What model year Fox Campus bike did I have?

[Orson_Yancey]

Hi Ogygposis and Others,
I know this sounds like a trick question, but I have been trying to remember what model year of Fox Campus Bike I had.

I have been reading threads today on the Fox Campus bikes. I agree that Fox Campus Bikes are the best, nicest-looking minibikes of the 1960's. I am age 53 and I did a post on the "How old are you?" post. Since you know so much about Fox Campus bikes, I would like to ask you. In Spring '69, I purchased used for $100 a Fox Campus bike. I rode it a lot over Summer '69 and was decarbonizing the combustion camber the same afternoon, when man landed on the moon. The rest of my siblings and parents were glued to the TV; instead, I was in the shed working on my dream.

I am trying to figure-out what model year it would have been, since I purchased it used. These things my memory is absolutely sure about:
It was blue and white, blue frame, white plastic fenders with blue racing strips,
white plastic chain guard, jack shaft, front and rear spring suspension,
blue seat, white plastic fake fuel tank that covered a 6 volt battery,
had a chrome front head light, Can't remember for sure, but I think the rear
red tail light was attached to the seat (not a separate bracket),
3 HP Briggs engine (painted white), brakes only on the rear tire, the front
foot pegs where long square cross-section, chrome.

Sorry, but I do not have a photo. Only memories.
Trying to decide whether it makes sense for me to get back into minibikes for small motorcycles, at age 53.
Orson

 

[ogygopsis]

Dear Orson, In the late summer or early fall of 1963 I walked into Laubach's mower service center in Berwick, Pa....plunked down $119.95 in cash....and walked out with a brand spanking shiny new Fox Campus minibike. Actually I rode out because back then you could ride them on the roads in Pa. Like you I (gently) rode the hell out it until graduation from high school in 1965. Fifty mile round trips were common. And like you I remember every nut, bolt, and detail of that bike. Late in 65 it was off to college and that's the last time I ever saw my Fox Campus. My old man sold it while I was away. Probably to the junkman for five bucks. Over the next 41 years I occasionally thought about that mini and the fun I had with it. Then in 2006 at the age of 59 I checked out ebay and picked up basket case Fox Campus which I decided to fully restore from the ground up. I set about fabricating all new parts which are exact replicas of the originals and I continued to collect more Fox Campus bikes to this day. As a matter of fact I'm leaving for Detroit to pick up number 12 tomorrow morning. So the answer to your last question about being too old to get back into minibikes is: You're never too old. I only wish I would have started back when I was 53. Good luck. Ogy Ps. I need to run to the store for a few minutes. I'll answer your questions about the year of your Campus when I return.

 

[ogygopsis]

Orson, The Fox Campus you are describing is a 1963, 1964, or 1965 model 1300 series. These early bikes had the white polypropylene fenders, cowling, and chain guards. The seats were indeed blue and the tail lights were incorporated into the rear of the seat. The stock motor was the 3hp Briggs. Because they were designed to be street legal and because the Briggs did not have an electrical system a 6 volt battery hidden under the fake gas tank cowling supplied power to the stop light and the headlight. The paint was called "Hi Fi" blue. After 1965, or there about, Fox switched over to mostly Tecumseh motors with an electrical system. Thereby allowing them to eliminate the cowling and attach a cheap ass seat that belonged more on a buckboard wagon rather than a minibike. They also changed the color to a light blue "gaaack" and welded a bracket onto the rear end of the frame to hold the tail light assembly. The seat was so crappy they couldn't even stuff a tail light in it. However, the one sure fire way to tell if you have an early 60's Campus bike is to look at the top of the steering head (tripletree). The early ones had a cast aluminum tri-lobed nut that held the handlebars to the forks. The later ones used a 5/8" bolt from Ace Hardware and a lock nut. Cheap! So here's the bottom line Orson. If your bike had white plastic fenders, and chain guard, and cowling with a blue seat with the tail light incorporated into the rear of the seat and was painted a deep dark metalflake blue with a three hp Briggs motor with a 6 volt battery under the cowling and has a cast aluminum nut holding the forks and handlebars together....The you have a 1963 or 1964 or 1965 Fox Campus Bike. I have attached a photo of the tri-lobed nut to see if it joggs your memory. The one on the right is an original one and the one on the left is one of my new reproductions. The second pic is a 1964 Fox Campus barnfind in original (not mint) condition with the exception of the chain guard. Hope this helps Orson. Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you. I'll be expecting to see you bidding against me on the next Fox Campus bike that comes up on ebay. Good luck! Ogy

