2 antique French-made scooters

We return to France a moment, turn out this beautiful and romantic country located in mainland Europe also has contributed many creative innovations in the automotive world, especially scooters.

As we know, during the heyday of the two-wheeled mode of transportation called scooters in the 1950s to the 1960s, there were also several French brands is enlivened the atmosphere of the scooter market at that time, like Bernardet, Guiller, Manurhin, Peugeot, Scootavia, Terrot, etc.

1951 Mors SIC scooter on display at the Auto Moto Bike Museum of Châtellerault. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/31qagIL)

Indeed, those French scooter brands have not been matched the great names of Italian scooters such as the Vespa and Lambretta which at that time were known as the most dominant scooter brands in the market.

However, there is something interesting about these French scooters, most of which have a unique and attractive appearance. One of them is the Alcyon aka Mors-Speed scooter that we are discussing today.

The Alcyon aka Mors-Speed scooter brand is owned by the Edmond Gentil company which was originally a bicycle shop located in Neuilly Seine, France was founded in 1890, and developed to a factory. It is known that the manufacturer is developed by adding motorcycle production in 1902 and that of motor cars in 1906. The company moved to Courbevoie, Seine in 1912.

1951 Mors SIC scooter uses a 2-stroke 115cc engine capable burst power of 3hp and coupled with a 2-speed gearbox. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3jatAQd)

Gentil's products were marketed under the 'Alcyon' name, meaning the kingfisher (a beautiful song bird species). Various sizes of automobiles were produced prior to the 1st World War, after which the firm concentrated on cyclecars until 1928 when it returned exclusively to the bicycles and motorcycles manufacturer.

And during the 2nd World War, a wide range of models was manufactured and after 1945, Alcyon concentrated on selling lightweight vehicles powered by AMC, Vap, and Zurcher engines among others.

Over the years Alcyon acquired a number of smaller French manufacturers and marketed its models under various brand names. Alcyon also sponsored a successful professional cycling team, winning the Tour de France six times, which perhaps explains the choice of the 'Paris-Nice' name for one of its motor scooters, although known there are only two scooter models produced by this company.

1954 Alcyon Mors-Speed S3 Paris Nice scooter went into production in 1953 to 1954 and debuted at the 1953 Paris Auto Salon. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3aT2BWB)

Alcyon's first scooters named Mors SIC were designed by Pierre Brissonnet whose patent was purchased by SICVAM (an industrial and commercial motor vehicle company), a subsidiary of the Mors company. SICVAM will further become the distributor for all Mors-Speed scooters.

The Mors SIC uses a 2-stroke 115cc engine capable burst power of 3hp and coupled with a 2-speed gearbox. And these French lightweight unique scooters produced from 1951 to 1953 and debuted at the 1951 Paris Auto Salon.

1954 Alcyon Mors-Speed S3 Paris Nice scooter uses a 123cc 2-stroke engine capable burst power of 6hp and coupled with a 3-speed gearbox. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2YyIOXo)

And the second and the most famous is the Mors-Speed S3 Paris-Nice with the Alcyon badge was designed by Jean Henri Labourdette and debuted at the 1953 Paris Auto Salon. It uses a 123cc 2-stroke engine capable burst power of 6hp and coupled with a 3-speed gearbox. So, the S3 scooter able to run up to 70 kph. And these scooters went into the production line in 1953 and sold until 1958.😢

In 1955, Mors ceased its scooter production and return to the original activities of manufacturing railroad signaling, household appliances, and mechanics. Then the two scooter productions and distributions were taken over by the Courbevoie-based Gentil group under the Alcyon brand while also absorbing SICVAM.

Beside sold domestically turned out the French-made scooters also succeeded in reaching the auto market outside the country such as England to Spain under the Mors-Speed brand. This can be seen in several units of the Mors-Speed S3 Paris-Nice scooters that are still existed in the UK and the Mors SIC models in Spain.

That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to this unique scooter, 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 | ALIENOR.ORG | SCOOT'TOUJOURS | Z'HUMEURS & RUMEURS | WIKIPEDIA | CYCLEMEMORY.ORG | BOHNAMS.COM]

Note: This blog  can be accessed via your smart phone

Another German rare scooter of 1950s

After finding an image of this scooter on the Internet, We were curious to know its name because in our opinion it has a very unique shape. Then we asked to our friends, the member of the Scooters of Germany Group by posting the picture below on the group timeline on Facebook. 

