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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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 ]

Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.

An extreme alteration of the Lambretta LD classic into a new unique modern scooter

Modern CREATIONS The appearance of a classic scooter turned out can be rejuvened into a unique modern looks scooter through skillfull and creative hands. Just look at the following unique Lambretta LD 125 made in 1957 scooter figure below that we found while surfing in cyberspace some time ago. Although we do not get much detailed information about the unique scooter with a neat blend of classic-modern styles. There're only a series of pictures scattered on several sites on the internet.

The Lambretta LD 125 Custom with a neat blend of classic-modern styles built by Adris's Custom, a Landivisiau-based automotive modification workshop. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3aU7MG2)

Now, let's start from who exactly built this unique scooter? He is Adri Faure, an automotive builder from France and also the owner of Adri's Custom, a Landivisiau-based automotive modification workshop. As we mentioned earlier, this modification process takes the basis of a Lambretta LD 125 classic scooter.

The Lambretta LD 125 Custom built based of the the Lambretta LD 125 scooter and used a 172 cc engine taken from Yamaha Majesty. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3aU7MG2)

As quoted of scooter-center.com, the Lambretta LD 125 scooter is one of the rare classic scooters produced by Innocenti between 1951 and 1955. This scooter was first introduced in December 1951 as the 125 Model D, which featured a newly designed frame and a greatly improved chassis. Overall, the D was basically an improved model C, also the appearance was very close to that of its predecessor.

As seen of the pictures in Adri's Custom album on the Facebook page, the LD 125 scooter used as the basis for this modification is a scooter wreck in incomplete conditions, it can be seen the seats gone, the headlight broke, and also unknown whether its engine can be started.

The Lambretta LD 125 Custom's rear section looks unique with the rear tire looks like protruding out of its body. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3aU7MG2)

So it is not surprising that the modified scooter is used a 172 cc engine taken from Yamaha Majesty. And for this purpose, the scooter's frame must be adjusted to the new and larger sized engine. Apart from the frame adjustment to accommodate the new engine installation, there's a total change also occurred in the legs both in front and rear sections.

The Yamaha Majesty's 172 cc engine setting on the Lambretta LD 125 bodywork. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3aU7MG2)

Even for the scooter's rear leg, which use a 12-inches size five-spokes rim wrapped in the wide-tread tire and set low, so the body has to be made its tire-tread sized tear, as a result the rear tire looks like protruding out of its body. As for the front, after the old-leg parts of the LD 125 scooter were removed then replaced with a 12-inch sizes closed rim which was also wrapped in a wide-tread tire and combined with a pair of new telescopic suspension (thought the front suspensions were almost rigid).

A final adjustment of the radiator mount and cooling fan on the Lambretta LD 125 Custom's frame. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3aU7MG2)

We believe that the engine swapping has an impact on its performance, and thus the modified scooter braking system should be upgraded by removing all the default braking systems and replaced by using a more capable disc brake braking system for the front and rear wheels.

The Lambretta LD 125 Custom while on the constructruction setting at the workbench. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3aU7MG2)

As a final touch, this classic and modern mixed-style scooter is given a jet black color which adds a grim impression to the low-pitched scooter. After its construction completed, the modified result scooter was once offered at Leboncoin, a French online trade site and was offered for € 4,000 (approx Rp.64 million) back in 2019. We think that's a fair enough number for such a good scooter work like this, but so far it's not known whether it managed to be sold. So you can see how handsome the scooter is when it poses with Adrien Faure, the maker.

The Lambretta LD 125 Custom poses with Adrien Faure, the maker. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2N9FL5m)

That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to these French-built unique-shaped LD 125 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 | ADRIEN FAURE | ADRI'S CUSTOM | SPECIAL SENZA MARCE | BIKER KULTURE | JALOPI JOURNAL | LAMBRETTA BRASIL | SCOOTER-CENTER ]
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The lost Austrian 'Bambi' scooter

Rare ONES Wow, what brand of scooter is this? Where does it come from? These questions were raised when we first saw it on the internet. At first glance, the shape looks like a British-made scooter with the characteristics of a large front fender. But after we dig deeper and found that the scooter is one of the scooters made by Austrian manufacturer. This is shown an indication that the world's scooter trend of 1950s that occurred in Austria was quite booming, this can be seen by the presence of so many scooter brands that have been born from the country.

