Klaus' scooters

No sooner had I pressed publish on the post last night (in 2009) when a whole bunch of odd-scoots hit the Australian market. These are being sold by Klaus in Melbourne, who sold me the Troll and Heinkel a year ago. Once again it's time to clear out one of his sheds. There are some interesting scooters in this lot and possibly more to come. Who knows? So, if you're interested in picking up something unusual Klaus has probably got something for you.

1962 IWL Berlin

First up is this beautiful IWL Berlin. The Berlin is the princess of the IWL range and a real head turner. It's not running but would definitely be worth the effort of restoring. I would really have loved to own one of these.

1955 Adler Junior

Definitely one for the collector. The Adler Junior is a rare beast wherever you go. Apparently running but in need of a good panel beating. Of all the scooters on offer, this would definitely be the one I'd go for, but ....

1958 Vespa VNA

I must admit I'm kinda off the Vespas and Lambrettas (another story) but this is an interesting one and with five bids already in one day, that's a good sign.

Cushman Scooter

I suppose you could say Cushman scooters have a certain kind of charm, but they certainly leave a lot to be desired in looks and style. I don't know what you can really say about this little... machine. If it were a Turtleback, I'd buy it immediately. But it ain't. Can any of our American colleagues advise on this scooter?

Update - This is a Cushman Trailster built between 1960-65. The Trailster was especially built for off-road riding. All the surviving examples I've seen have been yellow (although most are in a rough condition). This is a good example of a real US bush-basher. Here's an interesting link - http://scooterplace.blogspot.com/

It's good to see a few interesting machines in the market. I look forward to seeing these auctions play out and hope that one day I hear how all these projects turned out.

These and Klaus' other auctions can be found here:
http://shop.ebay.com.au/merchant/m***oo747

Infinite desires versus finite resources

As anyone with an old scooter knows - they are addictive. No sooner was the Troll running and the Heinkel packed up waiting to go than I began prowling the internet to see what else was available out there. There aren't many odd scoots on the market in Australia, and even less in Perth, but these past couple of months (this was written in May 2009) has seen some interesting activity.

The Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon

This super rare 1958 Silver Pigeon came up on eBay in Perth a couple of months back. It had been fully restored but wasn't currently running as there was a problem with transmission and electrics. There was no interest in it the first time it was posted on eBay and I only came across the listing 5 minutes before it expired. A month later it was posted again and this time I made enquiries. The owner wouldn't let me inspect it but I put in a bid anyway. Unfortunately I was pipped at the post and missed out. I've always wondered who out there bought it.

The Fuji Rabbit S601 Superflow

This scooter came on the market in the eastern states only days after the Silver Pigeon action finished. It was originally posted at $4000, but quickly dropped to $3500. Way back, when I first purchased the Heinkel and was debating buying a second scooter, I was tossing up between the Troll and a Fuji Rabbit Superflow. My brother recommended the Superflow as it has nicer lines and more chrome, but there was 'apparently' more work to do on the Rabbit while the Troll was 'running'... supposedly. I've always remained partial to Rabbits, but I just couldn't get excited by this one. It was fully restored and running, which should have made it a no brainer. Being superficial, I'd say it was just a matter of the purple colour and the red and black powercoating on the chrome trim (why oh why?). It ended up passing in with no bids. It was relisted a couple of weeks ago and again passed in with no bids. That's an ominous sign for a odd scoot fan - it's a small market out there. I know I'll never recoup my costs on the Troll but then that's hardly the point is it?

The Puch R125

Simultaneously with the Rabbit, this rare 1958 Puch was posted on eBay. Unlike the Rabbit, this really sparked my interest and I made enquiries. I watched the auction for while and as there appeared to be no interest I determined I would buy it. Unfortunately for me there was a sudden flurry of interest for this scooter and it quickly went over my price limit. I'd be delighted to see the outcome of this restoration.

The two Puch's

The week after the first Puch was sold these two 1961 Puch Alpines came up. Perhaps because the Puch fans' blood was up there was serious interest in these two. I really would have liked to have bid on these but as there were serious bidders in play I let them go (to a good home hopefully). It was pleasing to see some real interest in Puchs.

The 1955 TWN Tessy

This lovely restored Tessy was posted on the Scootersales website. It too had been advertised for several months. I assumed it had already been sold when I stumbled over the ad for a second time. Out of interest I contacted them but it had in fact already sold, they'd just forgotten to take down the ad. It sold for $4000.

The 1958 Cezeta

After the Puchs' were sold my interest diverted back to the Rabbit Superflow, which was then being listed a second time, this time at $2000. The lack of interest in the Rabbit actually tempted me to make a bid for it, but then this 58 Cezeta appeared on eBay. The Cezeta is right up there in the desirable scooter stakes and I immediately initiated enquiries. I was seriously intending to buy this scooter and had even sourced a repair manual but after pressing the seller for some more details he finally confirmed that the engine was seized, so I let it go. Someone else picked it up at the last minute for the asking price of $700.

With the exception of the Tessy and the Rabbit, all the other scooters were restoration projects and sold for under $1000. If I was going to buy another scooter it would have to be either very cheap or completely restored but most importantly, extremely cool. Shelly had been quite clear with me that three scooters was more than enough, but then kind of left a door open by musing that "maybe I should buy something more interesting next time. I mean, the Heinkel and the Troll look pretty much the same." Really!? Anyway.... I was pretty sure I could get the Cezeta past my wife, but the others would have been a bit more of problem.

Other Business
It was inevitable I guess that I'd start looking motorcycles as well. I'd been a regular browser through 'Just Bikes' and 'Motorcycle Trader' magazine. My interest was always drawn to unusual vintage bikes, mostly English marques such as Ariel, BSA, and Triumph. Some 6 months ago I spotted an Ariel Leader. Although it hadn't been ridden in years it was in really good condition and still running. At $6000 it was kind of out of my price range, but I eventually gave in to temptation and made an enquiry. Unfortunately it had sold that week. Damn! But the Ariel was shortly followed by a Velocette Vogue. The Vogue had been fully restored and was the same price but I ended up passing it by. Shortly afterwards a DMW Deemster hit the market. I initiated enquiries but it was quickly snapped up. All these unusual vintage English bikes are rare in Australia. Their respective stories are quite interesting and I'll do a bit of a write up about them later.

After many months of seeing this Ariel Leader advertised in the back pages of the Just Bikes magazine I decided to make a call. It's been a slow process negotiating a deal. Again, it's situated on the east coast so I'm buying 'sight unseen' and it all comes down to trust. It's cheaper than the other bikes I've enquired about but still over what I am looking to spend. Basically if I do go ahead with this purchase it's gonna mean the Heinkel project is put off till next year as I'll have spent my repair budget. But, these bikes don't come up for sale very regularly so sometimes you've just got to take the plunge.

IWL SR59 Berlin review

From Scootering Magazine December 2010. http://www.scootering.com/

A potted scooter history

Scooter evolution from the 1930s to the 1960s.

When many people think of scooters, they think of Vespa. And why wouldn't they? They are rightly famous and almost single-handledly made the motor scooter 'cool' and 'sexy.' It could even be argued that Piaggio's Vespa saved scooters from obscurity and oblivion.

Scooters had, of course, been around for quite a while. From the moment the internal combustion engine was invented people started bolting them to bicycles and push scooters. The motorcycle immediately took off, but the motor scooter wobbled as unsteadily as the bizarre contraptions they often were - small, unstable, underpowered, without suspension or any attempt at rider comfort. It was only in post-depression America that a niche market for scooters opened up among the upper middle classes, eager for the particular combination of novelty and mobility that scooters offered.

ABC Scootavia from the 1920's

It was the Second World War, specifically the invasion of Europe, that lifted the fortunes of the scooter industry. Their small size and mechanical simplicity made them appear to be the perfect support for mechanized infantry. The America manufacturer, Cushman, dominated the market during the 1940s, producing 300 scooters a day for both military and civilian use. After the war, Cushman and other manufacturers, such as Salsbury, planned a mass transport revolution with stylish and innovative scooter designs. Salsbury's flagship, the 1947 Super Scooter Model 85, was certainly stylish and space age, but was a commercial failure. The War had made America an industrial giant and its citizens were the wealthiest in the world. American consumers weren't interested in the scooter companies visions of cheap mass transport; they wanted cars and they could now afford them. America's post war prosperity was the death knell of the American scooter industry.

The 1947 Salsbury Super Scooter (Vintage Motor Museum, Whiteman Park)

In the UK, sidecar manufacturer Swallow had observed Cushman scooters being used by at RAF around their airfields and saw an opportunity to produce a budget vehicle that would be suitable for the English 'everyman.' Clearly based on the Cushman and powered by a 125cc Villiers engine, the 1946 Gadabout was spartan vehicle, without either suspension or styling. It proved to be a mediocre seller and was soon to be overtake by events on the continent.

A 1946 model Gadabout in Australia (owned by G Wilkie). Only about 2000 were built and many were exported to Australia and the colonies. I now regret not buying one when I had a chance.

In Europe it was a totally different story. Most European cities had been destroyed or badly damaged during the War and it would be decades before the national economies of Europe fully recovered. There was a desperate need to both kick-start an industrial recovery and provide cheap mass transport. In Italy, Germany and Japan, military aircraft manufacturers such as Piaggio and Heinkel had been banned from building aircraft or anything remotely military and they desperately needed to find a new role if they were to survive. Enrico Piaggio had been impressed by the Cushman scooters the US military had used in Italy and saw an opportunity. Piaggios' 1946 scooter prototype, nicknamed Paperino ("Donald Duck") was stylistically reminiscent of the more bizarre pre-war scooters and quickly shelved, but a new design, featuring a step through body and simple, elegant lines was an instant hit. Piaggio is reputed to have said, "It looks like a wasp (Vespa)", due to it's slim waist and high pitched buzzing engine, and the name stuck.

Vespa's 1946 prototype, the Paperino.

Piaggio's design was scarcely original - the design was so remarkably similar to that of other contemporary Italian scooter manufacturers, such as the Iso, that someone could fairly be accused of 'plagiarism' - but that wasn't important. Piaggio's marketing turned the Vespa into a phenomenon. The youth appeal of the Vespa is what is most remembered today, but that was actually the sentiment of a later era. Vespa's initial success was with working families, especially housewives, who could easily drive or ride on the scooter without getting their dresses caught or dirty. Mechanically the Vespa was a simple, clean and relatively reliable machine, and it became the all purpose workhorse of post war Italy. It appeared in movies (e.g,, Roman Holiday), was endorsed by film stars, politicians and even the Catholic Church.

A Vespa 125 from the early 50's in Verona, Italy. 2004

Vespa's success set a standard that all other scooter manufacturers tried to attain. In fact, re-badged Vespas were built under license my a myriad of scooter manufacturers from America, to Russia, to India. In comparison, Vespa's main Italian competitor Innocenti's first Lambretta was a graceless, naked tubular frame with an engine.

Lambretta D

In 1951 Innocenti released the LC 125 with body panels. Larger, more powerful and very stylish, these new Lambrettas threw down a serious challenge to Vespa that was to last until Innocenti finally retired from the scooter market and sold Lambretta to India in 1971.

Lambretta TVC

In the US, the craze for European scooters led even veteran motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson to come out with their own model, the Topper. It proved to be an embarrassing failure. Cushman however continued to dominate the scooter market with their miniaturized motorcycle/scooter hybrids, such as the Eagle. But once again the fad quickly ended and motorcycles continued to outsell scooters by a significant margin. Both Harley Davidson and Cushman abandoned scooters to concentrate on their core market.

The Harley Davidson Topper - square, styleless and dull - like all 60's US scooters.

Scooters were very popular and very eccentric in post war Britain. The most eccentric by far was probably the Piatti, which looked nothing so much as a fat sausage sporting an improbably large seat. Despite its Italian sounding name and very advanced features, the Piatti and many other similar domestic scooters couldn't really compete with their Italian counterparts.

A Piatti. Unanimous winner of the weirdest scooter award.

Typically perhaps, the French struck out in their own direction, producing a number of very interesting, stylish and innovative scooters that we almost two wheeled cars, of which the Terrot and Peugeot with their front hood and luggage boot were typical examples. The French however, never aimed or succeeded in penetrating the export market and these innovative scooters were almost unknown outside France.

A stylish Peugeot scooter.
German industry had been virtually destroyed during the War and so the first German scooters were basically Lambrettas and Vespas built under license with imported parts, which explains the familiar lines of such German scooter classics as NSU, Puch, Zundapp and Durkopp. But the Germans were never particularly satisfied with the Italian machines and it wasn't long before they were completely re-engineering them into something more typically... German. The Italian scooters were built for an Italian environment of small towns, country lanes, twisting, weaving cobbled streets, driven at relatively low speeds. Germany was a country of autobahns and wide roads. The Germans wanted power, mechanical reliability and comfortable handling over long distance. As with Italians, it seems as though industrial espionage was at work in the 1950s as almost all the scooters featured a wide, fixed front wheel faring, large 10 or 12 inch wheels and aerodynamic streamlining. Lined up together the Bastert, Faka, Goggomobile, IWL Pitty and the Heinkel all have a very similar silhouette.

A 1951 Goggomobile. G. O. G. G. O.....

Like their Italian predecessors, the first generation of post-war German rollers were something of a disappointment, being invariably heavy and underpowered (especially carrying all that extra metal!). But future models came with much more powerful engines, better suspension and much improved road handling. Most of these German machines were really motorcycles in a scooter body. Stylistically, the fixed front wheel fairing didn't make it past the early 50's, being replaced in the early 60's by the more traditional appearance of the Zundapps and Puchs. All that is except for the Heinkel, which would doggedly maintain the style until they ceased producing scooters in the mid 1960s.

Beginning at the Beginning

Perhaps it wasn't the most well thought through idea, but a couple of drinks certainly added to my sense of enthusiasm. I don't remember who mentioned it first as I wasn't involved in the initial discussion, but I did overhear the word "scooter" and my interest was sparked. Apparently we were all going to buy scooters - the retro looking Vmoto Milan in fact, because it looked so cool. "I'll be in that.", I said. There were six of us and someone said they could get us a deal for a bulk purchase. We all drank to the idea, but the plans never really made it past that night. Sober heads prevailed.

I was quite disappointed at the time. I had really wanted the scooter, but almost a year later, at another party with the same crew a new opportunity presented itself. One of our entrepreneurial friends, who seemed to have his fingers in many different pies, announced he would be importing nine restored Vespas from Indonesia. At this time, there were few Indonesian scooter restorations on Australian roads and the underlying problems with the vehicles were largely unknown. Deals were struck, money was exchanged, and a vehicle was purchased.

It took a lot longer than anticipated for the scooters to arrive. Two months became three, then became six. As I'd committed to pay only when the bike had passed pit inspection and been certified roadworthy, my bike had already received an extensive overhaul after it arrived in Perth. It inevitably however, it broke down shortly after I took possession, but our friend fulfilled his promise and had it repaired at his own expense. Now, almost a year after the bikes first arrived, only three (including mine) are actually on the road. Three are still in the shop but almost ready to go and the remaining three haven't even been looked over yet.

