New and very INSPIRED

[MiNiMiLo]

Whats up guys, I'm new to this forum, took me a while to find this one, after doing a lot of reading I think I made a good decision on joining.. lol.. You all seem very knowledgeable and willing to help a brother out..
I'm from northern Illinois right up by the Wisconsin border but I was born and raised in Chicago. In comparison to where I'm from there's not much going on up here. Just work and steering away from trouble.. Since moving up this way I see these car shows from time to time and that inspired me to start working on cars because I seen one of my favorite cars HOOKED UP. 1972 Oldsmobile 442...... Going to these car shows my kids seen these kids riding mini bikes and they wanted one ever since.. Cool but I brushed it off not knowing how serious they were. About a month ago my daughter (12yrs old) jacked one of the kids on my block and rode up on his minibike and demanded one of her own. I told her " I don't think so" she got mad and and wouldn't give the kid his bike back.. The little boy was chasing her for about 30 minutes trying to get it back. I was watching this the whole time from my window enjoying the fact that she can ride the shit out of this mini bike. So I went outside and told her "If you can do a wheelie without falling I will make you a bike from scratch." She looked me dead in my eyes and popped a wheelie towards me... LMFAO.. Now I have to make her one!!!!! But they are gonna help me, little do they know.

So now I need some help or guidance.. where do I start? the motor, the wheels, the frame? Any videos on how to build the frame? Where to get the materials? Any input will be great help and a step in the right direction.
Thanks guys...

 

[Stangrcr1]

Welcome to the madness. :laugh:

Craigslist is your friend. Find a used one cheap and let them use that for a while. Then if they stay with it, keep it clean, etc, like a pet, then maybe get them a better one.

 

[MiNiMiLo]

Welcome to the madness. :laugh:

Craigslist is your friend. Find a used one cheap and let them use that for a while. Then if they stay with it, keep it clean, etc, like a pet, then maybe get them a better one.

Well I was thinking about Craigslist, and my initial thought was to get a Schwinn Sting Ray and put a motor on that because they look like choppers, but my daughter doesn't like those. And there aren't too many in this area to begin with and the ones that are around here are like 200. And thats without the motor. SMH.. So I figure I were gonna spend that much money I may as well make it from scratch and make it the way she wants it. She wants it better than the lil boys that she was riding. lol.. I figure by making it we all can share some great memories and fun times.. and enjoy it even more knowing that daddy made it..

 

[Stangrcr1]

Schwinn stingray with a DB 97cc engine:

Decent cruiser but not for a kid. I built it for a buddy to cruise a campground.

There are kits out there, even on Evilbay.

I still find all my bikes on CL. It does take time to find them.

 

[MiNiMiLo]

Schwinn stingray with a DB 97cc engine:

Decent cruiser but not for a kid. I built it for a buddy to cruise a campground.

There are kits out there, even on Evilbay.

I still find all my bikes on CL. It does take time to find them.

Yup, those are the ones I was looking at... I love that type of bike and would definitely get one of those for myself, maybe even ride it to work down the bike path "straight shot".. lol.. 15 miles to work.. you think i can make it there and back on one tank of gas??? lol.. Anyways, she wants a mini bike. or maybe even a Baja, but those Baja's i know I will not be building from scratch. She just doesnt like the chopper style bike...

 

[Stangrcr1]

That Stingray could run several hundred miles with its big tank. I bet you could easily make it to work and back 2 or 3 days on the stock little tank.

The Baja doodlebugs, ie: DB30's are plentiful, usually cheap and no regrets to modify them.

Here is mine:

and it started as a stock DB30 purchased off CL for $90...:

 

[MiNiMiLo]

I was thinking more like this one.. but i like the one you showed.... more practical for the kids..

 

[Stangrcr1]

I grew up in Downers Grove, so i know the area... :laugh:

As far as kids, I would keep them on something with less HP to start with. Problem is, she is corrupted already.

 

[MiNiMiLo]

Problem is, she is corrupted already.

that she is!!! I want to give my kids everything that I didn't have.. This is one of them..

