I remember the Lil' Indian and Rupp mini bikes..back years ago these are what mini bikes were simple machines a rigid frame with a motor. They've come a long way with more horsepower, some with front shocks and disc brakes etc. couple of years ago I bought a Coleman BT200X mini bike to putt around my property and the trails around town I love the simplicity and just sheer fun factor of the machine.
Belleville, MI surely you remember RUTTMAN minibikes produced by 1952 Indianapolis 500 winner Troy Ruttman who had a manufacturing facility and showroom on Ford Rd in Dearborn Hts. He also produced GoKarts. I would stop by on ky way home from school and watch them weld frames together. Stacks and stacks of frames.
Thanks for a great video. I love the history and that the original inventor is still around and still Sharp. I grew up in the '80s when most of the mini bikes were not on the market but I did have a couple derelicts that I put back together and they were great learning tools.
Got my 1st lil indian in 68 when I was 7 .Ive probobly had 30 or 40 pretty nice big bikes since then but the best most vivid memories are on that lil indian. I have a late model large frame with a mildly built predator out in the barn but its just not the same as that little bike with 2 &1/2 hp engine.
New Zealand had same model' sold as "Tru-Test" . I bought a frame and built the rest. 10" wheels Sachs 50cc engine and 2 speed gearbox. Road registered ! :)
Dad said if you want a mini bike, build it yourself. Luckily he’s was indulgent and taught me to weld and he would scrounge up motors and scrap tubing and metal plate and other junk. Ended up building around forty but then dad would sell them when I wasn’t looking. That was back in the 60’s.
I have the frame of the Lil Indian that my grand pa bought for out at the farm. He woildnt let me ride it because he said i would wreck it. He was right. One day Grand ma and Grand pa went to town and as soon as they were out of site i jumped on it and wrecked it right off. I hit the corner of the barn ripping some of the siding off .long story short, i got my butt whooped when they got back and couldnt sit down for 3 days.
How dose a guy find out what year his frame is because I just picked up a frame it’s 3/4” looks just like the yellow one. My plan is to completely restore it with my son. Just like me and my dad did when I was younger. The frame we had wasn’t a lil Indian but I remember my dad saying he had a lil Indian that was stolen out of our garage before I was born.
Johnny, there are a lot of people out there that really know their bikes. Our sister FaceBook site, if you join, you can post pictures and ask ask questions. Somebody will know what you have. Thanks for watching. Dan. facebook.com/groups/294951307856830
@@allaboutminibikes Yea, it was a comment mainly about my harkening back to memory of my SunDowner (mid 70's), it had no rear shocks. It was an odd sort, a 2 cycle mini-bike that I certainly got many miles out of. It would get hot and stop working (wouldn't re-start), wait a few hours or till the next day to ride it again. But no back shocks was brutal, even as a kid. As my good friend had a HONDA 50 or 75 (can't remember what that Honda was but it had gorgeous shock absorbers front and back and would go so fast, just blowing me by, we checked how fast my sundowner would go, and I believe it was 25 to 29 or so). But that Sundowner, oh that mini-bike was my jewel, I even re-painted the tank blue and put a SUZUKI sticker on it (since that's where we got it from). Thanks so much for your video about those LiL Indian Minibikes, Im sure someone in my neighborhood had one, there was a gaggle of us.
Yea the laws sucked even in the early days & i got caught over 12 times riding my Lil Indian through the neiborhood & through all the trails we used to have & it makes me mad that now anyone can ride these silly scooters & cheesy motor bikes with no problems on public roads & they aren't as fast as what we had as kids & definitely not as fun.
I remember the Lil' Indian and Rupp mini bikes..back years ago these are what mini bikes were simple machines a rigid frame with a motor. They've come a long way with more horsepower, some with front shocks and disc brakes etc. couple of years ago I bought a Coleman BT200X mini bike to putt around my property and the trails around town I love the simplicity and just sheer fun factor of the machine.
Belleville, MI surely you remember RUTTMAN minibikes produced by 1952 Indianapolis 500 winner Troy Ruttman who had a manufacturing facility and showroom on Ford Rd in Dearborn Hts. He also produced GoKarts. I would stop by on ky way home from school and watch them weld frames together. Stacks and stacks of frames.
