General Category => Other Things Simplex => Topic started by: Doodle Bugger on April 15, 2014, 12:08:11 PM

Title: Short Wheelbase Scooter
Post by: Doodle Bugger on April 15, 2014, 12:08:11 PM
Towards the back of the Wollard book, there is a photo and small mention of a short wheelbase scooter, but further details seem a bit unclear to me and I find no other mention of this in the book.

Was this model that ever made it into production or was it prototype only? I know about the regular scooter that, for lack of a better term, I'll call the long wheelbase scooter, but what about this short one? Ever actually built? Any ideas on how many?
Title: Re: Short Wheelbase Scooter
Post by: Mike Sal on April 15, 2014, 04:24:08 PM
The "big" bike was called the Senior & the small one was the "junior" I think (don't have any of my books close by at the moment).  They all used the Simplex gas tank.

These bikes are also pictured & mentioned in the book "american motorcycles 1900 - 1980". 
Mike Sal
Title: Re: Short Wheelbase Scooter
Post by: Ricks on April 15, 2014, 05:22:21 PM
The "big" bike was called the Senior & the small one was the "junior" I think (don't have any of my books close by at the moment).  They all used the Simplex gas tank.

These bikes are also pictured & mentioned in the book "american motorcycles 1900 - 1980". 
Mike Sal

Mike, the tanks they used are not the same as a Servi-cycle tank.  They are smaller, but of the same design.

Title: Re: Short Wheelbase Scooter
Post by: Ricks on April 15, 2014, 05:24:30 PM
Towards the back of the Wollard book, there is a photo and small mention of a short wheelbase scooter, but further details seem a bit unclear to me and I find no other mention of this in the book.

Was this model that ever made it into production or was it prototype only? I know about the regular scooter that, for lack of a better term, I'll call the long wheelbase scooter, but what about this short one? Ever actually built? Any ideas on how many?

I am away and don't have a book handy, but are you talking about the simplex automatic scooters?  If so,  Bob Legron would be the man to ask, as he wrote that section of the book. 
Title: Re: Short Wheelbase Scooter
Post by: Doodle Bugger on April 16, 2014, 01:31:20 PM
Towards the back of the Wollard book, there is a photo and small mention of a short wheelbase scooter, but further details seem a bit unclear to me and I find no other mention of this in the book.

Was this model that ever made it into production or was it prototype only? I know about the regular scooter that, for lack of a better term, I'll call the long wheelbase scooter, but what about this short one? Ever actually built? Any ideas on how many?

I am away and don't have a book handy, but are you talking about the simplex automatic scooters?  If so,  Bob Legron would be the man to ask, as he wrote that section of the book.  

Yes. The Simplex Automatic Scooters.

There is one pictured in the back of the book that is noted as being the short wheelbase model. That's what I'm wondering about.

EDIT: It's on page 38 of the Wollard book in the "experimental" section. I take that to mean it probably never made in into production, but figured someone here would know for sure.