Havasu Dave's - "Mini Bike" - (Just For Fun)

I'm not much of a photographer, and I used the next door neighbor's yard display as a back drop. Rode it quite a bit yesterday, while tuning. It runs and handles pretty good. Thanks to OldMiniBikes for hosting this, as well as those who have commented, offered condolences, advice, parts, and most importantly, who have been a friend to me.

















Well.. for a garage hack like myself all I can say is .....Beautiful bike with just enough bling ! Hoping to see a run video if not a ride video...can't wait to hear this little bike .:thumbsup::thumbsup:..................sing ! :wink:
 
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Inspirational Dave, if you ever write a book about your life as a garage hack, I'll buy it. Why didn't you use your palatial estate as a background?
 
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That's a sharp little bike, Dave. I'd never guess it was homemade if I hadn't seen it here
Thanks Andy, it's good to know that my skills are on par with a 19 year old stoner on an assembly line in 1966. LMAO! What am I talking about, I AM! :laugh:

A classic two-stroke and a one-off custom. Outstanding! I have to ask, how loud is it? Does it have those Harley people shuttering? So cool!!!!!!!
Thank you for taking time out of your Roper build to comment here! It is loud. It is as loud as the asshole neighbor's chain saw, only with a header pipe installed, and him standing in your driveway reving it over, and over, on a Sunday morning kind of loud. :scooter: Loud as :censure:

Yes, we have got to hear that West Bend. No doubt that bike means business!
Thanks Gary. I am enjoying your shifter bike build. I need those gears! LOL.

Thank you! I know you have a good eye and great skills, so I appreciate your comments. I like how you finished up that Geronimo with that shiny 5HP Flattie!

As a bike, it is useless! It sure looks good sitting on my work table with a cold beer in my hand though! :laugh:

Beautiful build Dave.
Thank you Tom. I know you're gearing up for your Spring Fling Mini Bike Mania VI, beginning May 19th, and busy! Thank you for looking this bike over, and I hope to see your Gilson completed too!

Well.. for a garage hack like myself all I can say is .....Beautiful bike with just enough bling ! Hoping to see a run video if not a ride video...can't wait to hear this little bike .....sing ! :wink:
Thank you Eric. Based on your Bonanza, you are hardly a hack! Stuffer and carb were a big improvement on response. I did not have the time to get some things chromed. I'd planned to, but oh well. It is obvious that these make lousy mini bike engines. The power band is high enough that for dead stop take offs, it has to be no taller than 5.5 to 1, but it quickly revs out to 28 MPH PLEADING for the next gear. On a kart with taller gears, it would carry very well in the power band. Louie estimates 5.5 HP or so with the gear I have on it.

[emoji106] very nice Dave
Thank you Rick! It most certainly does NOT ride like a Powell! I should have named the bike Preparation H, instead of Beer Run. I beer wouldn't last two seconds on that thing before exploding in a cavalcade of hop infused fountain spray.

Inspirational Dave, if you ever write a book about your life as a garage hack, I'll buy it. Why didn't you use your palatial estate as a background?
I was going to, but after six consecutive years of build off participation, I ran out of "wings" to use as my background. Let me finish my book on the other shit I don't know about first. :laugh: I do appreciate your friendly demeanor on the website here, and keeping us updated when Doc was going through his ordeal. :thumbsup:

Simply AWESOME Dave, truly spectacular in every aspect !
Thank you. Your MTD build is awesome as well! As the guy who built it, I can point out several flaws! :laugh:

Two Thumbs up :thumbsup::thumbsup: Just Beautiful. Danford1
Thank you Danford, it's my sixth year doing a build off here, and probably my 20th bike in five years. Before that, it was boats, before that cars, motorcycles, etc. I love doing these minis because they are cheap and I can experiment and most importantly, keep busy in my retirement. I appreciated watching you build your three bikes recently, and wish you the best and most importantly, ENJOYMENT on your Gilson! :thumbsup:
 
Good job, beer run Dave. :) I know this won't replace the loss in your life but it did provide a distraction. The internet being what it is, we develop friendships with people we have never met. One of these days, I'm liable to track you down and spend some face to face time. That is, unless you develop higher standards. LOL
 

Biffmini

Well-Known Member
Well, I found myself starring at all the pics.
of the finished mini, in trance like state in Total Awe!!! A true Masterpiece:clap::drool::thumbsup:
 
That is just Evil, Wicked, Mean and Nasty all rolled into one. I like it. It sure turned out very nice. It is one of a kind too, that's the best part.

Doug
 
Dave, the minibike I bought at 14 years old had a Mac 6 on it with direct drive, no clutch. The gear ratio was such that it had to be ridden very fast just to keep it from loading up. I soon put a clutch on it but, being a dumb kid, I didn't lower the gear ratio. I can see why you have it geared the way you do. Does your engine tend to load up at all? Is it kind of snappy when you pull the start cord? My Mac 6 didn't have a retracting cord, just a pulley with slots for a rope. It kind of scared my because it would sometime snap back real hard. I still want to see the video!!!
 
That's a beauty Dave, congrats! :thumbsup:
Thank you sir! I have not seen you around as much this year. I hope everything is going well for you and your family.

Beautiful Dave :bowdown: :bowdown: I think I need to start sitting on my plastic bucket with my angle grinder :thumbsup:
Judging from your current build Randy, your own bucket is working well for you. Thank you.

