A unique French two-wheeled car called Pagnon Mauto

ONE-OFF In its development after World War II, in France had ever developed a two-wheeled vehicle style called a mauto (two-wheeled car). This style presented a unique scooter figure made by Armand Pagnon, a railcars development engineer worked for Renault. In his spare time, he built this mauto-style scooter by his-owned hand in his Nancy-located garage in 1955.

1955 Pagnon Mauto unique scooter built by Armand Pagnon while sat on display at the Auto Motocycle Museum, the French's Châtellerault-located bicycles, motor-cars, motor bikes and scooters museum. (Picture from: Stabilcar)

Actually, there's no official name for the scooter model, however here we will refer to it as the Pagnon Mauto (as a homage to its maker). After completion of construction, then the scooter was shown on display and presented to the public for the first time at the 1957 Salon de l'Automobile de Paris (Paris Auto Salon). 

1955 Pagnon Mauto unique scooter has been designed in such a way with a high windshield and proper front shield that the rider and passenger (if any) are effectively protected of the wind and rain exposure. (Picture from: Stabilcar)

This Pagnon Mauto has been designed in such a way that the rider and passenger (if any) are effectively protected of the wind and rain exposure. This is because the the scooter design adopts a unique appearance with a seating position in short distance from the floor, coupled with a high windshield and proper front shield.

The sketch of the Pagnon Mauto with a 125 cc two-stroke engine from Ultima (Lyon), which is coupled with a 4-speed manual transmission system which is operated through the right-handlebar. (Picture from: Stabilcar)

For the bodywork of this unique scooter, Pagnon then gave the to the Eslassant company that specializes in the production of racing cars by using the moulding machine. The Pagnon-made scooter is powered a 125 cc two-stroke engine from Ultima (Lyon), which is coupled with a 4-speed manual transmission system which is operated through the right-handlebar.

1955 Pagnon Mauto unique scooter adopted a rear wheel drive system with universal joint of cardan types, and what makes it at glance similar to a car. (Picture from: Stabilcar)

The scooter adopted a rear wheel drive system with universal joint of cardan types, and what makes it at glance similar to a car. And for its suspension system, in the front with the thrust wheels and Neiman ring. While in the rear features a deformable parallelogram and a triple of Neiman rings. And the steering is moved to the back by a cardan coupling as well. There is something confusing about the scooter riding, when you turn the handlebar to the right, it leans to the left (considered could be dangerous).

1955 Pagnon Mauto unique scooter powered by two-stroke engine from Ultima (Lyon), which is coupled with a 4-speed manual transmission system which is operated through the right-handlebar. (Picture from: Alienor.Org)

This may be due to the fork designs so that movement is transmitted to the handlebars with a cardan clutch, but most importantly, if we believe the sketch published by the "scooter review", this fork hunt is not a good fit. However this did not prevent Armand Pagnon, the builder from taking the Metz-Paris trip to present the scooter at the 1957 Paris Motor Show along with his brother as a passenger in the back.

This three-wheeled vehicle had a similar design to the scooter mentioned before and also designed by Armand Pagnon. (Picture from: Stabilcar)

Besides designed and built this unique scooter like the one above, it turns out that Armand Pagnon also had time to design (only on paper) a three-wheeled vehicle had a similar design to the scooter above (called the Tri-Pagnon), but until today never been made into real one.

This prototype is the only scooter made by Armand Pagnon, and after several decades it was restored by Yves Dumez, who later in the 1999 sold it to the Auto Motocycle Museum, the French's Châtellerault-located bicycles, motor-cars, motor bikes and scooters museum.

That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information relate to the Pagnon Mauto, please don't hesitate to let us know via the comments column below this article.

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops.....*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | STABILCAR | ALIENOR.ORG ] 

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The flying scooter in between reality and fictional

ONE-OFF 'Flying like a bird,' may be one of humanity's longstanding obsessions. And now maybe part of that obsession has been fulfilled with the invention of the airplane. Why only partly, because humans always try to develop it continuously up to a certain point of achievement which is considered to be the most recent or become what it should be. When was that accomplished? No one knows.

Vespa Alpha played a role as the Dick Smart's sophisticated rides in a spy action movie titled 'Dick Smart 2.007' released in 1967. (Picture from: Gensindo)

In the context of the scooter, which we know as a two-wheeled vehicle that experienced its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, has there ever been the creation of a flying scooter, both fictional and reality?

