Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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and General Appliance, both located in Nebraska. "The manufacturers offered variations on the design, but for the most part, they were all very similar machines," Drzewiecki said. "There were kits that you could buy or even just plans and drawings so that you could build your own. You could find them in the back pages of Popular Mechanics and other handy- man magazines. Across the country, dads were welding up frames around old lawn mower engines. There were even plans that showed you how to mount a lawn mower engine to a bicycle." Today, Drzewiecki owns more than 60 minibikes. "Some are homemade, some are more interesting than the standard department store mini," he says. One of his most unusual finds is the Luther Viper Cycle, built in Pasadena, California. In a depar- ture from the better-known four- cycle models, the Luther was powered by a two-cycle engine. "Not many people know this, but some of the very early minibikes of the 1960's used two-stroke engines," he says. The Viper offered either a Clinton 98cc version or a Power Products AH- 47, the latter of which delivered a whopping two horsepower! The minibike marketing teams must've worked overtime dreaming up spiffy monikers for the little machines. In addition to the Viper, there was the Chee- tah, Scoot-A-Long, Lil Indian, Wildcat, Micro Rebel, Bonanza and El Tigre—just a few of the saucy names given to the mini- bikes. Bird Engineering honored their legacy by offering the Lark, the Wren and the Drover. Finally, for $179.95, Sears & Roebuck offered, "The Puncher," which came with a four-horsepower motor, along with front and rear suspension (albeit with a rigid tail, hence only the rider's rump was truly sprung). There is a current resurgence in the minibike world, as forums, websites and Facebook pages are introducing a younger gen - eration to the fun. Kyle Calkins is a 34-year-old enthusiast from Milford, Nebraska, who caught the minibike fever a few years ago. "My friend got one and now I'm hardcore into it," Calkins says. "A lot of people aren't aware of the fact that many of these little bikes were manufac - tured here in my home state. Besides Bird Engineering in Fremont and General Appli- ance (Trail Horse) in Omaha, Ramjet Mini Bikes were made in the little town of Hastings, located in the south-central part of the state." The minibike craze lasted into the 1970s—but not much longer. The arrival of the Honda Z50 "Mini Trail" in the late '60s began to push the pull-starters aside. By 1974, the number of minibike manu - facturers had shrunk from 150 to only 10. There is a pregnant pause when Drzewiecki is asked about the arrival of the Mini Trail. "That was pretty much the end," he says. "For about the same money as a minibike [the Honda retailed for $225 in 1967], you could now get full suspension, an automatic clutch and a three-speed transmis - sion with the Honda. Plus, you were buying it from a motor- cycle shop, which meant parts and service. Prior to that, only the small engine shops would offer parts and repairs for their products. You certainly couldn't take your minibike back to JC Penney's for service." "Everything changes," he says. "It is just how it is. But it is good to see this renewed interest as of late. When it comes to mini - bikes, it doesn't matter how old you are. Anybody who has ever ridden one will do it again. "You just don't outgrow fun!" CN CNIIARCHIVES P130 Subscribe to nearly 50 years of Cycle News Archive issues: www.CycleNews.com/Archives tured here in my home state. the number of minibike manu facturers had shrunk from when Drzewiecki is asked