The Honda Elite is one of the most common scooters of the 80s. It was introduced in 1984 as a 125cc model, though the next year it became a 150. It was sold in the US for another three years. The “Elite” title was given to a family of models ranging from 50 to 250cc. It was known as the …
1960 Moto Guzzi Galletto
Post Listing Update: This Galletto was pulled off eBay due to an error in the listing. Carlo Guzzi was one of Moto Guzzi’s three co-founders back in 1921, and he was the brainchild behind a scooter/motorcycle hybrid called the Galletto (cockerel in Italian). Over approximately 15 years of production, 75,000 units were sold.
1967 Fuji Rabbit 90 S-202
Post Listing Update: This Rabbit did not meet reserve despite 22 bids up to $750 on eBay in Richmond, Michigan. Japan’s first scooter was built in 1946 by Fuji. Called the Rabbit S-1, it was released six months before Vespa’s first model. The Rabbit was the name given to Fuji’s scooter lineup, and it ranged from the top-of-the-line Superflow down …
Export Model – 1967 Honda P50
Post Sale Update: This P50 sold for $2,200 after 47 bids on eBay. Honda has an extensive history with small displacement scooters and mopeds, but the P50 stands out as it was the last time the firm utilized a motor-wheel design (in which the drivetrain is all housed within the hub of the drive wheel). Most motor-wheel designs across the …
1978 Puch Sport MKII
Post Listing Update: This Puch did not meet reserve despite 46 bids up to $1,095 on eBay. 1973 was a bad year for cars but a great year for mopeds. The oil crisis made consumers look at more efficient forms of personal transportation, and companies like Puch benefitted from a lineup full of small mopeds like te Maxi. The Maxi …
Ending Soon – 1949 Lowther/Indian Trike
Post Sale Update: This Lowther sold for $8,000 after 4 bids on eBay. In the late 40s, when Indian was in its death throes, they partnered with the Lowther company of Joliet, Illinois. Lowther had already been producing scooters with a slogan of “Park Avenue Scooters with the Main Street price”. Indian rebadged an existing Lowther scooter and called it …
1940 Excelsior Villiers Welbike
Post Sale Update: This Welbike sold for $10,100 after 54 bids on eBay. At the request of the British government, Excelsior developed the Welbike, a tiny single seater that was designed to be dropped into combat situations via parachute-equipped containers. The goal was that it could be unpacked and ready to ride within 11 seconds.
German Postal Service – 1962 Heinkel Tourist Model 103 A2
After World War II, the Allies banned manufacturers like Heinkel from producing airplanes. They decided to try their hand at personal transport with the production of vehicles like microcars, bicycles, and scooters like the Tourist you see here.
Water Scooter Project – 1957 Vincent Amanda
Post Sale Update: This Amanda sold for $1,701 after 6 bids on eBay. I’m stretching the definition of “scooter” here, but this “water scooter” is an interesting, if brief, footnote in the history of one of the greatest motorcycle manufacturers of all time. When Vincent was struggling to make ends meet in the 50s, they tried to diversify their portfolio …
1964 Fuji Go-Devil
Post Sale Update: This Go-Devil sold for $1,600 after 22 bids on eBay. Built between 1964-1967, the Go-Devil was one of the nicest minibikes available at the time thanks to a 50cc 2-stroke Fuji motor, swing-arm suspension, front forks with 30 degrees of rake, and good build quality. It also folded up into a storage bag. One of my biggest …
First Ride Review – 2019 Honda Super Cub C125
View PostWhat Do You Want To Know? 2019 Honda Super Cub C125 ABS
View PostRare Project – 1960 Peugeot S57
In 1953, Peugeot introduced a new model called the S55, and it stood out from the competition with dramatic styling. The French manufacturer updated the model to the S57 the following year, and by 1957 it had taken its final form with a new gear shifter and a few smaller revisions.
In Canada – 1962 Valmobile
Post Listing Update: This Valmobile was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. Some little scoots in the 60s had foldable handlebars, but very few could compare to the Valmobile. The entire front assembly folded into the body, and an integrated handle allowed you to drag the box by hand as it rolls on the rear wheel! This led …
Rare Project – 1983 Honda Gyro X
Post Sale Update: This Gyro X sold for $1,894.13 after 21 bids on eBay. I’ve featured several examples of Honda’s quirky 3-wheeler called the GYRO (which is apparently an acronym for “Great Your Recreation Original.”) The US only got one of the versions, a “S” model that was focused on just carrying a rider around. But Japan got multiple variants …