In fiction, this has been illustrated by a well-known Belgian writer named André Franquin in his famous comic strips entitled 'Spirou et Fantasio' which published from 1947 to 1969. Well, in those comic strips he illustrated neatly a yellow-colored flying scooter named Zandajet. 

The amazing Zandajet flying scooter model is built based of the André Franquin's comic illustrations and sat on display at the 2006 Exposition Le Monde de Franquin in Brussels. (Picture from: Meinekleinfabrik)

Although this  yellow-colored scooter can only fly in comic books, it has actually been brought to the real world in a 1 : 1 scaled model to homage to the author and has been exhibited at the 2006 Exposition Le Monde de Franquin which was held in Brussels.

Vespa Alpha built by Piaggio in collaboration with Alpha Willis, a British company for the shooting purpose of a movie titled 'Dick Smart 2.007' in the 1967 and now sat on display at the Vespa Museum in Tuscany. (Picture from: Gensindo)

In reality, there's an Italian company called Piaggio which is also known as one of the world's scooter pioneers as well as the largest and most successful scooter manufacturer to date turn out has ever made a flying scooter named Vespa Alpha in 1967. As we all know that before producing scooters, this Italian company is a manufacturing company that is familiar with the world of aviation until today.

The Vespa Alpha was built by Piaggio in collaboration with Alpha Willis, a British company for the shooting purpose of a movie titled 'Dick Smart 2.007', starring Richard Wyler, Margaret Lee, Rosanna Tapados in the 1967.

Only in the movie, the Vespa Alpha is described as having extraordinary abilities, not only can it be used to go fast on the highway, fly like a helicopter, it can also function as a submarine. (Picture from: Vespacountry)

The Dick Smart's sophisticated scooter built based of the Vespa 180 Super Sport and powered by 2-stroke single cylinder 180cc engine which in the standard condition is claimed able to run up to top speed of 105kph on the streets.

In the movie, the Vespa Alpha is described as having extraordinary abilities, not only can it be used to go fast on the highway, fly like a helicopter, it can also function as a submarine. The flying scooter's front is resembled like a tilapia fish. Moreover, there is a lamp that looks like a fish's eye and a hole in the muzzle is added as the fish's mouth.

Vespa Alpha built is built based of Vespa 180 Super Sport and powered by a single cylinder 2-stroke 180 cc engine. (Picture from: Arttrav)

Even though it looks like a helicopter, we believe that the Vespa Alpha cannot fly at all, especially if it is used as a submarine. As mentioned before, it built just for the movie making and furthermore its shape and condition are not proper being a flying vehicle or submarine. Yes, at least the scooter can still be used for speeding on the streets, if you look at the engine specifications. 

That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to the Piaggio's Vespa Alpha flying scooters, please don't hesitate to let us know via the comments column below this article. 

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops...... *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MUSEOPIAGGIO | MEINEKLEINFABRIK | VESPARESTORATION ]

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Here's the classic Breton Babymoto scooter

Unique ONES Today, again we met a French site named Moto-scooter-annee50-60.over-blog.com on the internet that contains several pictures of a classic two-wheeled vehicle was once filled the streets of France in the 1950s and also has an unusual shape. Suddenly, it's sparked and aroused our curiosity to know more about it. 

The 1952 Babymoto unique scooter produced by Breton Ets, a Saint-Étienne-based company that still exists today. (Picture from: Moto-scooter-annee50-60)

And as usual, we then did a search through Google to find additional information of the two-wheeled vehicles mentioned above. Although not much information was obtained, from several sites, what we've obtained was considered sufficient to cure our curiosity about this mysterious two-wheeled vehicle. 

We got enough informations from the Cybermotorcycle site, the unique two-wheeled vehicle mentioned above is called the Breton Babymoto scooter produced by Breton Ets, a Saint-Étienne based small company. Well, that's equally such a unique name for an unusual shaped scooters and mopeds.

The 1952 Babymoto unique scooter features a special Roger Breton designed front suspension system and uses a 70cc 2-stroke Lavalette engine coupled with 3-speed manual transmission system, and said could be run up to top speed of 65 kph. (Picture from: Moto-scooter-annee50-60)

Special suspension system with front
fork construction designed by Roger
Breton and had been patented.
(Picture from: Moto-scooter-annee50-60)

Initially, Breton Ets is a French mediocre bicycle company that produces bicycles under the brand of 'L.R.B.' (short for Louis Roger Breton). The company was owned and founded by a real French gentleman and entrepreneur named Louis Roger Breton in 1941 was domiciled at 9-11 Rue de la Tréfilerie, Saint-Étienne. 