Of course I remember Ruttman.
Ray worried about the next gen. itts channels like this that will help pass that torch! great interview!
Thanks for a great video. I love the history and that the original inventor is still around and still Sharp. I grew up in the '80s when most of the mini bikes were not on the market but I did have a couple derelicts that I put back together and they were great learning tools.
Got my 1st lil indian in 68 when I was 7 .Ive probobly had 30 or 40 pretty nice big bikes since then but the best most vivid memories are on that lil indian. I have a late model large frame with a mildly built predator out in the barn but its just not the same as that little bike with 2 &1/2 hp engine.
Nothing like the vintage bikes!
New Zealand had same model' sold as "Tru-Test" . I bought a frame and built the rest. 10" wheels Sachs 50cc engine and 2 speed gearbox. Road registered ! :)
Nice. You should post some pictures of it on our facebook group site that is called "all about mini bikes group"
Would love the details on your build. Making one of the street legal would be fantastic.
Dad said if you want a mini bike, build it yourself. Luckily he’s was indulgent and taught me to weld and he would scrounge up motors and scrap tubing and metal plate and other junk. Ended up building around forty but then dad would sell them when I wasn’t looking. That was back in the 60’s.
Best video ever...love the history
God speed Ray.
All my kids love mini bikes
Cool to see Ray!
I have the frame of the Lil Indian that my grand pa bought for out at the farm. He woildnt let me ride it because he said i would wreck it. He was right. One day Grand ma and Grand pa went to town and as soon as they were out of site i jumped on it and wrecked it right off. I hit the corner of the barn ripping some of the siding off .long story short, i got my butt whooped when they got back and couldnt sit down for 3 days.
Great story. 😊 thanks for sharing!
How dose a guy find out what year his frame is because I just picked up a frame it’s 3/4” looks just like the yellow one. My plan is to completely restore it with my son. Just like me and my dad did when I was younger. The frame we had wasn’t a lil Indian but I remember my dad saying he had a lil Indian that was stolen out of our garage before I was born.
Johnny, there are a lot of people out there that really know their bikes. Our sister FaceBook site, if you join, you can post pictures and ask ask questions. Somebody will know what you have. Thanks for watching. Dan. facebook.com/groups/294951307856830
no shock absorbers, OUCH , my back hurts even thinking about it
That was how they started out.
@@allaboutminibikes Yea, it was a comment mainly about my harkening back to memory of my SunDowner (mid 70's), it had no rear shocks. It was an odd sort, a 2 cycle mini-bike that I certainly got many miles out of. It would get hot and stop working (wouldn't re-start), wait a few hours or till the next day to ride it again. But no back shocks was brutal, even as a kid. As my good friend had a HONDA 50 or 75 (can't remember what that Honda was but it had gorgeous shock absorbers front and back and would go so fast, just blowing me by, we checked how fast my sundowner would go, and I believe it was 25 to 29 or so). But that Sundowner, oh that mini-bike was my jewel, I even re-painted the tank blue and put a SUZUKI sticker on it (since that's where we got it from). Thanks so much for your video about those LiL Indian Minibikes, Im sure someone in my neighborhood had one, there was a gaggle of us.
FREE Mini Bike Mag at www.allaboutminibikes.com
Did you ever make a frame?
Yes. Our LIL Red Racer.
@@allaboutminibikes sell them or just something made for you
@@ALMIGHTYGARAGE want to sell them eventually
Who made OTASCO mini bikes
I'm not sure. If you find out, please post! Dan.
MTD
great stuff....
Thanks Dave!
@@allaboutminibikes you got it brother , keep making them great videos .
Draconian anti mini bike laws in the U.S. will kill the hobby.
I know. Dadgum MEATHEADS!!! 😡
Yea the laws sucked even in the early days & i got caught over 12 times riding my Lil Indian through the neiborhood & through all the trails we used to have & it makes me mad that now anyone can ride these silly scooters & cheesy motor bikes with no problems on public roads & they aren't as fast as what we had as kids & definitely not as fun.