small trail bike

[ckelly78z]

I have an electric full suspension mountain bike, that I just finished building. For lengthy trail riding I still choose my Kawasaki KLR 250 Endoro, which has lights/TS, and is street legal. For a small trail bike, I really like the Honda XR 100, and 125 like my son had. They are just dead nuts reliable, and small enough to be horsed around easily, and be lifted onto a bumper mount.

 

[ckelly78z]

You may also want to look at the new Honda Ruckus...very cool, and easy to operate.

 

[Gr8ful]

A 49cc ruckus is $2699. This is what I got which isn't street legal as my 150cc scooter is but it's geared lower & goes almost anywhere for $499. These use a Honda clone engine you can buy new for $100 but they seem to last forever. I am putting a top tank that holds more on it.
https://www.ruralking.com/coleman-trail-bike-red-196cc The racks are handy & it's easy to make a hitch for a small trailer that the axle goes thru & a chain up to the rack.

 

[KevinLee]

I'm planning on having a motorbike with me when I hit the road, been riding for almost 50 years and I'm not ready to give up yet. A lot depends on what you need it for. Like someone earlier mentioned the Honda trail 90. It's a good choice and even though they're not made anymore there are still a lot of them around. Unfortunately they have become "collectible" in some people's eyes, and nice ones sometimes go for more than they cost new. If you're going to pay that much it should be a complete rebuild/restoration. I believe some of the Chinese companies are making knock-offs now, probably for less than a nice older Honda. One drawback with that bike is the top speed. With the right gearing they might get up to 50 MPH, but that's pushing it.

I have three bikes myself now, eventually I'll have to cut back to one. My requirements are something for light off-road trail riding, back country roads, but also something that will go 55 or 60 if need be. It also has to be easy for me to load by myself. I've ruled out one of my bikes that's too big for that, so now I have to decide between a Kawasaki 250cc single street bike that' I've modified for light off roading, and a Honda 350cc twin that was originally made for light off road use. Either way I'm looking at getting a hitch mounted motorcycle hauler that's rated for at least 500 lbs.

Hope that helps.

 

[Gr8ful]

I bought this today for my Grandson (link to TSC mini bike) for $249. shipped to the store 8 miles away. They matched Rural King which was out.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...chPreview-_-DidYouMean-_-Product&cm_vc=-10005

Here's the same exact one I gought for $499 & haven't taken out of the box because of the stupid prices I've see (link to ebay)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Supreme-x-...m=254056358261&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

[B and C]

^^^Gr8ful

We are working right now on that smaller one on the top and still need fenders and tank painted for the bottom one. We bought a new carb for the small one for $9 rather than rebuild the one that was on it.

The big one on the bottom is pretty fast and the grandkids won't get to ride it for quite awhile.

 

[Gr8ful]

What you need is a '73 Triumph Trident, can't tell it from the '69 Bonnyville we had when married as it has twin pipes. Last year of the upright engine, 1st year of the 5 speed & disc brake. 180 ACTUAL MILES I bought it as I have left dropfoot after breaking my back & can't even throw my leg over it. It's been in climate controlled storage & all the metal sprayed with WD40 for years This was the best year made IMHO
(link to '73 Trident) https://www.classic-british-motorcycles.com/1973-triumph-trident.html

 

[Gr8ful]

I have no idea who made it.  The son got it (in pieces) from the mother in law.  Yep, gear reduction.  When the son took it for a spin in the backyard Friday night, he said it pulled the front tire when he goosed it.  Not built for speed with the jack shaft reduction and with those big and wide knobbies but would work well off road.  It is too heavy for me to even think about throwing on a cargo carrier on the back.  It must weigh at least 150 pounds.  Also, I doubt if I could ride it into town as I don't think it is street legal anywhere.  The motor is also fairly loud.  No chance of seeing any animals riding it.

These are the reasons the Rad Mini appeals to me.

Here's a LINK to a Boonie Bike about what we both have & I have a ski. We used to ice race either by screwing hex screws in the knobs or like hillclimbing using bike chain every 3" or 4" around the rear tire. Hex sctrews are easier.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonnie-Bik...852902?hash=item443891c326:g:IYkAAOSw6CRb7JWT

 

[hugemoth]

While the price for a good used Trail 90 has increased dramatically, there are lots of non runners still around for cheap. With a bit of work a new Lifan engine can installed to give it a whole new life. RECYCLE. I put a Lifan 140cc engine in my junker Trail 90 about 10 years and 16,000 miles ago and its been great. Much more power than the original engine and very reliable. Cost me about $500 to do the swap. Result is a 170 lb bike that will do 60 mph and 100 mpg.

