unknown big mini bike

pete108

pete108

New Member
#1
#1
Hi guys,

My uncle has had this mini bike for over 20 years. I'm told it has a Triumph motor, 2 cylinder. It's has a torque converter on it. Sorry I don't have any pictures of the other side, I ask my dad to take some pictures. I guess he though the other side wasn't important :). Anyway anyone know what it is? I think it's home built. It has 2 gas tanks. The second one is in the front where the head light would be. What do you think of it?





 
J

jimh

#5
#5
The engine is older than '63. They went to a unit engine,with motor and tranny in one set of cases in 1963. Looks like a pre-unit 500 or 650. Looks like something they used to climb the widowmaker in Austria. Real cool too.
 
bikesisbikes

bikesisbikes

#6
#6
Certainly looks like a 60's Triumph engine. I agree, one of the tanks, the smaller one, is probably for oil.
The whole thing looks home built, but the builder had a lot of experience. It is, what we would call, a tractor, not a mini.
Great find and a very classic piece of American home made enginuity.
P.S. The engine alone is worth a couple hundred just for the cases. If that's of any interest to you.
 
Jleon

Jleon

New Member
#8
#8
Would love to see the other side. I see a battery and a coil. Didn't those old Triumphs come with some funky old problamatic ignition? Can't think of the name.:confused1:
 
deezildennis

deezildennis

Active Member
#9
#9
looks like like the oil tank is behind the coil.
And a Bug kart tank on the front?

I'd have to find some way to get that thing licensed! :)
I'd bet it would be a handful with a gear box in it.
 
J

jimh

#10
#10
They had Lucas ignition. Looks like he put some car 12v coils on it. I put bosch coils and a Volvo resistor on mine. They run for years. No, those are Lucas coils, but the look like later models.
 
Last edited:
pete108

pete108

New Member
#11
#11
My uncle still owns the bike. This bike is very powerful and fast. I would like to say that it has a ski-doo clutch on it, this thing is like 8" in diameter. Next time my dad is up at my uncle's lodge I'll get him to take pictures of the other side. I'm positive that both tanks are being used for gas.

You are also right about American home made ingenuity. I'm told that this was built by an American customer who would come up and fish at my uncle's lodge. He usually stayed the summer and help my uncle sometimes. He usually left all his stuff at the lodge since he came back every year. He passed away one winter and no one came to get his stuff.
 
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