Looking for any info

[cfh]

i don't have a stock of speedway parts. i'm at the mercy of ebay for those.
this is where you will loose money, if you start a 'restore' you'll get in over your head and loose.
if you want to sell it, sell it as is. if you want to keep it, fine, go for the restore. but when you sell it after that work, that money will be hard to regain. this exactly where i loose...

 

[Addicted 2 Minis]

Hi CFH thanks for the info but I’m confused
In one post you are talking up the Speedway mini bikes and even offer to buy mine

Then in your latest post you say mini bikes are worthless and a waste of time and money and not even worth $300 rebuilt
Now I’m not sure what to think

Until you're bitten by the bug, it's hard to understand. I myself am into Lil Indians, I see parts come and go for crazy prices. When buying an incomplete bike, you go over in your head what it's going to cost for the missing parts. A Lil Indian clutch cover usually sells between $300-$650 depending on condition and if it's painted or chrome. The wheels fetch anywhere between $200-$350 a set without tires. Original Carlisle or General tires will bring another $150, sometimes for each tire. An original engine, $500. The disc brake caliper, fork out another $250-$350. This is all money spent that you'll never see a return on unless that one in a million buyer just happens upon your sale. It seems when you're buying parts, everyone wants a ton of money for them and if you're not willing to spend it, someone else grabs them up. It works just the opposite when selling, you can list something at a fair price and nobody seems to have the money and it just sits there.

 

[cfh]

Outstanding analysis
Here’s another curveball in the whole equation ...
So you spent all this money and restore that Minibike back to perfect. If you start it and ride it, a percentage is gone. Personally I ride my minis so it’s baked into the back of my head. That’s why I don’t go to nuts with the chrome and all the other fancy stuff that you can spend a lot of money on. And every time you start that motor you’re shaving another hundred bucks off. At least that’s how it feels !

 

[joshua. c.]

so Higis, whats your plan with this bike anyways?

 

[GustoGuy]

Until you're bitten by the bug, it's hard to understand. I myself am into Lil Indians, I see parts come and go for crazy prices. When buying an incomplete bike, you go over in your head what it's going to cost for the missing parts. A Lil Indian clutch cover usually sells between $300-$650 depending on condition and if it's painted or chrome. The wheels fetch anywhere between $200-$350 a set without tires. Original Carlisle or General tires will bring another $150, sometimes for each tire. An original engine, $500. The disc brake caliper, fork out another $250-$350. This is all money spent that you'll never see a return on unless that one in a million buyer just happens upon your sale. It seems when you're buying parts, everyone wants a ton of money for them and if you're not willing to spend it, someone else grabs them up. It works just the opposite when selling, you can list something at a fair price and nobody seems to have the money and it just sits there.

I agree with you that an original engine especially a good running period correct HS40 with a lighting coil for a Rupp Roadster 2 is very pricey. I sure spent a fair amount of money on my Resto-mod Rupp. I also looked on Ebay and I have seen those Tecumseh HS40's selling for $500. I built up my P engine with lots of go-fast parts for way less than $500 and I built my bike to ride plus an original HS40 engine only made 4hp and we have to remember that Rupp built them so they would not end up hurting little kids. Back when I was a kid in the 1970's a neighbor had a Rupp Roadster 2 and some others in the neighborhood had a YZ80 and the Harley Davidson 90cc both of those bikes were faster than the Rupp and had more capable suspension. I originally saw my Rupp roller on Craigslist and I bought it for only $100 plus I like a little bit of nostalgia and restoring a Rupp was a fun project. My bike has a Daymaker clone LED headlight on it instead of the original 40-watt incandescent plus a GPS speedometer too. Heck, I know lots of people who build up classic Vintage cars and put modern crate engines and transmissions as well as modern suspension components in them so they are more reliable. I like a mix of vintage and modern for reliability and parts availability.

 

[minibikin']

@Higis you've kept it for 30 years but don't know if its worth restoring? If you've kept it that long it must be worth something to you. Even with insane minibike prices on Ebay right now, it's very difficult to recoup your investment. Now, some people like to throw the word restored around. Most don't know what a proper restoration entails. When you start factoring in chrome, a proper engine rebuild and sourcing correct parts and hardware, it adds up fast! The guys that freshen up a bike with paint, cables tires and bearings might make a few bucks on a re-sale. If you've had the bike that long, I think you'd enjoy rebuilding it on any level.

 

[creia]

Want to end up with one million dollars buying, restoring and selling minibikes?....
... then start with TWO million!
Michael