Taco minibikes are back!

[cameron.arnott]

Taco Mini Bikes - The Ultimate Mini Bike of the 1960's is back

Anyone else digging these!

Taco polo anyone!!??

[DARISC]

Back in the early '70s I was kicking around in San Blas and almost bought a well used one, really cheap, from a young Mexican local who was always buzzing around the village on it. I thought it was really cool and fun to ride, but I couldn't fit it into my old VW bus.

At least I'm pretty sure it was a Taco. Were there similar looking scooters back then?

[JJ 911SC]

Look like fun...

[Zeke]

The originals were called Doddlebugs. They can be had cheap still, but the collectors have had them in their sights for a few years.

[A930Rocket]

Never heard of a Taco, but saw similar hardtail minibikes with a gas rank on the engine. Very cheap and basic.

Always wanted one. :crying:

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by milt

The originals were called Doddlebugs....

Yeah! Now I remember the name; it was definitely a Doodlebug.

[dan88911]

Will likely be banded in california.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by dan88911

Will likely be banded in california.

Like birds, right?

Probably 'cause they don't float and the state don't want nobody to get drownded.

What a silly state.

[MikeD930]

Just took a look at a Taco website...noticed that this minibike has a Honda engine? It's so wrong (except for reliability). Seems it would be more proper to have a Briggs & Stratton engine. Am I right??? That's what my older brother's minibikes had back in the early 70's.

[porsche4life]

Taco Polo?! I'm game..... Never had one growing up, moved straight to small derty bikes. A mini bike looks fun tho!

[dan88911]

Originally Posted by DARISC

Like birds, right?

Probably 'cause they don't float and the state don't want nobody to get drownded.

What a silly state.

I should have said prohibited. Due to emissions standards.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by dan88911

I should have said prohibited. Due to emissions standards.

You're probably right.

[Jeff Higgins]

I don't remember ever riding one with a swingarm frame. How cool is that? Gotta love the leading link fork, too.

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Never heard of a Taco, but saw similar hardtail minibikes with a gas rank on the engine. Very cheap and basic.

Always wanted one. :crying:

I had a Rupp. I can't remember it having any suspension on it at all. A bunch of us rode them to school. Had to hide them in the field behind the school so as not to get caught with them. They'd probably be stolen nowadays!

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by MikeD94

...Seems it would be more proper to have a Briggs & Stratton engine...

Some early ones had Clinton engines.

Doodle Bug Scooters - AACA Forums

[M.D. Holloway]

How much $$$ fo da Taco Paco?

[DARISC]

[LWJ]

I had one. I stared at my neighbors neglected bike through the fence for a couple of years until I offered to buy it. He gave it to me instead! Rusty. Missing cables. You know the drill. I fixed it as far as my 12 year old self could but ran out of technical ability. I think my Dad did this purposely as he didn't want me to kill myself. Eventually, the kid down the street got it and had it running. Damn! I always wanted to ride that.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by 944Larry

I had a Rupp. I can't remember it having any suspension on it at all. A bunch of us rode them to school. Had to hide them in the field behind the school so as not to get caught with them. They'd probably be stolen nowadays!

I had a Rupp too. No suspension and a piece of steel that pressed up against the rear wheel as a brake.

I learned to weld because of that bike. I had a habit of breaking the downtube of the frame driving it off curbs and such. Eventually, my dad got tired of doing it and showed me how.

I think it originally had a 2HP Husky motor we blew up, then I put a 5HP Briggs in it.
Anybody else ever rebuild one of those recoil spring pull starts? Chewed up a few fingers doing that..

[Green 912]

Brings back memories. I had one in the mid 70s that looked about the same but hard frame. I bought it for $5 with bad motor. I bent the frame open with a bumper jack and crammed in an 8 HP Briggs and Stratton motor off a busted water pump. Used a centrifugal clutch that was not meant for a mini bike as it locked up into 0 slip at 900 RPM or so. The bike would go into warp speed and well past critical wobble stage unless you were careful. The motor stuck so far out to one side that it would fall over unless you were holding it and the spark plug was right next to your leg I zapped myself a few times before I added a block of wood to rest my leg on. I sometimes wonder why I am still alive.