Great thread!

Some early ones in our garage...

Sears 3½ horse minibike.
Honda 50. NOT the QA.
Honda 70.
Kaw 75.
Hodaka Combat Wombat
5 HP mini from Sears.
Gemini 80.
Chapperal 100.
Gemini 65. (Or was in a Gemi... It was stock green.)

Sigh... I know there were a few others we had.

WE, Not myself!

 

I bought my first mini bike back in 1961 when I was ten. I mowed every lawn in the neighborhood for an entire summer to get the money for it. My seven year old son just got his first minibike a from an honorary uncle. Life was a lot harder when I was a kid. Mine looked like the one in the picture on top, and my son's is the bottom picture.

 

1960s vintage Texas Ranger hard tail, 2.5hp Tecumseh, scrub brake, plywood seat

wish I had pics topped out about 30mph on pavement

 

Mine was a '69 Bird Mini Bike.The neighbor kid had to out do me with a Honda Mini Trail 50.

 

The Combat Wombat was anything but a mini bike. I campained one during the summer of 68 or 69, best bike I ever had, even out performed the Yamaha factory 125 I raced the following year. It is one of the bikes I wish I still owned!

 

My folks would not let me have a mini so my first was well warn hodaka road toad that started cold but did not like to when hot. So i pushed and sat alot till cool.

 

Like some others...I started out on a 'Western Auto" style 3.5 HP Techumsah, solid frame, sponge seat with the rear brake that scrubbed of the rear tread. Centrifucal clutch....
all my friends on CT-70s would zip by me up a hill.
Man...I hated that mini-bike (But it got me to where I am today!)

Chuck

 

5HP B&S engine Trail Horse....1968

 

First was like this one a Chibi 60cc mini bike. Delivered newpapers for a year to buy it. Dad bought a Hodaka Ace 100 and we used to ride together. Sure do miss my Dad and those times.

 

Hodakas were notorious for not running,if they wernt broke in right then you had a cool looking chunk of steel....Jugs would get high spots and then the troubles would start....