The Cushman Scooter a True American Brand

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When we think about scooters we often think about brand names like Vespa, Aprillia and Honda all not originated in the US, but there is a pure American scooter brand that has a rich history and a growing popularity take a look at the Cushman scooter, produced in the USA, and only in the USA. Cushman scooter is an American icon of vintage and independence at least according the many Cushman scooter hobbyists.

Cushman the Lincoln pride

Although Cushman has changed hands many times in its history, the name stretches back over one hundred years to Lincoln, Nebraska. Originally, Cushman made not motor scooters, but nearly every other kind of small motor. The company, before the first Cushman scooter in 1935, made everything from washing machines to two-stroke boat motors. The story goes that a child brought his scooter to the motor works to inquire about fixing his machine, which then had a Cushman washing machine motor in it. Owner Charles Ammon was intrigued by the scooter and thought it was a prime opportunity.

A Bit Of Cushman History

A promotional flyer for the first Cushman scooter, or auto-glide from 1937 boasts of 137-mpg fuel efficiency, decades before the term green vehicle was coined. The scooters became popular in the thirties and forties, but it was their wartime use that cemented Cushman scooters in history.

The company soon secured a contract for Cushman scooters to be used on the field in WWII. Reinforcing the scooters with steel and fitting them for parachutes easily solved the problem of transport to the battlefield. These rugged models roamed all throughout Europe during WWII and the Cushman Company was also successful in producing bomb fuses.

By far the most successful brand was the Cushman Eagle motor scooter. This run included several series, including the Super and Super Eagle. They were produced from 1950 to 1965 and are beloved by collectors across the country. The Cushman Auto Club of America has over 5200 members and it is the Cushman Eagle motor scooter that many of them aspire to recreate, often in their own garages at great personal cost.

Cushman scooter at present day

The recreation of Cushman scooters like the Cushman Eagle motor scooters continues, there is a very active community of Cushman lovers and this will only grow over time. The company itself has been in a number of hands and is currently owned by the Textron company from Rhode Island. This company also owns Bell Helicopters and Cessna Airplanes.

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