In short, the company then tried its luck by expanding its business into a motorcycle manufacturer and entering the market in 1951 under the Babymoto brand and is originally powered by a Cucciolo engine, and then followed by several light two-wheeled vehicles uses the (up to 125cc) engines from Aquila, Comet, Mistral, Lavalette, and etc. 

The company presented its Breton Babymoto moped at the 1952 Paris Auto Salon, and again at the same even in the 1953. At first glance, it's looks like a typical moped existed at that time, but what is unique and different is the front fork. Reportedly, Breton has even patented its unusual front fork construction. As the result, the Breton Babymoto has an elegant looks featured with the unique front fork construction and equipped with a quite powerful VAP 4 engine.

The Babymoto unique scooter features a special Roger Breton designed front suspension system and uses a 48cc Cucciolo engine. (Picture from: Moto-scooter-annee50-60)

At that time, this French company had ever produced a Babymoto scooter with a 48cc Cucciolo engine which was also equipped with a typical Breton front fork and then they also ever had released Babymoto Duo, a moped with tandem-seats is powered by the Cucciolo and Mistral engines.

The Babymoto Duo is a tandem-seats moped is powered by the Cucciolo and Mistral engines. (Picture from: Moto-scooter-annee50-60)

In 1954, they marketed the Scootomoto is made into 2 models, scooters and light motorbikes powered by the same Lavalette 70cc engine combined with a 3-speed manual transmission system. Unfortunately, there're no photos or pictures could be described the Scootomoto still existed today.

Other models had followed then, but some have returned to the conventional front forks and while others have continued to develop a style that will cause some wonder expression of the public when they see it for the first time.

The 1954 Scootomoto unique scooter uses a 70cc 2-stroke Lavalette engine coupled with 3-speed manual transmission system, and said could be run up to top speed of 65 kph. (Picture from: Moto-scooter-annee50-60)

The condition then changed drastically, when those company's two-wheeled vehicle products were replaced by a standard motorbike that even had no similarity in shape to the previous product and possible that the new product is no longer self-produced, but the refurbished products, so it could be marketed in a lower price. Might be, it should be done by the company as the efforts to survive and continues compete in increasingly difficult market conditions.

Because as a small company and did not have its own sales network, Breton then entrusted its products to the Motorbecane-affiliated dealerships. Unfortunately, when Motobecane issued a policy (which could be interpreted as an unfair tactic for its competitors) that required all of their brand affiliated dealerships to sell the Motobecane products only and not allowed to sell other brands.😟

The 1954 Babymoto prototype motorcycle features a special Roger Breton designed front suspension system and uses a 70cc 2-stroke Lavalette engine coupled with 3-speed manual transmission system, but never enter into production lines. (Picture from: Moto-scooter-annee50-60)

An advertisemenent leaflet of 
the Breton Babymotor scooter 
(Picture from: Moto-scooter-annee50-60)

As a result, Breton was forced to exit the market suddenly. This then had a negative impact on the survival of this innovative and creative French company, and finally in 1957, Breton was forced to stop all production activities and went bankrupt so that automatically its workers lost their jobs.😭

After his motorcycle company was declared bankrupt, Louis Roger Breton tried to show that he was not a man who could easily give up and be defeated, then he turned into the furniture business and founded new company named Furania by using the newly invented material, Formica. And he did it brilliantly. Well, once again he managed to keep tough standing as an entrepreneur who had a good reputation back then. So it is not wrong for many to say that not enough words can be used to describe this good French man.👍

That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to these French company-built Babymoto mopeds and scooters, please don't hesitate to let us know via the comments column below this article. 

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops......*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CYBERMOTORCYCLE.COM | MOTO-SCOOTER-ANNEE50-60 ]

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Here they are 2 unique Dragon Ball motorcycles brought into real world by Bel & Bel

So CUTES For many people it may be agreed that childhood was one of the happiest phases in life that everyone should have. And the most memorable memories that carry over to adulthood are one of them obtained from animated films. One of the animated films most watched by children (especially those whose childhood was in the mid of 1980s to the 1990s) around the world is the 'Dragon Ball' cartoon series based on the Akira Toriyama's best seller comic under same titled.

The replica of the Bulma's 'Capsule 9' (left) posed along with the 'Lunch' one wheeled motorbikes (right) built by Bel & Bel. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3pvuaLu)

Maybe you still remember one episode of the 'Dragon Ball' cartoon series which tells of the existence of a sophisticated object called the Hoi Poi Capsule, a container developed by Capsule Corp and is used to store vehicles and other products developed by the company. And one of the capsules called Capsule 9, contains the future motorcycle that Bulma rode when she went to meet Goku.

