The Whizzer motorbike arose from an engine marketed by Breene-Taylor Engineering, a Los Angeles manufacturer of aircraft parts, in 1939. Priced at $54.95, it was a 1.375-horsepower air-cooled unit for mounting on a bicycle frame. Sales of about 1,500 per year were disappointing, so Breene and Taylor sold the company to investor Dietrich Kohlsaat and attorney Martin Goldman. During World War II, the company petitioned the government to continue production as a wartime measure, since the Whizzer allowed defense workers to commute without their automobiles.

Post-war popularity grew, in part from advertising in such magazines as Popular Mechanics and Popular Science. The Whizzer engine was easily attached to a bicycle frame, typically a Schwinn but sometimes a Columbia or an offering from a smaller brand. The last motorbike engine was made in the early 1950s, after which Whizzer expanded into children’s toys.

This 1947 Whizzer engine is mounted on a Cleveland Welding Co. Roadmaster bicycle. This late-1940s motorbike is finished in a sporty coat of red paint. The front forks feature twin springs, and the Whizzer fuel tank is mounted on the upper frame bar. The rear fender sports a light reflector, and the leather-covered seat has twin coil springs.

An early form of affordable motorized city transportation, the Whizzer motorbike can still excite. Just like the thrill of one’s first fast ride on a real two-wheeler, the initial go on a Whizzer brings out the adrenaline in enthusiasts of all ages.