The Mini Bike cRaZiEs

[Bonafide]

So I had a friend restore an old skool Ruttman mini bike for GF. It was suppose to be her birthday present in December, but it was delivered to us in October. Since then, I've gotten a wee bit bitten by the mini-bike crazies. I just finished putting together my own hard frame old skool style kit. This damn things are seriously addictive.

Here's GF's 1969 Ruttman that started it all. It has a 6.5hp Honda clone motor that's been hot rodded. The bike tops out approx 35-40mph. Need to get a good road a GPS on it to see what it'll do.

Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nj4hrboHRo

Here's mine. It's AZUSA kit bike. It arrived bare frame and in a few boxes. I spent a few weeks on it when I had a spare minute or two and/or as parts arrived. It also has a Honda clone 6.5hp motor but nothing but a header and air filter stuck on it. These motors can be bought at Harbor Freight for $100-125 price range. Bring a coupon and get it even cheaper.

Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPF_BhUKLvA

 

[strokerlmt]

that is so cool....."speed on"
LMT

 

[tooblekain]

That's exactly what I was thinking about doing...getting a harbor freight motor and just building up a mini bike to use as a pit bike for trackdays

 

[Boofhead]

You be careful the cops don't get you riding that thing on the roadd:

Yes i know , I was just joking

Getting in before someone tells me you are in the job :fight:

 

[Bonafide]

That's exactly what I was thinking about doing...getting a harbor freight motor and just building up a mini bike to use as a pit bike for trackdays

Not hard. You can buy a 'kit' that consists of everything but a Motor & Clutch ... or just find an old skool bike on craigslist that needs some TLC. The only specialty tool I needed was a chain breaker (ordered online). Rest of the bike was put together with basic hand tools. Painted the frame with rattle cans. Had to visit the local small engine repair shop for a throttle cable bolt thing-a-bob that was pulled off a junked motor so I could hook up the throttle linkage ... little stuff like that. I highly suggest staying away from the newer Chinese made Baja Doodle Bugs found at your local hardware stores today - they're poorly/cheaply made compared to these old bikes.

Here's my "winter project". Old Taco frame. I want to go old skool with the motor, like a smaller Briggs/Stratton .. but we'll see.

 

[Bonafide]

You be careful the cops don't get you riding that thing on the roadd:

The locals only show up in this neighborhood if there's blood involved. :motorbike2:

 

[rodburner]

I picked up a nearly complete and running mini this weekend off CL for $100. Just needs a clutch to make it go,which I'll pick up when the snow stops. The guy also threw in another frame,with motorcycle style triple trees on it. My local HF has those 6.5 knock offs for $129 this week,so a couple of those are on order too. That kit looked pretty complete on line,but I plan to 'massage' both of these,so no use buying new. I do plan on making a hack for one of them though...

 

[Bonafide]

RB - I have a 25% coupon good for Thanksgiving Day only. I used a 20% off super coupon and got my HB motor for $109 OTD. Still have access to that coupon if you want, it's good til the end of the year.

Just click and print for 25% coupon
http://images.harborfreight.com/cpi/emails/4710/a_direct/images/thanksgiving_coupon.jpg

Click & download the doc file - then print. 20% off super coupon.
http://www.mediafire.com/?efwtkomtgm3

 

[D9]

mini bikes rock - great pics... good times...:headbang2:

 

[ThruxTonUp]

I don't know if the air cleaner will flow enough for that motor! There has to be a xr750 flat tracker somewhere missing one of it's air filters. You bringing those to Blue Ridge on Sat?

 

[Texas94fs]

Those little buggers look like a one hell of a blast. and dangerous. I can see hold my beer and watch this moments coming already.

 

[rodburner]

Bud,I decided I couldn't wait while rebuilding those used mini's,so I ordered a 10"wheel/Azusa kit . Did you have any problems mounting the HF engines? All the kit dealers say that "just any old motor" can't be installed. I'm not afraid to mod the frames,even for a small motorcycle engine if needed.

