I had to go up to Jacksonville for some training for my job this week so I searched the local craigslist up there and found an add for a mini bike. Said it was a chrome frame 5hp bike thats about it no pic. I called and got a little more info of course got the typical " I think its a Rupp" :doah: but then he mentioned that it had a tag on it from JCPenny so I pretty much knew it was an el tigre.
I bought it sight unseen, price was decent enough to take the risk. He was not going to be home when I got finished at the Toyota training center in the afternoon, so he said I could just pick it up and his daughter would be available. Only reason I mention all this is because of what happened next.
I get to the house, mini bike is in the carport along with some brand new spare parts just like he said, along with a note. Basically saying "if my daughter is not home, go ahead and take the bike and leave the money under the mat at the front door, enjoy the bike." I thought that was pretty amazing to see in this day and age!!! Luckily, his daughter was there, because I would not have been comfortable with leaving the cash under the mat!
Anyway frame is ok, unfortunately some work has been done and the forks, well, check out the pics:wink:. Looks like a pretty nice condition tec 5hp, not an original seat but it looks to be new, got a cool set of bolt on folding pegs. also got a brand new set of 5" Azusa tri-stars, a Ruttman decal, a tec 5hp flag decal, NOS tec can muffler (wont fit on this bike though), New fuel shut off assy, and a cool set of NOS old school throttle/grips as well.
Someone at one point crashed, HARD :laugh: The headtube has been rewelded on, bummer because of the chrome, but at least they did a solid job doing it. Depending on how well the chrome cleans up overall on the bike I may clean that area up and maybe try to get creative with a little paint and some tube sock style pinstripe (like on a sears bike) between the paint line and the chrome or something to that effect:
Think I'm probably going to have to search out some different forks though, these babies are all buggered up!
whats missing :laugh::blink::doah:
I bought it sight unseen, price was decent enough to take the risk. He was not going to be home when I got finished at the Toyota training center in the afternoon, so he said I could just pick it up and his daughter would be available. Only reason I mention all this is because of what happened next.
I get to the house, mini bike is in the carport along with some brand new spare parts just like he said, along with a note. Basically saying "if my daughter is not home, go ahead and take the bike and leave the money under the mat at the front door, enjoy the bike." I thought that was pretty amazing to see in this day and age!!! Luckily, his daughter was there, because I would not have been comfortable with leaving the cash under the mat!
Anyway frame is ok, unfortunately some work has been done and the forks, well, check out the pics:wink:. Looks like a pretty nice condition tec 5hp, not an original seat but it looks to be new, got a cool set of bolt on folding pegs. also got a brand new set of 5" Azusa tri-stars, a Ruttman decal, a tec 5hp flag decal, NOS tec can muffler (wont fit on this bike though), New fuel shut off assy, and a cool set of NOS old school throttle/grips as well.
Someone at one point crashed, HARD :laugh: The headtube has been rewelded on, bummer because of the chrome, but at least they did a solid job doing it. Depending on how well the chrome cleans up overall on the bike I may clean that area up and maybe try to get creative with a little paint and some tube sock style pinstripe (like on a sears bike) between the paint line and the chrome or something to that effect:
Think I'm probably going to have to search out some different forks though, these babies are all buggered up!
whats missing :laugh::blink::doah:
