If you’ve been wondering how to carry your transportation in a suitcase, you’re in luck! This 1962 Valmobile is a suitcase-sized scooter that actually folds up into a 75-pound package that you can put in the trunk of your car, or ship it, or stow it.. well, according to the Valmobile literature it “fits in plane, boat, car, trailer.” This original, portable scooter is on eBay with a current price of $1,975 and the reserve hasn’t been met. There are still four days left on the auction so you’ll have time to run this past your spouse and get it approved before you bid. You know you want this!
These things don’t come up for sale too often. I’ve seen them at antique and vintage motorcycle shows and they’re pretty neato, as no suitcase scooter rider said, ever. The Valmobile missed the boat on timing, coming out just after the 1950s when scooters were really hot and also right as Japanese mopeds were streaming into the market in the early-1960s. Not to mention that it’s a scooter in a suitcase! No, I actually love that part of it. It’s chic and unique, there’s no question about that. This one is all original other than the seat, but the seller has the original seat.
I don’t know if I’d want to carry around a 75-pound, gas-filled metal box too often, but I guess if a person has bigger arms than I do that would be possible. I love that this thing was even invented, let alone marketed, apparently-approved by governments and other municipalities, and purchased by actual consumers to ride on city streets! There weren’t too many other suitcase scooters. Well, of course there’s this guy who literally used a suitcase. And, Honda made a much nicer version for their Honda City car in the 1980s, but it wasn’t meant to be as portable as a piece of luggage. And, there were a few other companies giving it a shot, like this 1960 Centaur.
The seller says that he puts this in the bed of his 1949 Chevy pickup and takes it out at car shows and rides it around; this is one cool guy! Hopefully he doesn’t ride it at its reported top speed of 35 mph. I could not imagine doing that speed on one of these, at least without a full-body-suitcase around myself. Here’s a YouTube video of a gentleman riding one around; that looks like fun. This is a 50cc, two-cycle, single-cylinder engine with 2.8 hp, about the same hp as my Prius has.. Not to mention that this thing gets three times the mileage as the Prius does at 165 mpg! That’s just win-win right there. I don’t care who you are, you can’t go wrong with this Valmobile! Do you like these wacky little motorized contraptions as much as I do or are you just into regular motorcycles?
Hay that’s my lost luggage.
It was in that DC3 from earlier.
At 75 lbs. I would enjoy folding it up and then… just staring at it.
On the plus side, it should be pretty reasonable to have shipped. My wife, whose name happens to be Val, has been talking about getting a new vehicle. I texted her a link to this but she was less than enthusiastic about it. :)
I have one im working on now- not the easiest to find parts. Anybody know where?
right here! bid and buy this one.
Auction update: this scooter sold at $3,120.
Wow I own one of these and wish I didn’t paint 24 Budweiser on the side of it. I’m gonna repaint it and try to make it look like it’s brand new. Any original details that I need to look for
I’m 67 and still have mine that my father gave me
when I was 8. I stopped using it at 14 and for those who wonder how it is at 35mph, no problem, it goes very well.