What is My Rupp Mini Bike

[Pete B]

I owned this mini bike around 1971 or 72 and we never knew for sure what it was.
It is featured on some web pages where people say that it is a TT-550 but I'm
sure that is not correct since it did not have a disk front brake, and it never did
have lights. The engine did not have the alternator for lights, and I added the
rear one just because it fit and I had it laying around. Some think that the front
fork was replaced and that is why it had the headlight mount.



I lightened the picture so that you can see the swing down kick stand.

I took that picture, up against the garage door and
I added that ignition kill key switch right above the pull starter. People also often asked me
why the headlight was missing, and all I knew was that the engine did not have the windings
to produce 12V for a light. I added the tail light just because I had one that fit the mounting
holes.

The kid who owned it before me, Dominic, was not that into it and didn't know the exact
model. Some said it was a Digger, others said a Goat. I don't think that the Goat had a
front brake, this does. Or did it some years and not others, the kick stand seems to be
unique on this bike also.
Edit: I read that the Digger didn't have a jackshaft so that can't be it.
They bought it from a bike shop in the Shippan area of Stamford Connecticut, I can picture
where it was located but I don't remember the name.

Note that it has front and rear
brakes and it also has the 2 speed automatic transmission. I think it is exactly like the
Roadster of that year (1969?) but without the lights.

Some people guess that the front fork was damaged and replaced with the wrong one
which is very likely. I suppose that the engine might have been replaced but doubt it,
since it did not originally have the rear light either.

There was a shear pin that went through the 2nd speed clutch and the jack shaft that
would snap about every other month. I fixed it many times for Dominic and he said you
should buy this from me since you know how to fix it, and I did.

The engine was a "big block" 5 HP and was much bigger than the 2.5, 3.5, and later 5 HP ones.
The bike would throw you off if you sat too far back on the seat and gave it just a little
too much throttle.

It was a darkish green color originally.

I took that picture and developed it, and blew it up to 8 X 10", I gave it to Dave the kid
who bought the bike from me and never printed another one. Dave moved away from CT
right after he bought it - I think they moved to the mid west.

My picture shows up here also, but it is not a TT550 because it did not have disk
brakes: I can't post the link because I'm a new user.

Brings back memories!

 

[markus]

The decal on the tank is the 1968 design, and while a little blurry pretty sure it says TT-500, The rear brake is a disc, with 72 sprocket (that tooth count was used only on the TT500 all others were 60t), that swingarm is specific to 1968 in order to hold the floating disc in place as well. It even has the optional or later installed foot pedal brake assy (1968 only).

Could have simply been a hodge podge bike a dealer put together. They assembled them, might have been a bike they robbed parts from to correct issues with others, then put something together to get it out the door at a later time etc...

 

[Pete B]

You are seeing things, there was no decal on the tank. We debated what bike it was
because there was no decal. I wanted to know the model when I was thinking about
buying it so I pushed Dominic to find out what model it was. I think possibly he had
a Goat and wanted a Roadster so he had the fork replaced with the front drum also
installed. Don't know for sure.
I worked on it a lot, and I'm absolutely sure that it did not have disk brakes front or
rear. OK looking at the pic, the rear sproket and brake is not what I remember I might
be thinking of one of my later bikes in that regard. Sproket looks smaller than I remember.
Key over the pull starter is the give away that it was my bike, and the black and white pic.

Also, that kick stand that lifts up the front wheel I've not seen in any other pictures, but
I do remember using it.

Again, I wanted to set up lights on it but the engine did not have the alternator for
them.

The original color was metalic green, which was not offered in 1968, quite sure that
it is a 1969.

 

[KustomKartKid]

You are seeing things, there was no decal on the tank. We debated what bike it was
because there was no decal.

I'm seeing things too then because I see the decal...like Markus said, looks like TT500.

 

[Pete B]

How do you explain that it was green (Green was only a 1969 color according to some) and
did not have power for the lights.

Do you see that the tail light wire is just wrapped around the light?