1954 Röhr Roletta 200 made by a German machinery manufacturer named Maschinenfabrik Erich Röhr GmbH. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2wTv676)

And that's where we learned, the unique scooter in question was the Röhr Roletta 200 made by a German company based in Landshut-Bavaria named Maschinenfabrik Erich Röhr GmbH in 1954. And according to Our colleagues in the Facebook group, this scooter is included one of the rare German-made scooters.

1954 Röhr Roletta 200 made by a German machinery manufacturer named Maschinenfabrik Erich Röhr GmbH. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3iXDyoh)

As quoted from germanmotorcycle.cl, this company was founded by Erich Röhr in 1932 as a military vehicle repairing workshop in Passau. In 1948, the company became a machinery manufacturer which mainly makes agricultural machinery such as tractors, compressors, water pumps, and others. Then in 1949, the company moved its business domicile to Landshut-Bavaria.

In the 1950s, the company continued to grow until it decided to produce scooters. And precisely in 1953, Röhr's engineers successfully to design its first scooter. This scooter said has quite good handling because it uses a fairly large wheel size (3.50 x 12") compared to the existing scooters at the time.

1954 Röhr Roletta 200 made by a German machinery manufacturer named Maschinenfabrik Erich Röhr GmbH. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2YcQv5q)

The Röhr Roletta 200 scooter is described as a high-end scooter with various accessories such as the chromed peephole "ornament", larger seater, briefcase holder, and spare tire. Then, on the speedometer is also equipped with turn lights indicators like the one installed on the Bastert Einspurauto, another German luxury scooter. 

1954 Röhr Roletta 200 made by a German machinery manufacturer named Maschinenfabrik Erich Röhr GmbH. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2YcQv5q)

At first glance, the German scooter looks similar to the 1950s French-made Bernardet scooter, especially on the front fender which blends with the headlight. The Roletta 200 scooter uses a 200cc single-cylinder engine powered of 11 horsepower coupled with a four-speed manual transmission system.

1954 Röhr Roletta 200 made by a German machinery manufacturer named Maschinenfabrik Erich Röhr GmbH. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2FBcxIN)

Uniquely, this scooter has used a 12V electrical system which was fairly advanced at that time, making it possible to be pinned an electric starter of the Siba Dynastart in addition to the kick starter (but the customers are given an extra-charges for this feature.)

The Röhr Roletta 200 scooter was offered in 5 color choices such as black, Adriatic blue, green, metal beige, and maroon (dark red). While on the ad leaflet designed to support its sales also includes some additional accessories such as windshields and luggage racks which can be ordered from the factory, as well as the sidecars.

Technical specifications of the Röhr Roletta 200 scooter produced by Fahrzeug- und Maschinenfabrik GmbH Landshut in 1955 (after the company was liquidated). (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3aCqKAz)

But unfortunately, the scooter sales were very unsatisfactory, run over by other German's major brands at that time such as Glas, Zündapp, NSU Lambretta, and Hoffmann Vespa. This certainly has an impact on the company's financial condition which has also deteriorated.😭

In late 1954 to early 1955 the company was partially liquidated and changed its name to Fahrzeug- und Maschinenfabrik GmbH Landshut, while its scooters division was still on production with some changes. However, the sales figures did not improve, although some technical improvements had been made.😭 

Finally, the Röhr scooter production was ceased in 1956, while its sales ended in 1957. Estimated, there were 1,800 to 2,000 units of Röhr Roletta 200 scooter had ever produced by this manufacturer.😭
That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to this marque, 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 | ROYAL.HABASPIELE.COM | CYBERMOTORCYCLE.COM | GERMANMOTORCYCLE.CL]

Note: This blog  can be accessed via your smart phone

Legendary Vespa Sei Giorni racing scooter

As we know that Vespa is a scooter brand made by Piaggio which is very well known to this day. This scooter brand was founded in the 1940s and continues to exist today, so it is not surprising that Vespa has many classic models with distinctive body shapes such as wasps.

1951 Vespa 125 'Sei Giorni' is managed to set prestigious achievements during the ISDT 1951 held in Varese, Italy. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2E3A1Wi)

But apart from having many classic and elegant scooter models, Vespa also has scooters with unique designs that are made for special purposes such as a racing scooter. One of them is the Vespa 125 'Sei Giorni' which managed to set prestigious achievements in one of the toughest and prestigious post-war racing events the ISDT 1951 in Varese, Italy.

