20 questions -- what's the latest addition to the fleet?

[snoutmeat]

As I was driving home tonight with my latest acquisition, it occurred to me that there are many folks on this board with an encyclopedic knowledge of the products of Fuji Heavy Industries, and that it might be fun for people to guess the make and model of a board member's vehicle by playing "20 questions". Of course, I might be wrong, and people might think this is stupid. Only one way to find out.

 

Remember, they need to be yes-or-no questions -- no fair just asking "what is it?"

 

I'll kick things off with questions number 1 and 2:

 

1. Does it have an extra light in the middle of the grill?

 

Yes.

 

2. Is it 4 wheel drive?

 

No.

[Andyjo]

IT IS A RABBIT?!?!?!

[75subie]

it almost has to be a rabbit scooter

[snoutmeat]

OK, fine -- I guess it's "two questions". Excellent sleuthing work! Yes, it's a Fuji Rabbit. If I'd wanted to be trickier, I suppose I could have said "what has 4 wheels, rear wheel drive, seats 4, and has chain drive?"

 

Two of my Fuji Rabbits!

 

I'll post some pics tonight of the Rabbit in the back of the BRAT on the way back up from California.

[Skip]

I claim foul

 

"1. Does it have an extra light in the middle of the grill?"

 

Rabbits have no grill (it's a horn and not in the middle of it)

and it is not an "extra light"

it is

the only light.

 

Congrats and props to you, I have a Vespa and would trade

it for a Rabbit anyday.

 

[75subie]

looking forward to some pics of that bad boy:headbang:

[75subie]

was it this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1961-Fuji-Rabbit-Superflow-scooter-Unique_W0QQitemZ190079861639QQihZ009QQcategoryZ6722QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item190079861639

 

 

[Skip]

Opps

Thanks Jon never saw it up close

you are correct.

[snoutmeat]

Scary! It's like big brother is watching me. 75subie, you not only picked the correct make/model, you pointed out the exact scooter I just picked up from Fresno. Driving from Seattle to Fresno in 1 day in the BRAT is a challenge; getting stuck in gridlocked traffic for 2 hours near the Oregon/California border because a trucker in a hurry jackknifed his truck in the snow makes it an even bigger challenge. Once traffic did start moving, we crawled along (at idle in first gear) for another hour or so. I finally saw the source of this slowdown -- two police officers inspecting every vehicle to ensure they were all either chained up or 4WD. I watched the officer look at the minivan 2 cars ahead of me. He walked around to the back of it, looking for an "All Wheel Drive" sticker on the back. When he didn't see it, he crawled on the ground in the snow to look for two differentials. He finally let it through. Then, with the sedan in front of me, he got into a 5-minute conversation about why they couldn't go on, how they could get back to town to buy chains, etc. Then he glanced at me, saw it was a BRAT, smiled, and waved me through. I did have a set of chains in the car, but I never even had to put it into 4WD -- drove across the pass in front wheel drive.

 

A couple of hours later, when the battery died on my MP3 player, I pulled in to a Wal-Mart in some small town in Northern California. The lot was nearly empty, so I parked near the door. Just as I was walking in, I saw an EA82 wagon pull in with black Peugeot 15" alloys. Someone on the list? I figured I'd say "hi" when they came in to the store, but I never saw them enter.

 

On the way home, I drove up the coast to avoid the snow...but the gods were apparently angry, as it rained like crazy most of the way back.

 

The scooter is a 1961 S601. Compared to a Vespa or other classic scooters, it has some unusual features:

 

--automatic "twist and go" operation with a torque converter like you'd find on a car (most automatic scooters use a centrifugal clutch and a belt).

 

--air shock for its rear suspension

 

--200cc single-cylinder 2-stroke engine rated at 18 HP, which lets the scooter cruise at 60 or 65 MPH.

 

--as mentioned in earlier posts, it does have a spare light mounted in the middle of its grill, and there's a switch around the ignition key that lets me turn on the light. No particular reason for having this light.

 

--I've also read in the instruction manual (but haven't verified yet) that "the speedoeter is a "chameleon" type which changes color with the speed. During night operations when the speeds 33 km/h, the indicator light will change from green to red for safer night driving". See? The quirky Subaru spirit was alive even in the '60s.

[Spiffy]

I've never even heard of these things, but now I want one!

 

I've been eyeing scooters in general for the last couple years... never knew that fuji made one...

 

awesome!

 

 

--Spiffy

[snoutmeat]

It's funny -- I think of Subaru in the '70s and '80s as the spiritual successor to Volkswagen. Remember the old Subaru slogan? "Subaru -- Inexpensive and Built to Stay That Way". The '70s and '80s Subarus I've owned have been pretty Spartan affairs, with little in the way of creature comforts. Sure, the seat has a lumbar support, and I have intermittent wipers, but I think of classic Subarus as being some of the most practical vehicles around.

 

The S601 Superflow Rabbit scooter, on the other hand, represents a totally different direction for Subaru. This is a 46 year-old scooter, and it has air suspension, electric start, turn signals, a gas gauge, a "twist-and-go" automatic transmission, etc. In comparison, the 1961 Vespa I owned had only a kickstart (no electric start -- it didn't even have a battery!), had a manual 3-speed, traditional oil-damped shock, no turn signals, no gas gauge. I test-drove a Vespa the other day that didn't even have a keyed ignition switch -- just kick it to start. There was a key, but its only function was to lock the steering! That's some security! I don't know Vespas enough to know if this was common or not. My Rabbit even has 12V electrics, and I think most vehicles of the time used 6V electrics, especially most motorcycles. They get 12V by using TWO 6V batteries in series. Clever solution! So, although Subarus of the '60s, '70s, and '80s were all pretty basic machines, the Superflow was known as the most top-of-the-line, deluxe scooter that money could buy.

 

BTW, Fuji had a whole lineup of scooters. The 601 was the most deluxe model and was a real "cruiser"; I also have an S402, which is a 4-speed 150 and is a little smaller/lighter than the 601. It still has 12V electrics, turn signals, electric start, and a gas gauge, but the gas gauge is next to the gas fill hole, which is under the seat, so there's no way to tell while you're riding how much gas you have left. Because it's a manual, it's a lot quicker off the line than the Superflow.

 

They also had 90cc step-through bikes (like Honda Passports) and several other models. One of these days, I'll get around to posting pics and descriptions in the appropriate forum. You can also go look around at www.fujirabbit.com.

 

BTW, spiffy, one of mine came from Portland, and I know another guy up in Vancouver BC who found his in Portland. The guy I bought mine from has another one, so there are Rabbits in Portland (or at least there were!)

I have an annual summertime family obligation that usually keeps me from attending the WCSS meets, but one of these days I'll put a Rabbit in the back of my BRAT and bring it to a meet so more people can see one in the flesh.

[benebob]

Congrats, I have most of a 57 S-101. Looks like yours but its a 4 stroke 250cc engine. Doesn't have a light there, nor a horn but just a center trim piece. Horn is behind it.