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Mini Choppers


During the past few years, the mini chopper has become extremely popular. They are much more affordable than full size choppers and can be built in a small shop or garage by anyone with a few basic skills and tools. In the short time that these mini bikes have been around, they have been revealed in countless styles, colors, shapes and forms.

This web site is designed to bring together a collection of information about mini choppers and to offer some assistance to the home builder, including how-to information, links to parts suppliers, photos of home-grown mini choppers, and more.

Mini choppers are a very popular item these days with little boys wanting one of their own. However, adults can ride them as well, as some of these mini bikes hold anywhere from 200-300 lbs.

Imagine riding along at 70 miles an hour, the wind blowing through your hair, the comforting throaty-purr of the engine beneath you. Nothing bothers you. You simply enjoy the road, the freedom, and your chopper motorcycle.

Here are some suggestions how not to drive your mini chopper in order to prolong its health:

1) Driving too slowly: A centrifugal clutch starts to engage around 2,000 rpm and will lock up around 2,600 rpm. Driving at speeds that allow the clutch to fully engage gives the clutch a chance to cool down.

2) Short stop and go driving: The longer you drive at high throttle the better off it is for the engine because it gives the engine a chance to cool off before the next engagement.

3) Driving with the foot on the brake: This is a problem with new drivers that are unsure of themselves. When riding a mini chopper for the first time, try to find an open area that has no obstacles that you have to maneuver around until you get use to the brake and gas pedals. The driver must first be able to build up his or her confidence on the mini chopper before putting obstacles in their path.

4) Changing the size of the tires. Putting on tires that are larger than what came with the mini chopper will result in driving problems. If you are driving on smooth flat terrain than you may be able to get by with 14" tires but once you get on hilly terrain, deep grass, then you are putting additional strain on the clutch, which will cause premature wear. Big tires look cool on a mini chopper but you create your own problem changing to a bigger tire when the mini chopper isn't designed to handle them.

5) Weight: A good rule of thumb is the mini chopper and driver (and passenger when it is a two seat mini chopper) should not exceed 400 pounds. The cart weighs around 150 pounds add to this the driver (and passenger weight, if it is a two seater mini chopper). If you know ahead of time that you will exceed the 400 pounds then buy a torque converter mini chopper and avoid the problems of burning up the engine asking it to do more than it was designed for.

6) Restrictions: Do not try and reduce a mini chopper's speed by limiting the travel of the gas pedal or by putting a restrictor in the carburetor to limit full rpm. To slow down a mini chopper you would need to purchase a gear reduction unit, which is like training wheels on a mini chopper until the driver gets accustomed to how the mini chopper handles. A gear reduction unit can reduce the speed of the mini chopper in half.