Modern Vespa

Not modern and not Vespa but still a scooter. Not too many of these around where I live. I had to share. It's a Heinkel Tourist. 1964, I think.

Wow, it's beautiful!

That's what they rode from New York to California in the '60s book "I see by my outfit" by Peter S. Beagle.

-Dan

Yeah ...great scooter. That is a Heinkel Tourist, indeed.

They're pretty slow, though ...4-stroke engines, and heavy as hell bike = slow to accelerate. Supposedly you can do 50+mph on them with a whole family sitting on it.

I got stuck behind Brian Cavanaugh's in cincinnati at WKRP 2004 as he tried to go up a steep hill. Half the ride group ground to a stop as he slowly puttered up the thing ... people behind him were all stalling out and going off the road.

-Eric

Very cool! I've never seen one of those.

The guy that owns it is a machinist. He also has a red one just like this one with an exhaust that he built for it. All in chrome. The red one sounds just like a Harley. He's ridden with us on the Parkway and never had trouble keeping up. But you don't want to ride behind him when he's on the red one. Too loud for any distance.

There was one for sale in Palm Springs CA a few years ago, I wish I had bought it.

i was surfing that auction site the other day and saw one very similar if not the same for sale...

What a gorgeous art deco bike! What is the history on them? Where built, when and how long in business?

Heinkel built planes for the Germany during WWII along with Messerschmitt. Like Piaggio, looked for alternatives post war. Google them. You'll find much better info than I can provide.

There's a Heinkel Club of America ... former pres of the VCOA, Mike McWilliams runs it, i think.

How does that strike you? Sounds like he UPGRADED from vespas to Heinkels....both in what he rides and in what club he runs

-Eric

everytime I see one of those, I think "horseshoe crab" for some reason

jacqui

Here's another specimen that showed up at our BlockParty in June.

I think when most people get into scooters, towards the beginning everything is just compared aesthetically to the Vespa (particularly wideframes or VBB's / GS's ). As such, everything that's a little boxier or sleaker or whatever gets dismissed as unappealing.

I was the same way - when i first got into scoots, i HATED lambrettas ..how they looked ..same with Heinkels, Fuji's, Maico's, etc. Now i LOVE all of these machines from an aesthetic point of view, and most of the time it's because i've grown fond of them for NON-aesthetic reasons.

For example, many people HATE the vespa PK. (it's a p-series shaped smallframe ) In rallies in Europe and Australia they BURN the PK series scooters for being ugly. That said, their engine is fast as hell, suspension and braking are the best that Vespa ever made on a vintage style bike. So despite being more boxy than the old stuff, i have a love for them that's based on more than just initial looks.... but includes the finer points of them that are more than skin deep.

Anyways, i'm sure this will happen ( if it hasn't already ) to most people here.

-Eric

That is just beautiful!

I think there should be new warring factiions;

The Heinkel Tourist's vs. the Harley Toppers!

I bet at the Heinkel rallies they don't let the "modern Heinkels" ride with them!

The red one above belongs to to the same guy. I was out of town and missed the block party.

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I've heard that most of the parts are available. I hear that there's a Heinkel Club here in the US. I'm sure they could steer you in the right direction.

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There is one for sale in Brisbane at the moment. Not sure if it's being advertised anwyhere. Actually, not sure if there is anyone from Brisbane on this forum??

I have passed on it...making up my mind about being unfaithful to my baby by mid next year. And it won't be with a Heinkel.

Rover Eric...

I can hear you yammering about me! I still have a few Vespas and one Lambretta.

If any of you want a Heinkel, there is a nice one listed on my site:

www.heinkeltourist.com

Mike

For those wanting more info on scooter history about this Heinkel and other scooters, I suggest buying a copy of 'The Scooter Bible' by Michael and Eric Dregni. Members could suggest other historical and current sources.

don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like them, they just look like horseshoe crabs to me. The only scoot that I really dislike the look of, is the honda helix (I think that's what it's called...it's just damn UGLY!)

now my kid (with the PX200E) on the other hand, calls the T5 "Piaggio's Mistake"...so to each his own.

jacqui

i like the PK because it IS boxy!

reminds me of that movie where an ad agency hired psychiatric patients and one of them came up with a volvo ad:

"they're boxy, but they're good!"

anyone 'member that?

I think this scoot is particularly unattractive. I don't mean to offend - it's all just personal taste. It's smart car ugly - but of course I wouldn't hesitate having a smart car as my next vehicle.

Ugly things need attention too

They apparently didn't learn from it and made the Cosa.

jamesago:
YES! I remember that movie.

Remember this one: Jaguar, for men who like getting hand-jobs from women they don't know.

Crazy People with Dudley Moore.

Classic.

yeah, i remember another which was advertising stereos i think:

SONY......BONEY

and they had a huge picture of a skeleton or something.

funny stuff.