Bike Disguised as Motorcycle (May, 1932)
Filed under: Bicycles, Motorcycles — @ 2:40 am
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: May, 1932
| Buy on Ebay
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: May, 1932
| Buy on Ebay
Bike Disguised as Motorcycle
WHAT is this younger generation coming to? When you and I were kids a bike was a bike, and lucky was the boy to get one without any trimmings whatsoever. But now look! Even the tiny tots must have a bike, and an ordinary one won’t do. It must be designed as the Graf Zeppelin, or in this case, a real motorcycle.
A long time ago in a mis-spent childhood far far away, I had a similar item that attached to my bicycle.
Mattel, understanding well the motorhead fascination of young American kids, produced a plastic motorcycle motor called the V-RROOM! This was, as stated, a plastic fake motorcycle engine, controlled by a key and a throttle. The key turned the sound effect (a motor banging weights against a diaphragm) and the throttle controlled the speed of said motor.
A picture of a bicycle with said item fitted is:
http://www.oldroads.com/arch/pic1_837.html
Everything old ends up new again… Al
Comment by Al — December 17, 2008 @ 11:40 am
Al… in this case, something old is older!
Comment by jayessell — December 17, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
HEY! I resemble that remark!
Comment by Al — December 17, 2008 @ 1:05 pm
Now I totally want a bike “designed as the Graf Zeppelin.”
Comment by Chris Radcliff — December 17, 2008 @ 2:44 pm
Now it is a motorcycle disguised as a bike (to get around the various local licenses, registrations, taxes, etc.) Such is a moped.
Comment by Tracy B. — December 17, 2008 @ 4:36 pm
Tracy…. Do you mean this….
A motorcycle that looks like a bicycle.
http://www.gearlog.com/images/12547.gif
The RevoPower Wheel.
http://www.gearlog.com/2006/05.....spower.php
Comment by jayessell — December 17, 2008 @ 7:49 pm
Hey I like it.
Usually the motor was merely a power assist device to the bicycle– it could transmit power to the front wheel by means of a friction wheel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moped_old.jpg
Comment by Tracy B. — December 17, 2008 @ 8:34 pm
Tracy – not all mopeds were ‘assist only’ nor were they all friction drive. I had a Puch that was chain drive and all but impossible to pedal – the pedals were strictly a legal requirement.
Here in Ontario, recent changes to vehicle definitions have all but eradicated the stinky old things (most were 2 stroke) while at the same time making it easier to buy/license/drive small motorcyles and electric-assist bikes.
Me? I pedal myself around these days, even in the snow.
Comment by Toronto — December 18, 2008 @ 7:16 pm
The wikipedia article on mopeds shows several configurations. When I was in college (1976-1981), there were all kinds of mopeds– I do remember to start them, you had to work the pedals.
Comment by Tracy B. — December 19, 2008 @ 4:43 pm
Heck, we only had a piece of birch bark attached with laundry pegs rattling between the spokes in my time….
Comment by Jari — December 19, 2008 @ 5:27 pm