Help deciding what to do w/ my 2 new vintage minis

[CaptNugget]

Bought these 2 vintage minis from a co-worker. One is a Fox Camper and other is a Sears Roper. My intentions were to fix em up and give em to my 2 nephews (5+7). I got a killer deal on them. After getting them home I'm kinda starting to like em (go figure). My dilemma is, do I keep em and restore them for me and just buy them 2 newer minis (since I'm sure they'll wreck em a lot anyway) or do I say screw it and restore em and give em to them (cooler styles would be neat for them and the Roper has passenger pegs for them "dates" haha) A third option is just flip the vintage ones as-is (at least one) and buy them newer running ones. Just curious what others would think.

 

[capguncowboy]

If the parts on the bike are in good shape, keep them for yourself. Vintage parts are getting harder and harder to find. There are lots of Birds, Mancos and DB30s out there that are perfect for kids, and the parts are cheap and easy to find.

 

[buckeye]

That Fox Campus is almost all original if not all original. Didn'Didn't look real close.
Saw the fenders and chain guard and knew everything else is either there or easier to find than fenders and clutch cover.
I'd have to keep that on for sure.
Other, ehh..

 

[chipper]

Restore them keep them , find 2 more old ones to restore and keep , repeat 2 or 3 more times , then get a couple DB's or Motovox's for the kids ! it'll work out much better ! are you divorced ? Well you will be soon , lol

 

[Davis]

Oh hell just give em to the kids that's what they were made for in the first place!

 

[CaptNugget]

Haha yeah think I might keep em. Get 2 common ones for the kids, maybe give em to em when they're more experienced.
No not divorced since I'm not married yet lol! Been with my ol lady for 5 yrs n she is on board with my 10 trikes and now 4 mini bikes n Hydro Kart boat. (She better be I just bought an HD '82 XLH1000 and gave it to her) haha but not too much grief yet, bills are always paid first (which is why most are still projects, that and I work too much):2guns::xmas-smiley-016::001_tt2:

 

[ashbyota]

Oh hell just give em to the kids that's what they were made for in the first place!

X2!!!

 

[CaptNugget]

Restore them keep them , find 2 more old ones to restore and keep , repeat 2 or 3 more times , then get a couple DB's or Motovox's for the kids ! it'll work out much better ! are you divorced ? Well you will be soon , lol

Lol the ol lady laughed at that one! And BY FAR my favorite answer hahahaha:thumbsup:

 

[chipper]

Lol the ol lady laughed at that one! And BY FAR my favorite answer hahahaha:thumbsup:

Cool , it's a quickly addicting hobby , best of luck !

 

[CarPlayLB]

the blue Fox Campus is a gem! I'd have a real hard time letting the kids crash that!

 

[Ding Ding]

IMO - vintage mini bikes, are so much more than just something to ride. Half the fun is just looking at them standing still. Restoring them, finding parts, and making them like new again isn't exactly easy or cheap. A kid just wants to ride something and won't care whether it's vintage or brand new. Brand new bikes are a dime a dozen and could easily be replaced....vintage ones...not so much.

 

[Davis]

So this isn't a for kids hobby seems selfish to me I've restored two bikes for my kids and I hope they ride the shit outta them and scratch them etc. you guys are going ass backwards!

 

[AJaxMini]

It's interesting to me when somebody says they hope that their work gets destroyed after they've spent a lot of time and money to restore something. I always think about the low rider truck kids. I'll see them build a beautiful truck on air and then go out and drag the ass end of it till the roll pan goes flying off. Where is the sense in that? If a guy goes out and finds all original parts and puts a bunch of money into truly restoring a bike to original, it'd be senseless to let anyone go out and destroy it. I just can't even think of a reason to let anyone beat the crap out of something you put a bunch of time and money into.

I'm all for encouraging kids to get interested in this stuff or any other hobby that keeps them away from a phone or television. But you can teach them to respect the time, effort and end product rather than beating the shit out of them. To each his own though.

 

[Davis]

Yup that's what I did this is one of two I've done for my kids and yes they will be rode you need to remember mini bikes originally were made for kids not a wall or a shelf!

 

[chipper]

Yup that's what I did this is one of two I've done for my kids and yes they will be rode you need to remember mini bikes originally were made for kids not a wall or a shelf!

How right you are but they were only $149 too , no wrong way to do it , different strokes for different folks ??

 

[joebiodiesel]

I'm definitely not against kids riding vintage minis, or anything else for that matter, but if they're learning to ride I'd get them something else. All my bikes are riders. It's why I bought them. But I wouldn't give them to a kid for every-day-use-and-abuse. That's what modern minis are for, just like our vintage ones were back in the day. Now that they are historically significant, don't abuse them.

Joe

 

[Bumblebee2]

I'm definitely not against kids riding vintage minis, or anything else for that matter, but if they're learning to ride I'd get them something else. All my bikes are riders. It's why I bought them. But I wouldn't give them to a kid for every-day-use-and-abuse. That's what modern minis are for, just like our vintage ones were back in the day. Now that they are historically significant, don't abuse them.

Joe

+1 on that. Get them a Motovox, will not break the bank, and when the kids break them you won't really care. Kids can be brutal on minibikes.

 

[brown boonie]

Get them a motovox to learn on, have them help you restore the vintage, if they have a stake in the restoration, they may have a bit more pride and concern for its well being. Once they learn on the cheap modern bike, then let them have the vintage if they still show interest. They can run a sander, wash it, hand tools to install parts, spray paint from spray cans, etc. Let them earn the right to have a vintage bike. That is my thought.