Trying to recollect a chopper we had......

67lilindian

67lilindian

Member
#1
#1
I've looked around and can't find anything on a chopper mini bike as I remember it. It was early 70s. It was typical easyrider in your face red/white/blue.....I don't remember the scheme. I do know there was metalflake in the seat. There was no rear suspension or seat shocks. I think the fork may have been rigid as well/no suspension. Centrifugal clutch, not torque converter. Doesn't seem like it would be hard to find but every red/white/blue I found has so sort of rear suspension.

Any thoughts on what it is I'm remembering? Thanks!
 
Addicted 2 Minis

Addicted 2 Minis

Well-Known Member
#3
#3
Sounds like a Manco Stars and Stripes to me minus the suspension. Cat was probably the only ones without suspension but I don't think they had a red/white/blue color scheme.
 
67lilindian

67lilindian

Member
#5
#5
Triley41395 said:
Was it a traditional looking mini chopper like a Bonanza? Could it have been a semi-chopper looking bike like a Cat All American ?
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It was very chopper-esque.....not a regular mini they tried to make look like a chopper.



Addicted 2 Minis said:
Sounds like a Manco Stars and Stripes to me minus the suspension. Cat was probably the only ones without suspension but I don't think they had a red/white/blue color scheme.
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We rode that thing a lot and it was before 1976 so it wasn't bicentennial......it had to be take-off of "easyrider". I believe it was a high-back seat and possibly a sissy bar or some sort of combination of the 2.


Ginz61 said:
Another possibility?
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The stellar chopper looks similar but I believe the seat was down on the rear tire more like a chopper and it had an engine mounted tank.


Thanks guy! You've already come up with more than I could find but I'm still not seeing what I remember.

Funny story...I do remember burning the clutch up trying to climb hills that a mini bike (much less a chopper) was not supposed to climb.....fun times for sure!
 
1

1971_MB1A

Well-Known Member
#6
#6
67lilindian said:
It was very chopper-esque.....not a regular mini they tried to make look like a chopper.





We rode that thing a lot and it was before 1976 so it wasn't bicentennial......it had to be take-off of "easyrider". I believe it was a high-back seat and possibly a sissy bar or some sort of combination of the 2.




The stellar chopper looks similar but I believe the seat was down on the rear tire more like a chopper and it had an engine mounted tank.


Thanks guy! You've already come up with more than I could find but I'm still not seeing what I remember.

Funny story...I do remember burning the clutch up trying to climb hills that a mini bike (much less a chopper) was not supposed to climb.....fun times for sure!
Click to expand...
They made a version of the Cat/Jcp (common purple colored chopper) that was red,white,and blue.
 
67lilindian

67lilindian

Member
#7
#7
1971_MB1A said:
They made a version of the Cat/Jcp (common purple colored chopper) that was red,white,and blue.
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Oh my goodness! I found the purple version and it seems to check all the right boxes. Would love to see a r/w/b version. I saw a pic from a 1974 JCP catalog but didn't see the chopper mini bike. Do you know what year JCP offered it? The wealth of knowledge here is amazing....thanks!
 
67lilindian

67lilindian

Member
#11
#11
The white frame JCP did not seem like it. The frame was blue, I believe, and there was some red w/ stripes in there. 45t, I think you nailed it. I kept thinking stars n stripes but it was pre '76 so, it didn't seem right but, I believe that's it! I would love to find one of those. Would it have been around'74? Looks like you have a frame.....I was thinking Tecumseh. Thanks guys!
 
45t

45t

Well-Known Member
#13
#13
67lilindian said:
45t, I think you nailed it. I kept thinking stars n stripes but it was pre '76 so, it didn't seem right but, I believe that's it! I would love to find one of those. Would it have been around'74? Looks like you have a frame.....I was thinking Tecumseh. Thanks guys!
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Unfortunately I don’t have a Stars and Stripes chopper. I did have a duster, but I sold it several years ago. I think the Stars and Stripes will be very hard to find in its original form. If you wanted to build one, I’d recommend getting ahold of a duster and building it into a Stars and Stripes. The duster and Stars and Stripes is the same bike, just different color. The choppers did originally come with a tecumseh, I think it was 3.5hp.
 
67lilindian

67lilindian

Member
#14
#14
45t said:
Unfortunately I don’t have a Stars and Stripes chopper. I did have a duster, but I sold it several years ago. I think the Stars and Stripes will be very hard to find in its original form. If you wanted to build one, I’d recommend getting ahold of a duster and building it into a Stars and Stripes. The duster and Stars and Stripes is the same bike, just different color. The choppers did originally come with a tecumseh, I think it was 3.5hp.
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You are probably right....would be very difficult to find an original! And getting a Duster and converting it would be my best option. Yes, a Tecumseh 3-1/2 is what I remember. Cool thing is though, now I'm at least 99% sure of what it was. Now that I know, I can decide if I want to pursue one and put it in my growing list of projects to get to. Thanks guys!
 
f4radar

f4radar

Well-Known Member
#16
#16
I’ve got this one it’s a 1971 JCP duster, it came with a 3hp TEC. I put an hs50 and some front pegs on it. I was riding it yesterday and at 6’ 175lbs it’s just too sits to awkward for me to get comfortable but it looks pretty cool so I keep it.

DA8E2C1C-3888-4F1F-8D85-C4CE04C87EFD.jpeg
 
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