Author Topic: HD Scooter content. Who knew? 1960 Topper (Read 1298 times)

chuck peterson · « **on:** November 01, 2019, 09:04:48 AM »

That's damn cool.. 1960. Is that an adjustable lever?

https://westernmass.craigslist.org/mcy/d/wilbraham-harley-davidson-topper/7010359224.html

Adk.IBO · « **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2019, 09:11:42 AM »

Parking brake?

Lannis · « **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2019, 09:26:03 AM »

Those of us just a few years ahead of you used to drool over those Topper ads in Popular Science showing how much fun you could have on the road for how little money ....

Lannis

Groover · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2019, 09:36:04 AM »

Nice one to have, if I had one..

PhilB · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2019, 09:37:57 AM »

Scooters were HUGE in that period. There were dozens of brands. Vespa and Lambretta were the biggest, but most of the major motorcycle companies had scooters. Not just Harley, but there were scooters from Triumph, BSA, Velocette, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Zundapp, Maico, and on and on. Most scooters were 2-strokes, but not all.

The Harley Topper was a 165cc, 2-stroke, with a rope-pull starter.

PhilB

pehayes · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2019, 10:48:08 AM »

I owned one when I was 13! Someone in town was moving away and didn't want it any more. Gave it to me and my brother. We rode it hard and rode it into the ground before the junk yard. Wish I had it now. Hard to see in the first picture, but this was PULL START like a lawnmower. I think 160cc two stroke. Weighed a ton! Huge belt drive with variable pulleys. We mostly drove it with a binary on/off throttle. Held one rpm like a big old bus while it gradually accelerated as the pulleys altered. Hard to damage in a crash. Ask me how I know.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2019, 11:02:50 AM »

Quote

Hard to damage in a crash.

Cam3512 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 01, 2019, 11:12:14 AM »

VERY cool, but not $11K cool!

Lannis · « **Reply #8 on:** November 01, 2019, 12:29:46 PM »

Quote from: pehayes on November 01, 2019, 10:48:08 AM

We mostly drove it with a binary on/off throttle. Held one rpm like a big old bus while it gradually accelerated as the pulleys altered. ...

Just like a Convert then!

Groover · « **Reply #9 on:** November 01, 2019, 01:02:04 PM »

Variator I think

Yeahoo Whoyah · « **Reply #10 on:** November 01, 2019, 01:50:10 PM »

I've still got the family Cushman Scooter. B$W photo is my Grandmother and me Summer of 1950

Wildguzzi.com

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