Honda can be said to have introduced motorcycling to the masses in the U.S., with the 1959 introduction of the C100 Super Cub–the world’s best-selling vehicle.
Italjet has been making scooters, motorcycles, and now electric bicycles since 1959, with over 150 designs to their credit. The Dragster seen here is a mid-range 125cc model; a 50cc and 180cc were also offered, but differed only in power.
Russia has always had a strong domestic production base for motorcycles, having its largest plant (Imz-Ural) built to produce 400,000 motorcycles per year.
The Jawa 175 was introduced in 1932, and was an instant success. Its light weight and powerful handling made it an excellent choice for transportation.
Frantisek Janecek opened a mechanical shop in Prague that made armaments for European armies. After WWI that business declined and he decided to diversify by building motorcycles in 1929.
Motobécane was a French manufacturer of bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles established in 1923. Motobécane came from two slang words: “Moto” for motor and “bécane” for bike.
Motor-scooters were available by mail before World War II through “Popular Mechanics,” but when Gambles stores began selling them in 1946, mail-order motor scooters took on a whole new meaning. The Montgomery Ward Company began offering this Mitsubishi-built Silver Pigeon C90M scooter in the 1950s under their “captive import” motorcycle brand, Riverside.