The Bulma's Capsule 9 motorbike featured with specially made fairing and acrylic dome. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3dh8wbl)

The unique shape of a motorbike maybe awakens your imagination and dream to be able to own and ride it in the real world. In the near future your dream might be come true, because reportedly there is a studio and workshop based in Barcelona, Spain named Bel & Bel developed the functional prototype of the Bulma's unique-shaped motorcycle.

The Bulma's Capsule 9 motorbike an electric-powered (hub type) ones by using an electric motor placed on the rear wheel even though it still looks like has double (fake) exhausts. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3dh8wbl)

Not only that, previously the Barcelona-based studio and workshop had also made the other motorcycle prototype of the Dragon Balls cartoon series known as Lunch motorbike, which is a unique one-wheeled motorcycle with a cursory appearance like a sea horse. In the Dragon Ball cartoon series, you can see that this single-wheeled motorcycle is also driven by Bulma.

The Bulma's Lunch one wheeled motorbike (left) posed along with the Zero Scooter (right). (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3dh8wbl)

Through its Instagram page, Bel & Bel has published some pictures of the exclusive motorbikes that (might be) we want to have all. There is a significant difference, if in the Dragon Ball cartoon series, the motorbike uses a conventional engine and has fierce sound when it is in action, but in the Bel & Bel creation made as an electric-powered (hub type) ones by using an electric motor placed on the rear wheel even though it still looks like has double (fake) exhausts.

The Bulma's Lunch one wheeled motorbike with a cursory appearance like a sea horse. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3dh8wbl)

Then this Bulma motorcycle chassis is specially made in size, of course, not for big people, because it is adjusted to the posture of Bulma and Goku (roughly the size of children around 7-8 years old). So tiny and cutie. This is a handmade and unique motorcycle. This can be seen also in the details such as the fairing which was made specifically for this vehicle or the acrylic dome.

Furthermore, the motorbikes maker explained that the electric-powered motorcycle has three speeds and also an integrated mapping system with a dragon ball radar like that of the one in the cartoon series. Maybe by using this system, we able to be look for those magic balls in our world!😉 

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Sebuah kiriman dibagikan oleh bel&bel (@belybel_artworks)

The Bel & Bel also said that they made the two replicas of the Dragon Ball cartoon series motorbikes, because they watched and like the series since childhood and wanted to remake the vehicle as Fan Art. Reportedly, they are currently trying to get an official license from Toei-Animation, the animation studio that made the Dragon Ball cartoon series.

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Sebuah kiriman dibagikan oleh bel&bel (@belybel_artworks)

Furthermore, they believed that the motorbikes had a big influence on the network and made them think of making it in limited numbers for the fans of the cartoon series only. So they don't know whether this will come true and how much it will cost, and it all depends on the answer to their proposal to Toei-Animation.🙏

Off course, We all know it is not easy to make these motorcycles into reality, but only by knowing that the idea has come up, and for us it is already fun to have told and seen the unique vehicles in the Akira Toriyama's works almost coming true or at least not far from reality.😏

That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to these 2 replicas of the Dragon Ball motorbike, please don't hesitate to let us know via the comments column below this article.

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops...... *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BEL&BEL | MOTORPASIONMOTO | BIOBIOCHILE | IMOTORBIKE | TECH-BLOGS | RIDEAPART ]

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A classic scooter of Netherland named Bitri

Unique ONES Scooters are a new, affordable mode of transportation that gained popularity shortly after the end of the 2nd World War. Almost all of mainland Europe and even the world feel the vibes of the trends of the two-wheeled vehicles called scooters.

1964 Bitri 150 scooter fitted with 150cc Fittel and Sachs's Rotax engine, and before 1956 this model uses a 150cc JLO engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3d5gJPx)

Then what about in the Netherlands? Yes, a country known for its vibrant of beautiful tulips has also felt the scooter trends from the 1950s to the 1960s. This situation has also attracted the interest of entrepreneurs in this windmill country to produce scooters.

As quoted of Cybermotorcycle, the first scooter manufacturer existence in the Netherlands is related to a company called ''Bedveerenfabriek Fa.'' owned by W.W. and H.B. van der Gang in Aalzum (near Dokkum) which was founded in 1905. Until the late fifties, their main business was in the sale of the Javanese kapook (cottonwood), Danish goose feathers, Frisian forest rye straw, patented mattresses and spring beds.

