Found a 1970's Holder Minicycle Road & Trail (125 AH-817 Tecumseh)

#1
Hey guys! I just came across this forum while doing some research on a minibike I came across.

To introduce myself a little, I guess i'm considered a "picker." I buy and sell stuff from junk stores, garage sales, etc...

Well, I was on vacation visiting relatives for Thanksgiving and came across a vacant hardware store. I looked through the dusty windows and could see the building was packed. I was able to track down the owner and ended up spending $400+ with him, getting pretty good prices on the things I was buying for resale.

30 minutes before I had to leave for the airport, he let me into another one of his buildings, where I found a minibike. I don't know much about them, couldn't take it with me anyways, but I did snap a couple of pictures in the dark.





It's a Holder 125 Minicycle, which turns out is a fairly rare and largely unknown bike. I had a hard time figuring out what it was but I finally found some information posted here by a former employee of Holder.

Three 125cc Holder models were produced from 1971 to 1973: MotoX (for racing), Trail
(without lights), Road & Trail (with lights). Weight: 115 lbs, dry. Wheelbase: 44 inches.
Engine AH-817 Tecumseh 133cc two-stroke with pull start. Carburetor: 21mm Lauson
diaphram. Power: 6 hp @ 5700 rpm (with tuned muffler). Transmission: centriugal clutch
with self-adjusting pulley-belt torque-converter (ratio 25.1:1 to 7.2:1) Seat Height:
adjustable 25-28 inches. Tire size: 3.00x16, front and rear. Rider design weight: 140 lbs.
Top speed: about 45 mph. 1972 Retail Prices: $389 (MotoX), $400 (Trail), $415 (Road &
Trail). Save for the Taiwanese knobby tires, the Holder was 100% US made.
I can tell from the pictures that it has lights, so I'm presuming it's the Road & Trail model. It seems to be in pretty good condition cosmetically but I really don't know much about minibikes or engines.

What do you guys think of it? Should I try and get it?

I'm going back to that town later this month with the capability to bring it back.
 

Mac

Well-Known Member
#5
HaHa....soo whats That supposed to mean?
It's a private joke that only a select few understand.

Try to get the Cycle, it's a very hard one to find.
Maybe you'll get lucky and get it for less than a couple hundred.
Please don't tell anyone I said to try to get it,
that would confuse a few here.:smile:

PS..........It looks Beautiful !!
 

Mac

Well-Known Member
#8
What is it missing? Is there a shroud that's supposed to be on there?
You should be able to use the missing cover to your advantage in bargaining.
Find a few more "bad spots" and point them out to the owner,
but try not to infuriate the guy. :smile:
 
#11
You should be able to use the missing cover to your advantage in bargaining.
Find a few more "bad spots" and point them out to the owner,
but try not to infuriate the guy. :smile:
The guy didn't even know it was there. He and his wife inherited the place. As long as it's not in storage for someone else I should be able to pick it up sub $200 pretty easily. I have a pretty good rapport with the guy from offering him a lot more than he was expecting on his "junk" (my gold:smile:)
 

fistfullabar

Well-Known Member
#15
Can it run without the pull starter and case? (barring I stay out of that whirling hunk of metal) I'm sure these things are a blast to ride!
you might be able to wrap some rope around the starter cup if it is not too rusty that is a 2 stroke tecumseh so ya gotta mix the oil and gas did you turn the engine over by hand? i read that they might be underpowered but i no nothing about the bike itself i am not a expert most guys here like the smaller 6 inch wheeled bikes this bike was trying to compete with the japanese bikes that took over kinda like last hurrah me i would put a modern engine on it :scooter:
 

Mac

Well-Known Member
#16
There's a couple of members out there in Memberland that have AH817MB engines,
and may be able to help you locate a cover. A smaller hp engine cover may even work
on the 817.

 
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#17
Just got back from vacation and I scored the Minicycle at the last minute! My plans to trailer it back to FL fell through, so it sits at my relatives place in TN. I will post some cleaned up pictures when I get em!
 
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