American lightweight Motorized Bicycles

GoldenMotor.com

Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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It's all out there, I'm just a happy nerd, finding some of them. I'm wondering when I'll find a hydrostatic drive hub on a bike.
 

Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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Helio Gas Bike


2010 Imperial Cycles, San Jose


At an American swap meet, it may be known to some of you
 
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Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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What thef?


Picture/page expired.


1921 119cc Evans, sold in France


2004 Power Tool Races


Whizzer engined bike in a Luxembourg museum
 
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Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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1960s Propo Wheel by Keuhl

25mph, 3hp engine unit, mounted on a parallelogram, belt driver




1990s Zipcycle


Picture/page expired.



1970 Roper Bumblebike, ?USA



 
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silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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It is kind of sad that AMF represents what America came up with for a moped. The ones that had the engine on the rack behind the seat were really ill-conceived using a McCullough chain saw engine and had a top speed of around 15mph. Even more weird was that Harley Davidson sold them. I imagine that is something that H.D. would like to forget.

I bought one of these a few years ago as a parts donor as it has nice drum hubs on it. I ended up hanging a Tomos 2 speed engine under the frame and turned it into a nice bike with full sized wheels and a Suzuki fork. I intend to finish it up this winter and give it to my son. But as it was sold when new... what a dud.
SB
 

Ludwig II

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Don't worry, British manufacturers came up with at least the equal of the AMF. Given their effect on all the things they touched, we can make a reasonable supposition about the MF part of AMF. What did the A stand for?
 

Ludwig II

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You can get a 50 made in America. The engine on it's own might even be affordable. Better yet, it will be designed for more power than you'd reasonably need on a bicycle frame. By Cobra Moto.

 
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bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
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Even more weird was that Harley Davidson sold them. I imagine that is something that H.D. would like to forget.
SB
Harley-Davidson was forced. AMF was their corporate overlord at that time.

Do you recall also those cheap, Taiwanese-made, 2 stroke dirt bikes they marketed as a Harley?

I'm sure Harley would like to forget those days. More than that; they're probably downright humiliated over it.

That was no one's finest hour.
 

Ludwig II

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I didn't know about Taiwan, I knew about the Aermacchis where they stuck HD on the tanks.
 

Ludwig II

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Italian, originally, as the name implies, aircraft manufacturers, like Piaggio, who got into bikes to earn money post WW2.

They made 90cc 2 stroke minibikes for HD as wll as the flat single 250/350 sprint models. Later on, there were 2 strokes replacing the 4 stroke singles.

After various traumas and disasters, the bones still exist as Cagiva, still out there, still racing and making road bikes.

http://www.aermacchi-world.de/history.html
 
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