Mini-bikes, anyone?

[Marlin72xs]

I'm sure that some of you guys had mini-bikes or some kind of briggs or Tecumseh powered tiny vehicle that most likely got you into trouble with your parents, neighbors or the law!

My 1st was a homemade mini-bike made from a small bicycle frame. My Dad welded a platform for the Briggs and the "jack shaft"/manual clutch that came off an old "Reel" type, self-propelled mower. Wheel barrow rear wheel with a rear brake that actually worked and a Schwinn springer front end and a 20" front wheel. It was the slowest of the group, but fun to ride. Put a lot of miles on that baby in Palenville, NY. Wish I had some picts.

The fastest one was my "Lil Indian", (not so politically correct anymore, I guess).

 

[halfmile]

This was one of many I had. Killer Clinton A-490. A friend of mine still has a Go Kart Big Bear Scrambler mini bike and a Go Kart 400 hanging from the ceiling of his basement. A Christmas present in 1958. I wasn`t that lucky.

 

[Marlin72xs]

That bring's back memories. I always wanted the Clinton 2 stroke for my mini.

 

[Marlin72xs]

This little bugger belonged to a good friend of mine and it was actually a little smaller than the Lil Indian. The engine was a 10hp West Bend, I think. Only went about 35mph, but got there fast.

 

[halfmile]

That motor is a West Bend 820. Popular Kart motor. That frame looks like a CaperCycle. The rare Go-Power wheels are worth more than the whole mini bike.

 

[Marlin72xs]

WOW! I'll have to tell my friend. But that thing is long gone.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Somewhere back in the mid-60s, got my hands on a well used McCulloch slant single. Bolted it to a box, serviced it out, tried to fire it up.

*Blammo*

Blew the sparkplug into the ceiling.

Learned all about Helicoils after that.

To this day, get a bit nervous when a sparkplug is pointed at me...

 

[motormike]

I earned my spurs on a mini bike.... aaah the joy of stuck throttle and crushing the back alley garbage can.... a very effective crash barrier. This model had that rear brake with a flat plate so when you stepped on the brake lever.. the pedal pressed against the rear tire.. it almost.... worked... unless the tire was wet.. muddy.... I really.. really got tired of winding the rope to start it.... rope slips off.. rope breaks.. the many attempts to fire up.. then I scored one of those spring pull-start mechanisms.... F'a A. ! I'm currently searching craigslist and F/b marketplace looking for a rolling mini bike unit for a project I'm work'n on.