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 …
2WD – 1971 Pak-Jak 3 Wheel Scooter
Post Sale Update: After 13 bids on eBay, this Pak-Jak sold for $2,949. Built by the Right Way Manufacturing Corporation of Owen, Wisconsin, the Pak-Jak was an in-line 3 wheel trail bike that was advertised as an all-terrain climber of hills. From what I’ve been able to find online, approximately 125 examples were built before the company went bankrupt. Here’s …
Fighting the CT-70 – 1976 Yamaha Champ
In 1976, Yamaha brought out its answer to Honda’s wildly popular CT-70 in the form of the 80cc “Champ”, (not to be confused with the Yamaha Chappy or 50cc LC50 Champ moped). The mini was powered by a 72cc oil-injected LB80-3D two-stroke engine (with four-petal reeds), married to an automatic transmission with two-speed centrifugal clutch. The tiny Yammy can reportedly …
Mokka X Phylia Build – 1980 Peripoli Oxford Custom Moped
Small-displacement customs are some of the most fun builds. Their lower-price makes them smaller investments and therefor more accessible to your average rider or builder, when the donor-bike is dramatically less-expensive, you have more funds to play with. There have also been some particularly interesting collaborative builds between custom moto-shops and various (non-moto-industry) companies such as the TW Steel X …
1965 Skat Kitty Minibike
The Skat Kitty was one of many American minibikes of the 60s, but it stands out as it was the first production “scooter” with a cast aluminum frame and fender assembly. It was sold by Projects Unlimited out of Dayton, Ohio, and this is probably only going to appeal to someone who either had one themselves as a kid (or …
1959 Moto Guzzi Galletto
Post Listing Update: This Galletto did not meet reserve despite 25 bids up to $4,550. 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.
All Original Survivor – 1967 Honda P50
First introduced in 1966, the P50 would only have a three year production run before being replaced by its successor: the PC50. The P50 – also known as the P25 or “Little Honda” – was an important bike in Honda’s history. To the best of my knowledge, this little scoot was the first Japanese moped to be imported to UK …
HD’s Only Scooter – 1961 Harley-Davidson Topper
Harley-Davidson has only produced one scooter in its entire history; the Topper. The Milwaukee-based manufacturer did make some small-displacement mopeds during its partnership with Aermacchi, but the Topper is the only scooter Harley made with legitimate floorboards and an automatic transmission. Starting in 1959 or ’60, and ending production in ’65, Harley-Davidson offered the 165cc two-stroke Topper in hopes of …
3-Wheel Tilters – Pair of Honda Gyros
The Honda Gyro is an all around fun little scoot. These tilting three-wheelers boast a leaning main body that allows for stability when cornering at speed, without losing a scooter’s traditional low-speed stability. With 49cc displacement, a turning radius of 5.5-feet (or 1.7-meters), an automatic (two-speed) transmission, and the bike’s ability to tilt/lean, the Gyro is a phenomenal gateway into …
$950 – Tule Trooper Big Boy
Jim Edwins was the man behind the J. I. Edwins Company in Issaquah, Washington. The firm was best known for the production of the “Trooper”, a competitor to the better-known Tote Gote. They’re rare finds nowadays, and this one is worthy of consideration as it’s the harder-to-find “Big Boy” model with optional tandem seat and it’s said to run great!
Vintage Folding Scooter – 1955 Argyle Cub
Designed to be stowed in your car, boat, or airplane, the Argyle Cub weighed about 50 pounds and could fold up in 15 seconds. Over time, the rights were sold to a manufacturer that sold the Cub to a variety of distributors who sold it under their own names like Argyle Cub, Dinky-Cycle or JoyRide. Whatever brand you bought, you …