I moved out to Lombard for a couple years then to Lisle then moved back to the city.. but moving out here by Gurnee was probably the best thing to ever happen to me.. You couldn't get me to move out the city growing up. That was where "everything" happened, good or bad.. Now that I'm older and a lot wiser I know better.. I love it out here..

anyways, as far as building from scratch, what do you suggest..?

I see everyone on Youtube with the Harbor Freight Predator 6.5hp 212cc. I think I might do the same. Probably because I want to ride it too.. lol...
There is this company called Metal Super Markets down the road that have no minimum order so I want to see what material they have to build the frame with. what should I look for?

 

[Stangrcr1]

Building a frame from scratch requires a tubing bender, not the Harbor Freight kind, a welder, and some luck getting the two sides the same.

I would suggest you buy something like this:

Azusa Minibike Kit Model 3540 PK | eBay

All you would have to buy then is a Predator, clutch, and chain.

 

[MiNiMiLo]

Building a frame from scratch requires a tubing bender, not the Harbor Freight kind, a welder, and some luck getting the two sides the same.

I would suggest you buy something like this:

Azusa Minibike Kit Model 3540 PK | eBay

All you would have to buy then is a Predator, clutch, and chain.

You got a point with the tube bender and getting the sides the same!.. If this kit costs this much I might as well find a used one on Craigslist for cheaper and just mod that to my liking.

 

[MiNiMiLo]

How fast will the Predator Engine go stock? If I wanted to make it faster I would need a torque converter, correct? and does having a muffler/exhaust pipe make any difference?

 

[Stangrcr1]

Yup. A quality tubing bender costs almost as much as that kit. Building a bike from scratch costs more.

CL is your friend. It may take some time, just tell her it is being made by elves or something. :laugh:

 

[Stangrcr1]

The Predator will go fast enough to cause significant damage. Does that spell it out?

Keep it tame for the kids

 

[MiNiMiLo]

Yup. A quality tubing bender costs almost as much as that kit. Building a bike from scratch costs more.

CL is your friend. It may take some time, just tell her it is being made by elves or something. :laugh:

Yeah that would work if she were my sons age... lmao... maybe not even then.. he caught on pretty fast himself..

 

[MiNiMiLo]

The Predator will go fast enough to cause significant damage. Does that spell it out?

Keep it tame for the kids

Maybe I shouldn't try building this particular bike to my liking. I treasure my kids lives... :shrug: lol... We'll save the torque converter for my bike... :thumbsup:

 

[Stangrcr1]

The bike I pictured above, my DB, I won't let kids ride.

The TAV is not a speed thing, per se, it is for me cause I like they way they operate over a standard clutch.

For a kid, I would put them on a stock DB30 and no more until they get experience.

 

[MiNiMiLo]

The bike I pictured above, my DB, I won't let kids ride.

The TAV is not a speed thing, per se, it is for me cause I like they way they operate over a standard clutch.

For a kid, I would put them on a stock DB30 and no more until they get experience.

I'm sorry what is TAV???
Maybe I should rethink the whole Predator Engine thing... what other Engines have less HP that I might be able to get my hands on?

 

[Stangrcr1]

TAV = Comet torque converter. There are generic ones you can get from China that do the same thing, but the name came from Comet.

The Predator does have a screw that limits the throttle opening making it better for kids, then you can screw it out when you want to ride. Problem is, once your kids figure that out, uh oh..... There are engines out there in all HP configurations.

Best bet for you is to get a used DB30, clean it up and let them ride that for a while.

 

[MiNiMiLo]

TAV = Comet torque converter. There are generic ones you can get from China that do the same thing, but the name came from Comet.

The Predator does have a screw that limits the throttle opening making it better for kids, then you can screw it out when you want to ride. Problem is, once your kids figure that out, uh oh..... There are engines out there in all HP configurations.

Best bet for you is to get a used DB30, clean it up and let them ride that for a while.

Alright, You're convincing me to do just that.... I'm gonna look for something along those lines on Craigslist, maybe even Ebay... unless you know of someone on here.... I'm gonna check the classifieds or sales on here as well... I check back later tomorrow... thanks for your help man...