One of the cooler cars ever conceived was the Morgan Aero 3-Wheeler. An absolutely bonkers car in theory, it represents one of the glaringly few moments in automotive history when a manufacturer built a vehicle with little regard for common sense or sales trajectory. The 3-Wheeler has a phenomenal backstory in terms of its conception, but this legacy has also made a genuine Morgan a fairly pricey bit of extravagance. The car shown here is a replica, known as a JZR Beetleback that captures much of the spirit of the Morgan with a reliable Honda motorcycle powerplant under the bonnet.
The genesis of the Morgan includes this tasty little nugget: Albert Ball VC, a decorated British fighter pilot, was one of the original owners of a Morgan 3-Wheeler when introduced eons ago. He purportedly opined that driving his Morgan was “…the closest experience to flying without leaving the ground.” That description seems apt, given you’re riding in something very light with excellent power to weight characteristics that sits mere inches off the ground. I’ve often heard motorcyclists speak glowingly about how enlightening the experience of driving fast on two wheels can be; I’m sure the sensations when driving the 3-wheeler are much the same.
The JZR Beetleback, manufactured by John Ziemba Restorations, is a proper tribute to the original Morgan. While I’m sure eagle-eyed experts can spot the numerous differences between the two, this is one of those replicas that is close enough to the original that I’d be happy to drive a clone. The proportions look accurate and with a high-revving Honda CX 500 V-twin providing propulsion, I’m sure it’s an absolutely exhilarating experience. The JZR is equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission and no reverse gear.
The other issue with the Morgan is a matter of supply. The original car ended production in 2021, so you can’t exactly pick up a new one. And with anything in short supply that is generally sought after, prices are high. The bidding for this JZR is sitting at $6,600 with the reserve unmet, and I’m honestly not sure where the price should end up for a clone such as this. Still, there’s not much else on the roads today capable of delivering an experience like this, and that makes it difficult to assign a “fair” price to an illogical purchase such as this. Find it here on eBay and located in Illinois.
I don’t know, for me, it’s cool up to the seat backrest, then you lost me. Does anyone else have that fear, and I’m sure there’s a term for it, running the single tire in the grease strip phobia? I’ve seen some nasty things in the middle that nobody else ran over, from bullets to driveshafts, and when riding a motorcycle, I always ran in one of the car tracks. 2nd swing and miss, is the motor. I’ve seen newer Morgans with HD motors,( S&S?) that I could see, but I didn’t care for the Honda motor. I rode a CX500 with one. I suppose if geared properly, which the CX wasn’t, it could work, was a stout motor. If you’re like me, scary images of that Honda 3 wheeler come to mind, and I’ll stay with 4 wheels, thank you.
3 wheelers really took off, mainly for folks that can’t ride a 2 wheeler, and still can enjoy the experience. While Can-Am stole all the thunder, Harley made a similar 3 wheeler( not the Servicar and offshoots), and was called the Penster, with a unique steering and single rear tire. Look it up, I was lucky enough to have a good friend that took me to the HD museum in Milwaukee, and saw a Penster close up. Turns out, my nephew did a short stint with HD and designed the mirrors for it. It proved to be too costly to make, and sits on a shelf in the Milwaukee museum.
Don’t know if the original Morgan had a reverse gear but not having one is not a lot of fun sometimes. We’ve got a 3 wheeled pit cart we use at the race tracks that does not have a reverse gear. It weighs about 320 lbs and is a bear to push backwards because of the design of the power train. I bet pushing this car backwards isn’t a bunch of fun either. That said, we’ve met a couple of folks who own the replicas and say that they are major fun to drive.
Although CanAm connected a home run on the 1st swing with their Spyder, many H-D friends agreed that the Penster was just too different and would go by the way of the V-Rod and all the other attempts that weren’t obviously air cooled looking V-Twins.
Polaris cashed in big time on the 3 wheel market with the Slingshot, Tilting Motor Works designed and builds a unique approach for H-D, Gold Wings and Indians https://www.facebook.com/TiltingMotorWorks and the Vanderhall Speedster is in a niche of its own a well.
But other than tilt front wheel bikes (i.e.,above, Aprilia, Yamaha Niken) you just can’t get the same sensation leaning into a corner and being one with the bike.
The open air feeling with a sudden temperature change as you pass by a river, smelling new cut hay in a field.
A convertible is good for those but when your entire being is wrapped by the environment you’re in and you know the slightest shift is matched by your two wheeled dance partner there’s no other machine like it.
