just did some internet research. mine is a bonanza cr-500. but the hodaka engine was replaced with a briggs.
I can't find any pictures, but when I was 11, I spent my paper route money on a project Bonanza mini bike. I painted it a metalflake green gold (a very popular color in the 60's). My mom re covered the seat black and I painted the engine black. I put a jack shaft on it ( sort of a mini bike quick change) and screwed in a water pipe for the exhaust pipe, and off I went. Oh yea I painted a surfers cross on the flat piece of metal that held the forks together. It was pure bold you know pure boss. I can't tell you how much fun I had with that thing, riding it all over my neighborhood as well as down at the quarry. chuck
my Nephew has from memory a honda QA50 ? its kinda like the Z50's I see on here funny thing was it wasn't until I rode it that I had the flash back to riding rental ones when we were kids in the 70's.... its pretty cool and he is getting to big for it, I better get it stashed for my 17 m/o + 5 y/old.
those are worth big bucks nowadays....a nice one is worth $2500 - $3000 they also put the Hodaka engine on some of the choppers too - CR500 was the model.
there was also a CR400 that came with a Tecumseh engine very similar to the briggs. hard to tell for sure which it was without the original engine. got any pics?
Jackshafts are awesome, and bikes that come from the factory with the provision for one are the ultimate. the biggest advantage of a jackshaft is that it allows you to get a lower gear ratio than you could ever get with just the 2 sprockets that will fit. that was the key to getting my alcohol powered drag minibike to do 60 ft wheelies they are also good for when you want a really tall tire, good for getting things lined up easier, etc.
I've got a Hiwatha Doodle Bug with a 5.5 Briggs and a centrifugale clutch I built when I was in junior high back before I got my license wanted to build a hot rod. My dad just sold a 62 Cushman Eagle last weekend at an auction. He also has Mustang Pony.
yep, the QA50 was very similar to the Z50...fenders, handlebar clamping, etc' were different....and 2 spd trans vs 3 spd.
from the pics i saw on the internet the chain on the 400 comes off the side of the motor straight to the rear sprocket. and the 400 didn't have rear brakes. the 500 has a jackshaft and rear brake. mine looks like the latter. plus mine has holes torched in the motor plate to mount the briggs. i can send you some pics, i never could figure out how to post them on here.
I've got a Trapper mini bike frame from Lukester, he gave me a copy of the Trapper ad and it says with the chrysler upgrade top speed would be 60 MPH!! Here's a pic of one I found on http://minidoodle.com They've got a lot of good pics so go check 'em out.
i saw your name in another thread, and figured you had one of those babies sitting around. awesome machines...i spent some time on the net a few years back researching them, and was blown away. amazing what uses they have been utilized in emergency/rescue type applications. i'd really like to have one
yes, i'd like to see pics: warpath5881@sbcglobal.net BTW, the CR400s have rear brakes - they are a hand operated drum brake in the rear sprocket.
yes, Jay has built an awesome site...several of my bikes are featured there. he also has a great message board...just look for the link once you get to the main page of the site.
i burned the shit out of my ankle on one of those as a child. haven't been on one since, enjoy yours though
Technically not a minibike, but I'm rebuilding a 1970 Hodaka Ace 100. Just redid the frame in orange with gold flake and polished up the old chrome toaster tank as best it would polish. Anybody have a Hodaka fork tube kicking around the garage - I got a bent one!!
Check out my Yahoo group. Its called MINIBIKESRFUN It is stricktly for flathead powered american minibikes.http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/minibikesrfun/
Living vicariously through my two sons growing up we collected lots of toys including a "Generic" 60's GoKart and Mini-bike. As the boys got older they moved to bigger YZ's and big cube ATV's. Now that they spend their money on their cars, the YZ's and ATV's are sold but I hang onto the Generic MiniBike, the GoKArt, the'71 SL70 . Back in the day, I'd die for a real store-bought MiniBike but I was happy to be the kid who the other kids parents were wary of because I built things that went fast using whatever was available ( or left unattended). Powerband CIRCA 1967: Powerband
Anyone ever try those three wheel minibikes?. Someone gave me a Rupp 3-wheel minibike frame. After fixing it up for the kids, I gave it a test ride and promptly flipped it and hurt myself. I then geared it way down to slow it down and after wobbling around the property decided to remove the engine and put a pushbar on the rear. The generic minibike we got at the Rhinebeck Spring Dust-Off car swap meet years ago and it has a big number 11 on the front since it was my sons age at the time. It has a CT-70 rear wheel/sprocket and initially was set up with direct drive from the centrifugal clutch. The initial gearing would probably enable it to do @ 50MPH . I repalced the little rear sprocket with something close to the size of the rear tire and it was much more fun.
Here is a Lil' Indian I just got. I think the date stamped on it is 5 70. Was going to put a 5hp Briggs in it, but this one was set up for a Techumpsh, so I'll just put a 3hp Briggs in there. Fits a lot better. The last three pics are of my '68 Rupp C-350. I have posted pics of it before, but it has new striping that my brother nailheadrikter did. I painted the numberplate. It has a 5hp briggs with a 3hp flywheel, tilly carb, modified exhaust from a KX80, a two-speed jackshaft, and a disk brake off of a mountainbike.
Iwant one!!! I even have a scwinn occ chopper bicycle to trade, in nearly new condition. Someone hook a brother up. I don't need an engine. I have a good 3hp briggs.
I've got a couple of rebuilt Z-50s and I did one over for my Brother last year. I have quite a few spare parts if anybodys looking. I'm damn near 60 years old and still enjoy riding the thing around the neighborhood. Mini-Trails.com has anything you could ever want for the Z-50, stock and speed equipment. John
Ther is a guy that sets up at the winter time swap meets here at the fairgrounds that had one of these all winter. It looked rough but it seemed all there. I have no clue what he was asking for it. What are they worth and are they rare? The one at the swap I always refered to as the pissed off looking 2 wheel drive cushman!
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