Page 6. Motorized Scooter Triporteurs

Although the first scooters were made around the time of World War 1, scooters as we know them today were a postwar phenomenon. Lambrettas and Vespas were the Italian prototypes, and their models were scutinized and copied primarily by France, UK, Germany, and America; but also by Russia, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Japan, etc.

Three-wheeled commercial versions were added to the product ranges, as cheap commercial vehicles were much needed in poor countries after the war. By the late fifties, the more popular open scooter pick-up truck models developed into closed cab 3-wheel pick-up trucks. Though the Tula Muravey, below, remained an open-air version.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of 3-wheeler scooters, but I’ll add to it bit by bit.

***********************************************************************************************

1972 Tula Muravey:

When the German Glas company ended production of their Goggo scooter in the 1950’s so they could concentrate on the Goggomobil, the Russian company Tula started making a ‘knock-off’ version. It proved popular in Russia, and many were also exported to the USA. The next Tula scooter model was the ‘Tourist,’ and they also made a 3-wheeler commercial variety known as the Muravey. Production continued into the 1970s. My Tula Muravey, seen here, is a 1972 model.

In the 1970s, a British concern, Neval Motorcycles, marketed quite a few different Russian motorcycles and scooters, particularly the Cossack Ural. I remember seeing them for the first time around 1973; they did not have a very good name for reliability, but they were a cheap option if you fancied a large new outfit.

I don’t remember seeing any Muraveys at that time, but Neval did apparently sell a few, and several folks have subsequently asked me if my Tula is a ‘Neval.’

***********************************************************************************************

1950 Juery 125cc:

This ugly machine was fitted with an Ydral 125cc engine – and a curious windscreen arrangment that appears to preclude forward vision?

***********************************************************************************************

Alma 3-Wheeler Utility Scooter:

The utility version is bottom left – with steering wheel! The 2-wheel version is the middle photo on the right

***********************************************************************************************

Minerva Tri-scooter:

This Minerva ‘tri-scooter’ is a very odd design

***********************************************************************************************

Macquet Scooter Delivery Trike:

Macquet Triporteur with Ydral 125cc engine

***********************************************************************************************

Lambretta FLI 175 Three-Wheel Delivery Truck

I have a real soft spot for these Lambretta Lambro Tri-cars, no doubt because I used to own a 1965 FLI 175. I bought it in France. My good friend Alain collected it for me, and when we visited him, I transported it back home on my towing dolly. I intended restoring it, but when I sold my 1953 Lambretta FD triporteur the purchaser took one look at the FLI 175 and insisted on buying that too. I’d removed the rear axle to replace the diff. Without an axle, it took the two of us over an hour and much head-scratching to load it onto his trailer.

My first scooter was a Lambretta. I bought it in 1968 while I was at school. I also spent many years living in India and Nepal, and have had some interesting adventures in auto-rickshaws. It’s said that vintage vehicle enthusiasts are most likely to own vehicles representing past memories. So I suppose my Lambro combined two lots of nostalgia.

***********************************************************************************************

Vespa Piaggio Ape 150 Motocarro:

***********************************************************************************************

Lambretta FD125 and Innocenti F300:

Here’s an F300 pictured in the film ‘Du Rififi Chez les Hommes.’ The F300 was made by Innocenti and was identical to Lambretta’s FD125.
The first lambretta motocarro models (FB and FC) had their pick-up beds at the front, which made steering difficult. This 125 FD was the first model with the box behind and a scooter front end. It was similar to the Model D scooter, though its front forks and dampers were stronger. The FD125 Series 2 was produced from January 1954. There were options for either open or closed boxes. Production stopped in August 1955.

I didn’t own this F300 for long, but sold it in its unrestored state. It is now in Wales, where the new owner Geoff intends to restore it.

***********************************************************************************************

Goggo Lastenroller:

***********************************************************************************************

1960 Cezeta 505

The Czechoslovakian 3-wheeled variant of the popular Cezeta 502 scooter.

The scooter was nicknamed ‘the Pig’ because of its front-end styling. I quite like these 505’s and I could see myself buying one if I found one in good condition at the right price. Here are pictures of my 1963 Cezeta 502 scooter by way of comparison: