I think I watched this video at least three times over the last year. Is it wrong to be 58 years old and desire to ride a mini bike again? LOL

I had a Scat Cat minibike around 1973. It seemed like you could ride all day on a gallon of gas. I also got my first "Bernz-O-Matic" socket wrench set around that time and I learned so many valuable mechanical skills working on that bike. Fun times.

Forgot how much fun they are my first one didnt even have a motor,bought it for 5 dollars at a garage sale, my grandfather had given me 5 dollars for my birthday and I had been saving it but I ran home and pushed my dream home, there was a big hill close to home and I used to push it up the hill just to ride down , it had the flaper steel plate that rubed the back tire for brakes,then when I was 6 yrs old my Dad bought me a 5hp Artic cat lepard skin style seat,lights shocks drum brakes that was the best Xmass ever. And a life long obsession of ridin bikes was set in motion and learning how to fix anything with a motor. I would have never became a mechanic if it was not for that mini bike. So many great memories,now I know how to bend pipe and weld think I will build one.Thanks for the great show

I miss my Manco minibike.. That thing was indestructible.. At one point of testing the new engine I put on, he throttle got stuck at 45mph! I had to tuck and roll! Another time I out ran a police car by dipping into someone's backyard... Ahh the memories

I freaking love that thing, I want one..

This video blows me away :). Ive been waiting for a true minibike video from the Hot Rod guys after they did the replica Honda Monkeybike video. Ive been into vintage minibikes for the past 5 years. I had a Bonanza BC1100 hot rod that did 50mph in about 6-7 seconds (I sold it and miss it dearly!) and now I have a JC Penney El Tigre with a 212cc 7hp clone engine in it. Only geared for 35mph but it gets there in about 4 seconds and wheelies ALLL DAY. Vintage for life!

Minibikes will never get old. My son and I enjoy riding together. He is learning so much about small engines because he enjoys riding and upgrading his.

I have had minibikes since I was 8 years old. I'm 62 and still alive. My other thing was skateboards. Both great for making gnarly permanent scars on the bod! Dig you guys!

Thank you MotorTrend for a memory lane trip. I remember riding my friends Honda minibike back in 72 (I think). It was such a joy. I later have had both big Kawasaki and Honda bikes and also a Piaggio scooter, a new one but it had the design of the old ones. Being a kid and riding the minibike I was in the clouds. After that the Piaggio is my best bike memory. The big Kawasaki and Honda actually come third in the feel good department. I remember riding that sky blue Piaggio a summer back in 86 when everybody had big powerful sports bikes in those days. Nothing else was in fashion. A lot of girls wanted to get a ride with me on that Piaggio. I think maybe they were thinking about that movie Roman Holiday :) I stand in gratitude to that Piaggio. It gave me an unforgettable summer.

Damn seeing these mini bikes reminded me of when I was about 15,16,17 years old I used to have so much fun riding in the streets of the Bronx like a wild mofo lol ,thanks for bringing back the memories!

This is so well put together. My dad supplied mini bikes from age 3 for me. He even made one into a trike with a piece of all thread before I could balance.. All props to my dad and anyone else's who made us move as little guys and girls, I know there's a couple thousand gorgeous ladies out there who had a mini bike or go kart growing up..

The ringing centrifugal clutch is all I needed to hear to take me all the way back to my youth on my Taco 22. Great times in the early 70s

One more thing people there's no age limit on having fun or what make you happy God bless you.