A group of Vespa 125 'Sei Giorni' riders who competed in the ISDT 1951, possibly at the speed test. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2FutaFZ)

The scooter's name of Sei Giorni taken of the Italian if translated in English mean Six Days. Why is named like that? Because in the 1950s there was a classic international racing competition held in 6 days named International Six Days Trials (ISDT), which followed by many European two-wheeled vehicle manufacturers and Piaggio also took part in those racing events. This competition was held to test the machine's durability and reliability by crossing the European forests, hills, and mountains.

1951 Vespa 125 'Sei Giorni' on display at the Museo della Piaggio in Pontadera, Italy. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/30XT6lG)

The harshness and the intense atmosphere of the competition forced the vehicle manufacturers to bring out the best version of their production line. That said, the winner of this competition is believed to increase sales volume in the future.

Scooter rider #69 Natale Biasci on Vespa 125 'Sei Giorni' tried covering ground in the ISDT 1951. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2FutaFZ)

To meet the needs of those racing events, so the Pontedera-based scooter maker company creating the Vespa Sei Gioni model, which at glance looked similar to the 1951 Vespa which was used a 125cc 2-stroke engine. But, there are several striking differences such as the application of a slimmer and rounder wing like a boat. Then the front and rear suspension are also made tougher and coupled with the use of a larger fuel tank.

1951 Vespa 125 'Sei Giorni' was used a 125cc 2-stroke update engine with a spare tire is placed in between the handlebar and the seat. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2FtnDj0)

Not only that the engine is also updated by enlarging the torque so that it could be crossed the ferocious hill terrains. The right-side section is also made larger to accommodate the racing carburetor above the cylinder box. Then there's a spare tire is placed in between the handlebar and the seat to make easier the rider to change the tire on the racing.

1951 Vespa 125 'Sei Giorni' while on display at the Indonesia Scooter Festival 2017 and look has a larger fuel tank capacity. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/341xNkX)

At first, the Italian manufacturer was skeptical when the first 10 units of the Vespa Sei Giorni were completed but then turned optimistic when these scooters managed to conquer offroad tracks and speed tests at the Monza Circuit and were make the Piaggio factory team grab a gold medal as the only Italian team to have won the race.

Through the Piaggio Squadra Corse team in 1951, they managed to win the 26th International Six Days Trials (ISDT) held in Varese, Italy, and managed to deliver the Piaggio scooter brand to the pinnacle of glory. During the grueling the 1951 competition event, they managed to grab several gold medals by winning in 9 categories.

The 1951 Vespa 125 'Sei Giorni' legend scooter posed along with the 2018 Vespa Sei Giorni 300 Special Edition. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/30XT6lG)

The Vespa Sei Giorni racing scooters were only produced for 3 years (from 1951 to 1953) with a population of only about 300 units. --Because We Love Vespa--
To appreciate the achievements of those Vespa legendary racing scooters at the ISDT 1951, then Piaggio released a special edition  of the modern Vespa scooter model based on the GTS300 engine in a typical Sei Giorni livery and named Vespa Sei Giorni 300 in July, 2018 as many as 3,000 units worldwide.

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 | VESPA.COM | SPEEDTRACKTALES.COM]

Note: This blog  can be accessed via your smart phone

Red Bullet made to beat the rival wasp speeds record

Italy, a country lied in southern Europe and close to the Mediterranean Sea. This country is known to have a long history with the automotive world, especially with two-wheeled vehicles called scooters. From this country, the origin of all the culture, trends of scooters is sparked.

The legendary Lambretta scooter named 'Red Bullet' designed by Pierluigi Torre and made of rubber, metal, and plexiglass materials with an aerodynamic shape like a bullet. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3kxgiic)

There are two names of legendary scooter manufacturers who can be said to be the pioneers of the scooter industry in the world, namely Piaggio with the Vespa scooter brand while the other is Innocenti with Lambretta.

The legendary Lambretta 'Red Bullet' scooter being prepared just before managed to break the land speed record in the road between Munich and Ingolstadt, Germany on August 8, 1951. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3ipPTRD)

Since the beginning, the competition aroma was very thick between these two Italian scooter manufacturers. One of them was when Piaggio with the Vespa Siluro managed to break the speed record known as 'The Flying Kilometers' on February 9, 1951. Seeing those achievements then sparking the interest of Innocenti to do the same by making an almost similar Siluro scooter shortly after that in the same year and named the Lambretta Red Bullet.

