![]() The basic concept of an internal combustion engine, a chassis, and suspension have always been the primary elements of every motorsport. Then I ask how can I make that better?” Obviously this mantra falls a little short today with all kinds of advanced electronics suites, but the general idea still rings true. Mick says the majority of what he was able to achieve by his mid-30’s boils down to “Curiosity and innovation.” His philosophy is straight forward: “Be curious of how that works, or why this exists, or what makes it happen. The company’s offerings were distinguishable via their bold bright red paint digs and grew to become a household name alongside the likes of Honda or Yamaha. His mini garnered an enormous interest from fellow motorsport enthusiasts at the track and he claims he had roughly two-dozen orders by the end of the weekend: “…And that’s when I figured I should get into the minibike business,” he explained to Motorcyclist Online in 2015. He brought his to Mid Ohio Sports Car Course where he utilized the collapsible-scoot as a pit bike. ![]() Rupp built two foldable mini bikes around this time – one for him and one for a friend. The Ohio native was an avid auto-racing enthusiast and USAC racecar driver in the 1960’s – he actually finished in sixth place in the Indy 500 one year. Over the next decade Rupp would pursue this full-time and expand his repertoire to include mini bikes and snowmobiles while his company would experience exponential growth. Those around him in the local karting community took notice of the then 23-year-old Rupp’s handy-work and people started placing orders with him. Initially, he ordered a few kits that he got to work on improving and customizing for superior performance. Mick seriously knew his way around an engine and set of wheels so when go-karting rose to popularity in the late 1950’s it caught his attention and it wasn’t long before he got involved. ![]() The American manufacturer sadly closed its doors in ’78 after filing for bankruptcy, but before that would happen it would produce go-karts, ATV’s, dune buggies, dirt bikes, mini bikes, snowmobiles, and some out-there designs that are hard to even classify. ![]() “Mick” Rupp a then unemployed construction worker who was an engineering whiz. The company was founded in Mansfield, Ohio in 1959 by Herbert E. They produced a vast range of motorized on and off-road toys and even managed to hold its own for a while against Japan’s stranglehold on the industry once the Z50 Mini Trail debuted. The story of Rupp Manufacturing (or Industries) is a fascinating one with a history spanning almost two decades. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |