I picked up this long forgotten italian mini bike while purchasing another machine, needs a bunch of love including a stuck engine, lets see what it will take to bring it back to life.
Fantasic!! That was my first minibike in 1971~72, when I was six years old outside Cleveland, Ohio! Yes, the clutch was squeezed by the lever to get it to go, but when you got up to speed, you could release the lever. They apparently came with a headlight and taillight too, but mine never had them. It was the start of a lifelong addiction! I've never been without a minibike or motorcycle since!
I'm with you Kirk N. cept my first was Honda 50 like Mustie has had here and then up through the Honda's - Mustie has had a copy of every one I ever had on his channel here - Love it!
@@gatdelporco Same with the old Puch Maxi P(P for Pedals) It too came with a lever to engage engine with gearbox, and you could pushstart it. An old schoolfriend had one, and it went 70-80KM/H 🤣
I believe the little ball thing you used to clean the tiny carb parts in is called a 'tea infuser'. You put a spoon of loose tea in it, hang the hook on the edge of your cup, and pour hot water over it. Steep the tea until it's to your liking and remove from the cup. Amazon sells all sorts of those type things.
Retired from a 26yr Paint Lab Stint, a Paint shaker Should work well for your Small Bike tanks. We actually used them to make small Paint *Grind* samples. Breaking down the colored pigment & fillers for primers with small Porcelain Bebees. A 20min. Shake Cycle was all it took. Us Antique radio restorers Use O-rings to replace the broken or weathered Tuning Belts. For Different sizes Cut Them on a Angle 30* so the glue has More Surface Area to Stick to. Hope these suggestions Help You All.
Riggt on! Paint shaker has proven to be the best, bar none, to clean out old tanks like Honda Mini-Trails and Z-50's. Gets every nook and cranny and does a helluva job on small parts. I've even used sifted beach sand and saved pistachio shells as a medium.
I love the fact that you can take something that has died 50 years ago and has been just sitting as junk, and give it a little 💘 and it starts to purr from the Love ya give it! Spiderman ain't the only AMAZING..! Darren is too! Bill, from Tn. 🇺🇸
Musties evident joy in exploring and fixing these machines is what i enjoy..and the conversing with his audience that seem to be overlooking his shoulder as he works...just a fantastic YTer..my favorite..and never has, and never will ask for patronage..class act..
This little Benelli is as old as me. We were both born in 69. There used to be a Benelli dealer in my town when I was a kid and he was busy all the time with sales and repairs. These little Buzzers used to be buzzing all over the place here in my neighborhood in Pennsylvania.
We had a Benelli when I was a kid and the hand lever underneath the left hand grip is a second gear to go faster. At least that's what it did on the one we had. Ours was blue instead of red and had a headlight and taillight on it. I'm pretty sure it was a 1969 or 1970 model. We got it new and it was one of those two years. Thanks for reviving some great memories Darren. 👍 PS - After that minibike I rode dirt bikes all thru High school. Then in 1978 after I got out of the Navy I started riding Harleys and still do ride to this day. 😃👍
I lived in Italy in the 80’s. My only transport was a 750 virago. Kids were in awe by it as most had mopeds in my town. They called it a Bella grande motochicletta!
I believe the clutch is working as intended, the clutch lever is to force the clutch to lock up so you can bump start the engine or in other models to pedal start it like the Vespa Ciao. Great video again Mustie1.
Right! Came here to comment as well. Had a moped in Italy in the 80s. Third lever was to pedal start, or push / go down a hill and pull the level to start.
The lever makes a small excentric axle rotate, pushing the plate onto the clutch assembly, effectively linking the crankshaft to the output. Brings back the Puch Maxi vibes for me 👌
The mineral spirits you used was the environmental friendly version . Notice the milky white color . In my experience it’s completely useless in place of the normal stuff . Great video Mustie !
Yep. In my experience if the label says "green" or "earth friendly" it might as well say "does not work." The "green" carb cleaner is especially worthless. You might as well be spraying the carb with water.
Back in the early 90’s I was buying some engine degreaser. The guy behind the counter said to me, “Don’t use that $#!+ that’s good for the environment. It doesn’t work!” 😂
I remember the original formula chem dip carb cleaner, you could put the filthiest, grungiest carb in that stuff and it would come out pristine. The stuff now won't clean butter
They're more fun than regular bikes because they remind us of our youth and the speed and the freedom from pedaling. It's too bad we can't get small like we were back then.
