Motorscooters were born out of the necessity of economic depressions. The first scooter that truly made its mark was the Salsbury Motor Glide, created in 1936 in the United States during the Great Depression. Californian E. Foster Salsbury had a vision for “a cheap and cheerful vehicle that would propel the country forward to prosperous times.” Salsbury’s second generation of scooters incorporated lessons learned from the early scooters. The Super-Scooter model 85 was designed to entice car owners into considering a scooter for transportation. Historically, scooters had a twist throttle on the handlebars which car drivers were unaccustomed to. Salsbury speculated that if the controls were similar to a car (with foot operated brake and gas), people would be more open to trying a scooter. Body work covered the engine and other dirty mechanical parts so drivers never had to soil their hands.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Salsbury Corporation
Country of Origin: United States
Engine: Salsbury 6 hp, four-stroke, single cylinder.
Transmission: Automatic
Top Speed: 50 miles per hour
Years of Production: 1947-50
Number Produced: 700 - 1000
Original Cost: ____