Go
to the Archive indexFrom the Motor Cycle, 27th October 1955:
"A new powered cycle named the Mo-ped is announced by the Power Pak concern, Fitted with a 49 c.c. two-stroke engine the Mo-ped is of simple design. The Power Pak cyclemotor is discontinued."
As it turned out, the last sentence was not true. In fact the cyclemotor would be available for several more years - which is more than could be said for the 'Mo-ped'.
According to the Motor Cycle's announcement, Sinclair-Goddard was the company responsible for the new machine; however, in a simultaneous announcement, rival weekly Motor Cycling described it as being "newly introduced by the Power-Pak Engineering Co. Ltd., of Coventry".
The Power Pak Mo-ped was little more than a cyclemotor. The frame was very much like a lady's bicycle except that the steering head was joined to the down tube by a single pressed-steel box member that also served as the fuel tank. The 39mm×40mm engine was mounted under the bottom bracket and drove the rear wheel via a 1.75 inch diameter roller giving a gear ratio of 14.85:1 (if it's possible to be that accurate about roller drive). There was no clutch but a handlebar lever controlled the engagement of the roller with the tyre. A pressed-steel girder front fork provided the only suspension. It was claimed that the engine provided enough power to give a speed of over 30 mph - coupled with a fuel consumption better than 200 mpg.
Although of simple, even basic, construction there was a surprisingly comprehensive array of accessories supplied with the machine. It had a 3.5 inch headlamp, a stop lamp combined with the tail light, flashing direction indicators front and rear, an electric horn, a stand, a rear carrier with detachable panniers and a speedometer. This last item, along with the light switches, was mounted in a "streamlined facia unit" in the middle of the handlebars; a unit that bore an uncanny resemblance to the Power Pak cyclemotor's fuel tank.
A production of 1,000 machines a week was planned with deliveries due to start in January 1956.
At the time of its announcement no prices had been fixed for the Mo-ped, it was stated that they would be published "next week". The next week brought no news on the prices - it did however bring an Autumn Budget in which the Chancellor increased the rate of purchase tax on motor cycles, which may account for the delay in declaring the price. However, all was ready for the Earls Court Show the following week and the Mo-ped was exhibited on Stand 19, carrying the registration mark KLR 612 (This registration dated from 1949 - did Sinclair-Goddard re-use a number allocated to one of the original Power Pak cyclemotors?). Since its announcement the Mo-ped had acquired even more accessories; the show exhibit had a pillion seat mounted on the rear carrier and footrests on the ends of the rear wheel spindle. The Standard Mo-ped was priced at £54 17s [£54.85] while the de Luxe would cost £64 15s [£64.75]. Only the Cyclemate and the Standard version of the Mobylette were cheaper than a Power Pak Standard Mo-ped.
What next? After November 1955 the Mo-ped is never mentioned again in the motor cycling weeklies, it seems to have been quietly forgotten. Presumably the show exhibit was the only one ever made.
First published - June 1990