I’ll start off by saying that I really struggled to find conclusive sources of information on this bike, but apparently Yamaha offered a special edition of the 50cc Newport scooter that was marketed to women in the most stereotypical way possible – they made it pink, added fringes to the seat, and slapped a basket on the front. It did …
1962 Centaur Folding Scooter
Post Sale Update: sold for $5,219 after 33 bids on eBay. When it was released, the Centaur was claimed to be America’s only “full-size” folding scooter. It was marketed as a portable transportation solution that could be folded up in three steps and carried on a boat, plane, trailer, or car.
Rare Scooter With No Reserve – 1959 Manet S-100
Post Sale Update” This Manet sold for $2,247 after 46 bids on eBay. Built between 1958 and 1964, the Manet S-100 was a Czechoslovakian scooter build by Povazske Strojirny that was claimed to return 100 mpg (no, that’s not where the name came from). 51,244 examples were built but very few made it to the US. The succeeding model from …
Rare in the US – 1998 Husqvarna 50cc Scooter
Claimed to be one of just 200 scooters that were originally built for the Italian market, this 2-stroke liquid-cooled Husky scooter is in “perfect cosmetic condition” and it’s said to be the only one in the US. Husky collectors, assemble!
1966 Vespa Super Sprint 90
Post Sale Update: This Super Sprint sold for $15,200 after 44 bids on eBay. One of Vespa’s most interesting scooters, the Super Sprint 90 is valuable due to the unique style and the relative low production number – approximately 5,000 were built between 1965 and 1971.
Front Wheel Drive Moped in England – 1962 VéloSoleX 2200
Post Listing Update: This Solex was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown. The brand name of Solex goes back to the 1910s, back when they were known for the production of automotive parts like radiators and carbs. In 1940, one of the founders (Marcel Mennesson) built a prototype motor and mounted it on a bicycle. After years of …
Rare Non-Runner – 1956/7 Triumph Fips
We’ve accumulated quite a collection of bikes for sale over the years, so it’s always a pleasant surprise when I get to share something that I’ve never posted about before. Today’s example of such a feat is brought to you by reader Bob K, who sent me a link to a Triumph Fips. This is from the German Triumph, which …
Lambretta Licensed – 1973 Serveta Jet 200
Post Sale Update: This Serveta sold for $6,421 after 25 bids on eBay. [x_line} In the early 50s, Lambretta’s Spanish distributor got permission from the parent company of Innocenti to build their own licensed copies. Production started in 1954, and a decade later the Spanish company changed their name from Lambretta Locomociones to Serveta. In 1966, Lambretta introduced a top …
47cc Folding Moped – 1975 Carnielli Motograziella
Post Listing Update: This Motograziella did not get any interest at the unmet opening bid of $2,400. I’ve featured all kinds of folding scooters over the years, but this just might be the most stylish of them all. “This” is the Motograziella, a 47cc folding moped built by Carnielli of Vittorio Veneto, Italy. Carnielli was founded in the 1920s, but …
His and Hers – Pair of Yamaha Jog Scooters
When it comes to Yamaha 50cc scooters, most of you are probably more familiar with the Yamaha Riva. But for nearly a decade, Yamaha offered a “fancy” version called the Jog – complete with upgrades like a CVT and a second mirror! Ooooh. While the Jog was originally sold in 1983, it didn’t make it to the US until 1986. …
Cafe, Scrambler, or Chopper? – Trio of One-Off Puch Mopeds
Mopeds are a fantastic choice when looking for an affordable motorized two-wheeler to customize. Aftermarket mechanical and cosmetic parts are cheap and abundant, plus the small engines that power these scoots are incredibly simple and easy to maintain. As these three one-off Puch examples so thoroughly demonstrate, the range of possibilities when it comes to modifying a moped can be …
No Reserve – 1986 Honda Elite 150 Deluxe
Post Sale Update: This Elite 150 sold for $1,751 after 23 bids on eBay. I don’t normally feature scooters, but you’ll understand why I have to share this with you once you take a look at how nice this Elite is.
1986 Garelli Monza GT
Garelli is not a well-known marque in the world of motorcycling, but this moped was released while they were in the middle of an impressive run of 6 consecutive 125cc 2-stroke World Championships from 1982 to 1987.
$1,000 – 1981 Honda C70 Passport Deluxe
The Passport (or Super Cub, depending on where you live) is the best selling motor vehicle in history by a large margin. Over 60 million units have covered miles all around the world, and they’ve served all kinds of roles first bikes to family SUVs. James May has gone on record multiple times saying the Cub is the greatest machine …
1981 Vespa P200E with Globe Sidecar
The most popular of the classic Vespas in the US, the “P-series” debuted in 1977 with 125, 150, and 200cc variants. The frames were the same – all that different was the motor and the model name. For the American market, Vespa equipped all of the options (turn signals, 12V electrics, auto oil injection). In the early 80s, Vespa introduced …