 

[Orson_Yancey]

Looks like I had a 1965

Hi Ogygopsis,
From your description, it sounds like I had a 1965. I bought it in March of 1969 while snow was still on the ground in Northern NYS and I was in the Spring of 7th grade. I paid $100 used for it. It sounds like there was significant price appreciation in mini bikes in the 1960's. I read that in 1968, a new Fox campus bike had a retail price of $270. Quite a bit more than what you paid for your 1963.

I bought my minibike from a older friend of my brother who had gone on to a Yamaha 180 cc motorcycle. I think that the $100 I paid for it was a fair price. It was it pretty good shape. I only rode it a lot for one Summer. By Summer of 1970, I had a hand-me-down Yamaha 180cc Street Scrambler motorcycle from my brother and lost interest in the mini bike. My parents eventually sold the mini bike in about Summer of 1970 or '71 while I was away at camp. When I am in Northern NYS in July, I may try to hunt around
for it. I do recall the man my parents sold my Fox Campus bike to, by his
mind is failing due to mental illness, so he probably can not tell me who
he sold it to. But I would not be surprised if my old Fox Campus bike is sitting today in some barn in Northern NYS.

It seems like kids grow-up fast from age 12 to 16. I was driving a 640 cc Ski-Doo TNT snowmobile doing 70 mph over the Winter of my 8th grade, (Winter '69-'70). At that age, I was very class conscious over what machines my peers were driving and the impress factor with male and female friends. A year or two later, some of my peers got Honda mini trails which seems a great leap forward with the 3-speed transmissions. Then along came the 5-speed Hodaka 100 cc motorcycles which seems another great leap forward. I never owned a Hodaka 100 because I rode my Yamaha 180 cc for three years, but after high school I rode my older brother's off-road Hodaka 100. One of the funniest off-road bikes.

These days, I think a torque converter is the answer, a small 4-stroke engine, and a light frame. I want something for off-road riding. For patriotic reasons, I prefer not to purchase anything foreign despite how great Japanese motorcycles are.

I bought a lawn mower from a neighbor a few week ago. Working on the
lawnmower, searching for parts brought back a lot memories. With the high cost of gasoline, I need to trim back by gasoline-based hobbies. As much as I love the old Briggs flat-heads, it does seem that OHV is the way for the future. I look forward to getting to know you better. Always feel free to send me messages.
Orson

 

[Orson_Yancey]

I do not remember the tri-lobe nut

Hi Ogygopsis,
Another reason I think I had a model year 1965, is that I do not remember the tri-lobe nut. My memory is telling me I had a large standard nut. In July when I am in Northern NY, I can contact the guy that I purchased the mini bike from and see if he remembers what year he purchased it. Probably, he will need to some time to think about it. He is 3 years older than I.

I am not sure how well I would fit a Fox Campus bike these days. At almost 170 lbs today, I weight twice what I weighted at age 13, and I am probably 5 inches taller today, at 5 ft. 8 in. Plus, not sure how strange I would look to my neighbors and male and female friends to see me riding around a Fox Campus bike these days. But then, maybe I should not worry about what others think as long as the cops don't get involved. Back in Summer '69, there was always the problem of watching for the police as me and my friends rode the roads.
Orson