Isettas were available with either one or two rear wheels, the latter being popular in the UK where they could be registered inexpensively as a motorcycle and sidecar combination. The steering wheel was attached to the front-mounted door but cranked so that it moved to enable ingress and egress for the two passengers it could carry. Performance was modest with a top speed of 88kph (55mph) and the single-cylinder engine driving the rear wheel from behind the seat produced considerable noise and vibration. Isettas were also built under licence in Belgium, Brazil, France and Spain, and more than 160,000 were sold between 1953 and 1963.

New Zealand Classic Motorcycles

The museum formerly at Napier housed an extraordinary collection. It has moved to the home of the World's Fastest Indian.

More information: New Zealand Classic Motorcycles.

Isetta 1954-1964