12 years later, the build I gave away and then got back.

#1
So. 12 years ago, Im 18 years old. I was working as a parts runner for Indian Motor cycles in Phoenix. I had an awesome boss. One day he see's my beat up, run down POS mini bike in the back of my truck. I had brought it in to see if one of the mechanics could find out why it ran like poop. Anyways. Back then choppers were all the rage, and he says "hey, lets make that thing into a sweet chopper!" well heck yeah I'm all in. a few days later he comes into work with a hydraulic pipe bender and a list of metal I need to buy. So I go get the tubing.. Come back maybe 30 minutes later and the bike is 100 percent taken apart and he says "we should keep the two rounded tube frame look, just stretch it" so, he bends the pipes, shows me how to weld, and we have at it all night.

So, I should mention, at the time I was sponsored by a local bike shop for dirt jumping. and we needed a good looking fork set up. So I rummaged through the parts bin at the shop. SCORE! found a front wheel, handlebars, stem, ball bearing headset, and two BMX race forks. So I spent some time, and assembled a front fork set up that I still to this day love. a functional triple clamp.

well, thats as far as we got. not to long after the shop went out of business and we all went our separate ways. I gave the bike away to a friend who wanted a a project and shrugged it off. then, 12 years later out of no where another friend I had says "hey I got your old chopper bike, todd gave it to me , you want it back?"

and thats how I started to finish my 12 year old frame

so here is the build so far

this is how I left the bike 12 years ago, and exactly how I received it back


this is the $500 dollar corbin seat that the manager of the parts department gave me to use for a set pan for my project, as well as the chrome fender that was on the original bike before we cut it up. you can see where I added the seat supports, there is also a hook on the bottom of the seat to connect it to the frame. and the fender mounts to a bracket behind the seat





next was adding some foot rests. I got this metal pre bent, I think it was from a heavy duty push mower handle



 
#2
alright, so after I get it this far. I need to start working on a brake. I knew all along I wanted to keep the scrub brake look to the bike. less mess on the handle bars, plus I wanted to keep the old school feel of the bike where ever possible. so this is what I came up with

scrub pad on a hinge


scrub push rod


brake pedal


also, here is a photo of the fork assembly
 
#4
So, I had this motor, for about 15 years. Its a honda 5.5hp motor that a friend painted the tank on. I polished the rest out, Made a cool air intake and exhaust for. this this has not been started for 15 years, but it was stored correctly. it started first pull, So i slapped it on the bike and took a video
Motor idle - YouTube
 
#5
So we are pretty much up to date on everything now. I will continue to post progress on it as I go along. here is another pic I have of it.


I ended up pulling the motor off to go with a new motor from harbor freight and I was gonna use this motor for another project. but then that fell through so I sold the motor.

So as of right now the bike runs and drives. I scoot it around when I can but I need to start getting after it again

one last video
Warm up - YouTube
 

45t

Well-Known Member
#10
Cool bike and great story. It looks like the engine plate is from a Cat (possibly a 1969). What was the bike originally before the modifications?
 
#13
I like it. Welcome to the OldMiniBikes:thumbsup:
thanks!

Cool story and bike right there.:thumbsup:
thanks dude!

GREAT story, very cool bike. :thumbsup: What's the axle to axle length?
Ill have to measure but I would guess around 6 feet.

Looks great that is one slick chopper. :thumbsup: Nice square body chev in the background as well. :thumbsup:
thanks, yeah the square body was awesome, I sold it to buy a 1950 chevy sport coupe deluxe. the truck is in australia now!

that's a long, lean, mini bike machine:thumbsup:
you know it...

Cool bike and great story. It looks like the engine plate is from a Cat (possibly a 1969). What was the bike originally before the modifications?
Im not really sure what the frame originally was. I got the frame for free from someone a long time ago and then put it together my self with parts I ordered out of a catalog.
 
#14
nicely done! I dont think that brake pedal will give you enough leaverage though. Those scrub brakes need alot of force to do anything. you might have to make the pivot down lower somehow .
 
#16
nicely done! I dont think that brake pedal will give you enough leaverage though. Those scrub brakes need alot of force to do anything. you might have to make the pivot down lower somehow .
yeah, I already moved it down once. they work alright, I cant lock the wheel up but I can stop in time. I cut cross pattern grooves into the scrub pad and that helped a lot. but I will probably move it again when I take everything apart to paint.
 
#18
Take a look at Jeff Clark's reproduction rear scrub brake pad. It would look great on your bike and give it that "old school look". Owen
 
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