Good job, beer run Dave. :) I know this won't replace the loss in your life but it did provide a distraction. The internet being what it is, we develop friendships with people we have never met. One of these days, I'm liable to track you down and spend some face to face time. That is, unless you develop higher standards. LOL
Definitely a good distraction! Thanks! Standards are fairly high, with integrity and beer being near the top. After that, I'm relegated to farting contests, and dogs that don't bite too hard.

Well, I found myself starring at all the pics.
of the finished mini, in trance like state in Total Awe!!! A true Masterpiece:clap::drool::thumbsup:
I appreciate it. Since this is a bonafide trailer queen, "looking" at it is where she really shines. LOL, admittedly, I do the same thing. It has that Rube Goldberg, mousetrap thing going on. Unintentional, as form ended up following function.

That is just Evil, Wicked, Mean and Nasty all rolled into one. I like it. It sure turned out very nice. It is one of a kind too, that's the best part. Doug
Thanks Doug. I contemplated doing another one, with a 3HP Briggs Flat Head. Much simpler, and probably a better bike all the way around. This bike is HEAVY. I worked with an eye to keeping the weight off. I see some builds, and the guy starts welding shit on it, longer pegs, or do-dads, that are fine in a car show, but seemed wrong with a tiny little two stroke, and my Grape Ape ass sitting on it.

Dave, the minibike I bought at 14 years old had a Mac 6 on it with direct drive, no clutch. The gear ratio was such that it had to be ridden very fast just to keep it from loading up. I soon put a clutch on it but, being a dumb kid, I didn't lower the gear ratio. I can see why you have it geared the way you do. Does your engine tend to load up at all? Is it kind of snappy when you pull the start cord? My Mac 6 didn't have a retracting cord, just a pulley with slots for a rope. It kind of scared my because it would sometime snap back real hard. I still want to see the video!!!
There's probably a difference between a 14 year old cranking up a motor and a full grown, gray haired grandpa with a beer belly pulling on the rope. (grin) This particular engine is set at full retard on the plate @.020 so there isn't any kick back. With that replacement 1" carb, it idles fairly well. I want to keep some throttle tank in play, so I have it slightly richer at idle to being the RPM down. It will run forever if I lean it some, but I start to get into clutch engagement. It doesn't load up at all when running. It does pull well from 1/3 throttle to full throttle under load. With the wheel in the air, it is of course instant, and loud, and smokey, and don't-drop-the-mofo- scary. It's probably near the same power as your MC6, and if you or I rode this thing at our 14 year old fighting weight, this would be a very quick machine. As it is, it drags from stopped, then quickly accelerates, then who knows, because so much shit is vibrating.

Just getting back to checking things out...and this is absolutely beautiful. Can't add any more than what others have said. BRAVO.
Thank you Pete. I noted you'd been gone.

NOTE: I WILL DO A VIDEO. I NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE OLD BASTARD AT THE END OF THE STREET IS NO LONGER PISSED OFF ABOUT LAST SUNDAY'S "TEST AND TUNE."
 
NOTE: I WILL DO A VIDEO. I NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE OLD BASTARD AT THE END OF THE STREET IS NO LONGER PISSED OFF ABOUT LAST SUNDAY'S "TEST AND TUNE.


Go ahead and do it now while he is only pissed off once............
 
Looks amazing Dave, great job. :bowdown:
And thank you for the seat. Hopefully you can get some time in to devote towards your bike. :thumbsup:

Go ahead and do it now while he is only pissed off once............
Is he mad that you didn't invite him to go for a ride? :)
We generally do not have issues with neighbors. Half the town are snow birds, and most of us are retirement age, so we tend to "take turns" having the noisy grand kids visit. This always includes screams from backyard pools, and a constant stream of pit bikes, and 30 year old kids speeding in Hyundais, punctuated by 60 year olds doing burnouts with their hot rods.

But apparently, the guy at the end of the street wasn't having it. He put his fingers in his ears and gave me a "look." I cant blame him really, so I am waiting for more of the "snow birds" to leave, so we locals can get back to doing what we do. It'll be 103 today, so I am certain they'll all be gone very shortly. No more traffic jams, no more lines, and no more assholes bitching about 135 dB mini bikes screaming by their yards at 8:00 AM on a Sunday morning. (grin) I cant blame him, that thing is stupid loud.
 
My rule is no riding on Sunday..it makes the neighbors happy..eehhh they still h8me..:laugh: guess coz the brake slides and wheelies on the dirt road..here comes that jackass again...
 
My rule is no riding on Sunday..it makes the neighbors happy..eehhh they still h8me..:laugh: guess coz the brake slides and wheelies on the dirt road..here comes that jackass again...
Hot Rod town, half occupied in Summer, never been a problem. My neighbor was out test driving his Plymouth hotrod and did a massive burn out on this street. Heck, we've both done it. Usually not a problem.

Currently having the "Desert Thunder" event, where the offshore racers come to town with their high roller boats. Some of the power plants in those cost more than my home. Result is bitchy visitors. Rents go for big bucks though. I ought to rent my place out and live in the back yard, since they can park their 50 foot 180 MPH penis machine in my garage, and piss in my pool for $2000 a week. :laugh:
 
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