My dad had one for years, I rode it around a few times. He sold it in the early 90's but I wish he would have kept it. It was a schwinn my uncle put togther in the 40s he said. Had a bunch of spare parts too, cool stuff...
They used to race whizzers at the Antique Nationals ('70's). Don't know if they still do. Whizzer eliminations took what seemed like hours.
Thanks butch27. It may have been a Simplex. Time has a way of changing memories. I can remember riding it across a bunch of railroad tracks and it was a pretty good jolt. Later, Dick
A guy I work with took his Whizzer to Bonneville a few years back. His teenage son set a record with it. 34.8 mph, Production Vintage 100cc (displacement bonus for flathead). He said salt build up on the tires was dragging the rear fender and slowed it down, it's faster on the road.
I didn't see any posts of the model with out peddels. My neighbor had one back in the early 60's but was more like a motorcyle....foot pegs no peddels. Also had a heavier frame than a normal Whizzer. Had a home made seat on the rear finder so you could ride double.
I had one of the 20". They were kick starts, no peddles. Thought they were called motorcycles. Bought it used in 1954, and I think it was a 49 model. Sure wish I had it back
my 1950 whizzer 20 inch sportsman ,kick starter,lights front and rear, 2 speed automatic transmission,drum brakes,whizzer made these 1949-1952 or 53,i found enough parts to build another one,had one pictured since 1957
HEY!!---Good response!---Any of you that would like pix of Whizzer's (story), Cushman's, Doddle Bugs, Mustang's, Salsbury's---Send me your emails-----Don
Roadkill: That sure sounds like the Simplex. The 2 little front springs didn't do much. Oha and to the guy who said something about NO pedals. Sounds like another Simplex to me.
My updated version of the Whizzer: 26" Schwinn Beach Cruiser, completely torn-down and redone with heavy-duty components, (11-gauge spokes, kevlar tires, front drum brake, cnc-machined rear sprocket assembly), 49cc 4-stroke Huasheng motor, and EZM automatic transmission. Goes about 30mph, and averages 70 miles on a tank of gas.
They must have sold a pile of them,,I'm leafing through a box of old Popular Mechanics I got 20 years ago and never looked through
yes I actually rode an original low number Wizzer around a farm lot once back in the '70s. I was up in Montana and out of gas on my bike and did the normal go to a farm and ask to buy a gallon. The old farmer filled my tank and my belly then took me to the barn to see his old motor bike. Let me ride it around. That was a good day in the life of the beaner.
Here is my latest motorized bike. After experience with Chinese 2 stroke motorized bikes, went this route for the stopping power(disc up front, drum and cantilever in back) and suspension. The 'beach cruiser' bike and the Whizzers look better but with little or no suspension and coaster or cantilever brakes, it seemed a little dangerous as they will get into the 30+ mph range. At a bike shop in Calif, I was told any motorized bike with a throttle is illegal. So far the law hasn't bothered As a side note, at ~12 yrs old I wanted a horse (I noticed some cool girls were riding horses). My dad tried to change my mind by showing me a Whizzer that was for sale. I went for the horse (now I wish I had the Whizzer).
I got an idea that her husband was a cow puncher and I don't mess with anyone that punches something that weights over a half ton.
I remember this thread from years ago.. Since someone brought it back up, I thought I'd post some of mine.. Takes a little while to get there but it does about 50 MPH with me on it and I'm about 220 LBS.
Here's mine. This is one of those "ran when parked" deals. I ran it, then displayed it for a short while in my shop and the next thing you knew 20 years has passed. I really should do something with it. Its a beautiful specimen.
When I was 14 my Dad bought me a Whizzer Sportsman,that thing was a lot faster than he thought it was.
I first rode one when I was about 14 - 1957 or so - on a single track in the forest at some friends of my parents. I fell in love with dirt riding and kept at it into them mid - '70's.
I rode one when I was 12 in 1960, owned a few motorcycles through the years. Decided to build a pit bike for B-Ville using a flat track theme, this is what I came up with. Hopefully, we will get to run there again.
Here's one I built a few years ago using a 1950 Schwinn, some repro Whizzer parts and the new chinese engine . It has been hopped up and runs pretty well but rides pretty scary with no suspension.
Whizzers were better handling with no suspension at all compared to those with their Schwinn sprung front end. Mine was predictable after I changed the front end to a Montgomery ward front fork . (The Schwinn front fork broke when I was riding slowly.) Being predictable was a great asset as I was told that mine was mostly in the air on a washboard dirt road. In spite of vicious vibration and frail construction, they were immensely fun when the exhaust valve was held open and fire exited the exhaust with bangs.
I still have my original 1948 and not long ago found one of the second generation ones..I believe its a 1998..Its for sale if you want a fun ride....First $1300.oo and its yours..
My dad had one when I was a kid. He'd take us for rides all the time. As we got older (my brother and I) we had mini bike and he got the Whizzer out we could barely touch the ground sitting on it but we rode it. We had so much fun riding it. Kids down the street could hear it and came to our house and wanted to know who had the Harley reving in the woods LOL. It didn't have pedals and was more of a motor cycle. God I'll never forget that thing!!!
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