c1963 Harley-Davidson Topper 165cc Scooter

Description

The Harley-Davidson Topper was the only motor scooter that the Harley-Davidson Motor Company ever produced,it was introduced in 1961 and sold through to 1965.The Topper had a 165 cc (10.1 cu in) single-cylinder two-stroke engine mounted horizontally between the floorboards. The engine required a premixed gasoline/oil mixture. The starter was of the rope-recoil type similar to lawnmowers or the Lambretta E model. Unlike most scooters with enclosed engines, the Topper's engine did not have a cooling fan. It was expected that the low, horizontally-mounted engine would be cooled by air passing under the scooter, The engine used a reed valve in its induction system and powered a continuously variable transmission that included a safety device that did not allow the scooter to move from rest at engine speeds higher than 1800 rpm.Final drive was by an exposed roller chain.