The Maico Mobil is an early touring motorcycle made by

Maico Maicowerk A.G., known by its trading name Maico () is the name of a family company in the Swabian town of Pfäffingen near Tübingen. Founded in 1926 by Ulrich Maisch as Maisch & Co, the company originally manufactured 98 and 123 cc Ilo t ...

between 1950 and 1958. Conceived and marketed as a “car on two wheels”, the Mobil had body panels that enclosed the drivetrain, protected its riders from the elements, and included an integral pair of

pannier A pannier is a basket, bag, box, or similar container, carried in pairs either slung over the back of a beast of burden, or attached to the sides of a bicycle or motorcycle. The term derives from a Middle English borrowing of the Old French ''p ...

s and a mount for a spare tyre.

Frame, body, and suspension

The Mobil had a tubular steel

space frame In architecture and structural engineering, a space frame or space structure ( 3D truss) is a rigid, lightweight, truss-like structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with ...

on to which steel and aluminum body panels were bolted. A large front fairing enclosed the front wheel. Mounted on the fairing were a

transparent plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptabi ...

windscreen The windshield (North American English) or windscreen (Commonwealth English) of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike, truck, train, boat or streetcar is the front window, which provides visibility while protecting occupants from the elements. Mo ...

that wrapped around the handlebars, a dashboard through which the steering column protruded, and lower panels containing a

glovebox A glovebox (or glove box) is a sealed container that is designed to allow one to manipulate objects where a separate atmosphere is desired. Built into the sides of the glovebox are gloves arranged in such a way that the user can place their han ...

and provision for a

car radio Vehicle audio is equipment installed in a car or other vehicle to provide in-car entertainment and information for the vehicle occupants. Until the 1950s it consisted of a simple AM radio. Additions since then have included FM radio (1952), 8 ...

to be installed. Mounted on the dashboard were the ignition switch, the speedometer, and the fuel filler cap; the fuel tank was mounted to the frame under the dashboard. The rear bodywork included a pair of integral

s and a rear mount for a spare wheel. The panniers were accessed by unlatching a panel under the

pillion A pillion is a secondary pad, cushion, or seat behind the main seat or saddle on a horse, motorcycle, bicycle or moped. A passenger in this seat is said to "ride pillion". The word is derived from the Scottish Gaelic for "little rug", ''pillean' ...

. The Mobil used telescopic front forks and a rear swingarm.

Engine and transmission

The Mobil originally had a 150 cc single-cylinder two-stroke engine mounted between the dashboard and the rider's seat. Access panels on both sides of the Mobil could be removed to work on the engine. Power was transmitted through a three-speed transmission operated by a

twist grip A twistgrip is a handle that can be twisted to operate a control. It is commonly found as a motorcycle's right handlebar grip to control the throttle, but is sometimes found elsewhere, such as on a bicycle as a gearshift A gear stick (rarely s ...

. The capacity of the Mobil's engine was increased to 175 cc in 1953. An optional 200 cc became available in 1955, the same year that the three-speed twist-grip controlled transmission was replaced by a four-speed transmission controlled by a heel-and-toe pedal shifter.

Frame, body, and suspension

Engine and transmission

See also

References

Further reading