By Dale R Smith
Whenever I see one of the new and modern motor scooters traveling briskly along, a brief, sharp pang of emotion traces through my thoughts. A bit of memory causes me to stop for a moment. Although the modern motor scooters are much classier than my first scooter, there is still a connection. The first scooter that I enjoyed for many years was a Cushman and a lot of enjoyable memories return when it come to mind.
Although it was just over six decades ago, the memory is clear as yesterday. Never will I forget the moment I laid eyes on my sparkling blue dream, the first motorized vehicle that I had ever owned. Just slightly past the end of the big world war, I recall that the world had just begun to return to normal. A beautiful fall day, my attention wandered to thoughts of my Cushman that my dad had managed to purchase something in a very difficult buyers market. After years of rationing and shortages of autos, motorcycles ... and scooters ... all were difficult to come by but he managed to order my pleasant imagining dream.
I found it very difficult to keep my mind on whatever my teacher was valiantly trying to propose to the class and my mind continued to wander. Only noting bits and pieces of her instruction amongst visions of my forthcoming scooter, I really was trying to be attentive but it was very difficult. To make it more difficult, my dad was, beyond the obvious station of being my father, was also the principal of the elementary school which I attended earlier in life. Earlier, on passing by to the cafeteria that was in the grade school, I had noted that dad was not in his office as usual and I briefly wondered where he might have been this day. Of course, in his position as principal of the next door elementary school, it was always necessary for him to always be going out on different chores.
My thoughts were brought to life with the appearance of the student proctor appearing in the doorway of the classroom. Barely hearing my name, a strict demand that I should go to the office brought me back to life quickly. Knowing that dad was not in his office, a cold feeling washed over me as I realized that I was being instructed to go to the office, now. Not having any idea of what could be wrong, I quickly picked up my books and nervously made my way to the office of the principal. To say that I was anxious might have been an understatement.
The principal of my high school was a very stern and, I must say, an austere man, of whom I harbored no little fright. Not knowing what to expect, he grimly spoke to me in his firm manner and told me that I must go home immediately. I managed to offer a shaky, "Yes, sir," and hastily made my exit.
It so happens that my home was just a few short yards from the school complex and when I removed myself from the building, my home was in full view. Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat as I could see my dad standing next to a shipping crate in front of my house. Peeking out from between the crate frames, the sparking, shiny, wonderful blue of my new Cushman shone through. My fright turned to rapturous delight and, probably, I made the few yards to home quicker than any time before. My father beamed as only a dad could under similar circumstances. My new scooter had been delivered by the local dray and was waiting for me to enjoy.
Such was the beginning of ventures that was beyond my wildest dreams. I found myself enjoying a sense of freedom that I had never know before. Just of a tad of a boy, I suddenly discovered a new world filled with adventures far, far past what I had ever known before. Suddenly, I was able to venture past the closeness of home and family. Suddenly, I became a part of the world that had never been available to me. Like a normal kid, I had a bicycle, of course, but limits kept my close to my abode. Now with my new Cushman scooter, I found that I could enjoy ventures whose results were not always certain but certainly exciting.
Well, such was my introduction to a new Cushman motor scooter and a new world. I really have no idea how many miles I managed to put on the scooter but it did not matter, I guess. I seemed like hundreds or, maybe, thousands of miles and we traversed with a tank-full of gasoline as often as my studies allowed. I sped well beyond the limits that had cooped me in before. With a sense of discovery, my blue scooter and I were suddenly a part of the world and enjoying all about us.
Starting up early in offering various mechanicals for the motorized world, the beginning of Cushman was near 1903 in Lincoln, in the state of Nebraska. Founded by brothers Everett and Clinton, it was officially legalized as Cushman Motor Works in 1913. Initially the company produced an extensive large industrial quantities of engines for farm equipment, various fuel and water pumps, lawn mowers and equipment for boats. Beginning in 1936 and continuing until 1965, Cushman produced a range of motor scooters. Included was a model that was used by the US military. In World War II, scooters were used as a mode of transportation whenever standard vehicles were impractical. Production of scooters came to an end in 1965 and the company picked up slack with golf carts, industrial vehicles and maintenance equipment for turf.
The Cushman Eagle motor scooter, as the most successful product, was continually produced for some sixteen years. Resembling more motorcycle than scooter, it sported an exposed engine and a teardrop shaped top tank. Most Cushman models sported the step-through most common for the style of scooters and adopted as Vespa's standard. Models in the fifties, known as Road King and Pacemaker, sported a more style of the age. Sears and Roebuck even got on the scooter craze with an Allstate. A singular and famous vehicle from Cushman, called the Model 53, was a part of US Army Airborne, which served valiantly worldwide. Intended to be dropped by parachute, it came to be called the Cushman Airborne. Other models served base messengers.
Probably the Trucksters that was produced by Cushman beginning in 1958 and continuing through 2002. A small and light utility vehicle, their utilization include delicacy marketing, maintenance of malls and stadiums, parking control by police and others. Equipped with an automatic, centrifugal clutch, the rider simply had to turn the right grip to go and press a single pedal to stop. Strangely, the throttle grip was required to turn forward to go, completely opposite that which is normal on motorcycles. Step-through design and simple operation was popular with both men and women. Claiming almost 100 miles per gallon, Cushman advertised cent-a-mile operation. Weighing 250 to 335 pounds, some had up to 9 horsepower (6.7 kW). Manufacture ceased in 1965 but some Eagles were sold from 1966 inventory.
Strange as it may seem, a promotional flyers for Cushman scooters in 1937 claim over 100-mpg fuel performance, years before green vehicle was even mentioned. The scooters found their place early on but their wartime heriocs gave Cushman scooters their spot in history.
A movement for creating replicas of the well-known Cushman motor scooters, such as the Eagle, has found a place in our world. An ever-growing group of people that share common interests in motor scooters is growing, and will continue to expand. The company has been owned by several different groups, currently the Textron group from Rhode Island. Other companies owned by this consortium are Bell Helicopters and Cessna Aircraft. At one time, Cushman became a division of the Outboard Marine Corporation in 1962. Ransomes (of Great Britain) purchased Cushman in 1989, and then Textron purchased Ransomes.
Teacher and graphic artist for both civilian and military environs. He has written instructional manuals for aircraft, missiles and heavy machinery. As art director for several trade journals and newsletters in the plastics industry, both graphics and written material has been produced. An a jack-of-all-trades, many of his skills have been self-taught, but with a foundation in under graduate and graduate studies in two universities.
Help for motorscooter repair.
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