Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Neracar motorcycles or...scooters?

These classic NERACAR motorcycles of the 1920's were actually advertised as a simple car. WERE THEY THE INSPIRATION to the modern day Scooters we're familiar with and to the first Piaggio VESPAS that came out of Italy....?
The Neracar classics were designed by Carl Neracher, an American who had worked as a designer for clevland motorcycles and they were built (1922-1924)in Syracuse NY, not very far from Rouses point.

1921 model



1924 model

1924 Model (English model B)



Ner-A-Car (Blackburne)


1923 Model B


1924 English model B


1925 Model (English Model C)

Production of these beautiful machines all but stopped in 1924 in the USA and in 1926 in England due to lack of demand.
Price: They were advertised in those days at $ 225.00

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Baron,

Given that all the weight is so low down I should think they were a very stable ride, maybe it was just too scary seeing a hot engine clunking away between your legs..

Cheers

Dave..

Baron's Life said...

Dave,
You're quite right on both counts...from what I've read on the Neracars they had a very low center of gravity and therefore were very stable...and yes, I wouldn't want to have that hot engine between my legs in a crash...Just think of what could happen to the future of my country.

Belt Drive said...

I have an award I would like to bestow upon you, can you get in touch with me? I seem to have misfiled your email address....

Anonymous said...

Having ridden most models of the Ner-a-Car/Neracar, (the only one I haven't ridden is the later 350ohv English model as there's only one that I know of), they feel TERRIBLE when you wheel them around - all rubbery! But once you start to move, you can immediately put your feet on the footboards, and the bike is transformed! You have to experience it to believe it! And no, the engine doesn't get so hot as to be dangerous!
As an added comment, as you seem to have copied some photos from my website, perhaps I can list it here for the others?
www.neracar.co.uk

Anonymous said...

..Shudda sed - there's a video of a short ride on Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn_wDPWZ6-k

Anonymous said...

...and that green bike you show is a US model, not an English one. The front springs are at an angle - English ones are upright, and most have rebound springs as well.

Baron's Life said...

Hi Ken,
I just visited your wonderful web site for the first time. Thanks for providing the link as it offers a multitude of facts for those interested in the Neracar. I got the pictures off several sites on the web and I have no problems putting a link to your web site on my blog.
Also my thanks for pointing out the errors.

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