Autoped
Encyclopedia
The Autoped was an early motor scooter
or motorized scooter
manufactured by the Autoped Company of Long Island City, New York from 1915 to 1921.
The driver stood on a platform with 10-inch tires and operated the machine using only the handlebars and steering column, pushing them forward to engage the clutch, using a lever on the handlebar to control the throttle, and pulling the handlebars and column back to disengage the clutch and apply the brake. After riding, the steering column would be folded onto the platform to store the scooter more easily. The engine was an air-cooled, 4-stroke, 155 cc engine over the front wheel. The bike came with a headlamp and tail lamp, a Klaxon horn
, and a toolbox. Developed during wartime and gasoline rationing, it was quite efficient, but was not widely distributed.
A patent for the Autoped as a "self-propelled vehicle" was applied for in July 1913 and granted in July 1916. An early description of the Autoped described it as having a hollow steering column that acted as the fuel tank. However, the production version had a fuel tank above the front mudguard.
The Autoped went out of production in the United States in 1921, but was manufactured by Krupp
in Germany from 1919 to 1922.
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame and a platform for the operator's feet. Elements of scooter design have been present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...
or motorized scooter
Motorized scooter
A motorized scooter is a small scooter designed to have the rider primarily in the standing position with a small motor attached. These scooters are generally designed with a large “deck” in the center on which the operator may stand. Gas powered stand-up scooters use a small utility engine ...
manufactured by the Autoped Company of Long Island City, New York from 1915 to 1921.
The driver stood on a platform with 10-inch tires and operated the machine using only the handlebars and steering column, pushing them forward to engage the clutch, using a lever on the handlebar to control the throttle, and pulling the handlebars and column back to disengage the clutch and apply the brake. After riding, the steering column would be folded onto the platform to store the scooter more easily. The engine was an air-cooled, 4-stroke, 155 cc engine over the front wheel. The bike came with a headlamp and tail lamp, a Klaxon horn
Vehicle horn
A vehicle horn is a sound-making device used to warn others of the approach of the vehicle or of its presence. Automobiles, trucks, ships, and trains are all required by law to have horns...
, and a toolbox. Developed during wartime and gasoline rationing, it was quite efficient, but was not widely distributed.
A patent for the Autoped as a "self-propelled vehicle" was applied for in July 1913 and granted in July 1916. An early description of the Autoped described it as having a hollow steering column that acted as the fuel tank. However, the production version had a fuel tank above the front mudguard.
The Autoped went out of production in the United States in 1921, but was manufactured by Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
in Germany from 1919 to 1922.