Time passages

[Jeriatric]

Attached to a recent email from my Sis.

The year was 1962, the scooter a 1947 Cushman - retired from March AFB(yes, it was blue at one time).

Purchased for $50.00 with my own money(which was a lot of $ for this kid back then).

I called it the "Tomato Can".

It was a major change from the 1907 Harley(not mine, I only wished it was)I had learned to ride through the cow pastures of Oklahoma five years earlier.

But all the same, this one had wheels and a motor and best of all.....it was mine.

So too was the world it allowed me to explore(however small that world was at age 15)

fullsizeoutput_8f.jpeg

Do you have an early photo memory of your first? If so, we'd like to see it.

[Bob Denman]

WAY cool!!

[Chupaca]

Having lost all the pictures of my past I do not have one of my first....It was built from plans in Popular Mechanix magazine. Briggs engine, cessna wheels no brakes, no clutch but we had a blast with it while it lasted...Great picture of your first...

[JerryB]

Hi Jerbear,

Re: Do you have an early photo memory of your first? If so, we'd like to see it.

Why, yes I do:

1941.jpg

My first motor vehicle was a little 2-wheeler called a DoodleBug. It was the summer of 1954 & I had a paper route. I paid $20 for it & I had mobility. It really did change my world.

Jerry Baumchen

PS) The following year, I bought a Cushman; just like the one in your photo.

[Saluda]

First new motorcycle, Honda 175 Scrambler. $ 495.00 if memory serves me (1970 s).

[Jeriatric]

Having lost all the pictures of my past I do not have one of my first....It was built from plans in Popular Mechanix magazine. Briggs engine, cessna wheels no brakes, no clutch but we had a blast with it while it lasted...Great picture of your first...

Understand about lost pictures for sure . Didn't even know this one existed, until my Sis sent it. Popular Mechanics 'How To' remember it well...now, those were the days.

[Jeriatric]

Hi Jerbear,

Re: Do you have an early photo memory of your first? If so, we'd like to see it.

Why, yes I do:

1941.jpg

My first motor vehicle was a little 2-wheeler called a DoodleBug. It was the summer of 1954 & I had a paper route. I paid $20 for it & I had mobility. It really did change my world.

Jerry Baumchen

PS) The following year, I bought a Cushman; just like the one in your photo.

spin_prod_239538401.jpg

[Bob Denman]

Jer,
Your Mini Bike picture seems to indicate that it actually had a real braking system (rear wheel only.)
Ours only had a "scrubber", that would rub against the rear wheel tread, when you mashed the pedal. It was completely ineffective if you were riding in the evening, and the tire was the least bit damp...

[Jeriatric]

Jer,
Your Mini Bike picture seems to indicate that it actually had a real braking system (rear wheel only.)
Ours only had a "scrubber", that would rub against the rear wheel tread, when you mashed the pedal. It was completely ineffective if you were riding in the evening, and the tire was the least bit damp...

No doubt the one pictured has much better features than the tennis shoe draggers you guys had back when.

[Bob Denman]

Just think of all the excitement that you can miss out on, when you have functioning brakes!
(I know that I put ours down in the creek-bed on more than a few occasions!)

[Jeriatric]

Just think of all the excitement that you can miss out on, when you have functioning brakes!
(I know that I put ours down in the creek-bed on more than a few occasions!)

Remember the first wood go cart I built(didn't like the pull rope steering) so added a steering wheel system(my first). Turn the wheel right and you went left. Kinda exciting.

Was how we learned - if we lived?

[subdude17349]

Ahhh, the old mini-bikes.

50 odd years later, and my sister STILL gives me grief because she crashed mine. Apparently it was my fault that she wasn't listening when I told her there were no brakes, and to stop she needed to short the spark plug wire

[Bob Denman]

Remember the first wood go cart I built(didn't like the pull rope steering) so added a steering wheel system(my first). Turn the wheel right and you went left. Kinda exciting.

Was how we learned - if we lived?

We tried the same thing... used an old rear wheel from a tricycle...
Our results were memorable, and bloody!
But we never lost a single test pilot!

[JerryB]

Hi Jerbear,

spin_prod_239538401.jpg

Yup. No muffler, no lights, no electrics, 2-cycle engine, no transmission - slip clutch, kick start, hand brake, no license, no insurance, just give her the gas: And away we go.



Jerry Baumchen

[ARtraveler]

Sorry, no picture. My first was a Yamaha 80 one lunger. A 1965 holdover and purchased new in 1966. $328.00. It did not take me long to seize the engine because I exceeded the speed before it was broke in.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

My first two wheels was a 1955 Cushman Eagle I bought in 1960 that looked almost exactly like this one. Rode it into a bush the first 20 feet! Oldest brother said I better come home from school and practice a little bit before I tried riding it to school! 40 mph top speed! Made a passenger seat for the back that could be swapped out for a metal box my brother made so I could haul my lunch and whatever. They actually weren't very safe riding. Honda 50cc Cub killed off Cushman scooters.


54Eagle.jpg

[garb55]

Back when I was a kid they didn't have photos
They carved pictures in rocks
Lots my rocks long time ago
Or was it my marbles I lost
Nope
Think it was my memery

[Smutt]

1965 Allstate Scooter, bought in 1966 for $125 alstate scooter.jpg

[Jeriatric]

My first two wheels was a 1955 Cushman Eagle I bought in 1960 that looked almost exactly like this one. Rode it into a bush the first 20 feet! Oldest brother said I better come home from school and practice a little bit before I tried riding it to school! 40 mph top speed! Made a passenger seat for the back that could be swapped out for a metal box my brother made so I could haul my lunch and whatever. They actually weren't very safe riding. Honda 50cc Cub killed off Cushman scooters.


54Eagle.jpg

Compared to the "Tomato Can" you had the Sport version Cushman.

1965 Allstate Scooter, bought in 1966 for $125 alstate scooter.jpg

Think I actually remember those bikes. If memory serves me, Sears sold them?

Man, what are those? Razor blades on that front fender.

[granpa in Cincy]

First new motorcycle, Honda 175 Scrambler. $ 495.00 if memory serves me.

Mine was burnt orange. Yesterday's cognac???

[Smutt]

Compared to the "Tomato Can" you had the Sport version Cushman.








Think I actually remember those bikes. If memory serves me, Sears sold them?

Man, what are those? Razor blades on that front fender.

Yes the Allstate was sold by Sears, it was Simpson Sears here in Canada. The plate requirement was one on each side in the front and one in the back. If you ran into something you would cut it in two.

[Jeriatric]

1965 Allstate Scooter, bought in 1966 for $125 alstate scooter.jpg

Nice skid lid you're sporting there too.

[Plyrod38]

I still have cinders in my knee from trying to stop my home built, direct drive, mini bike with a.7.5 H.P. West Bend without brakes. It was a blast until the police impounded it and took it home to my father. Dad made me tear it down and put the wheels and engine back on the Simplex go-kart.