MTD Trail Flite info needed

#1
I bought a pretty complete MTD Trail Flite yesterday. I'm trying to figure what year it is.
The frame has a serial number of 547425, model 368-650 C.
The engine says HS40-55393B SER 4270B
Any info you have will be appreciated.
Thanks
Danford1
 
#4
68 Mustang Street/Strip/Show. Built 351 Cleveland. Best 1/4 mile 11.54 @116. (won the race but lost due to red light). It ran A LOT of 11.6's. Car 19 in the time slips was my buddy with a 78 Camaro. I'm car 351C. We ran each other as much as we could we had a friggin riot :)
I got it 1999, painted it is 2001, I raced it a lot a few years ago, not much in the last 3 years. I'm too busy lately with minibikes to drive it much...

Danford1

 
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#5
WOW, I love it Danford. Nice paint and a 351 Cleveland too! VERY nice sir, mini bikes are one thing, but you gotta drive that Mustang,....... a quarter mile at a time. FOMOGO (Doug) will love this when he sees it.
 
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#8
OK, Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Does anyone know what year Trail Flight I have?
The serial number is 547425, model 368-560C. Engine is HS40-55393B-4270B

Also. My seat cover is held on with what looks like big pop rivets. Was this factory or did someone revise them?
It seems like snaps would be a better choice...
Thanks
Danford1


PS I've already installed new chrome fenders, cleaned up chrome on wheels etc since these pics were taken. It will be looking dang near new again soon :)

 
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#10
OK. Thank You. I'll call it a 1974.
I'm very happy with that. I'm also happy the HS40 has a lighting coil and the lights work. Engine runs well too.
Time to head back into the garage and get to work on it...

Danford1
 
#11
Nice bike! Very complete, clean, and appears totally original.

Seat rivets: on all of the MTD Trail Flite bikes I've seen, they had those same large rivets holding the seat on. I have to assume that is factory correct.

Tecumseh engine: The first digit of the serial number represents the last number in the year it was manufactured. But, other things like shroud shape and decals can also assist in determining the year. Note that your serial number starts with a 4, but also has the more square shape engine shroud. I believe 1974 was the first year of the square top shroud HS40. Previous years had the rounded shroud.

I do not know which years these bikes were manufactured. I thought they were 69-71 or 72....The ones I have seen that were original had the pre-1974 rounded shroud HS40 engines. Your engine looks original to the bike, it's the correct color, and has the lighting coil. Your bike may very well be a 1974.

This is the most original bike I know of and it's a 1970 ---->#005 1970 MTD TRAIL FLITE

Perhaps someone with some more knowledge about these MTD's will chime in.
 
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#12
Nice bike! Very complete, clean, and appears totally original.

Seat rivets: on all of the MTD Trail Flite bikes I've seen, they had those same large rivets holding the seat on. I have to assume that is factory correct.

Tecumseh engine: The first digit of the serial number represents the last number in the year it was manufactured. But, other things like shroud shape and decals can also assist in determining the year. Note that your serial number starts with a 4, but also has the more square shape engine shroud. I believe 1974 was the first year of the square top shroud HS40. Previous years had the rounded shroud.

I do not know which years these bikes were manufactured. I thought they were 69-71 or 72....The ones I have seen that were original had the pre-1974 rounded shroud HS40 engines. Your engine looks original to the bike, it's the correct color, and has the lighting coil. Your bike may very well be a 1974.

This is the most original bike I know of and it's a 1970 ---->#005 1970 MTD TRAIL FLITE

Perhaps someone with some more knowledge about these MTD's will chime in.

Thanks for the info.
$1700 for the green one? Wow, I didn't know a Trail Flite was so valuable...

I did a lot of work to mine today. I took all 4 Sebac shocks apart and cleaned them. I'm amazed how tight the plastic sleeves still are in them. They all work great. I was expecting them to be rusted and wore out. They weren't and they all came apart easily.
I took the rear hub/bearings apart. WOW. I didn't expect that to be so complex with all the ball bearings and cone shaped inner race. I thought it would just have the typical 1 3/8" diameter bearings. Seems like a lot of extra designing and extra parts. A simply bearing would have saved MTD some money. Anyway it is all back together, adjusted and spinning freely. Brakes were in great shape too and seem to work well. I installed a new brake cable as the old one was kinked and stiff.
The front suspension works easily and so far I haven't found anything all worn out and trashed. This can't have very many hours or miles on it.
I ordered a new chain and belt. I hope to be riding it this weekend.

Danford1
 
#13
Doesn't mean the bike is worth anywhere near $1700 just because someone is asking that much. I had an all original and had a hard time getting $700 for it on eBay. Yours has the mx bars and should have the hs50. I believe your shroud may have been swapped. Take a picture of the intake that the carb attaches to and post it. I'll bet it's an hs50 with the aluminum lighted flywheel.
 
#14
IMG_0444.JPG
Here's the Columbia version. The mx model with the hs50. I've had both the hs50 and hs50 models. They are nice riding well made bikes. Oh and the hs50 model supposedly has a 12" front wheel and 10" rear and the hs40 had both 10". I can't remember if mine had a 12" front. At least that's what the brochure said.
 
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#16
Looks like and hs40 intake and engine looks original too. Never know with Mini bikes. They never stuck with brochure specs but I've never seen one of the models with mx bars have an hs40. Cool bike.
 
#17
Doesn't mean the bike is worth anywhere near $1700 just because someone is asking that much. I had an all original and had a hard time getting $700 for it on eBay.
Jim sometimes lists things at a high price to scare off the tire kickers, of which he gets many.
 
#18
Looks like and hs40 intake and engine looks original too. Never know with Mini bikes. They never stuck with brochure specs but I've never seen one of the models with mx bars have an hs40. Cool bike.
I have another MTD Trail Flite, serial 547614 so only 189 bikes later. It has even different handlebars. It doesn't have a model ID tag, nor does it have some frame tubes.... It is definitely a part bike :)

But. Who is to say either bike has the original bars on it? They could have been changed years ago.

Danford1

 
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capguncowboy

Well-Known Member
#19
I have another MTD Trail Flite, serial 547614 so only 189 bikes later. It has even different handlebars. It doesn't have a model ID tag, nor does it have some frame tubes.... It is definitely a part bike :)

But. Who is to say either bike has the original bars on it? They could have been changed years ago.

Danford1

I doubt those are the original bars. I'm guessing 90s model BMX
 
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