New guy

#1
Hello everyone,

New guy here. I just wanted to introduce myself and say hi. We had an old mini bike way back when I was a kid, and I have alot of good memories ripping it down dirt roads.
I have been collecting and restoring old school bmx for years and I am always looking on the local interwebs for a new project. I have been looking for an old mini bike for a while and they show up occasionally, but they are usually way out of my price range. Anyway, an old cat eliminator was listed locally last weekend reasonably-priced, so I bought it.
So I started cleaning her up and realized that it is all original except for the foot pegs that I just slapped on. It is in killer shape, other than a few rock chips in the paint, the throttle cable was worn through and seized up and the bars are a little tweaked, but are still straight.
I am kinda debating whether or not to even ride this thing, or keep it as is and display it in my cave and keep looking for an old beater to tear up.
Sorry for the long winded introduction, just wanted to share my story and maybe get some opinions.
 

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#3
That is an awesome survivor, You are facing the same dilemma I faced when I joined. I wanted to get back some of my youth by getting MBs' that I could ride and rattle can a different color each week. I have amassed a considerable collection of bikes and almost all of them have substantial historical, and even monetary value as restorers. This site has made me cautious about modifying any bikes or karts. That being said, I still have a blast hunting down bikes and rescuing them.
 

pomfish

Well-Known Member
#11
Welcome,

And you suck.
LOL
Wish I could find like that local for any price.
Great looking bike, ride it when you want but keep it as found.
Later,

Keith
 

45t

Well-Known Member
#12
That’s a sweet survivor. I’m with Manchester, keep it as your trophy bike. I’d like to add though, find another vintage bike that needs work and start a fun build. You can never have just one. :scooter:
 
#16
You said you had memories of your youth, riding your minibike, not staring at it in fear you may diminish the value. It doesn't hurt to stretch their legs every once in a while, nothing says you have to beat on it to enjoy it. Be proud when you take it out, make a weekly event of it, especially if you have kids in the age range that would appreciate the time you spend together, building their memories.
 

DaddyJohn

Well-Known Member
#17
That bike is great; love it just as it is!

Would be cool to get the wood trim back on there though... Some 3M spray adhesive would probably do nicely, though it's a bit pricey, considering you'd have just about the entire can left, lol...

All that said, I think it would be good to take it for the occasional spin around the block to make sure everything stays functional, but yeah, avoiding serious usage would prudent to preserve what's really a great survivor. ;)

Good new is, there are loads of non-collectible (as of yet) recent production mini-bikes that you could get for a song. You can ride, modify, and generally enjoy the original spirit of mini-biking without feeling bad about it. :)
 
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