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Just saw an ad on Motortrend for the Mecum auto Auction in Las Vegas coming up. TV coverage starts 28 Jan I think. They will have a large set of motorcycle collections. Some killer stuff, one of my favorites, a Rupp collection! I had a Rupp growing up, oh the memories! And the Ordway collection is pretty awesome. Look to the left and down some under the "collections" tab of either page and you can see the other collections that will be up for sale.

https://www.mecum.com/auctions/las-vega ... ollection/
https://www.mecum.com/auctions/las-vega ... ollection/

Some cool Rupp info. Pretty sweet. I never knew their story, just loved my scrambler!

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Rupp Manufacturing, Inc. was founded in 1959 by Mickey Rupp with just eight employees in a 3,000-square-foot facility in Mansfield, Ohio. During that first year, Rupp manufactured only the intriguing Dart Kart—a 206cc go-kart with a chain-to-live rear-axle setup. The company continued to focus on these simple four-wheeled freedom jousters until their introduction to minibikes in 1962.

The decision makers at Rupp noticed a market shift and expanded company production in order to add minibikes to the Rupp lineup. Rupp made 1,000 minibikes in the first year, and by 1964, Rupp had created a few snowmobile prototypes as well. Progressing into 1965, the company became a snowmobile manufacturer producing 500 machines.

In 1963 and 1964, Rupp supplied go-karts and minibikes to Sears, successfully selling through the company’s widely appreciated Sears Catalog. The 1963-style Rupp Dart Cycle minibike was sold up until 1964 in the Sears Catalog as the sought-after "Sears Cycle.”
By 1969, Rupp employed more than 400 people in an 180,000-square-foot facility, producing a multitude of recreational machines including, but not limited to, minibikes, ATVs and go-karts, followed by five distinguished models of Snow-Sport snowmobiles.

In 1970, Rupp sales topped $30 million, and owner Mickey Rupp was honored as one of the "Outstanding Young Men of America." Rupp produced 35,000 snowmobiles that same year.

By 1971, Rupp was employing 850 people and had invested in a research center, administration building, all-purpose proving grounds, a styling building, and even had some automatic computerized operations.

This Rare Rupp Collection comprises five special examples of the company’s now-classic creations, which include models ranging from years 1969 to 1972. All have received frame-off, complete cosmetic restorations while still retaining several original parts including motor, frame, seat and tires. The original factory color was also used during the restoration to preserve the originality of each model. The collection includes a hard-to-find, matching pair of 1971 Roadsters (Lots S8 and S9), both restored to their original green finish.

The last Rupp in the collection is the famed “Black Widow.” Considered by many Rupp enthusiasts to be the holy grail of minibikes and an essential piece in anyone’s collection, it has also received a meticulous frame-off restoration while keeping key original components, such as the seat, tires and fenders, in place. This Rupp, like so many other special vehicles Rupp produced with consistency, is a truly rare and difficult model to find in today’s marketplace. Browse this Rupp Collection and reminisce about your own days of minibike-cruising while exploring your options to make a few more of those great Rupp memories in the seat of a new-to-you classic example.

Thanks for the history lesson. (For real, I enjoy history) All new info to me

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I just spent the morning browsing through all 47 pages finding all the cool motorcycles I've lusted after most of my life. Many of them are in there like the Ducati 916 and a few throw backs like an RD400. I had an itch for that Yamaha back in my racing days and thought it would have made a fun track bike.

So Bill, thanks for causing me to waste the morning on that! (but it was fun...)

Twist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:40 am So Bill, thanks for causing me to waste the morning on that! (but it was fun...)

You are quite welcome my Nappytown brother! There are so many cool bikes in there I grew up lusting after. All of the 60's and 70's British bikes are just so awesome to see. Like I said, I saw those RUPP'S and man the hours I spent on mine as a young kid. So cool

I had a 85 RZ350 Kenny Roberts replica (Red one), the last of the 2stroke street bikes in the US. It was a bad little mamma jamma-When those power valves came on, that thing would scream!