OK, I was looking above the seam and I do see Rupp now below the seam. I don't
remember any decals but I know that we were looking for a name like Goat, Sprint
or whatever, we didn't have the internet to research it.

 

[capguncowboy]

A few things here aren't meshing up. First off, there clearly is a TT500 sticker on that tank. It's hard to see because the picture is poorly lit, but zooming in on the picture reveals it. It's on the bottom left side of the tank

Secondly, you said you took that picture in 1972 and developed it yourself? I have doubts about that. Everything about that photo says it was taken recently. You said it was black and white -- However, it's in color, hence the RED Rupp lettering on the tank, and the TT500 in yellow.

I agree with Mark on his analysis. There clearly is a decal and a disc brake on that bike.

If there isn't a lighting coil on the engine, then it was swapped for the original, or the lighting coil had a short in it and stopped working.

I think it's entirely possible that you're mistaken about this being your bike.

Here is my old '69 Scrambler (I took this picture in 1969 :laugh. The frame is identical to the Roadster of the same year. There are differences in the frame.

 

[Pete B]

Why is there no other color in the picture? It is 99.999% black and white.

Why is there a key, right where I put it?

And the unusual kick stand that I remember having?

My friends remember it well, I showed it to them and would tell you that WAS mine.

I don't remember any decals, and if there was no photoshop I'd agree with you.
I think someone incorrectly improved the picture, it is the only color in the picture,
makes no sense at all.

I remember changing to a vented gas cap and adding an inline fuel filter.

A friend rode the bike, gave it too much gas and it threw him off landing on the
pull starter which was pushed into the flywheel. I took it apart to fix it and neither
the old or new fly wheel had the multiple magnets, and the magneto coil did not
have the 12V windings. AND, I wanted to add lights, so I looked for those things.

It is an interesting mystery, but I do remember the bike well and that is mine and
it is my picture. I did not have the setup to do color photography.

 

[capguncowboy]

You posted the picture, not me. If it was photoshopped, then it had to have been done by you.

The other theory is that it's not photoshopped. It's a color photo, but it's washed out, blurry, and slightly out of focus (low megapixel?). There are shades of brown and red in the photo in other places, most obviously, the rust on the garage door mechanism and the gold in the piping on the seat. Hell, there is even bursts of color in the reflections on the chrome. I'm going to go out on a limb that this isn't the photo you snapped 40+ years ago, but perhaps a very similar photo.

This point is moot since I don't think that's your exact bike, but the engines on mini bikes were swapped for all sorts of reasons. It is pretty hard to find a bike that hasn't been tampered with in some way, which is why they sell for so much when you do find them. If yours didn't have a lighting coil/lighted flywheel, then it probably wasn't the original engine.

 

[markus]

Heres another one thats gonna blow your mind......the bike you posted HAS a lighted coil :thumbsup: See the wires going from the engine under the carb and running to the rear framerail and up, you can even see the one end of the wire hanging under the seat, I do have to correct myself though, It in fact does not have the optional brake pedal assy....My bad.

Best of luck :thumbsup:

 

[Pete B]

My guess is that is the kill switch that I added, but I will zoom in and take a look.

Do you notice that the rear light wire is just wrapped around it and not hooked up?

 

[Pete B]

Why is there no other color in the picture? It is 99.999% black and white.

Why is there a key, right where I put it?

And the unusual kick stand that I remember having?

My friends remember it well, I showed it to them and would tell you that WAS mine.

I don't remember any decals, and if there was no photoshop I'd agree with you.
I think someone incorrectly improved the picture, it is the only color in the picture,
makes no sense at all.

I remember changing to a vented gas cap and adding an inline fuel filter.

A friend rode the bike, gave it too much gas and it threw him off landing on the
pull starter which was pushed into the flywheel. I took it apart to fix it and neither
the old or new fly wheel had the multiple magnets, and the magneto coil did not
have the 12V windings. AND, I wanted to add lights, so I looked for those things.

It is an interesting mystery, but I do remember the bike well and that is mine and
it is my picture. I did not have the setup to do color photography.

