Dutch Treat: 1978 Batavus Regency Moped
As an urban hipster with a beard, you are probably spending most of your income on your post-industrial loft in an up and coming neighborhood. When you need to get around you use your smartphone and Uber a ride. But when the guy shows up in a Prius, it kills your cool. A motorcycle or scooter would be cool and go with that leather biker jacket, but you need an endorsement to ride it. How about a mo-ped? It blends motorcycle cool with bicycle street cred and you can ride it without a special license if it’s under 50cc’s. Plus, since you are primarily urban, you don’t need to go over 30 mph anyway. Find this 1978 Batavus Regency Moped for sale on eBay a starting bid of $500 and 1 day to go.
Batavus got its start in Holland selling clocks and farm machinery in 1904. They began manufacturing bicycles around 10 years later. They manufactured their first moped in 1948. In the 1970’s they were acquired by the Dutch Laura group and began using Laura engines in their mopeds. This Regency HS was one of Batavus’ top of the line models powered by the 48cc Laura M56 two stroke engine and puts out a ripping 2.4 hp at 7,000 rpm. With a long enough straight, you might be able to hit 35 mph. This Laura M56 Torque-o-matic is said to run with a recent service and a brand new NGK spark plug. The aluminum head looks pretty crusty to me for a bike parked inside for 20 years.
This Regency is a HS top tank model with the 3 gallon horizontal tank. Unlike contemporary two stroke motorcycles, it doesn’t have oil injection so you will need to pre-mix. Luckily Batavus put a sticker on the tank to remind you. I guess you’ll have to keep a jerry can in your loft. With the 3 gallon tank and published figures of 150mpg you can go 450 miles before you have to mix. You could also get a step through model with a smaller, vertical tank, but it looks like a girl’s bike.
This bike ped has been customized with add on side baskets that look like they came from a french fryer at the local 5 Guys, turn signals and some rear rack that looks like it should have towels hanging from it. As with almost all old oddball two wheelers, it comes with a temporary registration, so the title is in doubt.
See a better way to buzz around your gentrifying neighborhood? Email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com
Gianni is Daily Turismo’s Pacific Northwest correspondent and resident two stroke fan and is sure that college kids didn’t engineer the NA.
Those turn signals seem well placed.
I have an old Vespa like thing with about a 1 gallon tank, I fill it about once a year, with this I could go a couple of years between fill ups.
2.4 HP but…when push comes to shove (and it will if you own this thing if my past Vespa experience is any indication) a horse will go uphill with you on it, and this won't.
When I'm not driving (my 190E 2.3-16 or E39 525iT), I'm riding one like this. Here's mine–a 1980 Peugeot TSM–pretty heavily modified.
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Nice !
Let's put a game plan together here gentlemen. Here is what I suggest:
1) Watch Diva – This 1981 French thriller does for mopeds what Quadraphenia did for Vespas & Lambrettas.
2) Edit – Remove the baskets, rack, turn signals & other non-essential crap.
3) Revise – Let's see, some sticky tires, high-performance clutch, straight bars, oversize piston, expansion chamber and new jets. Maybe we ditch the pedals and put on pegs and add a new chain and rear sprocket.
4) Dutch Flag or Football Team Sticker – Owners choice. Throw down some subtle, nationalistic jingo on this bad boy to make certain know it's from the land of dykes, ships, legal marijuana and sex tourism.
And Viola! You have a ride for the ages. Now let's get started!