Honey, I bought a mini bike for Joey, something he can learn on....

[Pat Conlon]

....besides, every kid needs a mini bike......what could go wrong?

[Millietant]

Not in the same league Pat, but my neighbour Mark popped across this morning with his 11 yr old son Toby on their Monkey bikes (Mark's hobby is building, buying, riding and selling, Monkey bikes). 

[T Legg]

Where is the starter pull rope Pat?

[Pat Conlon]

Where is the starter pull rope Pat?

Push button Electric....Begs the question: where are the brakes?

Dean, look at those little bitty USD's ! !   That's way cool.....

[fj1289]

Pat, 600's are just beginner bikes right?  It's not like it's a Busa engine in it.... 

[Pat Conlon]

To think I had to make do with a Briggs & Stratton off my dad's edger.....

The kids now a days have no idea....

[Old Rider]

Its okay to let the kid ride it as long he not using nitrous oxide in that tank

[Millietant]

Where is the starter pull rope Pat?

Push button Electric....Begs the question: where are the brakes?

Dean, look at those little bitty USD's ! !   That's way cool.....

And the braided stainless brake hose, wavy disc........even the little aluminium frame is nicely made.....he's a bit of a fanatic about those things, always has 5 or 6 in his garage in various states of construction/conversion. Another near neighbour is just as fanatical and when the two of them are together you'd think they were MotoGP mechanics, they way they get into the fine details of tuning these things, to get more than 45 mph out if them - although the 125cc versions are scary at near 70 mph on those little wheels 

[FJ1200W]

To think I had to make do with a Briggs & Stratton off my dad's edger.....

The kids now a days have no idea....

My heart was set on a Harley "Shortster" back in the seventies. My father came through, albeit in the form of the JC Penny "Golden Pinto" (stock photo off the net shown).

I remember ripping around the backyard on it as if it was yesterday.

Also, the footpegs were unforgiving to heavy cornering. They would dig into the yard and the 'Pinto would buck you off - hard.

One time at the old abandoned airport I hit a cable parking guard at speed - the 1st time I ever had all of the air knocked out of me.

Then, later on, I learned about the governor -

Shortly after, the lesson was about holes in the block being bad......


I picked up Z50's early on and that's what my kids and their kids have learned on. One is still in the garage - aka "The Beast"

[giantkiller]

I don't remember what  brand my mini bike was. But I too discovered the governor. Man it was fast...for a short time. Broke the rod into 3 pieces. I had to pay  for everything. We all got  our first bicycle. But  everything after that we had to work and pay out of our own pocket. I bought a  motor from unclaimed freight. Had to make a motor mount out of wood.

My older brothers created a chopper. To go around I think it was a  10hp industrial Wisconsin motor. Had to put the back up on blocks to start it. Had no clutch. No brakes. Push it off the blocks ride down to the other end of our 3/4 mile long driveway. And reach down and ground the spark plug wire to  stop. (Or crash) Before going out onto the interstate highway in front of our property. Rode that for 3 years that way.  They made it a chopper because the frame had to be really tall to fit around that huge motor.

[Pat Conlon]

Taco 22 mini bikes for my crew

[FJ1200W]

Here is the daughter of a friend on one of her 1st motorized rides.
While she was the last person I taught to ride, hopefully she is not the last.
She is another one that  followed instructions and didn't crash.
Good times