Well if you are going to accuse me of photoshopping it then take a look at the ones
posted in other threads, I downloaded it and upped the brightness and contrast to
see the kick stand better.

 

[Hent]

Perhaps you're just mistaken and think this is your photo, but as you can clearly see its a full color photograph.

it is my picture. I did not have the setup to do color photography.

I wasn't alive in the 70's, but that garage door looks like a newer style. Photos meant more when you had to develop the film, so most people would've staged it out front, sitting on it, etc.


a black and white copy...

 

[Pete B]

Opps, meant to quote post #8 not myself in post #11, lol!

There really are some mysteries, BUT see the key over the pull starter, I did that!

Can anyone explain the kick stand? I don't think it was bolt on and I bought it that way.
I've not seen any other Rupp of that time with it.

Well guys, I've told my story as best as I can remember take it for what
its worth. Again, the key is the give away for me. I remember buying the
key switch on a surplus chassis at Vulcan scrap in Stamford CT.

 

[SimpleTom]

Sorry, but that is not a black and white photo. The "Rupp" is red and the "TT 500" is yellow on the tank. Plus the tail light is red in the photo as well.

 

[Pete B]

There is also no wiring going down to the rear brake, for the brake light, and I don't
think there is even any brake switch there.

 

[Pete B]

View attachment 66769

View attachment 66768


Perhaps you're just mistaken and think this is your photo, but as you can clearly see its a full color photograph.




I wasn't alive in the 70's, but that garage door looks like a newer style. Photos meant more when you had to develop the film, so most people would've staged it out front, sitting on it, etc.

Yes, pictures were expensive back then, but I did my own photography and took the
picture because I was going to completely strip it, paint it and put it back together.
It was green originally, and that original paint was a real pain to get off. There was a
reason for taking the picture and I remember doing it there. Also note that these bikes
are collectors items now, so it would be cleaned up for a nice pic, that was just a bike
that a kid rode for fun.

If you were not alive in the 70s how would you know what garage doors looked like?

I added a push button kill switch because the throttle stuck one time and I reached
down to press the metal ground thing to the spark plug and touched the plug instead.
VERY shocking experience!

 

[Hent]

Yes, pictures were expensive back then, but I did my own photography and took the
picture because I was going to completely strip it, paint it and put it back together.
It was green originally, and that original paint was a real pain to get off. There was a
reason for taking the picture and I remember doing it there. Also note that these bikes
are collectors items now, so it would be cleaned up for a nice pic, that was just a bike
that a kid rode for fun.

If you were not alive in the 70s how would you know what garage doors looked like?

I added a push button kill switch because the throttle stuck one time and I reached
down to press the metal ground thing to the spark plug and touched the plug instead.
VERY shocking experience!

I'm confused. Did you take this in black and white like your post says? Also, if you did your own photography, you surely would have another picture of this bike in some form?

Maybe I'm off on the garage door, but one of you older guys should be able to let me know if I'm off on that or not?

 

[Pete B]

I'm confused. Did you take this in black and white like your post says? Also, if you did your own photography, you surely would have another picture of this bike in some form?

Maybe I'm off on the garage door, but one of you older guys should be able to let me know if I'm off on that or not?

I was a kid and didn't take pictures of my stuff much since I could just go and
look at them. I had a love hate for this bike, it never won in races against the
newer torque converter based bikes that other kids had, it was all low end
power. So, I didn't take a lot of pics.

Film was expensive and the whole process of developing it was a pain.

 

[Hent]

I was a kid and didn't take pictures of my stuff much since I could just go and
look at them. I had a love hate for this bike, it never won in races against the
newer torque converter based bikes that other kids had, it was all low end
power. So, I didn't take a lot of pics.

Film was expensive.

Did you take the picture in black and white or color?

 

[David wulf]

My money is on the door being of the newer variety . If the pic was taken in 70 or 71 and unless the house was brand new then that door would probably be mid sixties or older . I'am kinda old and that's my opinion .

To the OP is the bike for sale ?