These and the old classic minibikes like Rupp and Bonanza were never originally intended for kids, people keep making that mistake and it's comical. The first mini bikes were designed as pit bikes, to get in and around the pit areas between races at racetracks *where adults raced*. The first go karts were designed for racing in as small a package or footprint as possible and the proper riding position was knees bent, knees in your face and the steering wheel rubbed the inside of your thighs. Maybe it's because people are so morbidly obese that they want to be small again?
@@hcox1111 Scaling up the frame then means it's approaching a regular motorcycle size and a bigger frame means an engine larger than 50cc, but it wouldn't be as fun or as economical as regards to space. These things were designed to be small, nimble and fun and back in the day could be thrown in the trunk of those large American automobiles.. Unfortunately the CC arms race doomed the minibike phenomenon to the trash bin of history as Americans kept wanting more and more power and speed.
A lot of you had a funner youth then I did. My parents never let me have any moped, mini-bike, motorcycle, ATV, gokart. The best I had were video games, back in the day when you were considered a dork for playing them. Now days video games are considered cool, most people play them, and they even do professional championships over them. Now days, I just have a 1990 Craftsman riding mower, that I did a pulley swap on, that makes it go 20-MPH in 6th gear. I put beefy tires on it, sucker could pull a 1-ton truck on pavement easily lol.
Thanks for another awesome trip back in time.. Those were the best of times riding mini bikes and dirt bikes as a kid. First time my dad started teaching me how to work on stuff and keep it running. Take care of yourself and get some rest. Thanks again.
A neighbor had this one on his sail boat in the early 80s. For the shopping at marinas he visited. When he bought a diblasi foldable it became my first bike. Once you qet going you could let go the clutch. Great to see one back.
Every time you put a patient on the lift and crank it up, I get a picture in my mind of Dr Frankenstein working on his creature…and I see the moment lightening flashes and you declare “It’s ALIVEEE”…
your videos are some of the best to watch whilst having my evening meal. there's no sense urgency, always calm and methodical. i own and wrench on a vw beetle thanks to the confidence your videos gave me over the years.
I owned a Benelli mini-bike many years ago. When I got it... someone had run straight-gas in it. I totally disassembled engine and rebuilt. It was the quietest 2-stroke engine I ever encountered.
A friend of a friend had one of these when I was a kid back in the late 60s early 70s. It was truly exotic, even back then. Everybody else had Rupp and Fox mini bikes along with a smattering of Honda QA-50's. I remember seeing the guy ride it, and it seemed very foreign. It was.
I really like this little Benelli. Yes when riding a Honda 50 when I was 15 I was coming downhill on a logging road. I was braking as hard as I could for a road washout. As I got right to it the bike slipped out from under me and I slammed to the ground. If that happened now at 75 I would be hurting for 6 months. At the time even though it really hurt, an hour later I felt nothing. So we learn when young and now my big rottweiler changed sides behind me in the park and I never threw the leash over my head in time riding my bike and flopped down and can still feel it when moving something heavy on the floor. Now I keep better track of where he is going and throw the leash over my head sometimes inadvertantly.
I always wanted one of those little bikes to play on as a kid, but my parents couldn't afford it, things were tough in the 1960's and 70's. Today, on a By-pass near to me, I saw a guy on a 1976 Kawasaki 900 4 cylinde 4 stroke potterin along at 40 mph, it was making a little bit of smoke , but looked in immaculate condition.
That little bike made my life so much fun it is just like my first bike except mine was blue my dad and uncle had a Benelli dealership I got mine in 1973 for Christmas I was 10 it was used but I loved it I rode it for three years until the clutches gave out and I was to big to ride it good memories
I remember those things. Back then a lot of them ran 16 to 1 mix. You never had any mosquitoes around running those things. Some where I have what's left of a kit for making your own plug wires. You got boots terminals 50 ft of plug wire and a crimping tool. Great video have fun .
My son was in a couple moped "gangs" during his college years. They had meets and conducted themselves like a motorcycle club, with vests and patches. Very eclectic bunch, lot of goth/piercings, tough ladies and a smattering of old guys. He eventually moved on and got into full size bikes. One club was subsequently taken over by a bunch of druggies. They rode everything in that CC range--monkey bikes, minibikes, and tricked out mopeds with "built" motors. I attended a couple summer meets with him as a guest, rode whatever motorcycle I had at the time. Very invigorating to rip through a large city, 100+ bikes strong, guys blocking traffic at intersections. Good times. And there was always one or two guys who you'd be ripping next to and you'd hear a "bang!" and they'd peel off, like a shot down plane. Blown motor, calling for pickup by the club van.
