Question Re: Vintage Motorcycles

Fascinating to me how, here again, what's old is new again.

More fascinating that such an out-of-the-mainstream device as an MB suggests itself so well as a solution to a number of modern-day transportation problems.

Brenton
 
Regarding scooters-When I was in highschool we figured if someone rode a scooter there was some testosterone missing and he probably took ballet lessons. I traded 3 chainsaws for a 1979 Vespa P-200E and discovered I had bought a packhorse. It will haul more STUFF from the grocer's than you can imagine, like 30 lbs of kitty litter, 8Lbs of ice, bag of charcoal, and 3 bags of groceries. It handles effortlessly, the center stand works easily, and it starts instantly on one kick. It is a utility vehicle and I respect it for that. People think one is worth about $3200. Seems silly to me, but I like it
Keith (trackfodder) Williams
 
Yes, these Vespas had a lot of heart.BTW Vespa means wasp.My wife had one, and I rode it at times (discreetly).On good roads they do fine,potholed ones, watch out,don't ride in the dark.
 
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What about a 1905 Indian single? It is certainly a motorized bike very similar to what we are attempting to create today. It looks like a standard chrome-moly safety-frame bike, It seems to have had freewheels on either side of the rear hub so it could be be pedaled engine off, with a large behind-the-seat fuel tank built up over the fender. Of course it (along with much else from that hazy era) is more mechanically elegant than anything manufactured anywhere since the bean counters took over. I think I'm going to have to weld-up an Indianesque tank and find a hairpin seat just because it looks so darn cool. Too bad I'm stuck with my ugly happy time engine, maybe I'll make a "cooling shroud" in the shape of a vintage Indian motor to hide it with.
 
I think that most of the very early MBs we see

had what we would call today -- low hp

some of those engines look large - but - still most had low hp

pedals thus -- came in handy for not only starting -- but also keeping speed at times

ride that thing MM
 
It had a 213cc engine good for 2.25 hp ,so a high torque long stroke, low rpm engine,that probably ran at 1500 rpm or so,may have had an atmospheric intake valve, a side valve exhaust and had a primary chain reduction to the crank on the left.
 
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Do you mean like this one? This is my replica built around an original engine. every thing duivendyk says is correct. The pedals are strickly for starting and stopping, the engine is never disconnected. its not very easy to pedal even with the compression release on.
 
maybe the pic showed up this time
 

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Exactly, it's a dead ringer for the one in my book "Classic American Motor Cycles,except for the front fork,it shows some kind of swing fork arrangement.It looks impressive, I think the gas tank is simply precious,must have been hard to fabricate.I suppose it has a freewheel on the pedal drive,starting a 200cc engine even with only a 5 to one comp. ratio must be hard work.In '07 they came out with a 30 degree, 633 cc twin good for all of 4 hp,basically the same engine,must have been a real scorcher.
 
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