There are some nice Chinese 250s available cheap that can be licensed in every state. The CSC TT250 is one of the best, using a Honda CG clone engine, sells for about $2300. There is also a Hawk 250 that is not quite as nice but basically the same bike that sells for about $1500, and also uses the reliable CG clone engine. I have a 12 year old Lifan 200 with the CG engine that I bought new for $1375 that I love. Close to 60,000 miles on it now. Its my everyday transportation but too heavy for the bumper rack on my camper.

 

[Gr8ful]

We had a equipment rental business where I worked & ran Homda engines. Had one go bad so we bought 2 Harbor Freight Honda clones, not the preditor the have now, the 6.5hp blue ones. We got the machine working then tore the bad Honda down along with the HF & all the parts interchanged. The patents are over which china doesn't care anyway & rumer in the rental industry claims Honda supplies many of the chinese parts anyway. When HF changed to the preditor I bought all the Honda clones cheap. No one knows anymore where the unit or it's parts are made as it doesn't have to say made in china anymore. So look at what you can buy in chinese bikes as Honda or not chinese is getting much better. At Christmas the had duel fuel DuroMax 10k gen sets delivered as low as $419 on Ebay, LP Gas electric start & wheel kit.

 

[hugemoth]

For more info on Chinese bikes see the discussion forum at chinariders.net Lots of first hand info on the pros and cons of owning a Chinese bike.

 

[Gr8ful]

I failed to mention that. There are other forums also of which makes are better or worse but parts are available & reasonable. One maker Tao Tao has a huge warehouse near Indy.

 

[B and C]

Here's a LINK to a Boonie Bike about what we both have & I have a ski. We used to ice race either by screwing hex screws in the knobs or like hillclimbing using bike chain every 3" or 4" around the rear tire. Hex sctrews are easier.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonnie-Bik...852902?hash=item443891c326:g:IYkAAOSw6CRb7JWT

The closet we can come to identifying this one is a Baja Warrior 196CC with 6.5 HP.  We must have an older version than the one in this video  has a different seat but the "gas tank" is the same and everything else seems to match up.  No governor on this one.

 

[Gr8ful]

The small one I ordered has a govenor but goes 24mph which is plenty fasy for a beginer. It's 105cc & 3.5hp, The other is 6.5hp & 196cc. Now with the torque converters it beats the centriical clutch when we were kids. After I was married I bought a Honda 250R 4 wheeler, the fastone with the square frame tubing fubing & no ser# on the 1st year with 750cc Suzuki Water Buffalo motor. Wicked! The machinist that built it did such a nice job unless you knew you'd never notice.

 

[Gr8ful]

The closet we can come to identifying this one is a Baja Warrior 196CC with 6.5 HP.  We must have an older version than the one in this video  has a different seat but the "gas tank" is the same and everything else seems to match up.  No governor on this one.

That's the one I mentioned I have with the front suspension only in black & the guy I bought it from had put a bunch of Harley type add ons & mine is governed.

 

[wayne49]

Here's a CT-90 with a working engine for $600.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-Honda-CT-/113688898731

I'm clueless as to why this mini-bike can sell for $4750.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Supreme-x-...00U-Mini-Bike-SS17-Red-BRAND-NEW/254056358261

 

[highdesertranger]

"I'm clueless as to why this mini-bike can sell for $4750."

same reason people send money TV televangelist.

highdesertranger

 

[Cammalu]

Like button push to HDR


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[sushidog]

Just before the first of the year I sold a pair of these: 125cc Chinese CT70 clones for only $500 for the pair, as I was going full-time and needed them sold right away. They were badly rusted but had less than 150 miles each. Street legal, 55 mph, 100 mpg. Sure they needed some work, but the engines weren't even broken in yet - you can't beat the deal! They were easily worth twice what I sold them for.

Chip

 

[WILD@HEART]

What fun, will my knees clear the handlebars?! lol Thanks for links, I'll check'em out...Reminds me I miss riding ALOT