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Grounded Jet: 1987 Pulse

pulse

We thank Barn Finds reader KCapley for continuing the series of unusual finds we’ve been featuring lately by sending us this Pulse. We covered one a long time ago, so based on the manufacturing figure in the ad for this one, we’ve featured about 1/150 of the entire production run! It’s for sale here on craigslist near Nashville, Tennessee for $7,450. It actually has four wheels, with the two main wheels being similar to a motorcycle, and two outrigger wheels helping to keep it upright. The Pulse has some passionate owners with a website here detailing how they were made, modifications that can be done and get-togethers of owners. One of the things that might scare me off this particular one is the lack of a canopy – but never fear, there’s a source listed on the Pulse site here (scroll a little way down). The site details that this one should have a Yamaha 400cc engine, and may well be the last one so fitted before a design changeover to a Honda. Mileage claims on these range from 50-80 mpg, so it’s a little less frugal than the Freeway. Do you have room for a ground-bound fighter plane in your garage?

Comments

  1. Avatar DanielDC

    I love it. I’d put a WW2 fighter plane paint job on it, mount some mock machine guns on it. Turn some heads going down the highway.

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  2. Avatar Mark E

    Was this week declared 3-wheeled car week while I wasn’t looking? This is the third one in about as many days, and I LIKE IT!! ^_^

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    • Avatar Mark E

      Oh and yes, I forgot that the Pulse is actually TWO wheels with two outrigger wheels. Oh well… -_-;

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  3. Avatar Joe Howell

    Reminds me of a ground bound Bede BD5, you know the Coors Silver Bullet Jet.

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  4. Avatar Dave the Wave

    This one needs to be saved to.

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    • Avatar Isaac

      Dave where’d you find that one? I’d love to save one.

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      • Avatar Dave the Wave

        This one found me. The autocycle site is the best place to find one.

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  5. Avatar Rick

    Joe, the Pulse was designed by the same people who worked with Bede, so you are on the correct path there. This one is a little too much money for a restoration project. Might be worth it if the central support frame and outrigger frames are still in good shape.

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  6. Avatar jim s

    would need to check with the state you plan to register it in to make sure you can get motorcycle tags for a 4 wheel vehicle. if you have to put car tags then you might have to smog it which could be a problem. might be fun to put a modern powertrain in to increase the mpg. i think the AMA hall of fame has/had one on display. the owners website is interesting. interesting find

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    • Avatar Charlie G

      Know of a gentleman living in Rock Island, Illinois who works at the ALCOA Davenport plant that has one or two of these. Drives them to work whenever he can. Told that since the main frame and drivetrain are based on motorcycle, no problem in either Illinois or Iowa. Outriggers were considered no different than sidecar.

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      • Avatar Dave the Wave

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZNOnXaACuU

        This is a link to a red Pulse I had fixed up. This one I used a Ninja 650. Easily would hit 107mph. I also had a few Freeways, Citicars and Amphicars.

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  7. Avatar JW454

    Jaime,

    It looks like the advertisement for this car show is “Got something weird? Bring it to the show”! LOL

    Looks a little like that small plane from and old James Bond movie.

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    • Avatar Jamie Staff

      @ Joe and JW – you’re both right, as Rick noted above. Bede BD5 was the small plane and the Coors Silver Bullet jet, and yes, the original design that morphed into the Pulse was from Bede. :-)

      I admit to enjoying the oddball cars we get to feature!

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      • Avatar Rick

        Jamie; I agree keep up with weird stuff every now and then. It is neat to see what has came out of the minds of car nuts.

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  8. Avatar rjc

    I love it! great find.
    And thanks Dave for sharing your video, that was fun!!!

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  9. HoA Howard A Member

    Looks like something Professor Frink designed.

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  10. Avatar PRA4SNW

    It’s apparently been on sale for some time:

    http://www.autocycles.org/267.html

    Like 0

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