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Your Chance to Roll in a Car-Motorcycle With Wings: A 1988 Pulse Autocycle

Is it a bird, is it a plane? Is it a car, is it a motorcycle? The Pulse autocycle is all that, minus the “bird” part – with an extra helping of awesomeness and exclusivity. And there’s one you can buy today.
1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida 11 photos
Photo: ebay.com / Crystal Motorcars
1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida1988 Pulse autocycle for sale in Florida
Pulse autocycles are the brainchild of one Ed Butcher, who founded the Owosso Motor Car Company and made about 350 of them (depending on who you believe) throughout the ‘80s. Butcher would describe Owosso as the smallest car company in Michigan and the second-biggest motorcycle maker in the country, depending on whether you regarded the Pulse as a car or a bike.

In reality, the Pulse is recognized as a two-wheeler in some states, so it’s closer to a bike, and a three-wheeler in others, even though it actually has four wheels. Confused yet? That’s the appeal of the Pulse, a car-motorcycle that takes inspiration from (and the shape of) fighter jets and that is one of those rare vehicles that collectors go mad about.

The official designation is GCRV or Ground Cruising Recreational Vehicle: a vehicle that seats two in tandem like a motorcycle, that has wings and two more, smaller wheels at the end of them. With all this, the Pulse needs only two wheels to travel and never touches the ground with all four: the smaller ones make contact when turning only.

One of them popped up for sale on eBay and it’s in impeccable condition, despite having more than 11,000 miles (17,702 km) on the clock. It only had one owner in Florida and comes with full documentation, factory AC, full servicing and inspection, and a gorgeous interior in black with red diamond stitching.

Unlike the Pulse we discussed in September 2019, which had a Yamaha engine, this one has a Honda Goldwing 1200 CC engine, steel frame and fiberglass body. The front towbar is the original factory one, and the seller, a dealership in Florida, says the next owner will get it with Bluetooth radio. For the time being, it only has the factory standard AM/FM/Cassette Radio because, remember, this vehicle was built in 1988.

The asking price is $27,800 - certainly not cheap, but what did you expect from a vehicle that is three things (car, bike, plane) all at once?
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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