Mustie, the bottom of the filer cap is the fuel tank breather that can be screwed closed so that no fuel can leak out of the fuel tank if you are transporting the BENELLI in our boat, or in the trunk of a car
at the end of your video, the "clutch" on the bottom left is called a "starter clutch" and is used to push start this no-ped. On a moped you would pedal and squeeze the starter clutch to start the engine. The starter clutch locks the engine to the rear wheel.
Very rare scooter even in Italy! Mopeds with a maximum displacement of 50 cc were very popular because at the age of 14 you could drive them without a license! I'm talking about the 70s, all the guys obviously replaced the muffler with a louder one and the best ones tried some modifications to have a little more power. This Benelli is really very interesting, good restoration ! 👋👋From 🇮🇹
Sweet! Love it when there are more episodes of fun project you are working on....which is pretty much every project you work on Mustie. Thx for another fun vid sir.
As a sailor in Europe, in 1973, I needed a "land dinghy" to get to the Immigration Office / Customs Office / get gasoline for my sailboat engine / and get ice. In the Adriatic a normal sunny day is 90 degrees. I found the BENELLI "CITY BIKE" but couldn't buy one in Munich, where we lived. On a yacht delivery trip from Elba to Viareggio, Italy I found a motorcycle store; and Yes, they had a BENELLI City Bike. It had been in a show window in a neighboring town - and being s two cycle engine required an oil / gasoline mixture. Back at the owner's main store and shop in Viareggio, he tried to start it, but the carburetor was clogged. His mechanic removed the carburetor was quickly removed and cleaned; then the mechanic took the elbow that connected the carburetor to the cylinder; took it to his drill press; got s large diameter drill and in seconds was making a pile of aluminum shavings. My wife stand there and watching this was aghast. What's he doing to our new BENELLI? Being and engineer, I knew what he was doing. In Europe, 50 cc vehicles are limited to 30 km on the road. This speed limit was accomplished by having a restriction in the elbow. All the mechanic was doing was enlarging the whole air path to the engine. When it was running again, and I twisted the throttle, - forget the 30 km speed limit - it emitted a roar and was good for at least 70 km/h. The handle bar folds inward, and then downward. The folded BENELLI fitted into my sail locker; could easily be lifted out and lowered into our dinghy. Then at the dock, I unfolded it; fired it up and could then look for ice / get gasoline from the automobile gas station at the edge of town; or get to the Official Offices the easy way. It was a wonderful solution to a sailing problem.
I am with you on the fun factor of these little things. I've rode them all and for some reason these little mopeds/motorized bikes and even the small 4 wheelers always put a smile on the face.
I just wanted to let you know I watch All of your videos and they have expired me to go and get my dad's old garden tiller running again after sitting for 20 years
I like to see those videos working with italian moped, The lower left lever is for starting the motor in a different model with the pedal. I have a Benelli Gentleman with the same engine, your model we call Motorella
It's a mechanical clutch with direct drive. You need it with both wheels on the ground kick starting it would just bump you forwards. Pull in clutch kick it over, walk it forward whilst gently letting out clutch and away you go. Clutch also needed when stopping at traffic lights etc.
This brings back memories lol my Italian uncle had one of these when i was a kid if I remember right that lever was for starting the bike not shifting. Can't wait to see ya riding it.
I’ve had lots of carb gaskets grow when old, but if you give them a couple days to dry they return to normal size. It means there’s no quick carb cleaning but you don’t need parts that may be made of unobtainium. For gas tank rust removal I put in a couple cups of nuts and bolts and strap them to a riding mower wheel for a couple hours.
Cool Lil scooter.. always amazed me when you bring them back...praying the skid steer project goes as smooth..the engine swap for it maybe the easiest that wiring that will be the bear...but as always appreciate you sharing your day with us..looking forward to seeing your next video.😇😎🛠️🛻🇺🇸🔧🛵
When I lived in New Hampshire for 30 years I used to ride around Boston on a Mountain bike. You really realize just how small Boston is. I now live in the mountains of New Mexico and really enjoy your videos.
A plastic grocery bag works fairly well for sealing under a gas cap. Used it when cleaning out a Gravely tank. Was able to flip it over and had minimal leaks.
Very cool project Mustie I can picture this at one of your shows with all the other cool old bikes and cars. Your starting quite a Rusty Museaum or a Rusteaum, if you will. Love this collection.
