Taco Vs Bonanza

[Dibbons]

When i was a youngster circa 1969 (12 or 13 years-old) I purchased my very own Bonanza mini-bike just like Ricky, the neighbor across the street, was "driving". This was at the Calif-Kart Sales showroom in San Jose, CA (see add photo). If I remember correctly, mine had no lights, no rear suspension, and a worthless front suspension (hardly any fork travel at all). I changed the jack-shaft sprocket for more top speed. It was one speed with the centrifugal clutch.

My next door neighbor Chris, then joined the "club" when he purchased a purple Taco brand machine. I drove mine mainly on Dads 200-plus acre agricultural property in Milpitas, CA. But at home, we had a "circular" type driveway and there I would run laps down the sidewalk directly in front of our house then into the curved driveway and back around again. I did not use the paved street in front of the house.

One day I challenge Chris to a drag race. I use the short stretch of sidewalk (as usual) in front of our house and he sets up on the street alongside me. Off we go and up pulls a CHP patrol car. Gives us both citations and Dad has to later accompany me to juvenile court where we met with some government official where I expressed my remorse. (In 1983, I graduated from the CHP Academy, first in my class). I am guessing a neighbor must have called the CHP on us. It was the only time I saw a CHP patrol car in our quiet neighborhood.

 

[Darter6]

I was a mini bike nut back in the 60's. I had a Fox. Mine was used for $30.
New Fox bikes were about the same as the Bonanza photo above around $120-$150.
Just like Muscle Cars of today the vintage bikes pull large dollars today.
A Fox Campus restored are priced at $6000 +.
And even though I'm in my 60's I STILL WANT ONE !

 

[Dibbons]

I eventually graduated to the Honda mini-trail fifty three-speed semi-automatic with factory full suspension (bored over/90 carb/ megaphone exhaust pipe) and finally the Harley Sportster (1000 four-speed).

 

[gtx6970]

My very first motorized moving "vehicle " was a Bridgestone Chibi mini bike. We had a couple acres so no need to be on the road with it.

But my brother and i road the crap out of that thing for a couple years.


Been so long ago.....i have no idea what ever happened to it.

 

[DeltaV]

 

[snakeyes]

View attachment 1142985

a lot of had that happen more than once

 

[Sahara]

In the very early seventies there was a big boom in mini bikes here in northern Canada. There were lots of Rupps, Keystone made a little two stroke, my older brother had a nice Arctic Cat. The wealthier kids had a Honda fifty or Kawasaki. My grandfather had a cool one called a Tote Goat in the late sixties. . Wish I had it, it was a cool thing.

 

[Darter6]

^^^^^^^ Post #5 That was me many a times.
The cops were nice and just screamed at us to give us a good scare.
Then they would make us push 'um home.If they got a call they would say "Remember, I SAID PUSH !!"
Of course when they were out of sight,We fired 'um up.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

This topic is one of my passions. I am not sure how many I have. As far as Taco VS Bonanza, they are both great bikes. The Bonanza with the Hodaka engine was pretty fast, but the fastest of all would have to be the Speedway silver shadow 125cc Sachs engine. Most of the 4 cycle engines were pretty equal depending on gearing or torque converter.
This is my silver shadow
View attachment 1143097

 

[Cojohnso1]

By early 70s what I really wanted was the new Honda 70. I worked and hussled my A$$ off to save $350. But my parents would not let me. Even while first saying "If you pay for." (Not believing an 11 year old can earn/raise $350 in one summer) Saying it was too dangerous.

I never fully forgave them until their passing. To the point I nearly bought one Two years ago. (It's bad when you're still pouting 50 years later?)

 

[64BEL]

I eventually graduated to the Honda mini-trail fifty three-speed semi-automatic with factory full suspension (bored over/90 carb/ megaphone exhaust pipe) and finally the Harley Sportster (1000 four-speed).

A bunch of us in our neighborhood had these and really tore up the trails on them in the mid '70s. Lots of fun.

 

[Dibbons]

The front fork suspension on those Hondas was super!

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

Here is a few more of mine

 

[Ron H]

The pic in post #5 isn't unfamiliar with me...though that was running my go-cart through some back streets. 2nd time was informed I'd no longer would have it if I was caught again. Then having to push the thing back home a mile with da cop following me in his squad. And riding a bud's mini it was ahh...thrilling when the handle bars came off making a jump off a hill. I suffered flattened gonads more than once on bikes. Ahh - da 60's were fun...wouldn't trade them though even if friggin video games were around then.

 

[polywideblock]

I had one of these, rockhopper

 

[Budnicks]

I earned the $$$ to buy them,
I didn't get them from my parents ever
or got them from my older cousin Joe for working/helping
on his stuff as pay... I got a few things from Joe like that...

