past"!! I also liked the cameo of the 60's Chevy van at the end! Maybe you could do a retrospective of the 60's vans. I own a Ford Falcon "Station bus" myself. I'd especially like to see a restored Corvair van!
Never had a "mini bike", but had everything Kawasaki, Honda and Suzuki made that size. My dad knew Steen and I had some of those. Gonna buy a Taco kit before the world ends and use a period engine I saved from my cart days. Great video!
I used to ride with friends of mine around the city on our mini bikes I had a chopper man you don't know how much fun we had those were the good old days. 😃😃😃😃👍
This is awsome. As a kid I had a Cat Eliminator and it was great bike. 4HP Tecumseh engine. I replaced the front forks with a pair from a Cat Chopper and it was wicked. Thanks for doing this!