1962 Bitri 200 scooter fitted with 200cc Sachs's Rotax engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3ph3de4)

After the war, one of the sons of the owner of the company named Wim van der Gang had an interest in the automotive world and wanted to develop the motorized vehicles. In the process, he and his friend who was also a TU Delft student named Eelco de Vries then decided to design and develop a vehicle after had been through several discussions. As the result, they managed to build a small car powered by two Triumph 350cc engines.

1953 Gedo Victoria moped prototype is an ancestor of Bitri scooter and fitted with a 49cc Victoria engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3ph3de4)

Because there was no market for that small car, they then looked at the scooter or two-wheeled vehicle segment which was booming at that time. Therefore they were trying to find other partners who had sufficient experience in the two-wheeled vehicle segment. Coincidentally, Eelco de Vries knows two brothers Peter and Age Geertsma who inherited the Gedo-branded bicycle wholesale company named F. Geertsma B.V. from their father. Those company opened its shop and wholesale business in 1937, and later tried to make the bikes with auxiliary engines in 1949 or earlier.

The first crew of Nederlandse Scooterfabriek N.V. posed along with the first Bitri 120cc scooter prototype in front of its Dokkum-based manufacturer in 1954. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2ZbcdqG)

In short, these gentlemen collaboration succeeded in making a moped prototype powered by a 49cc Victoria engine, named the Gedo Victoria in 1953. Unfortunately, the moped with the 16-inches size wheels can't be acquired roadworthy certificate. Not only that, its production cost was high too, thus making the Geertsma brothers resigned from the project.

Line of the Bitri scooters on display in front of its manufacturer in Dokkum. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2ZbcdqG)

Then in 1954, Wim van der Gang and Eelco de Vries founded a company called "Nederlandse Scooterfabriek N.V." which carries the Bitri brand. And those mentioned brand consists of 2 syllables is an abbreviation of Bi which means two and Tri for Triumph (referring to the small car had built by them both before).

The 1955 Bitri 150 scooter uses a JLO engine and still has the the cooling holes in the hood. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2MYYqRz)

Initially the scooter production was carried out of an empty space of the spring bed factory owned by Wim van der Gang's father. By the plans to do as much work as possible inhouse, and their first production scooter was made of aluminum plates by using a 120cc engine of JLO plus the two-speed manual gearbox. The choice of aluminum is due to an easier in process, lighter and rust proof, in the 1955, the 120cc models replaced with 150cc version.

The Bitri's Promotional Team posed along with the 1955 Bitri scooters used 150cc JLO engines. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2ZbcdqG)

Furthermore, the Dutch manufacturer produced the next 150cc engined scooters with the JLO engine blocks, it was also stated that the models were designed by Eelco de Vries and inspired by the Lambretta LD scooters of the 1952. Due to there're many complaints about the excessive steering characteristics and the poor quality of the JLO engine, this resulted in the 150 cc Rotax (Fichtel and Sachs) engine being fitted to the scooter from September 1956 under the aluminum hood, and the steering was slightly modified.

Line of the Bitri scooters while in assembling process at its factory in Dokkum in the 1955. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2ZbcdqG)

The Bitri Cigarette vending machine
(Picture from: http://bit.ly/2ZbcdqG)

The Bitri 200 cc engined scooter was rolled out the manufacturer of the 1957, and has 10 cm longer than the 150 cc version, but infact the biggest difference was in the cooling slots in the "hood" gone. From 1958, the 150 cc model were also carried out with the extended frame of 200 cc and from that moment was the range, next to the 200 LD, the 150 KL (standard with kickstarter), the 150 ES (more luxurious model with electric starter) and 150 EKS . The latter was equipped with both a kickstarter and electric starter, but was again taken out of production in 1960.

The Van Der Gang's Vlieger Satiné
watches. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2MYYqRz)

The Dookum-based manufacturer continued production until the scooter glory was over for them in the 1964.😭 On those difficult days, Wim van der Gang and his brother, Jacob led the Dutch company should be diversified its productions by produced the candy and cigarette vending machines so that they could be survived passing through the times. 

It is not known how many scooters they had ever produced, but certainly is in these days the Bitri scooters are scarce which makes the price automatically to be exorbitant.😲 The company is now owned by the son of the Bitri scooter inventor and focused in the premium watches under the brand of the Van Der Gang family name. 

That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to these Dutch company-built Bitri scooters, please don't hesitate to let us know via the comments column below this article. 

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops......*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BITRI | CYBERMOTORCYCLE.COM | AMKLASSIEK.NL ]

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