Thanks for this Minibike video. Mac

I grew up in Central Fl. and was riding/building/racing lawn mower Engine powered mini bikes when I was still in elementary school in the mid/late 60's...there were mini bike races almost every weekend at a few different tracks and I had a hopped up 3 1/2 Tecumseh Engined mini bike and I was winning or at least competitive with that...then the honda mini trails started showing up and they were hard to beat but I would still beat them sometimes...then I read a mini bike magazine article about the new Bonanza mini bike/mini cycle, it had suspension (telescopic forks and a dual shock swing arm in the rear) and a hodaka 100cc 5 speed engine with open filter, and an expansion chamber, but it looked like a mini bike. My Dad was an Engineer out at Cape Canaveral and enjoyed working on the bikes with me so I was able to talk him into buying me a Bonanza. With stock gearing it would do 55+ mph and would pull wheelies at that speed...I weighed almost nothing so it was lightening fast with me doing the steering. The first time we showed up for the mini bike race with the Bonanza I was pulling wheelies with it thru the pits and it caused an uproar. My Dad told me to park it as some of the other Dad's were protesting it....I wasn't privy to what was said but the race sanctioning body (as it was...I think it was central Florida mini bike association or some such name) said I could race in the open class...I ran away with the races and was lapping the field...I think we only raced it one or two other times then they limited the engine size to 70cc to keep us out. I was already moving on to motocross by that time and was eyeing a YZ125 so didn't mind...my little brother got the Bonanza and wasn't much of a rider so my dad pretty much told him to park it and he sold shortly thereafter. It was a real beast and it was a good thing Pop was an Engineer as the Bonanza sheered the jackshaft sprockets and would bend the jackshafts along with chewing up the counter sprockets like they were made out of butter...My Dad machined new ones out of higher quality metallurgy and solved those problems but then it finally cracked the rear hub...we also had to completely change the gauge of chains and got to roller chains to keep the chains from breaking and to give the sprockets more lifetime...it really was a beast. p.s. if you stop the video at 00:18 there is one similar in the center of the screen, mine looked slightly different, had an orange fiberglass tank, unbooted telescopic forks with more travel and a jackshaft chain drive system with a rear swing arm...anyway similar.

These are the most Awesome Mini Bikes I have ever seen

All the girls in the playground fall for guys on a Taco bike. Oh yeah.

I love mini bikes! I'm 20 now but when I was 10 my uncle got me a vintage frame with wheels for Xmas, my dad and I pieced it together and I had a blast with that 5hp Briggs. I still have it but I stripped it down and my dad painted it all up, it's now pretty showy but I still rip up our lawn! :D

What the guy speaking at the 3:14 mark said gave me flashback chills! I also saved and begged and cried until I finally got my Dad to get me a mini-bike, a 1968 Honda Mini-Trail 50. Had a lot of fun on it! Love mini-bikes! I also learned some basic mechanics like carb cleaning and other minor repairs.

I really do love this particular video, it's what inspired me to get my first minibike. 9 years later, of course, im an avid car guy with all sorts of motorized projects as well. These guys were right about it being your first hotrod 🤣

I got a 1974 Puch Magnum X. Two-speed automatic, 50cc and 4HP. Cool little bugger!

these are cool i have just got my first one today and its awesome

Awesome! Just awesome!!

This little booger brings back some very fond childhood memories. The most fun I had as a small kid was with one of these.

theres some good cheap fun,,

I got my mini bike in the late seventies. It came from a lawn mower repair shop. It didn't have a motor so me and my dad picked up a old edger at a yard sale and robbed the five horse briggs and stratton off it and bought a cheap clutch for it and I had a ton of fun on that thing. The brakes was scary because it had a lever that you pushed and a flat brake robbed the back tire to stop it. I still have it at my moms house.

I started out riding on a Taco Frijole that my parents gave to my brother and I for our birthdays in 1969. Been riding all sorts of bikes ever since then, but I always smile when I ride a mini bike! Riding mini bikes kept us all out of trouble, and definitely did get us into mechanics at an early age.

this brought back many good memories, Thanks for the vid,

Oh yeah! I remember the HONDA 50 cc , I ALWAYS wanted that one, 1973-74 , but I got a 'CAT' with a '4'-hp engine. Loved that little gas tank, and the little shocks, and the mini everything about it. But that unmistakable HONDA sound made it complete. Maybe for my upcoming 51'st B-day I'll finally get one. Before I die would be great! ;-)

*I sure remember owning a mini bike like several shown in this video*! My first mini bike had a 90cc chainsaw motor installed and was a real beast to ride. Later, I owned a couple more and gradually progressed into small street bikes. #minibikes #motorcycles #hotrods

I always loved mini bikes because they were part of the hotrod era. A new dirt bike you buy wasn't around back then. I have a 68 mtd mini I bought for 100 bucks and restored it when I was 15 and its cooler then any dirt bike ive ever had and I have pride in it because I spent hours on fixing this bike though me alot.