This is closer in design to the Trihawk. that HD bought the design for and promptly killed. I’d like one of those. Basically a 2cv drivetrain hung off of the minimum to keep your butt off the ground. Those sitting high on a saddle things seem like a dumb idea
Actually, the Morgan was in response to both market needs and British tax laws. Using motorcycle components made it cheaper to build and therefore to sell. Also, by being a three wheeler, it was not taxed at the same leve as a four-wheeled vehicle. It is amazing to think how long that basoc design was built by the Morgan family.
No reverse on this, and while strong, the CX500 motor in this replica of a Morgan is going to be slow. Believe me, while this would catch someone’s eye, a Can Am Spyder it ain’t. And to me that’s a killer because a fun trike should be able to get out of its own way. It’s too bad the builder of this didn’t spring for the H-D big twin.
Does it tip? Or, is it Canadian, lol.
Three wheelers were made popular in the UK because they could be driven on a motorcycle license, which you could get a year earlier, at 16. Also road tax was cheaper. That’s why the UK produced so many. And does it tip? No, it has two wheels in the front, and the majority of tipping problems were on hard braking while swerving to avoid an obstacle. The famous Reliant Robin was a single front wheel, and even then they had to weight it so that it could “perform” the tips on Top Gear.
My first experience with a Morgan was when Peter Sellers drove one to “THE PARTY.” I thought it was weird at best but I always liked the idea of the V-twin in the front of the car. For that reason I always dreamed of having one for myself. But I would prefer the J.A.P. engine over the Matchless.
I’ve told this one before but I’ll share it again:
I was in Great Falls one weekend, at a popular bike shop, sharing stories with a bunch of other scooter tramps when we all heard the unmistakable rumble of a V-twin engine, heading our direction. We all gazed in that direction and were surprised to see a Morgan trike blasting by.
It was clipping along pretty good and I didn’t get a chance to see if it was powered by a Matchless or a JAP but it sure didn’t sound like a Harley or Indian. A couple of guys gave chase but the trike turned off at the next street and disappeared.
I tired to find out more about it but it will remain a mystery (to me) forever. Some thought it might’ve belonged to one of the Air Force personnel at Malmstrom AFB, and someone else suggested that the rider (driver?) was passing through. But that was the first and last time I ever saw a REAL Morgan.
And I’d still like to have one. But it would have to be powered by the traditional Matchless or J.A.P. engine, preferably the latter, and NOT a Honda 500…
Why do the Slingshot always remind me of a motorized lobster?
We sold our Can-Am Spyder RS when we moved last year. It was a nice ride on a solid platform, and we are missing that fun factor and the sensory experiences like Nevada describes.
I am keeping my eye open for an off-season deal on another Can-Am or perhaps an HD Trike. Since there are always 2 of us riding together, we like the stability of the 3 wheels.
the harley one looks great w/‘the knuckles’ sittin up there.
I guess the “…500…” here is nota car motor. How bout the
SAAB 1500cc motor (v4) on our cover page today? Might
look good exposed? A beemer ‘airhead’ (pipes dwn each
side of the morgan?)
Whoever buys this machine is in for some memorable motoring experiences, most of them good. The “no reverse” feature will not be a good one. I just hope he doesn’t forget and try to drive it over one of those old-fashioned grease pits. Nobody would want to be so suddenly embarrassed while staring at the shop ceiling.
A club member friend of mine in South Africa had a 1913 Morgan 3 wheeler powered by a Motosocoche V Twin engine, one of only two made according to Mr. Morgan, using magneto electrics. Mr. H. S. F. Morgan visited SA and came to see the car but said it looked more like a 1910 model than a 1912, however, as it had already been dated as a 1913 by the SA Dating committee it was left as a 1913. It only had two forward gears and no reverse. The gears were operated by what was known as a “dog” clutch. We restored it for the second time in 1980 and did one, two day, 150 mile rally, but due to the magneto braking down we had to change it to coil ignition overnight! I think I pushed it more miles than I rode in it and couldn’t wait for the finish line! We were even towed by a guy driving a Chev El Camino who drove at about 50 mph which was something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. We had so much trouble that the organisers awarded us a silver trophy for the most dedicated rallyists on the run, which I still have 44 years later. My friend is long gone but the Morgan now sits in his son’s garage awaiting another restoration. Glad to say I won’t be involved!
I was looking up photos of Morgans and in one picture there is Albert Ball sitting in his Morgan.
47 victory ace and and VC recipient at 19 – dead by 20.