A what? An Italian folding mini-motorcycle? Yes, it folds up so you can put it in the trunk of your car, almost like a Honda Motocompo. This 1980 Di Blasi R7ST is listed here on bikesales.com in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia, about two hours south of Brisbane on the east coast of Australia. The seller is asking $1,300, which is around $885 in US dollars. Those shipping costs, though, ouch. Thanks to TBAU for sending in this interesting tip!
Believe it or not, there’s a company in Australia that will ride one of these folding bikes to you if you’ve been partying too much and can’t drive, then they’ll fold it up, put it in your trunk, and drive you home in your own car. Now that’s creative marketing. The R7ST was made for the 1979 through 1982 model years and there was a Di Blasi R7ST-US, a version specifically made for the US market.
It isn’t exactly Honda Motocompo-like in being graceful and good-looking when it’s folded up, though. Not that it matters, but wow, that’s a crazy jumble there, eh? It works, and they were made for pilots and folks with big boats and also for cars/trucks/vans, so owners could carry some transportation with them, unfold these bikes once they got to where they were going, and then putt-putt on their way. Although I would think that carrying a folding bicycle would be good to give folks some exercise, it’s not like any of us could use any exercise, or to lose weight or anything (cough).
Di Blasi is an Italian company that made folding scooters (which they referred to as mopeds), and also folding bikes, and folding trikes. Here is a photo of the first version, a Di Blasi folding tricycle with the founder Rosario Di Blasi on it at the 1968 Turin Auto Show. He started developing this idea in the early-1950s and they’re still in business today. There is a dealer in Florida that sells them for $1,995 plus $75 to pack them up and ship them to you via UPS in the Continental US, very cool. Hmmm…
You can see that this one is showing some surface rust under missing paint and a few nicks and scratches. The engine is a Di Blasi M1, which is a 49.9-cc two-stroke single-cylinder, and they also make an EV version. Have any of you heard of a Di Blasi folding scooter?
No, but hanging around this guy, you’ll get quite an education. For most of my life, scooters and ladies of the night had no interest for me, both back on the table of late. The latter needs no explanation, but a scooter, hmm. Right now, my bicycle provides most of the 2 wheel entertainment, but looking ahead for when I can’t pedal, a scooter could be the answer. I don’t go far these days, my only concern is trying to share the road, even a city road, with other traffic. Neighbor bought one of those E-bikes, IDK, I read they can start fires while charging, and the other day, I saw’r him PEDALING the dang thing, run out of juice, pal?
Anyway, at least this has rear suspension, most mini-bikes are hard tails, and with this food delivery the latest craze( as sit down restaurants vanish), this could work. Not a fan of EVs anyway, and again, kids are kids and some kid would have a blast.
Howard, I quickly learned to HATE E-bikes. Not the bikes themselves, but the riders, well most of them. Out on the path where I regularly ride my Trek mountain bike and have done so for many years, there have been an increasing number of E-bike riders. A small percentage of them, usually older, ride them conscientiously, and reasonably. But the majority of E-bikers I encounter, ride fast, and with little consideration to others. As if they were battling traffic on the highway and not among people out to get exercise on the bike path.
I don’t think E bikes can share our bike/hike trails, I’ve never encountered any, however, we have “goat-head” thorns that cause a lot of flats. That and many bike paths are shared with hikers, that walk 2 a breast, or with their dogs NOT on a leash( $72 fine, loosely enforced) and are in spaceland, or something, coming up behind them I say excuse me, their reactions are priceless, like I fired a gun.. Like the last thing they expect is someone on a bike on THEIR hike. The 2 clearly don’t mesh, so I stay off the trails. Not sure where this could be used. I don’t think it’s street legal.
Here in Sunny Floriduh, there are no rules for the trails (at least the ones I ride on) relative to E-Bikes or even speed limits. The one simple rule for everyone, that is difficult for some to comprehend/adhere to is to stay on the right. When I approach from behind and need more space I say “On your Left” which usually works. When people approach me and they are also on my right I will politely say “You are on the wrong side”. Responses range from “Thanks” all the way to “F-You”.
Cool, but yes shipping will kill the deal.
Howard,
Fly to Sydney, NSW and take Uber to the seller;s house.
Ride the scooter 465 miles back to the airport.
Put scooter in carry on luggage, you will be home in a few days!!!
No two wheeler for me, at my age, I need 4 wheels on the road. I had a good friend almost killed on a motorcycle (not his fault… the guy ran a red light) and since that time, I’ve not cared for such. Most cycles are way too loud in the first place, and my thought has always been… the guy never got any attention, so he got a loud bike. This particular thing would be a death trap for me.
I actually own a Di Blazi folding bike, that I brought back in my luggage from Europe a couple decades ago. I used to take it along when actively flying around. As I was cleaning up my garage, I decided to see if it still worked, put gas in it, a few kick starts and it came to life, no problem. It is a good little moped surprisingly reliable and easy to start for a two stokes. If anyone is interested, I am going to let it go…