My new "crate" engine.

[donsrods]

I heard one time that life comes full circle. We start out in diapers, eating soft food, and we end up in diapers, eating more soft food. I think they need to add one more thing to that list.............we end up trying to relive our youth.

For some unknown reason when I saw the mini bike races at last years Billetproof I started wanting one. I had one when I was a kid and hopped it up with a Power Products chain saw engine..........loved that bike. So, I started looking for an old school mini bike, and found one on Craigslist. It needed a motor and some other stuff, but it was an old one and was only $ 50.00. Here is my little score:

I ordered a bunch of parts like a sprocket, seat, controls, etc on line and got those last week, and I stripped all the old paint off so I can weld on a new engine plate and paint it. I needed an engine, and found a 5 hp Briggs at a swap meet. After rebuilding the carb it fired up and ran fine, but it is cammed up, the governor was removed, and the carb was rejetted for alcohol. The guy told me he got 12 hp out of it with those mods.

But last night I was looking online and Harbor Freight has this one on sale:

Only: $179.99

Sale: $99.99

This morning I went over and bought one. However, when I got to the shop I noticed the box read "13 HP electric start"!! The clerk had charged me for the 6.5, but they gave me a 13 HP! Now, I will admit that for a split second that little devil that sits on my left shoulder was telling me "SCORE!!" But then the angel on the right shoulder won out and I took it back and got the right motor. The 13HP is on sale for $ 349.99, so it would have been a heck of a deal, but I have to live with myself.

But to show I am not totally above cheating, I plan on putting 2.5 HP decals on this new motor and cleaning up at the mini bike races this October........after all, racing is racing!

Don

 

[Tripper]

Wow... nice crate motor. Guess u'll add a big cam & some headers... er... header? [ddd[ddd[ddd

Here's a blast from the past for ya, dig that crazy hair style!!!

Note to self: 13HP... hummmm... hope Don still has that case of Neosporin!!!

BoB

 

[donsrods]

What is funny Bob is that when I told my Son Don I bought a mini bike there was a long silence on the phone, then he said "WHY????" Right after that I started getting strange pamphlets from local old age homes.........I think I might have gone too far this time.

But to make me feel better, there is a thread on another forum that goes about 8 pages where guys on there have posted their own mini bikes. Evidently, more than just me wants to become a kid of 12 again.

My luck, I'll lay this baby down at the finish line and need an ambulance ride home.

Don

Oh yeah, that muffler is coming off for sure and a header is gonna be welded up.

 

[moronthethrottle]

Save that muffler, Don! While the header will sound cooler, a muffler on these small motors will build more torque. I could notice a difference in my go-cart from a "header" to a muffler. It'd be interesting to run it both ways and see which one you think works better.

 

[donsrods]

That could be true. I'll run it for a while with the muffler and see. Plus, there would be that "stealth" thing where I could lull my competition into thinking I was just an old man on a stocker!

I wonder if the Harbor Freight warranty covers Nitros??????

Don

 

[Sniper]

But to show I am not totally above cheating, I plan on putting 2.5 HP decals on this new motor and cleaning up at the mini bike races this October........after all, racing is racing!

Don

That's not cheating.......just ask any lawyer, that's "suppressing the truth".[ddd

 

[CR55]

Don, it's really good to see an honest person!![cl...And I say, go for it with the mini bike..You're never too old for fun!...CR

 

[donsrods]

Don, it's really good to see an honest person!![cl...

Well, that and the fact the 13 HP was just WAY to big to fit in the frame. No, I only briefly thought about keeping it, but karma has a way of biting you in the behind so it's best to just do the right thing. I was a little hesitant to go back because I didn't want the clerk to get in trouble for his mistake, but they seemed cool about it.

Bet that 13 HP would have made that baby fly though!!!!!

