If one engine is good, two engines are better, right? Yes, that’s almost always the case, at least when it comes to custom minibikes. 12 horsepower is a lot for a minibike and the seller of this custom 1969 Rupp Roadster Twin-Engine Minibike appears to have done a nice job of fabrication and customization. The seller has this monster posted here on Facebook Marketplace in beautiful and historic Richmond, Virginia, and they’re asking $5,900. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Chuck F. for sending in this cool tip!
Rupp Industries was a powerhouse in the 1960s and early 70s, the era that I call the golden age of powersports. Sure, you can get a 4×4 ATV now with AC and power windows, but back in the 60s and 70s, kids literally dreamed about getting a minibike, snowmobile, or other off-road vehicle. Mickey Rupp started making go-karts in 1959 and sales took off. Minibikes came next and then some of the finest snowmobiles made, and a variety of other fun vehicles. $5,000 to $8,000 or so is the range for a nicely restored Rupp Roadster, so the seller’s asking price seems like a decent deal to me given the amount of fabrication that has been done.
The Rupp Roadster only had one engine from the factory, of course, and it was typically a 5hp Tecumseh pull-start motor, a big, wide one that stuck out from the tubular frame. It looked powerful and it was, at least for such a small minibike. I really like this custom two-engine Roadster but, scale-wise, I would have liked to see a thicker seat as would have been on the original Rupp Roadster. And in a feat of fancy fabrication, I would have attempted to elongate the gas tank to keep things more in scale with the stretched look of this hot rod. Overall, though, the seller/fabricator gets many gold stars for this super cool creation!
See what I mean about the seat thickness? It’s nitpicking and I’m sure the builder had a reason for leaving the original gas tank and making the seat a bit thinner. I’d probably go nuts and have the engine shrouds chromed to keep with the Rupp Roadster theme as a lot of them were chrome. This beast is powered by two 6hp Tecumseh engines but you don’t have to start them with the pull rope, the seller says that electric-start is a feature of this twin-engine ride. Rupp Roadsters had a two-speed automatic-clutch transmission and this one also has that feature, not to mention LED lighting, a GPS speedometer, and a title in the seller’s name. I would rather have this than the ’75 Honda Gold Wing that I recently bought, I wonder if they’d consider a trade? Have any of you seen a two-engine minibike?
You can always ask the seller to trade Scotty, the worst thing he could say is no thanks.
No Honda GL trades. The seat….i had a rupp style seat made and it had to be 10″ longer due to the frame stretch. It wasnt a good job so i came up with this slab seat and it fit so on it went. Gas tank…super rare, i had 2 of them on it for a while but with tanks bringing 500-1000$ now it had to go! And Rupps NEVER had chrome shrouds ever. Big block Tecumsehs were always white.
Ha, no worries on the trade, Mr. Hall! What a fantastic machine, very nice work, sir.
This takes me back to my childhood. Trying to be Evel Knievel on a single engine version of this. Picking gravel out of my skin almost daily. I might not be here to remember that if it had 2 engines.
I used to have a mini bike in the 60s loved it,I never knew there was one with two motors till now but for six thousand dollars,come on these prices on these things are rediculous
Hi al. 6K is normal for good minibikes. That gas tank alone brings 600 all day, chromed 1000. forks , brakes, engines, all those parts are top dollar these days. A clean stock 69 roadster [not my twin build] can bring 10,000 and more.
I built it in 2006. Stretched the frame 10″ and went from there. Designed a two speed automatic based on Rupps 1968 design, electric start, LED lighting, GPS speedometer. Its titled here in Va and street legal.
I can’t tell you how many frames (carts, bikes and we tried a trike once) we bolted a Tecumseh on to and held on!!! Great bloody fun.
Reminds me of the Hogslayer and Team Pegasus drag bikes. Both bikes had twin nitromethane burning Norton Commando engines.
This presumably is a bit less dramatic to ride but looks like fun.
Dig the mikuni carbs, but two six horse motors still equals the same as one 6hp. Unless ur goat pulling. Speed the same. 6k, no way boys. Buy a TACO, KICK THIS BIKES ASS!!
I had a Rupp, with the 5hp Tecumseh and that wonky torque converter. A kid on a QA 50 could get me off the line, but given time, that thing would go!
Had a 76? Rupp RMX 125. Not much suspension Sach engine. Pretty badass for the tim. Was the fastest in our neighborhood in it’s class
In the 60s we all had go karts and mini bikes and would go to lake Santee that had new asphalt but not much else in the way of development and let them fly. The Rupp 6 horse 2 speed was a really fast bike and well sorted,still a mini bike going 60 mph is kinda crazy. Kids today are seldom exposed to this.
I always lusted after one of those RMX’s!
If I want to kill myself I don’t need to spend 5900 bucks
My twin engine bike is not any faster. Max speed is governed by engine rpm and final gearing. What you do get is double is the torque. Because of that you CAN gear it longer for more top end if you want. This bike is smooth, easy to ride. It does about 50 flat out. I like to cruise 40 on it. The longer wheelbase makes it more stabil than a short minibike. So no killing yourself here!! LOL Im 68 and have ridden it since i created it in 2006.
You should just go buy a Honda mini trail then in mint condition. I screwed up about 10-12 years ago not buying one that day for sale for 700. Hind sight is 20/20. Since one went for 12k at the Barrett auction just a couple years ago.
