Build Your Own Minibike

Enlarge Image Image Gallery When Tim rides, abides by this code: Think safety, respect nature, and always wear helmet. Young Johnson brought together components from several sources to assemble his $60 minibike.

MOTHER'S CHILDREN

This 13-year-old built a scooter for only $60!

MOTHER feels strongly that youths can be creative "Doers,"working toward more ecological and self-reliant lifestyles . . . whether their tasks be raising chickens on a farm or maintaining rooftop container gardens in the city. To support the endeavors of our often overlooked "underage" citizens, we're glad to publish well-written articles from younger children and teenagers concerning projects they've undertaken. However, we recommend that all young authors query (that is, send us a letter telling about the story they'd like to do) before writing a full article. Address inquiries to Mother's Children, MOTHER EARTH NEWS, P.O. Box 70, Hendersonville, NC 28793.

Like many other kids, I wanted a minibike I could scoot around on. But most new minibikes cost from $260 to $450. I couldn't afford that — I only had $70!

One day while I was working with my dad, I got the idea of making my own minibike. I told my dad. He said I could try, but he doubted I could really do it.

That didn't stop me. The first thing I did was to start looking for a used engine with a side shaft. I tried hardware stores and also shops that repaired lawn mowers and small engines. The best-priced engine I found was a 3-horsepower Tecumseh with a 5/8" side shaft. It cost me $35.

Then I started the hard job — looking for a minibike frame. After trying junkyards and other places, I finally found one in a lawn mower repair shop. It had a size #35 chain, brakes, tires, chain sprocket, throttle grip, and throttle cable . . . and it only cost me $5!

There was just one thing left that I needed: a centrifugal clutch (that's the kind of automatic clutch that engages when you accelerate the engine). It had to have the same size hole as my engine shaft, as well as gear teeth that would fit my chain. So once again I began looking in shops. In a hardware store, I found a new centrifugal clutch that would do. It cost me $20.