i love old minibikes! lots of guys build them up around here. drag race in summer, ice race in winter there must be 20+ guys with bikes. here's the two rigid minis i built up, both would easily do 50MPH+... FUN Lil Indian w/springer front end ('73 reissue) - 5HP Tecumseh, governor removed, custom throttle linkage, upgraded OHH60 carb, UNI filter, custom Robertsons Torque Tubes header pipe, TAV2 clutch Baja DoodleBug - 6.5HP GX200 Clone, 14cc cylinder head, 18lb valve springs, governor removed, billet rod, aluminum flywheel, 4 deg advanced timing, 22MM Mikuni carb, AGK billet carb adapter, Mikuni fuel pump, UNI filter, RLV candy cane header, TAV2 clutch, pitbike bars
I didn't get a bike till I was 15 and it ended up being a Honda 150 Dream that I arranged financing with from an older kid. Then shortly after turning 16, with money earned working after school, I got a nearly new Honda 250 scrambler like this one: Motocross hadn't really caught on yet and hillclimbing and riding the trails in the Tillamook Burn was the most popular offroading at the time. The Honda was modified for offroad only with Ceriani forks (removed from an Puch-Allstate parts bike), lightened frame, fiberglass tank, aluminum rims, 350cc displacement and Harmon Collins torque cams. A couple of motocross tracks started up and the next bike was by far the most fun, a square barrel 1970 250 Maico: The bike worked great on the trails too, but for weekend trips, I would bring a small solid-ox gas welder to repair the low pipe.
My first bike was just like this: Rode it for a few years and had many different bikes after I out grew it. Here is a picture from 1988 of the KX125 I had at the time:
I did the minibike thing first too, but my first real "motorcycle" was a candy apple red metallic Indian 70CC similar to this one...early 70's vintage. Man I wish I still had it.
I first started riding a tote goat from when I was 9 until I was 13. I changed irrigation pipes when I was 12 and 13 and bought this when I turned 14(got my DL). Started working in the bike shop when I was 15 and bought this 73 WR125. Worked for the Husky dealer until I went to school. Rode and raced it until winter of 1974 when I bought this. Had some great times with both Huskies and some solid results. Took 30 years off and bought this off fleabay when I had a snootfull and she who must be obeyed wasn't looking. Can't believe I waited all those years to ride again. I was told riding a dirt bike equaled a divorce...turned out not so much. The rest is history.
That 73 WR was just like the one dad bought for himself. He had it about 2 weeks before my 10 year old brother figured out how to start it. I still say that was the most fun bike to ride we ever had.
Here are a couple of others I had: Loved this 1980 YZ125 and it was very good to me! This was my bike practice. When I jumped on on the YZ125, it felt like a mini! This was the one I broke my nose on! Say it was more of a full noser instead of a full floater! Then the big move to the 430! I did 40 hrs worth of porting and bigger carb on this thing and it would pass a KTM 500 like she was sitting still. But it would rip your ankle off kicking it! One race, the engine started backwards! I took off and went over the handlebars! The first venture to upside down forks. Raced the Florida Harecramble Series with this.
wow........I'm having trouble remembering what really sparked it all. First bike I rode was a new blue/silver '69 Honda Z50, and first bike I owed was a well worn 1969 Yamaha 80 w/loud Hooker header, after market high front fender and footpegs that wouldn't fold up (1st & last Yamaha owned.....also my 1st & last used bike) Guess the if I had to narrow it down to my favorite bike(s) back then, the pages of the old Dirt Bike Buyers Guide would fallen open to the Husky's and Suzuki's..........maybe throw the Penton 125 in there too. Late '70s started buying Suzuki and with exception of one Honda in there, bought nothing else for 30yrs until finally fulfilling my old dream of owning a Husky in 2007, when I came across a new 2005 TE510 and bought it.
I got to spend quite bit of time on a friends '78 Suzuki RM400.........loved that bike. Of the many many bikes I been able to ride over the last 40yrs, that RM400 and the late '90's KX500 are right at the top of my all time favorite bikes list.
