Brand new? SG, your brain is losing its capacity, if it ever had any. How can this 60-year-old 1965 Fuji Go-Devil folding mini bike be new? Well, please check out the seller’s listing here on Facebook Marketplace to see why. It’s located in the beautiful capital city of Ohio: Columbus, and the seller is asking an eye-watering $12,000! Here is the original listing, and thanks to T.J. for the tiny tip!
The seller says this unusual and somewhat rare, 70-pound folding mini bike has only been unfolded twice. Presumably, this is one of those times, as seen in the grainy photo above. Most of you know Fuji as Fuji Heavy Industries, or have at least heard of it as being Subaru’s parent company.
Most of us have heard Saab’s old slogan, “Born from jets,” and Subaru has a somewhat similar ancestry relating to aircraft. The Nakajima Aircraft Company was founded in 1918 and lasted through 1945, but was forced to close after the war. It was reborn in 1953 as Fuji Heavy Industries, a company I still remember as being the parent company of Subaru. After 2017, that name was dropped, and the company is now just known as Subaru Corporation.
Speaking of airplanes, this Go-Devil folding scooter would be perfect to take on an airplane, or would have been in the 1960s, before flying got to be really not fun at all for most of us. The Go-Devil was made between 1964 and 1967, and the seller cites recent sales in the $13,000 to $17,000 range as justification for their $12,000 asking price. If a person were going to flip this one – not literally, but buy-and-sell – you’d better have some supreme luck on your side; much better than I have.
The engine is a 50’ish (some say 50cc, some say 53cc) two-stroke single with about 2.5 horsepower. In about a minute or so, you can unfold this mini bike and be on your way. Maybe, as this one has never been started in 60 years, so it may need some work if you plan on actually using it. I remember these selling for $1,500 to $3,000 not that long ago. Dang, I really missed the boat on these things. Have any of you heard of the Fuji Go-Devil?
Another potential hot rod for your collection SG 🇯🇵
That’s a good amount of money for that little scooter. So you put it on a large book shelf?
Really neat folding Bike!! Eye watering price though. But its litterally brand new and unused. I’m not sure how many are even around in this condition. I mean, it’s litterally brand new. Really cool find here, and a great short history lesson from Mr. Scotty G. Thank you
Cool. I for sure have never heard of the Fuji Go-Devil. I’d like to see a video of it being folded up. Fun write-up Scotty.
“Heavy Industries”, sounds like something from the Simpsons. Proof positive, the Asians were trying to get us on motorized suitcases well back in the 60s. Sorry Charlie, we wanted dual quad, 409s, maybe in Hong Kong, no wonder it’s like new. Oh, but fast forward to today, where ANY kind of alternative to foot or vehicle travel is welcome. I read, there is a general shift back to city living, as rural has become too expensive, and why E bikes have such a market, for short distances. I think this may produce some I’ll feelings with your neighbors( I hear weed wackers and leaf blowers are the new most irritating things) on Sunday morn’, and of course the seller is dreamin’, again and again, rare doesn’t mean valuable. I read, these cost a whopping,,,( leaning forward) a HUNDRED BUCKS,,,new. They want what now, $12Gs? 12,000% markup? Not bad, eh? Got the travel bag, I suppose,,,
Fuji Heavy Industries is the parent company of Mitsubishi. The Heavy Industries claim to fame is shipbuilding.
acemobilesrq, actually, Fuji Heavy Industries has no relation to Mitsubishi at all. Are you thinking of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries?
Howard, there is a lot of truth to what you say about a shift back to city living. I’m not sure where it is located in the city, but the building that houses our office in Denver was just sold and is being converted to residential.
A huge building next to our office in downtown Atlanta was just built that is going to be luxury apartments.
Many cities are moving away from business, hotels and entertainment only and building up large renovated retail and dining areas, making living there attractive to certain segments of the population.
Forgot about these until now-thanks once again, Scotty!
MANY years ago, saw a pilot take one of these out of his Stationair after landing. Opened the bag, unfolded the thing, took it over to the gas pump, filled the tank and rode away. Weighs 73 pounds!
Found this:
https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1969/07/01/go-devil-folding-minibike
Yes very cool, but sorry not $12k cool. The seller also has a 10 foot speed boat listed.
Up until the ’80’s general aviation included quite a few mam and pop airport operators. You could fly in, get some fuel and possibly a bite to eat. If you needed to get to town you could borrow the pilots car as long as you brought it back full of fuel.
General aviation died and along with it those businesses. Fuel became a card lock, food what you brought. No way to go to town unless there happened t be a phone booth for a taxi
So the market for folding transportation for pilots became a thing. Bicycles worked if it wasn’t too far. No transportation at the destination was one of the things that killed GA for me.
I can’t imagine putting this into the plane and strapping it down, only to have the fuel vapors contaminate the cabin from the pressure change in altitude (even after draining and capping).
Now there are cell phones and Ubers, but the cost of flying is so out of reach it will never recover the golden days.
For those that collect motorcycles, this is a perfect addition to the 6 figure Vincent Black Shadow. I wonder if it was found folded up and waiting in a hangar somewhere.
“General aviation died and along with it those businesses.” WUT? General Aviation is still very much alive along with the $100 hamburgers and airport cars. Just last Tuesday my brother flew in for lunch at the airport cafe.The bill for the four of us was only $60, well, $70 with tip.
Fuji Heavy Industries is now called Subaru. Malcolm Bricklin (Yugo/Bricklin car) imported the Fuji Rabbit scooter in the mid-60’s before bringing the Subaru 360 car, van and pickup to the USA in ’68.
Maybe the guy who uses exotic supercars as room dividers in his penthouse apartments would be interested…
Whoever would buy that Charger vert could afford to buy this also and carry it around in the trunk (just in case).😁