Mini Bike Find Perhaps?

[@Josh]

I need a little advice!

I am supposed to go and look at this tomorrow. It looks like a Taco...kinda. I've been researching for several hours.

My concerns are:
1) the springer front
2) the seat and seat mount

I know the seat probably isn't original, but the forks look like it.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!!

And the last picture is of a Baja Warrior I'm currently working on!

Thanks

 

[landuse]

Hey there. It's a cool little minibike. I wouldn't worry too much about the "shocks" on the front. As long as they seem to work OK you will be fine

 

[@Josh]

Thanks for the reply! I guess what I meant by concern is that they don't seem to go with any model of bike I can find. I see pictures of Steen mini bikes with front shocks, but I can't find any documentation of them ever selling a model with a springer front.

So, I'm just wondering what it might be!

P.S. Really thanks for the reply! First post and first reply is from somebody who's input matters to me as I've been an avid reader here for a while. Thanks for the forums and all your work as an admin! I have a really fun build starting very soon that I'm excited to share.

 

[itsid]

Hi Josh,
well first: you might not be able to find a mini bike with springer fork.. since you don't have one either.
that's a tele fork (conventional telescopic fork)

a Springer fork has a pack of two or four springs ABOVE the wheel,
attached to a set of mostly (leading) levers at the wheel hub.
One spring to dampen the upward, one to dampen the downward movement on a two spring setup.

So if you search for springer fork.. you will not ever find your setup.

What you have there appears to me as an JC Penney (or later Bird?) El Tigre Mini Bike
which would look like this:


'sid

 

[landuse]

Thanks for the reply! I guess what I meant by concern is that they don't seem to go with any model of bike I can find. I see pictures of Steen mini bikes with front shocks, but I can't find any documentation of them ever selling a model with a springer front.

So, I'm just wondering what it might be!

P.S. Really thanks for the reply! First post and first reply is from somebody who's input matters to me as I've been an avid reader here for a while. Thanks for the forums and all your work as an admin! I have a really fun build starting very soon that I'm excited to share.

No problem. I'm glad I could help a bit. Itsid above me nailed the ID for you though

 

[@Josh]

That's why I love this place!! Thanks again for the help! I look forward to sharing what I've learned with someone else.

 

[@Josh]

So, I was unable to pick up the little El Tigre today, but I did pick up this bike!

It's a death trap for sure! It's been used as a drag bike. No brakes. Built Predator. Bad bearings in the rear allegedly. The seller put the stock exhaust and air intake back on but it's supposed to be cammed. I have no idea. It was such good price I bought it no questions asked.

I started it, touched the throttle and it LAUNCHED itself into the air and threw the chain! This should be fun!

I'm set to pick up the other bike in the morning. I'll post pics of that one too.

 

[itsid]

be very careful with unknown engine mods..

the best thing that could happen to you is it's a bone stock engine,
the worst thing could be an improperly modded engine that starts to desintegrate the first chance it gets.

So it's running.. that's good!
My advice would be:
Before you attempt to run it hard...
take a look inside,
is the governor completely removed (is that nasty washer out as well?)?
is the conrod stock or billet? (stock conrod== no stiffer springs IMHO!)
has the valvesprings been altered etc (cheap to install springs not so cheap to install a matching conrod... engine will run 7k, but not for long!)
etc. etc.

First rule: STAY SAFE!
install good brakes, check the engine.. then have serious fun with it
JMHO!

'sid

 

[@Josh]

I hear you there! I have no plans to run the bike as it sits at all. It's too dangerous as it sits.

You are right about the motor too. Stock Predators are my motor of choice... especially if I am going to send it to a new home.

I'll tear it apart, put brakes on it, swap the motor with either a brand new one or a slightly used one that I have laying around, put a proper seat on it and a new chain.

I'll play with it for a few days and then "exchange" it for a new one! This one is my third one this week!

 

[@Josh]

I got the little bike today! As a newbie to the mini bike world, I must say, this is my favorite find so far...by far! Foot Brake!!

The mini bike was all chrome. Top to bottom. I hate destroying history, so I need a little feedback here.

With this being an older bike, and perhaps a JC Penny El Tigre, is it better to pass this off to someone who will restore it properly or is it just a cool old bike and a trip to the powder coater is in order?

