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Whizzer bicycle engines are a line of bicycle engines that were produced in the United States from 1939 to 1965. They were commonly sold as kits to be assembled and attached to a consumer's bicycle thus creating a
- James Dean's first motorcycle was a Whizzer
Whizzer U.S.A.
- manufacturer of modern line of Whizzer motorbikes
by Jack Backstreet
- current link to the above site {{USA motorcycle manufacturers, state=collapsed Motorized bicycles Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United States Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1939 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1965 1939 establishments in California 1965 disestablishments in California
Whizzer bicycle engines are a line of bicycle engines that were produced in the United States from 1939 to 1965. They were commonly sold as kits to be assembled and attached to a consumer's bicycle thus creating a motorized bicycle
A motorized bicycle is a bicycle with an attached motor or engine and transmission used either to power the vehicle unassisted, or to assist with pedalling. Since it sometimes retains both pedals and a discrete connected drive for rider-power ...
. Whizzer U.S.A. re-appeared in 1997 to sell an improved version, pre-assembled on an old Schwinn
The Schwinn Bicycle Company is an American company that develops, manufactures and markets bicycles under the eponymous brand name.
The company was originally founded by Ignaz Schwinn (1860–1948) in Chicago in 1895. It became the dominant manuf ...
-style bicycle frame.
History
The Whizzer bicycle engine was first produced in 1939 by Breene-Taylor Engineering, a Los Angeles-based manufacturer of airplane parts. By 1942, sales of the engines had not been entirely successful, having sold only about 2500 units. The Whizzer operation was then sold to Dietrich Kohlsatt and Martin Goldman. By 1943, World War II was well underway, and Whizzer Motors were forced to lobby the United States Government for the right to continue production of what was argued to be a great way for defense workers to travel to and from work. In 1948, Whizzer sold its first pre-assembledmotorized bicycle
A motorized bicycle is a bicycle with an attached motor or engine and transmission used either to power the vehicle unassisted, or to assist with pedalling. Since it sometimes retains both pedals and a discrete connected drive for rider-power ...
, the "Pacemaker", for .
The "Sportsman" – featuring 138cc, 3hp engine, 20" wheels, kick starter and drum brakes – was released in 1949 for , and for the Deluxe model with two-speed automatic transmission.
Whizzer motorcycle engines would cease to be produced in 1965 due to the increasingly competitive bicycle engine market.
In 1997, Whizzer motorcycles were brought back into production in the same style of the originals but with technological improvements. However, the Whizzer company (as of 2014) now appears to be "on a temporary hiatus from bike production" since at least 2009. Its website states that there are "still some dealers selling NOS bikes", and also that, "in addition to supporting dealers, Whizzer continues to offer replacement parts, accessories and collectibles for the new generation Whizzers."
References
External links
- James Dean's first motorcycle was a Whizzer
Whizzer U.S.A.
- manufacturer of modern line of Whizzer motorbikes
by Jack Backstreet
- current link to the above site {{USA motorcycle manufacturers, state=collapsed Motorized bicycles Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United States Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1939 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1965 1939 establishments in California 1965 disestablishments in California