1963 Centaur Folding Motor Scooter - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1963 Centaur Folding Motor Scooter - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, vintage motorcycle article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm)
Condition: Good
THE CENTAUR
What is it that looks like a handsome,
grey touring suitcase at one time,
and a mighty attractive piece of transpor-
tation at another, only moments later?
Give up? Well, if you didn’t know it al-
ready, it’s a Centaur folding motor scoot-
er. We have seen a lot of clever examples
of engineering but the Centaur is one of
the neatest we have seen for some time.
We fully expected, once the simple as-
sembling instructions were deciphered and
the scooter was sitting on its floor stand,
to find a motor scooter in name only.
After a few runs around the block we
were convinced that, though a novelty, the
Centaur is a versatile and proficient ve-
hicle and truly a motor scooter suitable
for a number of serious transportation
problems.
The folding system is simple and quite
ingenious and we seriously doubt if an-
other inch could be employed in retract-
ing the vital components into the body
shell. Though its total weight of 95
pound* is not really an excessive amount
for so complete a scooter, it becomes a
bit of a handful when trying to wrestle the
fully loaded unit around. We noted one
suggestion for moving the Centaur about,
that of pushing it in a wheelbarrow fash-
ion with the rear wheel locked in a down
position.
Uses for this type of vehicle are almost
limitless, from shore-bound transportation
for the boatman, ground mobility for the
private plane flyer, short trips as exten-
sions when carried in the trunk of an
automobile, and many more.
Lightness can be traced to several ex-
tremely clever uses of modern vinyl plas-
tics in such places as the main body
panels, front fender, and most unusually,
a blow-molded gasoline tank that has no
seams and holds U/2 gallons of fuel in
place of a metal tank that held only one
gallon. Components for the suitcase size
scooter are manufactured by a number of
leading American firms, including General
Tire & Rubber Co. who make the body
panels of a high-impact, low-pressure
styrene and vinyl sheet called Boltaron.
The two-seater (folding footpegs are
furnished for a passenger), is approxi-
mately 24 inches high and 60 inches long;
folded — 20" high, 16" wide, 32" long.
Power is supplied by a 6 cubic inch, Clin-
ton two-stroke kart engine rated at 5.2
hp that has been bolstered by accessories
made by one of the better go-kart hop-up
equipment makers, Go-Power Co. Top
speed is over 40' mph and the little engine
delivers the necessary push while giving
over 100 miles per gallon of gasoline and
oil mix. A centrifugal clutch on the en-
gine output shaft drives through a vari-
able ratio pulley system torque converter
with a Gilmer belt, giving infinitely vari-
able drive ratios.
We took the Centaur to Riverside Race-
way for the AFM races and used it to
transport members of our staff around the
vast racing plant while giving it some
pretty rough treatment. We can say this
lightweight can take almost anything.
Naturally the small wheels are somewhat
of a drawback but utility was a factor in
designing the Centaur, and convenience
an important consideration. Some stabil-
ity is gained, though, by virtue of the
wheels being placed at a greater than nor-
mal distance apart on a relatively long
wheelbase.
Controls are familiar for the most part;
a twistgrip on the right handlebar operates
the throttle and a lever on the left handle-
bar actuates a brake on the rear wheel
Starting is by a spring-loaded recoil start-
er. A switch on the back of the headlight
shell controls the ignition and a fuel shut-
off and choke are also included. Current
for the sealed beam head and tail lamp
are furnished by a 12 volt magneto/gen-
erator built into the flywheel of the en-
gine; they furnish enough light for normal
use though no high-beam is included.
Retail price of the Centaur is 0.00
and the manufacturer, Lombard Industries,
Inc. in Ashland. Massachusetts, has an
excellent dealer procurement program now
in effect. We will not be surprised to see
little grey suitcases sitting around many a
motorcycle dealer’s showroom very soon.
Though photographs on this page show
the ingenious folding system used, they
don’t show the faces of bystanders as
things spring out and one rides off on a
full-fledged motor scooter; the results are
almost worth the purchase price alone.
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