Last week it was one year I bought my first minibike since I was 16 years old. A nice green survivor MTD Columbia with original everything except a big weird looking gas tank. Nice HS40, great seat. Fast mofo. All it needed was a kickstand, the long tail pipe extension and the original gas tank.
June 17th, 2014. Brand new acquisition that started it all.
I was a member here as Oyster Bay Man since 2009 but mainly I just lurked or looked at pics when I wanted to remember those days I had a mini. Occasionally I'd post the odd, "Hey anyone have a minibike for sale on Long Island?" post but not much. So when I bought the MTD I jumped on full force. Normally I would have left that MTD the way it was but after a few weeks of posting and reading I realized it was IMPERITIVE I get those three items and complete that mini or all else was a failure. HAHA. This set off a chain reaction the likes of which I've never experienced in my life of more than a few hobbies. One year and 13 minibikes and two karts later, I feel like reflecting. The hobby is pretty fun and MAD interesting, but it's the people I've met that really make me glad I got back into it. Like while buying a donor MTD roller for the gas tank and kickstand, I meet a real life Picker in upstate NY just like the dudes on American Pickers. This guy has alerted me to, or picked up for me, more cool things than I can count. Especially engines. Like the McCullough 45 kart engine I picked up for 50 friggin dollars.. Dayum! Or a real nice Rupp Black Window. Dude is a gold mine and has become a good friend.... While buying a go kart for the engine, the guy rolls out a '64 Rupp Lancer and says if I buy it he'll throw this one in for free. Complete with Tecumseh Flying Waffle! LOL. Then tells me his neighbor has literally filled his house with minibikes. If I ever need parts just see him. And dear God do I go see him! Most amazing guy in the minibike world eva! Stellar was my first mini. I've gotten four from him and a crap load of nos parts I never would have gotten otherwise. Great story teller and I've come to think of him as the big brother I've never had. Sniff... Soon I became overwhelmed with getting some of these engines going and put an ad out for a small engine mechanic and met a super cool guy who's good with engines and great with fabrication. A good friend now too. Then there's the old guy I just met who's retiring his lawn mower repair business. In the last month I've bought Power Bee's 580, 820 and 500 all NOS never run for peanuts. Then of course there are all of you. Hate to mention names because you always leave someone out by accident but I have to mention AJaxmini who although I've never even met him face to face, has been extremely helpful to me. Dudes always at the other end of an email whenever I need him. Trinik7597 with the Stellar wheel help. Notsominbike for a whole cache of parts I never would have found. Cheezy1 with the impossible to find Stellar brake shoes. Havasu Dave for teaching me Tecumseh timing with a dial indicator in a way I FINALLY understood it (God is that a useful skill!), George3 for coming though with the Roper gas tank while I was in LA. Boy was that good timing. MotoBunny on the Instagram side of things is like some kind of Briggs savant and great pics! Etc etc etc.... I've met or been in contact some really cool people in the last year. All because of these silly little toys from our youth.
So thanks go out to this glorious webpage. Not sure what the next year has in store for me but it aint gonna be pretty. But I'm glad I’ve got this hobby to keep my mind on something else for a few quiet hours in the garage each day. Even though half the time it's pretty frustrating! Haha!
To another year!
Your pal,
JT
June 17th, 2014. Brand new acquisition that started it all.
I was a member here as Oyster Bay Man since 2009 but mainly I just lurked or looked at pics when I wanted to remember those days I had a mini. Occasionally I'd post the odd, "Hey anyone have a minibike for sale on Long Island?" post but not much. So when I bought the MTD I jumped on full force. Normally I would have left that MTD the way it was but after a few weeks of posting and reading I realized it was IMPERITIVE I get those three items and complete that mini or all else was a failure. HAHA. This set off a chain reaction the likes of which I've never experienced in my life of more than a few hobbies. One year and 13 minibikes and two karts later, I feel like reflecting. The hobby is pretty fun and MAD interesting, but it's the people I've met that really make me glad I got back into it. Like while buying a donor MTD roller for the gas tank and kickstand, I meet a real life Picker in upstate NY just like the dudes on American Pickers. This guy has alerted me to, or picked up for me, more cool things than I can count. Especially engines. Like the McCullough 45 kart engine I picked up for 50 friggin dollars.. Dayum! Or a real nice Rupp Black Window. Dude is a gold mine and has become a good friend.... While buying a go kart for the engine, the guy rolls out a '64 Rupp Lancer and says if I buy it he'll throw this one in for free. Complete with Tecumseh Flying Waffle! LOL. Then tells me his neighbor has literally filled his house with minibikes. If I ever need parts just see him. And dear God do I go see him! Most amazing guy in the minibike world eva! Stellar was my first mini. I've gotten four from him and a crap load of nos parts I never would have gotten otherwise. Great story teller and I've come to think of him as the big brother I've never had. Sniff... Soon I became overwhelmed with getting some of these engines going and put an ad out for a small engine mechanic and met a super cool guy who's good with engines and great with fabrication. A good friend now too. Then there's the old guy I just met who's retiring his lawn mower repair business. In the last month I've bought Power Bee's 580, 820 and 500 all NOS never run for peanuts. Then of course there are all of you. Hate to mention names because you always leave someone out by accident but I have to mention AJaxmini who although I've never even met him face to face, has been extremely helpful to me. Dudes always at the other end of an email whenever I need him. Trinik7597 with the Stellar wheel help. Notsominbike for a whole cache of parts I never would have found. Cheezy1 with the impossible to find Stellar brake shoes. Havasu Dave for teaching me Tecumseh timing with a dial indicator in a way I FINALLY understood it (God is that a useful skill!), George3 for coming though with the Roper gas tank while I was in LA. Boy was that good timing. MotoBunny on the Instagram side of things is like some kind of Briggs savant and great pics! Etc etc etc.... I've met or been in contact some really cool people in the last year. All because of these silly little toys from our youth.
So thanks go out to this glorious webpage. Not sure what the next year has in store for me but it aint gonna be pretty. But I'm glad I’ve got this hobby to keep my mind on something else for a few quiet hours in the garage each day. Even though half the time it's pretty frustrating! Haha!
To another year!
Your pal,
JT
