1963 Centaur Folding Motor Scooter - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description: Yes we combine shipping for multiple purchases.Add multiple items to your cart and the combined shipping total will automatically be calculated. 1963 Centaur Folding Motor Scooter - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article Original, vintage motorcycle articlePage Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) Condition: Good THE CENTAURWhat is it that looks like a handsome,grey touring suitcase at one time,and a mighty attractive piece of transpor-tation at another, only moments later?Give up? Well, if you didn’t know it al-ready, it’s a Centaur folding motor scoot-er. We have seen a lot of clever examplesof engineering but the Centaur is one ofthe neatest we have seen for some time.We fully expected, once the simple as-sembling instructions were deciphered andthe scooter was sitting on its floor stand,to find a motor scooter in name only.After a few runs around the block wewere convinced that, though a novelty, theCentaur is a versatile and proficient ve-hicle and truly a motor scooter suitablefor a number of serious transportationproblems.The folding system is simple and quiteingenious and we seriously doubt if an-other inch could be employed in retract-ing the vital components into the bodyshell. Though its total weight of 95pound* is not really an excessive amountfor so complete a scooter, it becomes abit of a handful when trying to wrestle thefully loaded unit around. We noted onesuggestion for moving the Centaur about,that of pushing it in a wheelbarrow fash-ion with the rear wheel locked in a downposition.Uses for this type of vehicle are almostlimitless, from shore-bound transportationfor the boatman, ground mobility for theprivate plane flyer, short trips as exten-sions when carried in the trunk of anautomobile, and many more.Lightness can be traced to several ex-tremely clever uses of modern vinyl plas-tics in such places as the main bodypanels, front fender, and most unusually,a blow-molded gasoline tank that has noseams and holds U/2 gallons of fuel inplace of a metal tank that held only onegallon. Components for the suitcase sizescooter are manufactured by a number ofleading American firms, including GeneralTire & Rubber Co. who make the bodypanels of a high-impact, low-pressurestyrene and vinyl sheet called Boltaron.The two-seater (folding footpegs arefurnished for a passenger), is approxi-mately 24 inches high and 60 inches long;folded — 20" high, 16" wide, 32" long.Power is supplied by a 6 cubic inch, Clin-ton two-stroke kart engine rated at 5.2hp that has been bolstered by accessoriesmade by one of the better go-kart hop-upequipment makers, Go-Power Co. Topspeed is over 40' mph and the little enginedelivers the necessary push while givingover 100 miles per gallon of gasoline andoil mix. A centrifugal clutch on the en-gine output shaft drives through a vari-able ratio pulley system torque converterwith a Gilmer belt, giving infinitely vari-able drive ratios.We took the Centaur to Riverside Race-way for the AFM races and used it totransport members of our staff around thevast racing plant while giving it somepretty rough treatment. We can say thislightweight can take almost anything.Naturally the small wheels are somewhatof a drawback but utility was a factor indesigning the Centaur, and conveniencean important consideration. Some stabil-ity is gained, though, by virtue of thewheels being placed at a greater than nor-mal distance apart on a relatively longwheelbase.Controls are familiar for the most part;a twistgrip on the right handlebar operatesthe throttle and a lever on the left handle-bar actuates a brake on the rear wheelStarting is by a spring-loaded recoil start-er. A switch on the back of the headlightshell controls the ignition and a fuel shut-off and choke are also included. Currentfor the sealed beam head and tail lampare furnished by a 12 volt magneto/gen-erator built into the flywheel of the en-gine; they furnish enough light for normaluse though no high-beam is included.Retail price of the Centaur is $410.00and the manufacturer, Lombard Industries,Inc. in Ashland. Massachusetts, has anexcellent dealer procurement program nowin effect. We will not be surprised to seelittle grey suitcases sitting around many amotorcycle dealer’s showroom very soon.Though photographs on this page showthe ingenious folding system used, theydon’t show the faces of bystanders asthings spring out and one rides off on afull-fledged motor scooter; the results arealmost worth the purchase price alone. 12064-6304-08

Price: 11.59 USD

Location: Kingsport, Tennessee

End Time: 2024-10-15T01:24:56.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5.95 USD