My bike is a beautiful vehicle. It is a cream 1963 Vespa VBB. I bought it as a local runabout- a means of getting up to the shops or down to the beach - not as a daily commuter vehicle. Unfortunately, due its initial mechanical unreliability I haven't had enough time to become familiar with the peculiar idiosyncrasies it shares with all vintage machines. In March, through rider error, I had a little accident with the bike, forcing a return to the shop for more work. Initially the diagnosis was minor - a sheared bolt on the front shock. It was fixed in matter of hours, but the fix highlighted a number of other problems. It was ironic actually as I would have taken it back to the mechanic to have the steering re-examined anyway, as the front end tended to shudder disturbingly as soon as the bike reached 60 kph - not a very comforting feeling! In the last four weeks the entire front end of the bike has been taken apart and put back together, and then taken apart again. The interior workings of the steering column has revealed some dubious Indonesian makeshift repairs, including inserts of tin can shims. Sam from The Scooter Centre (ph -93710812, 82 Beechboro Road, Bayswater) has been very patient.

A New Opportunity

When I bought the Vespa, I must admit that Piaggio and Lambretta were the only classic scooter manufacturers I knew, but my eyes were soon opened to the variety of interesting machines out there. From the moment I saw my first Heinkel, with its unusual fixed nose-wheel faring I thought, that is my dream scooter. But there seemed to be few if any available in Australia, although clearly there were plenty in Germany, where many were still used as daily commuters. They were not especially expensive in Germany, but the cost of shipping one over, untested, seemed a little extravagant. So I parked the Heinkel dream and concentrated on the Vespa. And then....

In Melbourne, Klaus Wolf of the Retro Scooter Palace, needed to clear some space in his garage and posted some fifteen rare and unusual scooters on eBay. All were restoration projects in various states of repair. Among them was the 1954 Heinkel 103A-0. It was described as being complete, but in pieces. The price was cheap but also indicative of the amount of work that the new owner would be required to do. My immediate thought was that this would be too difficult for me, a novice scooter enthusiast, so I let it go. But every day I checked into eBay to watch the progress of the auction. There were some truly exceptional scooters on offer, but interest seemed slow. I also continued my research into the Heinkel, the availability of spares, the complexity of its engineering, and the relative costs of transporting the scooter to Perth. On the last day of the auction there were still no bids for the Heinkel. I was in a quandary. Should I do it?? I went for a long kayak on the Swan River, weighing up the pros and cons. I decided if no one else was interested I would bid and later that night, with still no other bidders, I placed the minimum bid. The next day the Heinkel was mine.

It was a daunting prospect! It was now time to put my money where my mouth was. I hadn't mentioned any of this to my wife, and I know exactly what she would say. Hmmm. It was gonna take some special pleading to convince her. Which is why I'm also at a loss to explain what I did next. Klaus and I exchanged a lot of emails and messages to arrange the transport of the Heinkel, but my initial quote fell through when the transport company refused to pick up the bike. This was a spanner in the works! Klaus thought he could find me a better deal if the consignment was bigger. Did I know of anyone else in Perth who would be interested in one of his bikes. We could share transport costs. I asked him to sent me the inventory of the remaining bikes he was selling and before the week was out - against all better judgement - I'd bought a second rare bike - an East German IWL Troll. At least the Troll was intact and supposedly running.

So, in the space of four weeks my scooter plans have completely changed. Next week I should have the Vespa after it's extended convalescence. I am hoping that the steering will now be completely fixed and it will be safe to drive on the roads. It will still be my local runabout. When the German bikes arrive, I'm intending to quickly go over the Troll, install its new battery, clean the fuel system and get it running.

The Heinkel will be my restoration project. I intend to fully strip the bike back and rebuild it. I'd like to get it finished by November for my 40th birthday, but I'm not entirely certain that's possible. I love vintage vehicles - my great uncle, Percy Markham, had a large collection of vintage cars that he donated to the WA Museum - but I am not such a purist that I'll be trying to restore the Heinkel to factory condition. I'll play it by ear. If it make sense to use replacement parts in the restoration, I'll do so. I want the bike to functional and safe, not a museum piece. When the Heinkel is finished then I'll undertake a proper restoration of the Troll.