 

[sweatmachine]

those look like a hell of a good time. I'd love to have one except I live in the city with no where to ride one. I wish it were legal to ride them to the bars downtown!

 

[Bonafide]

Bud,I decided I couldn't wait while rebuilding those used mini's,so I ordered a 10"wheel/Azusa kit . Did you have any problems mounting the HF engines? All the kit dealers say that "just any old motor" can't be installed. I'm not afraid to mod the frames,even for a small motorcycle engine if needed.

No problems what so ever to install the HB 6.5hp motor. It's made by Lifan - a Chinese made clone of a Honda motor. Pull the air box, attach a filter adapter (do a search for 'clone filter adapter' on eBay or check some go cart sites. I went with a cheap $10 one. If you chose to fab your own exhaust - be sure the base plate is for a 'clone motor'. You'll need to rejet the carb. The old mini bike site link below has references to what jet to use.

I imagine you could stick whatever you felt like in between the frame rails. It's a simple flat metal mounting plate. The holes are slotted so you can slide the motor to adjust chain tightness. One thing I found needed that's not included in the kit is a return spring for the throttle - all in all, the kit is very easy to put together and nothing is too hard to sort out. Check out the forum on old mini bike.

The Orange bike is the 8" tri-star wheeled kit. Purchased it thru Go Kart Galaxy. GF's is an old Ruttman using their 6" wheel/accessory kit.

 

[rodburner]

Thanks. I got mine here.
http://www.minichopperssocal.com/index.html

 

[rodburner]

those look like a hell of a good time. I'd love to have one except I live in the city with no where to ride one. I wish it were legal to ride them to the bars downtown!

Ouch,carry a gun into Walmart,but can't ride a mini bike to the tavern. What kind of crap is that?:chair:
Being old,[and looking old] allows me all sorts of leeway from the local LEO's,even on the Bonnie; ie,"it was such a nice day,and the fenders and lights aren't back from the painters yet" or "I just finished putting it together for my grandson,and wanted to make sure it was safe".:hurt:

 

[rodburner]

No problems what so ever to install the HB 6.5hp motor. It's made by Lifan - a Chinese made clone of a Honda motor. Pull the air box, attach a filter adapter (do a search for 'clone filter adapter' on eBay or check some go cart sites. I went with a cheap $10 one. If you chose to fab your own exhaust - be sure the base plate is for a 'clone motor'. You'll need to rejet the carb. The old mini bike site link below has references to what jet to use.

Thanks for the link. I took a cell phone pic of the $99 engine coupon and the girl at HF happily gave me that price on 2 new engines as well as a 50% discount on the extended warranty which covers both engines for the same 20 bucks,for 27 months.:woot:

 

[rodburner]

Here's GF's 1969 Ruttman that started it all. It has a 6.5hp Honda clone motor that's been hot rodded. The bike tops out approx 35-40mph. Need to get a good road a GPS on it to see what it'll do.


I'm getting a strange feeling ...
from a hop up thread on that min bike site..

We ran a Clone last year in the open class and were getting about 22hp. With the 3" bore, we hope to get close to 30hp. If you want to build one with about 14hp and not spend a lot of loot, you can get a flat top piston for under 20.00 and the best bang for the buck, is the Dyno .275" lift cam, about 50.00, which is a drop in item, or requires no machining. Couple that with a good pipe and intake, advance timing, drill out your idle and main jets and you will get about 14hp.
:eeek:

 

[bdavanza]

They are discontinued but I have a few things from paul frank with this mini bike chopper design, I always liked those bikes.:

 

[Bonafide]

BIG THANKS to Koifarm for his gracious support to my affliction. Bill sent me this old mini bike he had sitting in storage. :headbang2: It's an old MTD made Western Flyer SS300 in damn good original condition. It would have had a 3hp mill and I'll probably put one back in it.

Pretty soon, I'm gonna have a mini-bike brigade!! Muhahahahaha!