Thanks so much!! Here are a few pics.

 

[@Josh]

I'll fix the pictures...

 

[itsid]

if the chrome isn't too badly pitted or rusted off..
just clean it up as good as you can, and hit it with a light clear coat.
Fix the rest as good as you can.

IF the next owner wants it re-chromed you haven't made it worse by powdercoating it..
and maybe the next owner likes the "bit of patina" even better than a fresh chrome coating *shrugs*

Also: chrome coats are not that much more expensive than powdercoating ...
throw the bike on your truckbed and go and ask for some quotes... (they need to see it in person to properly judge the amount of prepwork)
since the most expensive part is always the prepwork, not the actual coat itself.

 

[@Josh]

Great advice!! I didn't think that far in advance. It's pretty pitted. There's nothing to save in terms of the actual chrome, but I could take it in a rat rod direction instead of restoration.

I gotta find some pictures to look at.

 

[landuse]

I wouldn't worry about restoring it to original. Do what you feel is best and have fun with it

 

[Denny]

Sid I don't know where you get your chrome done but in the U.S. chrome is very expensive and labor intensive. First the chrome plating has to be removed then it gets polished, dipped in copper and polished again, dipped in nickel and polished again than after all of that if it is smooth enough a trip to the chrome tank. I'd bet it would be over a grand to plate just the frame, maybe more.


Denny

 

[@Josh]

Here's what I decided to do...

I have an early 80's 3.5 Briggs laying around that I'm going to put use. It's not quite right, but it's better than what's on it right now. I need to order a new carb first. In the mean time, I'm just going to tear it down, clean it up and clear coat it. It will get new tires and at least one new wheel, a new clutch, chain and throttle. I'll get a new seat that's a little more correct and off she goes!

Does anybody have a heads up for the grips? I'd really like to put the older style back on. I'll admit that I haven't looked yet... about to, but I stopped by here first!

Thanks again for the input!!

---------- Post added at 11:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:21 PM ----------

Ha... never mind on the grips. A simple Google search for "retro mini bike grips" solved that problem.

 

[Denny]

Since no one answered your question, YES! it is a mini-bike.


Denny

 

[itsid]

Sid I don't know where you get your chrome done but in the U.S. chrome is very expensive and labor intensive. First the chrome plating has to be removed then it gets polished, dipped in copper and polished again, dipped in nickel and polished again than after all of that if it is smooth enough a trip to the chrome tank. I'd bet it would be over a grand to plate just the frame, maybe more.


Denny

Well as far as I was told by a galvanist around
you can direct chrome after the first polishing..
and cut the labor and price down to a third.
if the parts aren't too rough
-that's nowadays the "usual" way-
and since the frame is still chromed (mostly) I'd say it can't be too rough really

And with the chrome mostly intact, you can even skip the removal of the old layers.
nickel fill (by hand) the dents, buff them out,
diamond polish the entirety (since chrome is hard) and rechrome a new layer..
that indeed adds a few µ to the dimensions, but frankly,
that's hardly critical on a mini bike like that, is it?
especially since it's still way less than a single layer of powdercoat

But I never had it done tbh..
but for all I remember the price wasn't too bad

'sid

 

[@Josh]

I'll see if I can answer the question! I know that my powder coater charges me $100 for sandblasting and a basic color. Candy or flake cost more, but I haven't done that to anything yet, so I can't speak to the extra cost. I did find a couple of chrome dippers, so I'll just call and ask!

---------- Post added at 11:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:58 AM ----------

So far, the places I have called either want to see it before they will even discuss price or can't do it because they have small tanks. None of the vendors are close by, so I'll see when I can get a frame to one for a quote.

 

[@Josh]

Here's a little update on the JC Penny's El Tigre!

I have a friend who really wanted the bike so it had to go to him. He decided to spend some time working on the original finish. It came out great! There is a lot of the original chrome. The motor turned out to be either original or a very early replacement. The seat was moved a bit and recovered. The areas where the chrome was too far gone were simply sprayed black. It's a great little bike.

He loves it and tells me his neighbors are huge fans too!

In return, he helped me finish a Baja Warrior project and we're knee deep in a few more!

Here are a few pictures and one of the Warrior for fun!