Also called the Maicomobil, this was marketed as a “car on two wheels” with enclosed bodywork, excellent weather protection, and integrated storage space – it was way ahead of its time.
1959 Cushman Super Eagle
The 1950s seem to have been a magical period in motorcycling, when manufacturers all around the world were happily throwing everything at the wall. The Cushman Super Eagle managed to stick for a while, though not as long as its makers would have hoped. Yes, Cushman, makers of the vehicle that mall cops used to chase you with when you …
1983 Yamaha Riva XC180
I’ll admit I am not well enough versed in scooters to know by sight which model Macklemore rides through a wall in his music video for “Downtown,” but I know that this Yamaha Riva instantly made me think of it*. I also know that I agree with Macklemore’s sentiment that: “Eight-hundred cash, that’s a hell of a deal.”
2001 Kawasaki LeoStar
A few days ago we featured an imported Honda NSR50 and commenter Zebulon Pike mentioned that the seller also had an interesting imported underbone scooter and I had to make sure you all saw it as well. Meet the Kawasaki LeoStar!
1960s Sears Allstate Compact
When I was a boy, one of my favorite things to do in the weeks leading up to Christmas was get a hold of the Sears Wish Book, go through it with a marker, and circle all the toys I wanted. You need to be of a certain age to know what the Sears Wish Book was, I suppose. It …
In England – 1957 Dayton Albatross
From Abbotsford to Zapp, at some point in history there’s been at least one British motorcycle manufacturer for every letter of the alphabet. One of the more obscure of those was London-based Dayton Motorcycle Co., which operated sporadically: from 1913 to 1922, then again for one year in 1939 (when it was almost certainly derailed by the start of the …
2002 Di Blasi Express
I’m featuring this scoot for two reasons. First, it’s hard not to appreciate the engineering required to build a vehicle that folds up into a bag. Second, the delightfully 90s website is worth checking out.
AMA Autographs – 2003 Yamaha Zuma 50
Normally I wouldn’t bother featuring a Zuma (though they’re cool in their own way). But this one stands out as it was a former pit bike for Rob Treat, who raced vintage motorcycles with AMA – and he had it signed by a bunch of AMA legends.
No Reserve – 1965 Cushman Super Silver Eagle
In the wake of the Second World War, the United States was experiencing a transportation boom, and Cushman Motor Works was eager to capitalize on the trend. Come 1949, the Nebraska-based manufacturer dressed up one of its 50cc scooters to resemble popular baggers like the Harley-Davidson Big Twin and Indian Chief. Dubbed the “Eagle,” the little scooter proved an instant …
1957 Zundapp Bella R203
Zundapp was able to sell about 130,000 examples of the Bella scooter between 1953 and 1964. Engine options were a 150 (146) or 200 (198) – here’s an example of the latter.
No Reserve Project – 1966 Fuji Rabbit Superflow S601
I don’t feature scooters much, but the Fuji Rabbit Superflow is definitely worth a look. An impressive 75,000 units left the Fuji Heavy Industries factory, but it’s very hard to find any now. Why is this scoot so interesting? Well, at the time, it was as luxurious as you could get with a scooter.
2002 BMW C1 200
Post Listing Update: This C1 did not meet reserve with 24 bids up to $6,124 on eBay. At the turn of the century, BMW thought they could get more people on scooters by eliminating some of the weather and safety concerns. Their idea was the C1, a scooter with a roof and seat belts. With sufficient crash testing, BMW was …
Art Deco Custom – 2007 Vectrix VX-1 Electric Scooter
I normally wouldn’t have much interest in a 16-year-old electric scooter but someone clever has used this Vectrix VX-1 as the base for a wood-bodied Art Deco-inspired custom.
2023 Honda Motocompacto
Well, I think I just found my next pit bike! Honda’s just announced a spiritual successor to the Motocompo – meet the all-electric Motocompacto. It doesn’t roll off the tongue the same way, but it’ll be a lot easier to find in the US!
1990 Honda Zook
Sold only in Japan (and only in 1990), the Zook is a rare 50cc scoot from Honda. Per this press release, Honda planned on selling 40,000 Zooks to young people “as a trendy new model” for urban transportation. They called it “fun to ride” and “fun to look at”. It features a two-stroke, 49ccm motor that produces 3 horsepower.