First I want to thank you for your service and second, more accurately, you saved S. Vietnam from commies. I mean no disrespect, but here in the states, we simply turned off Walter Cronkite on the tube, and went riding our minibikes. I think a better solution could have solved both problems. I think you may be over dramatic in saying “day and night”. When night fell, the motors went silent. It was the parents, if any, you should have confronted rather than stewing revenge. I’m sure I pixxed off many in my neighborhood, we never gave it a thought. Noise to our folks meant all was well. Its when it got quiet, trouble a brewin’.
I’m always bummed to hear folks bad memories with most of what Scotty posts. It’s not fair, and you can knock it off. It’s not his, nor any of the authors intent to drag up old painful memories. Take this post, for example. Here you have something that won’t appeal to many, except the builder, as in most cases, but it really shows some imagination, like our dads years ago. Someones dad made this, and that’s pretty cool. Serves no real purpose whatsoever, poor in every way, but it was called IMAGINATION,,people. Something sorely missed today.
Personally , I feel they changed a really cool minibike, probably the coolest offerings then. I had a good friend that had a stock Roadster when I had my Honda 50, pre-drivers license era. It had a powerful Tecumseh( 5hp, always under rated) that he wired the governor open, and a centrifugal 2 speed, that pulled the front wheel up shifting. It easily dusted my Honda 50, until about 40 mph, when I slowly gained on him. I can’t see if that 2 speed is still there, looks like both motors connected to a final drive. The big rear sprocket tells me it’s a slug off the line. Tecumseh motors are powerful, yet finicky. I can only imagine 2 is finickier than 1. Still, kudos to the builder and SG. Go for the trade, this is way cooler than the GW.
I would think that the big rear sprocket would be better off the line.
Hi Howard. In restoring many Rupps of 68/69 era, you end up with extra stuff. This particular frame had been broken in half and stick welded back together. This is why i stretched it and put two snow blower engines on it. And you have your ratios confused. A larger rear sprocket is for mega torque off the line. A tiny rear sprocket gives top speed but is a “slug” off the line. This bike is not a slug. 12HP in first gear it will throw gravel and fly. Yes, i built a special 2 speed for it. It has 3 clutches, 2 jackshafts and 5 chains.
Let me get this right, so you put 2- 6 hp motors on a mini bike and call it 12 hp is that what I’m hearing, I don’t think 1-6hp motor will push another 6 hp motor any faster, maybe increase your torque but your not going to go faster.
Exactly. But since you have now doubled the torque, you can gear it out longer. Then you go faster. The engine rpms remain the same. They are not chained together, each has its own clutch. If one was to shut off, you can still cruise on the remaining engine. Im geared for a comfy 50. I dont push these antique engines very hard.
WOW people complain about project car prices, and this is a minibike for how much, get real.
Yeah its true. Clean Honda z50 mini trails are bringing 8000-16,000 on auction. I have many. Rupps are doing 12,000 and more. Its a popular hobby, and it really blew up with so much info available due to FB.
Old minibikes are getting up there in auction prices. It’s a phase getting a boost from gas prices. Compare to new fuel injected Honda 50-250cc street legal small bikes. The use of plastics in modern motorbikes if all types is why older rides with real metal parts are appealing. Some of the new retro rides are getting back to the mostly metal parts. Not quite enough, but enough to give them a look. For buyers paying big $$ for out bikes, scooters and mopeds it’s a nostalgia niche. If you have the $$$ to burn, it’s a hobby not taking up space like old cars, so I’ll say it’s too rich for me but I respect it. There’s old cars from all types of manufacturers with modest to terrible performance/mpg/reliability that command insane money. So this is no different. Just more practical regarding shop space.
Atta boy jeffery, just what i said. 2 6hp just one 6hp. Big sproket or not. This guy just wanna look cool.
Um, pretty excellent weed on the asking price. If course, if you’re rolling in the pizza dough, why not? Must be a blast. But you’re limited to where it’s allowed to be ridden legally.
A brand new Honda fuel injected with CDI ignition 125cc automatic Cub is around $4400 TT&L. The mini bike scooter Grom thing same engine fat balloon off-road tires is only a tad more, and can be street legal I believe. Like I said: Good weed. Nothing wrong with that.
Um, pretty excellent weed on the asking price. Of course, if you’re rolling in the pizza dough, why not? Must be a blast. But you’re limited to where it’s allowed to be ridden legally.
A brand new Honda fuel injected with CDI ignition 125cc automatic Cub is around $4400 TT&L. The mini bike scooter Grom thing same engine fat balloon off-road tires is only a tad more, and can be street legal I believe. Like I said: Good weed. Nothing wrong with that.
I had a Roadster II in the same color as a kid. Bought it from an older kid that had outgrown it, Road the snot out of it and it always ran good. Burned up our country road. Great little bikes
There’s a restaurant near me with a twin engine mini bike used as decor, so it is not the only one out there
Mickey Rupp just passed away last week in Mansfield, OH.
Interesting life
Read about is life on Facebook
Sorry to hear, I have read about his life story. Definitely interesting. I can blame him on my lifelong interest in motorcycles… My first Rupp was a used Goat in 1968, been riding ever since. R.I.P.
twin is long since sold.