The legendary Lambretta scooter named 'Red Bullet' on the action with Romolo Ferri as the rider managed to break the land speed record in the scooter class on August 8, 1951. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3kxgiic)

The Lambretta-made scooter has a very aerodynamic shape like a bullet and made of rubber, metal, and plexiglass. The Red Bullet was designed by Pierluigi Torre by using the finest of Italian scooter engineering at the time. It was pushing by tremendous 2-stroke engine power through the 3-speed gearbox to break the record.

The legendary Lambretta 'Red Bullet' scooter managed to slice out the air with a speed of up to 201 kilometers per hour (124.8 mph). (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3ipPTRD)

After completion, the Red Bullet was prepared to break the land speed record in the scooter category with the speed targets of exceeding 200 kph, so the manufacturer appointed Romolo Ferri as the rider. His toughest competition is Piaggio’s Vespa Siluro. But the real challenge is winning against himself, as he already reached 195.8 kilometers per hour a few months earlier, on French soil. And this time, his goal is to exceed 200.
This historic moment occurred on August 8, 1951, on a stretch of highway between Munich and Ingolstadt, Germany. At that time, the Red Bullet ridden by Ferri managed to shoot through the air with a speed of up to 201 kilometers per hour (124.8 mph). Since then, Lambretta has established itself as the chosen racing vehicle of its category for the decades to come.
This of course becoming a pride for the Lambretta's scooter manufacturer, Innocenti; also to the designer, Pierluigi Torre; and of course for Romolo Ferri, who continues to set records at full speed on his Lambretta Red Bullet.

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 | ITALIANWAYS.COM | RETROSPECTIVEMODERNISM | THECHICANE.COM | HEMMINGS]

Note: This blog  can be accessed via your smart phone

The record-breaker wasp of Piaggio in the 1950s

As we know that Vespa is a scooter brand made by Piaggio which is very well known to this day. This scooter brand was founded in the 1940s and continues to exist today, so it is not surprising that Vespa has many classic models with distinctive body shapes such as wasps.

1951 Vespa Siluro on display at the Museo della Piaggio in Pontadera, Italy. (PIcture from: https://bit.ly/3fF8EPq)

But apart from having many classic and elegant scooter models, Vespa also has scooters with unique designs that are made for special purposes such as breaking speed records. One of them is the Vespa Siluro which managed to set a prestigious record on February 9, 1951.

The Vespa Siluro once set a prestigious record to cover a distance of 10 km to 11 km known as "The Flying Kilometer" in only 21 seconds. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3gGPRV3)

As the name implies, the Siluro or torpedo, this scooter has a torpedo-like design. At first glance, the shape of this scooter is also almost similar to the Vespa Monthléry, another unique scooter made by Piaggio which is also specially made for racing purposes on the Monthléry circuit, France with the Lambretta scooter made by its rival manufacturer, Innocenti.

Left side view of 1951 Vespa Siluro on display at the Museo della Piaggio in Pontedera, Italy. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3fF8EPq)

The Siluro scooter was developed by a Piaggio manufacturing team led by Dino Mazzoncini and one of its members is the designer of Piaggio's first scooter (Vespa 46) named Corradino D'Ascanio. Uniquely, apart from the team leader, Dino Mazzoncini also played a role as a biker who rode the Siluro.

Cross-section picture of a two-cylinder horizontally opposed the 125cc engine of the Vespa Siluro. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3gGPRV3)

The Siluro scooter has dimensions of 2,380 mm in length, 600 mm in width, and 900 mm in height. The engine used is two cylinders horizontally opposed (where the pistons are opposite each other) with a capacity of 125cc which can generate power up to 17 horsepower at 9,500 rpm.

Thanks to its unique design, Siluro once set a prestigious record known as "The Flying Kilometer". As quoted from vespa.com, that the scooter is able to make achievements when it is able to cover a distance of 10 km to 11 km (on the Rome-Ostia Autostrada in Italy) in only 21 seconds.

We have never seen this beautiful scooter model on Piaggio's Vespa catalogs before. Is this a custom-built model for racing purposes? (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2E27fp6)

Wow, a distance of 10 km to 11 km was covered in just 21 seconds, it was something extraordinary that could happen at that time. How's fast the Siluro scooter? According to the official notes,  the average speed of the Siluro scooter when breaking the record is 171.1 km/h.

Apparently, the competition aroma was very strong between the two Italian scooter manufacturers who were triumphant in the market at that time. Seeing the 'The Flying Kilometer' record then sparking interest of Innocenti, Piaggio's rival scooter manufacturer to do the same by making an almost similar scooter in 1951 and was named the Lambretta Red Bullet. The result is this rival scooter also fastly splashing like a bullet.

