When you first see this scooter, what impression can you find on the figure? Maybe you will state that the scooter stature is big. Right, this scooter has a big body. This is a scooter made by C.E. Harper Aircraft Company, a British company that previously made airplanes.
The company was previously named Chrislea Aircraft Limited, which was later acquired by C.E. Harper Aircraft Company in 1952. But the sale of the aircraft produced did not achieve any success in the market. Then the company began making parts for other aircraft brands. Later, it expanded its business by making scooters in 1954 and given the name of Harper Scootermobile. This big-bodied scooter is made based on a scooter design made by Alvin 'Spike' Rhiando.
It was a Villiers-engined scooter with the body made of the fiberglass. Then the prototype was given the name of the Sahara, due to its designer was ridden and tested it by doing a long journey from London to Cape Town, South Africa through the Saharan Desert to prove the concept is a reliable two-wheeled vehicle.
The journey was not succeded and the prototype abandoned somewhere in the Saharan Desert. The Harper Scootermobile scooter built based on this prototype and was first presented in public at the 1954 Earls Court Show.
The scooter has a sizeable body made of fiberglass. The Scootermobile is powered by a Villiers 122cc or 197cc two-stroke engine and already featured with an electric starter. This streamlined body had twin headlamps upfront two integral pannier bags on the rear bodywork. The weight of the deluxe version was 300lbs, while the standard, without the electric starter, was 245lbs.
A further interesting feature is the use of aircraft-type pannier petrol tanks which, joined by flexible hosing, provide a fuel capacity of some 3 gallons. Besides was already featured with an electric-starter there's also another unusually comprehensive electrical equipment is specified as standard, including front and rear blinking direction lights which comes into operation automatically upon the turn of the dashboard-fitting ignition key, while a hand-operated solenoid is provided for emergency purposes.
Although potential customers have waited two years with various updates and reports in several press releases, the luxury Harper Scootermobile never reach production lines. And reportedly, the company managed to make six units of the Scootermobile in 1955. Today, only one unit has survived, and now, it sits on display at the Haynes International Motor Museum in Sparkford, Somerset.
Due to a lack of information about the Franke Autoroller, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to this marque, please don't hesitate to let us know via the comments column below this article.
 |
| The Harper Scootamobile flanked by Douglas Vespa and Mercury Dolphin at the Haynes International Motor Museum in Sparkford, Somerset. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2Y6QlvP) |
It was a Villiers-engined scooter with the body made of the fiberglass. Then the prototype was given the name of the Sahara, due to its designer was ridden and tested it by doing a long journey from London to Cape Town, South Africa through the Saharan Desert to prove the concept is a reliable two-wheeled vehicle.
 |
| Alvin 'Spike' Rhiando with his trans-Sahara scooter. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2ADIjCo) |
 |
| 1955 Harper Scootermobile. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3gUr7t5) |
A further interesting feature is the use of aircraft-type pannier petrol tanks which, joined by flexible hosing, provide a fuel capacity of some 3 gallons. Besides was already featured with an electric-starter there's also another unusually comprehensive electrical equipment is specified as standard, including front and rear blinking direction lights which comes into operation automatically upon the turn of the dashboard-fitting ignition key, while a hand-operated solenoid is provided for emergency purposes.
Although potential customers have waited two years with various updates and reports in several press releases, the luxury Harper Scootermobile never reach production lines. And reportedly, the company managed to make six units of the Scootermobile in 1955. Today, only one unit has survived, and now, it sits on display at the Haynes International Motor Museum in Sparkford, Somerset.
Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops...... *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | 500RACE.ORG | CYBERMOTORCYCLE]
Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
