The Never-Ending 5HP Minibike Project

5 Horse Fan · 10-13-2008, 10:50 PM

Hello Everyone,

This is a cool idea, keeping a log of my progress on the minibike build.

Since January of this year I started buying & selling on Ebay for the first time ever. Oh what fun it's been, and luck have it, I haven't recieved an unuseable item yet. To keep my interest and make some fun out of it, I decided to start a new minibike project.

Well, not a new minibike. A new project building a minibike from new & used parts available. My Favorite small engine in the whole world is the Briggs 5hp. Most of that interest is due to the support from Briggs & Stratton and the aftermarket in making performance parts, not only available - but affordable.

And then came Ebay making these parts even more affordable by offering good used alternatives.

So this project unofficially started in November 2007 with the purchase of a used Briggs 5hp for $63.11 Shipped (From Alberta,Canada).

Sounds like a good deal, but he listed as siezed and I bought it out of curiosity anyways. Well luck have it, it was the crankshaft that siezed and saved me the biggest headache I might have ever had.

I am out of time today.
I will return later, Thanks

5 Horse Fan · 10-16-2008, 07:50 PM

Hi Again,

Well, So Far the Engine has been "non-professionally" rebuilt. Yes, I did it and it's not professional because I didn't have the proper tools to measure all the specific clearances.

So, I rebuilt the engine and then ran it for a couple of hours. Later on I landed a great deal on a used Billet Rod from Ebay. It was about that time that somebody had
insisted I get one when I told them I was going to try and exceed the 3600RPM factory barrier.

Soon after, I found another great deal on a Tillotson Carburetor.

Then, another great deal on a Carb, and Intake for $30.00.

Here is the engine as it waits for the Minibike.
I will not use that Air Cleaner or Muffler.

Maybe Later

5 Horse Fan · 10-18-2008, 02:59 PM

Here they are !!!! Also in my photos !!!!!

doodlebugpro · 10-23-2008, 04:54 AM

lovin that air cleaner man ..... but wheres my left overs

5 Horse Fan · 10-25-2008, 06:11 PM

Rotten Cheese Please !!!!!

Austin T · 10-28-2008, 11:17 AM

Nice Tilly, just don't store your ham sandwich in there!
is that an ARC billet rod i see in there? you should invest in a billet flywheel, then you can rev that beast up all day and not worry about the flywheel exploding

5 Horse Fan · 10-28-2008, 06:42 PM

Yeah, that's an ARC Enduro Rod.

I'm only a weekend rider, so I should be ok.

briggs_boy · 10-30-2008, 03:43 AM

you can get that 5hp to turn up the rpm's a lot quicker with a billet flywheel though.

5 Horse Fan · 10-30-2008, 02:26 PM

I can buy, like 3 good 5HPs for the price of a billet flywheel.

briggs_boy · 10-30-2008, 02:46 PM

man if you know people and or go to the local track swap meets you can pick them up for 60 bucks.