The Mecum Orlando 2021 auction on July 30 at the Orange County Convention Center will be featuring Mini Cycle Collection auction—six vintage mini motorcycles ranging from 1969 to 1979. Let’s run through these six minis up for auction—all but one with no reserve. We will start with the newest and running through to the oldest of the collection.
1979 Suzuki JR50
This little oil-injected two-stroke debuted in 1978 and ran through 2006, starting the career of countless riders. It featured an auto-clutch one-speed transmission with a secret second speed that knowledgeable adults could access when the time came for the young rider to go a bit faster. It weighed just 84 pounds with its half-gallon fuel tank filled and had a seat height of 19 inches. This example has the original motor and frame, and has had a complete cosmetic restoration.
1974 Honda MR50 Elsinore
Following in the footsteps of the Honda CR125 and CR250 Elsinore motocross racers was the trail- and beginner-friendly MR50. This is a first-year model, and was affectionately known as the Baby Elsinore. The kickstart two-stroke motor ran on premix and was matched to a three-speed transmission with a manual clutch—no coddling here. The frame and engine are original, and this MR50 Elsinore has enjoyed a frame-off cosmetic restoration.
1973 Indian MM5A Mini Mini
This is the second generation of the Indian MM5A Mini Mini line, when Alan Newman owned the brand. A different example made the cover of the August 13, 1973 issue of Sports Illustrated as a racebike with a top speed of 12 mph. It is powered by a single-speed, 1.5-horsepower, Morini 48cc motor with an Italjet chassis design, and assembled in Taiwan. This Indian Mini Mini ran before storage, after it received a comprehensive cosmetic restoration.
1971 Honda Trail 70 CT70H
The big brother of the famous Honda Mini Trail 50, the Honda Trail 70 featured a pressed-steel frame and full suspension. This 1971 Honda CT70H is the four-speed manual-clutch edition, making it much rarer than the three-speed auto-clutch Trail 70. This is a street-legal dual-sport motorcycle in a diminutive form, so you might be able to ride it around town. This example has had a full cosmetic restoration and has 745 miles on the odometer. The sell asserts that it’s a runner.
1970 Honda Trail 90 CT90
While we don’t consider the CT90 to be a mini, Honda does place its offspring, the Honda Trail 125, in its MiniMoto lineup. So, in this case, we’ll be lenient with its categorization as a mini cycle. Much of this 1970 Honda Trail 90 is original, including the seat, exhaust, and an odometer with 955 miles accumulated. We do notice that the turn indicators are from a later edition, however. To make it accessible to inexperienced riders, the Trail 90 featured a three-speed transmission with a heel/toe shifter and automatic clutch. Recently serviced, this 1970 Honda Trail 90 looks ready to go.
1969 Indian MM5A Mini Mini Bambino
This is an Indian from the famous Floyd Clymer era of the brand. The tiny 1969 Indian Mini Mini Bambino was built in Italy by Italjet for Clymer’s Indian. Italjet sold the same motorcycle with the model designation MM-5A (yes, hyphens matter!). The motor is similar to the 1973 edition, though the 1969 Morini motor has a rearward kickstart, while the 1969 had a forward kickstarter. The original seat on this example has the Mini Mini Bambino logo. There are plenty of other original parts (including the chrome) on this cosmetic restoration of a motorcycle purchased from the original owner. This 1969 Indian Mini Mini Bambino recently ran, so it should be kick-and-go. This is the one auction of the six that has a reserve.
Photography of the Mini Cycle Collection Auction motorcycles courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