Don

 

[CR55]

As I was flying through the air at Mach speed with that 13 H/P, my thoughts would have been karma too!.I remeber our local gearhead/badass that put a large riding mower motor on his bicycle. We were all impressed as 12 year olds that he had the knowledge to build something that we all yearned to do but couldn't. I remeber vividly, him "flying" down our street and his younger brother stepping out into the road to get a better look. The "biker" realized he couldn't make the turn with brother standing in his flight path so he took the turn a little wider than he anticipated....everything was going good up tothat point except for the brakes that he failed to hook up because he didn't figure they would be needed on a maiden flight. The post and rail fence stopped him just fine though!!!....CR

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

wait, Harbor Freight has warrantys?

 

[donsrods]

wait, Harbor Freight has warrantys?

Haha, believe it or not, they actually DO!!

Some years ago I worked right around the corner from HF and when I got off work one night late I drove behind their store. There was a huge dumpster there where they had just deposited a whole bunch of returns. I went dumpster diving and scored all kinds of good stuff. They tossed some things away where there were more than one of the same kind and I was able to take parts from several and make one good one.

We still have some of those things in the shop, like the rolling carts that you sit on to work on cars. The ones I scored just had loose wheels so a few new bolts and they were as good as new..........well, at least as good as Harbor Freight new.

I guess every so often the manager writes off the returns and then deposits them into the dumpster as losses. I haven't been back to that dumpster lately, but I will have to do that some night. I see that as a tree hugger kind of act.........I'm keeping our landfills free from this kind of waste.

Don

 

[rainman]

Don't know if thet do it everywhere but around here they have a go cart racing class just for the $99.00 (blue) H F engine. My grandson is 5 next year I'm planning on getting him into it. You could probably pick up some tips from those guys, although they don't let them do much to them. If it were mine I'd chop it, but thats me!!! lol

 

[Lightning]

Years ago -we took a minibike and stuffed a Hodaka Ace 90 into it - talking about a killer.

 

[BigIrish]

I built a few motorized beach cruisers that are alot of fun. I used a 4hp Techumseh and they top out at 40mph. Way too fast on a bicycle.

13hp would have vaporized the standard centrifugal clutches you can get from go-kart/minibike supply places (max 8hp). 6.5 hp should be just about perfect!

I wish I had used the much cheaper HF motors though, b/c the one i built for my brother got stolen, one I built for my dad he has never ridden, and the one for me just sits there.

Keep up posted - and we expect some top speed numbers!!

 

[Tripper]

Keep up posted - and we expect some top speed numbers!!

Yep... Don better have that Neosporin ready!!!

BoB

 

[donsrods]

While I had some downtime helping Dan work on his rpu, I finished up my mini bike project. I cleaned the frame down to bare metal and primed and painted it a bright yellow. Got all the new parts and tires installed, as well as the new HF motor. Because Mama didn't raise no fools, I waited until Dan was around to take the first ride and become my test pilot. (That is one reason you have Kids in the first place.)

It runs like stink with the 6.5 on it, maybe should have stuck with a 5 hp instead. At top end the front feels like it is getting light, so I may have to install wheelie bars. I finally got Dan off of it and took a spin, and quickly figured out these things were more fun when I was 12 years old than now. But it will make a nice little pit bike in the event I ever do build a drag car.

Here is a picture of it, and one of my test pilot just back from a spin. I tried getting a shot of him flying by, but by the time the camera flashed he was gone. He drove around so much on it he ran it out of gas........so I guess he likes it.

(this just may be the dumbest project I have ever done!)

Don

 

[kzoldman]

LOL Don Found this frame in the woods and went through the same thing a few years ago. First ride it scared the H E double hocky sticks out of me when the throttle stuck and the brakes didn't work too well. Have not rode it since.

 

[donsrods]

Hehe, that was my one real fear so I installed a way too strong return spring on the carb. My kill switch is way down on the engine so in an emergency it would be tough to reach.

Nice looking little bike you have though. Maybe it's time to give it another chance.

Don

 

[earthman]

Didn't Arin Cee have one of these? In my mind it needs apehangers and Don you need a roadster hat and a goatee (it was still the beatnik era when these were the rage)

 

[ratdog]

Thats too cool,great job.