What years were these manufactures in business?

TACO Don

TACO Don

Member
#1
#1
I'm trying to put together a timeline of manufactures from the first
generations of mini bikes. and dose any one know when the term mini bike was first used? and who do you think made the first mini bike?

1. Go-Kart Cycle - 1958 to 1963

2. L’il Indian - 1959 to Present

3. Skat Kitty - 1960 to 1970

4. Falco Caper Cycle - ?

5. Bug Flea - ?

6. Fox - ?

7. Savage Scooter - ?

8. Bonanza - 1962 to ?

9. Rupp - 1962 to ?

10.TACO - 1963 to 1971

11. Trail Horse - ?

12. Alexander Renolds - ?

13. Bearcat - ?

14. Burro - ?

15. Speedway - ?

16. Cat - ?

17. Artic Cat - ?
 
J

jimh

#3
#3
There's another thread somewhere on here about who made the first mini. I think in the end it was undecided. Don't forget Bird in your timeline.
 
TACO Don

TACO Don

Member
#4
#4
Added Ruttman and Bird.
Thanks.

1. Go-Kart Cycle - 1958 to 1963

2. L’il Indian - 1959 to Present

3. Skat Kitty - 1960 to 1970

4. Falco Caper Cycle - ?

5. Bug Flea - ?

6. Fox - ?

7. Savage Scooter - ?

8. Bonanza - 1962 to ?

9. Rupp - 1962 to ?

10. TACO - 1963 to 1971

11. Trail Horse - ?

12. Alexander Renolds - ?

13. Bearcat - ?

14. Burro - ?

15. Speedway - ?

16. Cat - ?

17. Artic Cat - ?

18. Ruttman - ?

19. Bird - ?
 
CaliJeff

CaliJeff

New Member
#8
#8
Steens Taco years look to be about right. I think that Tacos were then manufactured for a couple of years after that somewhere in Texas. Recently, Taco was purchased from the Texas folks by Joe Reveilo and begining in 2004 (??? ask Joe on his site) started making the 22 again. Yup, you can buy a new one. :thumbsup:

You also forgot Myers/Lynx. Rumored to be manufactured by Steens in the 60s.
 
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G

guyw

New Member
#9
#9
Tote Gote

Also, I have a Mountaineer (similar to Tote Gote), built by Yard Marvel Mfg Co. of Spokane Washington. They stopped building these in the '60s.
 
C

cruiserjoe

New Member
#12
#12
Bug Engineering made the Flea starting in 1959 with a Clinton A400, then changed the frame and offered a West Bend 580 in 1960 and also offered a Hodaka 90 w/four speed shift in 1962. Seems like they quit scooters in 1964.
 
tomsprops

tomsprops

Active Member
#14
#14
I think the Flea offered a Yamaha 125cc not a Hodaka ? I also Have a original Flea ! Here's a article saying how it was the FIRST Minibike !


 
steven Durham

steven Durham

#16
#16
Don't forget the Powell or the Flexo Big bear Scrambler . Flexo was a very early manufacture as well as Powell I just don't know the dates. I made contact with Flexo last in about 1983 and they were still going then.
Steve :scooter:
 
INJUNTOM

INJUNTOM

#17
#17
I think you left out a few Don. I'm sure I forgot a few, but these are the ones I have brochure images of:

All American
Alexander-Reynolds (ARCO)
Arctic Cat
Asuza
Atlas
Attex
Bandit
BearKat
Beehod (Amphicat)
Benelli
Bird Engineering
Blazer
Bonanza
Bond
Bronnco
Brooks
Buffalo
Bug (Flea)
Burro (Not El Burro)
Caper
Carabela
Cat
Centaur
Chapparral
Cheeftah
Chibi
Coleman
Columbia (MTD)
Comette (Not Comet)
Cougar
Couparral (Not Chapparral)
Cowan-Boze
Cushman
Cyclops
Di Blasi
Doodle Bug
El Tigre
Electa-Mite
Engray-Maico
Flexo
Foremost (Golden Pinto)
Fox
Fury Bird
Gemini
Gilson (Wards, Chalmers, etc.)
Go Devil
Go Kart
Grand Prix
Harley Davidson
Heald
Heathkit
Herters
Hillcat
Honda
Hound Dog
Huffy
Indian (Not Lil Indian)
K&S
Kawasaki
Keystone
King O Lawn
Lil Butch
Lil Indian (Not Indian)
Manco
Maverick
Meyers
Micro Mfg
MiniMate/TrailMate
Minico
Moto Skeeter
Murray
Mustang
Nova
Pace Setter
Pak jak
Penneys
Pony
Powell
Powerdyne
Quarterhorse
Republic (Barris bikes on Stellar chassis)
Retek
Rocket Cycle
Rogue 400
Roma
Roper
Rupp
Ruttman
Savage
Scamper
Skat Kat
Scat Kitty
Sensation
Ski Doo
Speedway
Sportstyle
Steens
Stellar
Super Brute
Suzuki
Taco
Thomas
Timberline
Tote Gote
Trail Champ
Trail Ram
Trail Sport
Trail Tractor
Trail Horse
Trailmaster
Trak Cycle
Trans Sport
Trapper
Trojan
TS-5
Tule Trooper
Turf Master
Simplex Mfg
Valmobile
Van Tech
Wildcat (Harrison)
Wyse Cycle
Yerf Dog
Zebra
 
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Yellowhand

Yellowhand

#20
#20
The kid on the back of the Cushman in this pic has been researching the historical records for Nebraska-made minibike brands...he recently showed me some stuff he'd found for Sensation, which was the first minibike he gave me when I was a kid.
 
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