Mini bike's awesome memories and skin marks

These were the days! Gas was 89 cents a gallon out riding around with your buddies.

You guys should make a mini taco project...these videos are amazing it reminds me on my old taco mini 😔

man i can't beleve the things this brings back thanks to all

I was about 15 when I got my first bike , it was a bonanza with a 212 cc predator , ( 8 years ago ) I would ride it EVERYDAY , I no longer used my bike . I fell in love with a taco 22 my buddy owned but I couldn’t afford to buy one . I came across this guy selling a taco 22 For 80 bucks ! Jumped on that ASAP . I had it powder coat it fat slick in the back , looking nice and clean , till this day it’s still a project because I haven’t called it done yet . With time I was able to get me another taco 22 ( both have serial numbers 1967 ) I got a few cats ( still projects ) but this made me remember of wanting 1 so baddd and with time god blessed me with a few of them , now I got a Buick Regal that needs attention , Projects after projects . That’s the life lol , god bless y’all 🙏👍

Much bike. Such mini

Im 15 and ive been working on a mini bike for a little while now just finished painting my fame. i honestly never really knew that there is that much history behind them its actually really interesting.

Dude I'm 60 and I'm still riding ,talking mini bikes it keeps me young go mini bikes!!!!!

Im 60 years old and NEED one of those Taco Minis!!!

Shweet !!!!

why does everything they put out now seem like a infomercial

Your never to old and it is never to late! We are here for a short time so have as much fun as you can!!!!!!!!

Great vid !!! Mini bikes are alive and strong in Michigan !!! MINI BIKES FOREVER !!!

i want one!

Nostalgia bubble. It's happening with lots of things people remember from their youth. For those of us who aren't 50+, they're neat, but they're probably not worth as much to us.

Cool bikes AND nice van at the end.

Those are some wild mini bikes!

Unfortunately, I was the kid that never had a minibike but always wanted one! Most of my friends had them. Yeah, I was "THAT KID." HA Now I'm a grown old man that still wants one. My wife just doesn't get it. Oh well. Great video! I am still looking to buy one now that I can finally have one! Ha! Cheers everyone and ride safe!

these things are so awesome....till you find out you cannot ride them anywhere,even with a permit, or dependant on which cop catches you rather.

Cracking me up David! I remember my mini’s, a Benelli, stroker z50 Mini Trail and two Taco’s!

Wow, what cool memories. I also had a taco mini bike. Turned me in into a motorhead and loved heavy metal music; no regrets!!👍✌️

and how much is for the mini bike at 0:23 how muc is for that mini bike i watn to buy it .

This is how we had fun when I was a kid, Thanks to my Dad.

Awesome,little bikes are the best!

Built a bunch of these for my kids 20 yrs ago, the grass has finally started to re-grow in the back yard, LOL. Kept one for myself, an old Rupp with shocks and disk brakes.

HONDA Z FTW> \m/

You didn't do a burnout !

great video,fun bikes

Me and my grand daughter ride mini-bikes together. I bought hers, a Moto-Vox, at a yard sale and mine , a coleman 200, thru Amazon. I'm 71 and she's 9 and we have a great time riding on the dirt roads in central Florida outside of Lake Wales.

i want the one at 3:40 so bad its badass

I took a electric 1000 watt scooter and put a 80 cc 2 stroke on it it's pretty fast

I can't stop watching this

Awesome show

0:17 wooooooooooooooow

Back in 65, at the age of 10, I managed to save $100. Saw an ad in the local paper for a minibike. So my dad and I went downtown to pick it up. Walked up to the owner and presented the ad, which had a pic of a complete mini bike. The owner of the shop took us to the back room to view the bike. It didn't have a motor and the ad showed a complete bike. My dad almost choked the fucker. I cried all the way home.