I never got busted or stopped on the street with my
Taco 22 3.5hp (my stepbrother Tim had one too)

or the later more powerful, faster & lightly suspended
Taco 44 5hp version

I couldn't afford the Coyote, that was like dbl price

I was doing a paper route on my go-cart, it was muffled pretty well
about 1971-72-ish, I was 12-13

(homemade job, with a Mac 101 2 stroke/shifter
me & my cousin Joe had modified/built (he's a few years older than me)
bigger 10" wheels & tires like golf-carts,
for some off-road ground clearance
& my stepdad Bob for guidance & welding the critical parts,
we built it out of Joe's old org. go-cart, he got from Sears)
early one morning,
& I note, that I had done it before, a few times
in Cantaberry Village in Concord Ca, like 200+ papers (2 routes)
I had like 12 blocks of houses, between
Cape Cod Way, Clayton Rd & Treat Blvd.
it was a big route, for a young kid a couple, square miles...

Anyway I got pulled over by a Concord PD officer
red/blue-lighted me & all, he got on the PA
told me to pull it over to the curb
all official-like...
He then got out & asked me what I was doing ?
I told him;
"I'm delivering newspapers"
asked me if I knew it was illegal ?
then asked me if I did it before too ?
I said;
"Yes, affirmative on all the above"
I didn't lie, I told him I did it on my mini bike too
he sort of knew me, he was a customer/subscriber too...
Concord Tribune
I had collected from him before (usually on my bike)
he asked me where I lived & I told him Cobblestone Ct.
a few blocks away...

He then asked me;
how many papers I had left ?
I told him,
"I was on the last street before going home
maybe a dozen papers/subscribers on that street'
he told me go ahead, then followed me
let me deliver the rest of the papers
then he directed me to go home & he followed me home too
my stepdad Bob was gone for work already (Welder/Pipefitter)
thank goodness
my Mom was up drinking coffee & making breakfast
my sisters were still in bed, it was like 7:00am-ish by then...
I was usually home by 6:300am at the latest
so I was sort of late...

I parked my go-cart went to the front door with
Concord LEO in tow
my Mom saw it out the kitchen window
asked what did he do now ? thanks mom
the LEO told her;
"I was delivering my papers on the go-cart"
she had no clue, I don't think my stepdad Bob knew either
she wasn't happy, I knew I was in trouble
the LEO gives me a warning/written ticket & a court date summons
to appear in-front of a city/municipal Judge

I went to court on that date, IIRC like a week or so later
it was summer/school break time...
I sat thru the whole court proceedings I was the last
my last name begins with a U--, so I was used to that ****...
The judge was sort of cool
called me up by my full name including middle name
then he let me tell my story...
Then he asked;
why I did it & if I knew it was wrong/illegal ?
I gave him the best answer I could
it was way better than delivering off my Schwinn stingray bike
I could do all the papers in 1 trip not 2
get it done in 2 hrs total instead of almost 3
& I had done it before
it was very early mornings, there's not any traffic at all
I started out like 4:30am, get the papers off the front of the driveway
nobody is up all the street lights are still on etc.
roll the papers up & out by 5:00am (street light off)
He commended me for being a hard worker & taking charge
IIRC is what he said...

He sentenced me to write a 100-word essay on
why I shouldn't deliver papers on a Go-cart or mini-bike
come back the next week like IIRC on a Thursday
I wrote the 100-word essay
& I wrote another 500-word essay on why
I thought it was a good Idea & why it should be legal
(In my mind anyway)
He read them both aloud in court too...
& I noted that we should have designated places to be able to
ride our mini-bikes & go-carts
so we didn't get in trouble for just having fun...

He was a pretty cool Judge, let me off with no fine
or anything on my record...
He said I seemed to be a hard worker
asked what I spent all the $$ I earned on
I told him
"my bike, my mini-bike & go-cart, tires, gas, plugs & oil
the rest went to savings for a motorcycle/dirt bike, when my dad would let me"

Judge Said; to paraphrase
"I had a very convincing argument for my case...
BUT, if I got caught doing it again, I was going to be put on a
road-crew cleaning up garbage, for IIRC 4 weekend
& my mini-bike or go-cart
either or both/would be confiscated/impounded...
I'd have to pay to get them back...

I said; yes sir & thank you, sir
just like my Mom said I should...

I never did get caught again
I did do it a few more times too, just the mini-bike instead,
it was quieter...

 

[Darter6]

Aha,Scott, You got it bad.... Mini bike fever.I thought I was bad when I had 9.
All gone now.But I look every day. Guess I'll never grow up.
When I was about 10 I would leave the Sears and Penney's catalogs open to the Mini Bike page.
Didn't do a bit of good. Penney's $99 mini was too much for my folks.
By the way I'm really enjoying this. Thanks Guys !

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

I mowed yards and bought a JC Penny Golden Pinto ( I think I have 5 or so now ) My brother bought a Bird, Thunderbird. We road them to death. I always saved the frame of his old bike and rebuilt it for his 50th birthday. Some *** bag stole it last year.

 

[GrabberOrange69]

I got a Dart Kart, and my younger brother eventually got a Honda Trail 50. We both still have them, and in fact my profile pick is my kart. I need to restore it. Brother blew up the motor on my kart shortly after I left home.

 

[joe smith]

I knew of the Bonanza/ Hodaka's, but not the speedway.. Thanks for bringing back some memories..