Manco big cat
- Thread starter WayneO
- Start date
Welcome to the forum!
I wouldn't call them rare necessarily, but they don't pop-up for sale with great frequency. Made in the late 80's I think...
They have value in excess of, say, a Baja Heat/Warrior, but not way more. They're pretty affordable in most cases.
There's a few threads on-site about them. Here's one:
https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/manco-bigcat-info.72839/
I wouldn't call them rare necessarily, but they don't pop-up for sale with great frequency. Made in the late 80's I think...
They have value in excess of, say, a Baja Heat/Warrior, but not way more. They're pretty affordable in most cases.
There's a few threads on-site about them. Here's one:
https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/manco-bigcat-info.72839/
Replace that front end and you'll have a decent bruiser.
https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/options-for-manco-big-cat-front-end.46662/
Your's is the most complete with all the guards and stickers still in place, maybe has low hours.
They have a spaghetti frame, never saw anything that has so many circle bends but it works.
Marcus will probably show up with an advertisement that may show the year, I'm saying early 90's.
One of the last series of bikes they made along with the Model 573
https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/options-for-manco-big-cat-front-end.46662/
Your's is the most complete with all the guards and stickers still in place, maybe has low hours.
They have a spaghetti frame, never saw anything that has so many circle bends but it works.
Marcus will probably show up with an advertisement that may show the year, I'm saying early 90's.
One of the last series of bikes they made along with the Model 573
Just did a info trail on Manco.
They went from Manco to Manco Powersports after chapter 11 in March 2002 following lawsuits and recalls from girls long hair getting into the rear axle on go karts. One recall in 1996 and another in 2000. So the lawyers killed them off of go karts eventually it seems and they went into Side by Sides.
https://powersportsbusiness.com/uncategorized/2003/02/10/manco-purchased-will-remain-in-ft-wayne/
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2000/cpsc-manco-products-inc-announce-recall-to-repair-of-go-karts
Then they rebranded to American Sportworks and now they rebranded again as American LandMaster featuring Landstar UTV's
They went from Manco to Manco Powersports after chapter 11 in March 2002 following lawsuits and recalls from girls long hair getting into the rear axle on go karts. One recall in 1996 and another in 2000. So the lawyers killed them off of go karts eventually it seems and they went into Side by Sides.
https://powersportsbusiness.com/uncategorized/2003/02/10/manco-purchased-will-remain-in-ft-wayne/
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2000/cpsc-manco-products-inc-announce-recall-to-repair-of-go-karts
Then they rebranded to American Sportworks and now they rebranded again as American LandMaster featuring Landstar UTV's
yours definitely hit a tree or something and bent the forks back. The forks are the weak point on them. @bigrob Did a build on one and swapped the front forks with and atc or something that made it much better. the other problem is turning. the footpegs dig into the ground. Id move them on top of the frame where they are. and I have yet to find one that stopped on a dime. something about the brakes I dont like. but they are simple and torquey. and a predator bolts right in.
Don't think you even have to hit a tree for the forks to bend on a Big Cat, they all do it over time, just bad engineering.
It's a big ass wheel to turn/support.
The steel on the Manco Thunderbirds also were always weak, lots of cracks, flimsy engine plates, etc.
Like the bikes but they cut corners in some areas and it shows.
It's a big ass wheel to turn/support.
The steel on the Manco Thunderbirds also were always weak, lots of cracks, flimsy engine plates, etc.
Like the bikes but they cut corners in some areas and it shows.