motorcycles

Cushman

USA · Founded 1903

Nebraska's own scooter company. From farm equipment to military mailmen to rockabilly icons.

Heritage

Cushman started making engines in Lincoln, Nebraska. During WWII, they built the Model 53 Airborne scooter that paratroopers could drop from planes. After the war, the Eagle became their flagship — a distinctly American scooter that looked nothing like its Italian competitors. Where Vespas were curvy and Continental, Cushmans were chunky and industrial. They were the scooter of choice for meter maids, postal workers, and anyone who needed cheap, reliable transportation. The rockabilly scene later adopted them as the anti-Vespa — defiantly American, proudly uncool, and weirdly perfect for custom builds. Cushman stopped making scooters in 1965, but the Eagles still roll.

Cushman Vehicles (1)

1958 Cushman Eagle

1958 Cushman Eagle

$3,000-10,000 Motorcycle
Engine: 318cc Husky single-cylinder
Power: 8-9 hp
Trans: Automatic centrifugal clutch
Years: 1949-1965

The Cushman Eagle was Vespa's American rival, and it couldn't have been more different. Where the Vespa was curvaceous and Continental, the Eagle was angular and industrial. Cushman built engines for decades before making scooters, and the Husky powerplant showed it — these were workhorses, not fashion statements. The Eagle became the scooter of choice for postal workers, meter maids, and anyone who needed utilitarian transportation. Later, the rockabilly and custom scene adopted Eagles as the anti-Vespa: proudly American, defiantly uncool, and perfect for customization. Cushman stopped scooter production in 1965, but the Eagle's cult following endures.