Just picked up a Bonanza but dont know much about it

[Theoilman]

Hi all,
My name is Paul, i'm new to the group here and new to mini bikes. I have restored a couple Honda trails but this is my first try at these kind of bikes.

I just picked up this Bonanza, it's fairly complete, I do have orriginal tank but will need to find an orriginal seat. I will have many questions on this bike but the first is what kind of motor is on this. The research I have done shows Hodaka motors on these. As you can see from the pictures the side covers do not say Hodaka and the serial number on the front of the motor is 109830, not a Hodaka number. The Bonanza serial number is 80 5244.

Can anyone give me some info on this bike and motor. Is there a good place to get parts (other than e-bay) like a seat? The guy I bought it from says it needs a new coil too.

At the same time I picked up a Di Blasi folding mini bike, does anyone know where to get parts for those too.

I am looking forward to working on this project.

Thanks for your help,
Paul

P.S. If this is not the right place to post this, please let me know.

 

[supernova]

Welcone to the sight! I beleive it to be a BC1500 with a hodaka engine but I have been wrong before! A nice bike, the hodaka powered ones are pretty quick! I never had the hodaka model but rode my cousin's! I had a dirt squirt and a combat wombat in the early 80s, those were some screamin bikes! You will find out all you ned to know about it here as there are some Bonanza guys who know their stuff here!

 

[truckster52]

That is a MX1510. The angles are a little different than the BC frames and those are the MX forks. The frame tubes should be 7/8" with a little gusset at the bottom of the steering tube. The wheels are 8" and it looks like the correct 41 sprocket. Should be a fiberglass tank and the seat has a fiberglass base different than the BC models. I believe that is a Fugi engine and I understand they are basically the same as Hodaka but don't know for sure. Someone else here should be able to elaborate more on it. Good find.

 

[Bonanza Bryan]

It is a bonanza Mx 1510. The correct engine was a hodaka. The engine would be e serius. Baked silver enamel frame orange tank and fenders You have the correct rims. Nice find.

 

[smallbikes88]

That is a fuji motor the same one used on the rupp rmt80. The bonanza seat will be hard to find originally had a fiberglass seat base.

 

[Theoilman]

Thanks for the great info!
Is the Fugi engine stock or did someone put it on?
I do have the orriginal tank but the filler neck has a piece missing around the rim. Has anyone had success in adding some fiberglass to restore that?

Does anyone know where I can find a coil for this bike? Will any small 2-cycle motorcycle coil work?
Thanks again for your help.
Paul

 

[Bonanza Bryan]

Thanks for the great info!
Is the Fugi engine stock or did someone put it on?
I do have the orriginal tank but the filler neck has a piece missing around the rim. Has anyone had success in adding some fiberglass to restore that?

Does anyone know where I can find a coil for this bike? Will any small 2-cycle motorcycle coil work?
Thanks again for your help.
Paul

The engine is definantly not stock. The coil needs to be a 6v any coil would work. Some on here sells the tanks for 25 bucks. I forgot to show you my hodaka powered Bc 1300 Sh. One of the rarest bikes ever produced.

YouTube - Bonanza BC 1300 Sh Running

 

[Modding_out]

Annnnd you practically stole it from the guy when you bought it, ya lousy mug:wink: I would like to tinker around with a mini sized 2cycle one of these days....they look totally killer, be dammed! if it pisses of the neighbors :thefinger:

 

[mybiz]

george3 will tell you all about it soon as he finds this post. He goes bananas over bonanza's

 

[george3]

He has herd just about every thing there is to know. the rear sprocket is 40 tooth size 41. cool bike, well 2 cool bikes.

 

[truckster52]

The correct engine would be an 'E' code Ace 100 Hodaka. If the Fuji runs good I would use it unless you want to spend lots of $$$$$ on a restoration. For a coil you can do a web search or watch e-bay. Wish I had the fenders so mine would be complete. Check out the literature on this site and on minidoodle.com

BONANZA MODELS ID & BROCHURES

http://www.oldminibikes.com/images/bonanza/1510R-2-s.jpg

http://www.oldminibikes.com/images/bonanza/bonanza_mx-1510r.jpg

 

[Bonanza Bryan]

The correct engine would be an 'E' code Ace 100 Hodaka. If the Fuji runs good I would use it unless you want to spend lots of $$$$$ on a restoration. For a coil you can do a web search or watch e-bay. Wish I had the fenders so mine would be complete. Check out the literature on this site and on minidoodle.com

BONANZA MODELS ID & BROCHURES

http://www.oldminibikes.com/images/bonanza/1510R-2-s.jpg

http://www.oldminibikes.com/images/bonanza/bonanza_mx-1510r.jpg

The engines aren't that bad. I got mine for 50 bucks.:thefinger:

 

[ScooterBoy]

It would be nice to see the motor mounts on this bike....

I might be alone on this.......but I'm not convinced that it can't be the original motor for that bike. Seen and heard about enough stuff on Bonanzas that isn't on all the brochures that I think just about anything is possible with these bikes.

 

[The Restore Kid]

It's a Hodaka Ace 100 :drool: That bike is a some sort of MX model with the 8 inch Go Power wheels. If the engine is original correct for the Bonanza, the serial number on the engine should start with an E.. They call them (E Code Hodaka's) That bike is worth a fortune all restored like it should be.. :drool:

:doah: it is a Fugi huh? That goofy triangle shaped thing on the cover is their mark..

 

[minibikin']

Welcome to the site. Very nice find on the Bonanza.

 

[truckster52]

It would be nice to see the motor mounts on this bike....

I might be alone on this.......but I'm not convinced that it can't be the original motor for that bike. Seen and heard about enough stuff on Bonanzas that isn't on all the brochures that I think just about anything is possible with these bikes.

Good point. I have seen other Bonanzas with a Fuji engine in them and from what I was told by Dave Miller about bikes with miss matched parts on them. He told me my BC frame with MX forks could have been original, made up at the end of the day with what parts were available. Who knows, it could be the original engine.

 

[truckster52]

The engines aren't that bad. I got mine for 50 bucks.:thefinger:

I am happy for you. If you ever have to put a crankshaft and a piston in it you will see what I meant.

 

[ScooterBoy]

I am happy for you. If you ever have to put a crankshaft and a piston in it you will see what I meant.

Are the crank and piston even more dollars than a correct pipe???:scared:

 

[supernova]

I suspected

Welcone to the sight! I beleive it to be a BC1500 with a hodaka engine but I have been wrong before! A nice bike, the hodaka powered ones are pretty quick! I never had the hodaka model but rode my cousin's! I had a dirt squirt and a combat wombat in the early 80s, those were some screamin bikes! You will find out all you ned to know about it here as there are some Bonanza guys who know their stuff here!

I suspected I was possibly way off on the Bonanza but was close, that is why I said ther were several members that were Bonanza Experts! Glad you got the right info, and good luck with your project!

 

[steven Durham]

Well the Hodaka motor was made by who ?? Fuji Heavy Industries made the Hodaka engine for Pabatco and distributed out of Athena, Oregon. They must of made a killing selling not only the bike but umpteen thousands of engines to OEM manufactures like Bonanza and Steens.
The Hodaka name went under in the late 1970's and the tooling was sold to Daelim a Korean company. So seeing a Fuji in a Bonanza would be just another one off issue for Bonanza to put out bikes that were selling.
Steve