Those of us of a certain age (ahem) remember Cushman scooters with the same fondness that others remember Vespas or Honda Trail 70s. This sweet 1956 example is listed for sale here on eBay where the buy it now price is a mere $2,500. You can ride it home from Polk City, Florida, although if you live more than about 10 miles away I would recommend transporting it instead!
There’s not much to a Cushman, but everything that’s there performs a function, and therefore to me is handsome in a fifties way. This 1956 Highlander model 715 was introduced in May, 1953 and replaced the model 714. The 715 was discontinued in July, 1957.
This seems like a really nice but not quite perfect example. If you’re interested in learning more about Cushmans in general, there’s a great hobby page located here.
This is another example of how simple a Cushman scooter is. Honestly, if you are running around town, it’s still practical to use — just like the small scooters that are all around most cities now. The single-cylinder cast iron block engine is very simple and easy to access.
Close up things still look pretty good; just enough wear to be real! Whether it is a survivor or, as I suspect, a restoration, the little scooter wouldn’t look out of place at any show or event.
As you can see, there are plenty of magazines, parts and accessories included with the scooter. Although the seller doesn’t tell us a whole lot of things about the Cushman, they do offer test rides if you are local and interested. Does this nice little scooter fit somewhere into your garage? Let us know in the comments — and just for fun, tell us how far you would be willing to ride it home if you bought it!
- Asking Price: $2,500
- Location: Polk City, Florida
- Title Status: Clean
List your car here on Barn Finds for only $50!
I’d drive it all the way to Texas! I used to own one in 1971…when I was in high school.
Cushman scooters are cool American made, and come in several different models. They were the brain child of a couple of farmers out of the Dakotas. The Highlander, so far as “bell-and-whistles” was near the bottom of the list. However, it did share the same sturdiness that the fancier models had. These are well built, nearly bullet-proof machines. The most ornate and fastest model in the Cushman lineup are the infamous “Silver Eagles.” Folk-lore has it that an early disgruntled Harley Davidson employee jumped ship and joined the Cushman team to design and develop their most prized scooter…the Silver Eagle. Even Jimmy Hendrix can be seen Cruis’n in one of the archival photographs, riding on a later-style, sporty Highlander. I have a 1964 Highlander with a cast iron, 9hp “hit-and-miss.” This thing hauls…Continue to innovate not duplicate…
I had a chance to buy a Cushman scooter in ’62, when I was 14 years old. The owner wanted $50 for it, and I just didn’t have the money back then. That’s when gas was 17 cents a gallon, and I got a dollar or two, for mowing lawns. Pretzels were 2 for a penny, and most candy was no more than a nickel. Does anyone remember the Balsa wood airplanes that you could get for a nickel or a dime, or the large Dairy Queen ice cream cone for 15 cents, or White Castle burgers for 8 cents? Ah, those were good days!!!
I remember all of those things. It was truly a different and seemingly simpler world from today…………..
I expect prices to continue to decline for Cushman Scooters. The folks who remember them are senior citizens now and not interested in buying anymore “stuff”. I fit into this category.
I owned an Eagle in ’55. There was no such thing as a “Silver Eagle”.
@BR, I stand corrected. In my excitement, I used Silver instead of Super. Thanks for the “edit” correction…Regardless, these are incredibly fun to cruise around in…
@BR. After researching further, there is in fact the mighty “Super Silver Eagle” produced by Cushman. With a bit of fact finding, there is in-deed a thing or two to be learned. Thanks BR, no hard feelings…cruise easy.
My bad, I should have been more accurate. I knew the “Supers” and “Silvers” didn’t come out until late ’50’s early ’60’s. They just weren’t around when I bought mine new in ’55. $350 iirc. Yes, they were a hoot to drive. Drove mine on the beach and off road in the mountains. Had three speeding tickets and two broken bones in the three years I had it. I rode with two buddies, one with a Cushman, the other a Mustang.
Jamie, I’ll take your ride-it-home fantasy challenge.
I’d ride home to Australia via Canada, Alaska, Russia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia with a few small boat rides in between.
Might need more time than a long weekend.
Awesome!!! Love to see the resulting travelogue!
Pop used to sell them as a sideline until Mom caught him with me as a passenger. I don’t know what the ultimatum was, but I have a picture of the two of us on the last one he had in inventory–kickstand firmly planted.