The fully-enclosed streamliner Vespa scooter model of 1958 with clever hatches for the rider’s legs. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2CrHool)

The competition between the two Italian scooter manufacturers continues and in 1958, a third Piaggio streamliner with fully-enclosed built like a wingless airplane and was tested on the Autostrada, but there's no time records or info about this attempt, just a few evocative photos.
Finally, factory battles for Land Speed Record supremacy faded out by the 1960s, after a Golden Age of 30 years’ effort on the international stage, that produced some of the most intriguing, no-holds-barred motorcycle designs of all time.

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 | VESPA | ALLINVESPA | THEVINTAGENT.COM]

Note: This blog  can be accessed via your smart phone

A Cushman unique scooter as a tribute to Chevy's achievement of the 1950s

What makes people respected? Might be the reason are seniority, big names, fame, and so on. This also applies to the automotive industry, where one company pays homage to other companies that are considered to have a long history and/or made a very large contribution to the world's automotive.

1957 Cushman Chevy Tribute is sat on display at the Miami Auto Museum. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3idoFNV)

As we all knew, Chevrolet, one of the famous brands in the automotive world (under the auspices of the American automotive giant company, General Motor) which can be said to have an important role and long history in the development of the world's automotive industry until today. It is countless how many models were born from this American brand.

1957 Cushman Chevy Tribute probably uses the same as the Cushman Road King model which is a 720cc, 2-stroke engine which is coupled to an automatic transmission system. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3idoFNV)

Did you know if in the 1950s Chevrolet ever received a homage in a form of a unique-shaped scooter? Then who's pay homage to the Chevrolet? It was its compatriot company named the Cushman Motor Works. Who's that? Actually, the Lincoln-based company wasn't a new name in the world's automotive especially in America.

1957 Cushman Chevy Tribute is painted in a white-red color with chrome-accents also has a steering wheel with two pedals (throttle and brake). (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3idoFNV)

The company who founded at the beginning of the twentieth-century has many experiences and also considered as one of the world's scooter pioneers through its Cushman Airborne Scooter Model 53. Well, as you know that these US military scooters can be said as one of the references for Corradino D'Ascanio when made his historical scooter designs for Innocenti and Piaggio at the end of 1940s.

Back to the homage scooter for Chevrolet which was made in 1957 (although there are no references specifically mentioning it was made by Cushman Motor Works). Instead, this unique scooter was built in such a way as to resemble a Chevrolet iconic car of the 1950s and was given the name Cushman Chevy Tribute.

1957 Cushman Chevy Tribute's front section featured single-hooded boxy headlight. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3idoFNV)

But unfortunately, not many articles provide references for it. And if you look at the results of searches on the internet with the keyword of 'Cushman Chevy Tribute,' the only thing that is often found is just the pictures without any information about this scooter.

When we see from the appearance, broadly speaking, the shape is very similar to the iconic Chevrolet cars of the 1950s. But unknown based on which Cushman scooter models it was built (due to there's none information about it). In our opinion and based on observations from the pictures of the Cushman model scooters available at the time, it seems that this unique scooter was built from the Cushman Road King scooter models.

1957 Cushman Chevy Tribute's rear side attached the Chevy's typical chromed-tail fins completed with the two rear lights and bumper. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3idoFNV)

Uniquely, the Cushman single-seater scooter is painted in a white-red color with chrome-accents also has a steering wheel with two pedals (throttle and brake). Of the front, it has single-hooded boxy headlight, and while, at the rear, the scooter appeared more strikingly similar to the 1950s Chevy car where you can be seeing the Chevy's typical chromed-tail fins completed with the two rear lights and bumper.

While the engine is estimated to be the same as the Cushman Road King model which is a 720cc, 2-stroke engine which is coupled to an automatic transmission system. Today, you can be owned this unique scooter, due it was enlisted to sell by the Miami Auto Museum at the price of $29,995 (or approx of Rp.438 millions). Are You interested to have it?

This is another similar-themed bike made by Lupo Racing called HD Bel Air portrayed side by side with its inspiration source, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/33rI9uj)

And if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to this marque, please don't hesitate to let us know via the comments column below this article. Wanna see another motorcycle resembled with Chevy Bel Air by Lupo Racing?

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 | THEMIAMIAUTOMUSEUM.COM | WEIRDWHEELS]

Note: This blog  can be accessed via your smart phone