1955 HMW 75 RG Bambi scooter. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3ryb8FD)

You will remember, some time ago, we submitted several articles discussing the 1950s scooters made by Austrian manufacturers, such as the Colibri from Josef Walter & Co or several scooter models made by KTM ranging from Mirabel, Mecky to Pony. Then there are several scooter models produced by Puch, then there are scooters designed by Otto Kauba that are made and also marketed into several other brands.

1954 HMW 75 RG Prototype. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2MxvrEp)

The scooters that will be discussed this time are less well known, and rarely known to scooter enthusiasts outside Austria. The Austrian manufacturer, Halleiner Motoren Werke A.G. (HMW) was founded by Ing. Anton Fuchs and Franz Hinterberger in 1946 and operated to 1962 had produce several products including the Fuchs 49cc bicycle engine, several mopeds and other light-class two-wheeled vehicles as well as several scooter models.

1955 HMW 75 RG Bambi scooter. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2MxvrEp)

At the time the Hallein-based manufacturer was succes becoming the king in the moped market, with the HMW Fuchs built-in motor. But when the scooter fever hit the world, made the Austrian manufacturer was also interested in making it. And in the 1954 Vienna-held spring trade fair, surprisingly the company launched a prototype scooter called the HMW 75RG. The prototype scooter form is similar in simplicity to the early Kauba and Lambretta, but much prettier.

1958 Cosmo HMW Bambi scooter
vintage print flyer. (Picture from:
http://ebay.to/3jo73kp)

A year later, the HMW 75RG Bambi series model was presented at the same event. At first glance the scooter has a little similarity with the previous year prototype model, but is very beautiful and the Bambi is described as a work of scooter art features with big and wide fenders with a bullet-shaped headlight perched on it, then lush shield acompanied with compact dash, full engine fairing, big-sized spoke wheels.

It is not known why the scooter name is the same as a Walt Disney's cartoon series entitled Bambi produced by MGM Film. It is thought that the name was considered a form of appealing to consumers only. Finally, the name using was stopped altogether, after receiving objections from the company that produced the cartoon.

1958 HMW Super Luxus moped. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/36OgC78)

Unfortunately, the scooters sales figures in the market did not go according to plan, and the use of a 75cc engine was said to be the reason. As qouted of fahrzeuge.dorotheum.com, the engine was considered lousy to carry the 100 kg-weighted scooter for agile running on the streets, and even not to be better by the use of a two-speed manual gearbox.😏

In the first year (1955) it turned out that the Bambi model sold only 314 units and in the following year only 95 units. The often rumored 1,200 units sold numbers might fall into the fairytale category, even as some rebadged as the Cosmo 80 models exported to America ended up with the losing money.😒 It seems that the company has not given up yet on the loss in the scooter sales, it's still pushing its luck by producing the moped-scooter mixed two-wheeled vehicle models.

1957 HMW 50 Maya sat on display at the HMW Sonderausstellung Keltenmuseum, Hallein, Land Salzburg, Austria. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3pX3x31)

The company's next scooter product named the HMW 50 Maya of the 1957 and the next folowing year the company moved from Hallein to Kottingbrunn, and production of the Bambi scooter was stopped, thus Bambi as the name of the scooter model then disappeared. Shortly after in the 1959 that the Austrian manufacturer once again started production of another underpowered moped-scooter mixed two-wheeled vehicle named the HMW 50 Conny.

1959 HMW 50 Conny sat on display at the HMW Sonderausstellung Keltenmuseum, Hallein, Land Salzburg, Austria. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3pX3x31)

The manufacturer continued to produce mopeds until the 1960s, before actually ceasing its operations in 1962. It seems that the company's products have difficulty competing in the market, which has an impact on the company's financial which has deteriorated. Finally on May 16, 1962, the Austrian manufacturer stopped all production after producing approximately 128,175 units of two-wheeled vehicles of various types including mopeds and scooters.😭

That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to these Austrian HMW's unique-shaped 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 | HMW-ZWEIRAD.AT | AUSTROCLASSIC.AT | WIKIPEDIA | CYBERMOTORCYCLE.COM | FAHRZEUGE.DOROTHEUM.COM | FLICKRIVER.COM ]
Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.