Photo: Bring a Trailer
This machine from 1965 is indeed a rare sight. Called the Express Kavalier, its steel-pressed design earned it the nickname “Tin Banana.” The model was acquired 31 years ago by its current seller and has spent the past four years on display in a vintage motorcycle café. Now, it’s ready to find a new owner.
Originally produced by Zweirad Union in Germany and refurbished under previous ownership, the moped is all dressed in pearl white, and it comes with brown and chrome accents. The valanced front fender and the pannier-like rear side panels make it looks like a fine piece of art on wheels. That is empathized by the one-piece fuel tank and the headlamp. The rear side panels feature the Kavalier lettering in gold, and a red seat nicely contrasts the body.
The Kavalier 115 is outfitted with a 48cc two-stroke that was capable of delivering two hp when new. The engine is kick-started, fan-cooled, and mated to a three-speed transmission. A 12 mm Bing carb and a low-mounted chrome exhaust help it breathe.
It rides on 16-inch chrome rims with IRC whitewall tires. A leading-link fork in front and a swingarm in the rear, with shock absorbers at both ends, are responsible for the suspension.
The machine’s odometer reads 5,000 miles (about 8,000 km), but the true mileage is actually unknown. The seller says that the moped has not been ridden since acquisition and has been displayed in the motorcycle café emptied of its fluids.
This 1965 Kavalier is currently being offered on Bring a Trailer. It comes with a sales brochure from the manufacturer, its original German operating permit, a signed photo of Jay Leno riding an Express Kavalier, and a bill of sale.
The online auction will be open for three more days (until November 29th). The highest bid (at the moment of writing this article) on this classic piece sits at $11,111.
The Kavalier 115 is outfitted with a 48cc two-stroke that was capable of delivering two hp when new. The engine is kick-started, fan-cooled, and mated to a three-speed transmission. A 12 mm Bing carb and a low-mounted chrome exhaust help it breathe.
It rides on 16-inch chrome rims with IRC whitewall tires. A leading-link fork in front and a swingarm in the rear, with shock absorbers at both ends, are responsible for the suspension.
The machine’s odometer reads 5,000 miles (about 8,000 km), but the true mileage is actually unknown. The seller says that the moped has not been ridden since acquisition and has been displayed in the motorcycle café emptied of its fluids.
This 1965 Kavalier is currently being offered on Bring a Trailer. It comes with a sales brochure from the manufacturer, its original German operating permit, a signed photo of Jay Leno riding an Express Kavalier, and a bill of sale.
The online auction will be open for three more days (until November 29th). The highest bid (at the moment of writing this article) on this classic piece sits at $11,111.
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