I can't stop watching it

Never to old to have a blast😎

I was one of the kids who's parents said no way.

throttle on the handle bars and brake foot? i dont know anything about minibikes

Wow, that brought back so many memories of my own bike when I was a kid in the early 70's. I'm gonna get me a new one. Thanks guys.

So badass!

Ha I have a official chip foose mini bike and he gave it to me

who builds mini drag bike

Absolutely was obsessed to get one and eventually did. I built one from the frame up at 14! Great memories!

awesome bikes !!

i would 100% rather be outside working on a go kart or mini bike then anything on an xbox or computer.

Yeah my dad almost peeled off half of his calf when he fell and the foot peg didn't have the rubber thing on it and it went through his calf and he had to ride home with have his calf muscle hanging off

I Love em! and great historical information and the History of it! thinks! 3 thumbs up!

These are really nice minibikes! I like!!

Not one bit of mayhem in this video. In my neighborhood, if you try to ride anything fun that has a motor and no license plate someone will shut you down. If you have an ATV, you got one lap and they'll shut your down. Not one single non street licensed motorized vehicle is allowed.

I hate that Motor Trend takes cool stuff and douche'ifies it.

These bikes are very cool. They seem so fun to ride and mess around with

Mini bike's are making a huge come back. good for youth, adults

brings back great memories!

I got an old Montgomery Wards mini bike frame at a swap meet a couple years ago, I put an electric motor on it & rode it around for a summer. You wouldn't believe how many people thought it was the coolest thing ever.

I've had dirt bikes and quads since I was 9. Got my first mini bike at 24 and I've had over 40 different mini bikes and in 26, almost 27. I buy, sell, trade them and ride them while doing so. I'm addicted, constantly searching for sale pages for them. I just bought another today and currently own 5 but with the profits I've made, these 5 are free and I have a ton or spare parts. I've made one of mine street legal which is a BLAST! I still have other toys, but mini bikes are my favorite.

Thanks you guys so much for bringing me to mini bikes just now I bought one

Ahhhhh....the sweet, sweet memories!

Just finished building mine an love it

that was great' i loved mini bikes

I was 14 when I got a mini bike. Red with a Tecumseh 3.5 hp motor. This little machine took me everywhere. I was always on the lookout for the police as these were illegal for street use. I never got pulled over, but I was paranoid of losing my bike to the police. I will never forget the smell of that motor after I pulled the chain. What great memories. I have some ciders in my knee caps today from a bad crash many years ago. Loved the mini-bike.....

Love these bikes

When I was a kid, there was a town dump near my house. I used to scrounge old lawnmowers and bicycles off the dump. I would canibalize the engine, wheels and tires, pulleys and belts off the mowers and spread the forks of the bikes and weld washers on the ends to mount the mower tires. Then I would cut out the seat tube and pedal bearing and connect the down tube and rear forks with a piece of 1/4" plate steel. The rear sprocket would connect to a jack shaft by chain and the other end of the jack shaft would connect to the engine by a belt. I would mount a roller skate wheel to a lever so it would maintain belt tension through a spring and then connect a bike brake cable to the lever to act as a clutch. Brakes were optional but it was an almost zero buck project and heaps of fun!

I'm 15 and I just got my first mini bike a few days ago. I now understand why they are so popular, they're soo much fun!!!

A real "Blast from the Past"!! I also liked the cameo of the 60's Chevy van at the end! Maybe you could do a retrospective of the 60's vans. I own a Ford Falcon "Station bus" myself. I'd especially like to see a restored Corvair van!

i can't get this Kool Aid smile off my face

Very kool!

Thank you for this video. Highly highly agree with what you said about mini bowls I am a 13 year old and I love riding these things and u enjoy knowing that my parents rode these when they were little. I learned so much about mechanics on mine. Their a blast

Motorcycles bore me to tears, but that looks like hella fun!